Eliza Romey’s class today was very noisy - upper primary students were bombarding their teacher with a host of questions. Eliza had just showed them a video clip of a visually impaired, limbless swimmer powerfully making his way through the water to become a Paralympian. ‘How can he breathe in the water without both arms?’, ‘How can he keep to his lane while he can’t see?,’ cried the children.

It was at this point that Eliza, with a very slight grin, started to push harder, making the crowd even noisier when she asked: ‘Why don’t you try to answer those questions yourself?.’ And the kids yelled out their excitement.

Next up, the right-handed children had their right hands tightly taped (and vice versa), then they had to use their left hand to cut out the drawing of an Olympic torch. Toiling over this task, the young learners were given yet a harder mission. In a team of three, one member would have his/her eyes covered; then this member was asked to draw a picture resembling what was appearing on the screen, relying just on verbal instructions given by other two team members. Time was tight and the kids all agreed that there pictures were disasters.

However, they now understood how difficult it was being disabled. And they learned to respect and to empathise.

Long Vu, a Vietnamese television personality and a well-known sports commentator, said: ‘My son has had three English courses at British Council, I can see he really enjoys studying here and has made clear progress after each course. At British Council, my son not only learns English but he also learns lessons about solidarity, sharing and team-working. I believe sharing is also the important spirit of the Olympic Games, so I am happy to know that my son has got the spirit in the lessons filled with energy and passion at British Council.’

Sir Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games made a pledge when London won the bid for the 2012 Games, which is to ‘reach young people all around the world and connect them to the inspirational power of the Games so they are inspired to choose sport…improving their lives as a result.’

In line with this, British Council has been developing English 2012, a range of English Language materials to satisfy the huge global interests in the English Language inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Also, British Council has launched a Global Young Learners’ Art Competition, which is open for entries from its young learners of three age groups (under 8s, 9-11, 12-15). Vietnamese young learners are determined to win this competition to have their winning pictures displayed in the London Olympic 2012 desk calendar.

‘The Olympic spirit can be felt and seen on our class walls where our students display their art works, their writing about favourite sports personalities and even their inventions of new sports. To celebrate One year to go to Olympic London 2012, together with Izzi milk and Kim Dong publishing house we organised a week of Summer Olympic outdoor in the green space of Hanoi Botanic Garden, giving our learners an opportunity to play real games. They have learnt a lot about the values of the Olympic in the summer classes, now it’s time for them to bring those values to the field,’ said Michael Gordon, Deputy Director of British Council Vietnam.

For a flavour of Olympic Summer fun go to our Flickr pic set here.