IFBT STUDENT TALKSHOW “BE THE BEST WITHOUT HAVING BEEN THE BEST” & “CONQUERING IELTS WITH LINEARTHINKING”
On the morning of 21/10/2025, the English Club of the Institute of Finance & Banking Technology (IFBT), University of Finance & Marketing, in collaboration with DOL IELTS Dinh Luc, successfully organized a talkshow themed “Be the Best Without Having Been the Best” & “Conquering IELTS with Linearthinking,” aiming to motivate English learning across the university.
Accompanying students were Mr. Tran Thien Minh—lecturer at DOL IELTS Dinh Luc, two‑time IELTS Overall 9.0 achiever, alumnus of the VNU‑HCM High School for the Gifted (English stream)—and Mr. Pham Cong Nhat—Master’s graduate in the UK, lecturer in journalism & communications, recipient of multiple domestic and international scholarships and journalism awards.
Linearthinking – an effective English‑learning method developed by Vietnamese educators
In the context of international integration and the rise of AI, proficiency in English has become essential across most fields. However, learning English—especially IELTS preparation—is often challenging, particularly for busy students.
The Linearthinking method, researched and developed since 2018 by the DOL English team—comprised of alumni of the VNU‑HCM High School for the Gifted—introduces a fresh approach: learning English through logical thinking rather than rote memorization.
Linearthinking combines mathematical reasoning, advanced memory techniques, and mother‑tongue linguistic research, helping learners analyze, systematize, and apply knowledge naturally and effectively. According to PhD candidate Ha Dang Nhu Quynh—Academic Director at DOL English, runner‑up graduate in English Education at HCMUE, IELTS 9.0—Linearthinking enables learners to “understand the essence of language” rather than memorize it.
Linearthinking has been invited by the HCMC and Hanoi Departments of Education & Training to share and train hundreds of teachers in recent years. Its effectiveness is evident in learner outcomes: over 250 students and teachers have achieved IELTS 8.0–8.5, and three teachers have achieved a perfect 9.0. Many busy professionals—such as doctors Nguyen Trung Nghia and Nguyen Trung Kien—have successfully conquered IELTS using this method, scoring 7.5 and 8.0 respectively; Dr. Nguyen Trung Kien achieved a perfect 9/9 in Listening and Reading.
Photo 1: The Linearthinking method is co‑researched and developed by 9.0 IELTS achievers—alumni of the VNU‑HCM High School for the Gifted.
Vibrant atmosphere at the talkshow
In his talk, Mr. Minh focused on Linearthinking, the reasoning‑based English‑learning method developed by DOL English. He emphasized that instead of memorizing vocabulary and structures, Linearthinking helps learners analyze questions, build logical arguments, and understand the essence of language.
This method has helped hundreds of learners achieve IELTS scores from 8.0 to 9.0, even halving preparation time compared with traditional approaches. Mr. Minh also guided students to apply Linearthinking in solving IELTS tasks, making the session engaging and relatable.
Photo 2: UFM students are enthusiastic about Mr. Tran Thien Minh’s sharing on using Linearthinking to achieve IELTS 8.0+.
In addition to sharing about Mr. Minh's expertise and English learning methods, Mr. Nhat brought an inspirational message revolving around the three important words 'Suitability'. With the topic "Being the best even though you have never been the best", he recounted his journey of winning many domestic and international awards despite admitting that he was not very good at studying in high school. He shared that success is not necessarily only for those who start out the best, but belongs to those who persevere, make efforts and know how to choose the right and appropriate learning and self-development strategies. Mr. Nhat's talk encouraged many students, helping them to be more confident in their own abilities, clearly understanding the difference between successful and unsuccessful people. And Mr. Nhat emphasized that high scores are not enough to become a 'suitable person', to have a high competitive advantage in the AI era, but also to have Emotional Intelligence - EQ, good English.
Photo 3: Success is not only for the best, but for those who persevere and choose the right strategies—an inspiring lesson from Mr. Pham Cong Nhat’s sharing.
Throughout the program, students listened attentively, asked many questions during Q&A, and practiced IELTS tasks directly under guidance from DOL English lecturers. Some even shared personal stories and practical challenges and received sincere advice from the speakers.
Photo 4: UFM students confidently raise questions and share personal stories, turning the talkshow into a meaningful space for learning and connection.
At the end of the talkshow, many students stayed to discuss IELTS study plans with the speakers. They expressed a desire to learn more about Linearthinking and apply it in practice to achieve their target band scores.
It can be said that the talkshow not only provided IELTS knowledge but also ignited learning enthusiasm and self‑confidence, helping students of the University of Finance & Marketing approach a modern, logical, and effective method—Linearthinking—as an important toolkit for confident international integration.
MSc. Mai Bao Ngoc, Head of the English Club
Institute of Finance & Banking Technology