SUMMARY OF SOCIAL WORK INTERNSHIP FROM TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY AT CED

On July 07, 2026, the Center for Research and Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CED) welcomed PhD. Pham Thanh Hai, a lecturer in Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ton Duc Thang University and 06 interns participated at CED.

In addition to evaluating and reviewing the students' internship process based on the criteria of awareness, attitude, and skills, the Center also recognized their active performance and positive transformations through the following areas:

1. Professional Development and Professional Demeanor

• Professional Expertise: Interns enhanced skills in communication with people with hearing loss, gained a deep understanding of the role of a social worker, and learned to flexibly adjust support methods according to each student's individual needs.

• Professional Demeanor: Despite facing some health challenges and personal schedule conflicts, the students made great efforts to fulfill their responsibilities, ensure punctuality, and proactively extend their practical hours.

• Discipline: Throughout the working process, students cultivated a strong sense of organizational discipline regarding the leave request protocol, lunch break management, collaborative cleaning duties with pupils, and balancing fieldwork with completing internship reports on time.

2. Practical Lessons from the Principle of "Client Individualization":

• Awareness: Interns shifted their initial perspectives, realizing that assistive tools are only part of the equation, and the most critical factor is patience. Witnessing the dedication of the teachers and staff at the center helped them internalize the practice of putting their "heart" into the profession and respecting the uniqueness of each client.

• Skills: Interns learned to adapt their communication flexibly when pupils could not hear well, and actively practiced methods to increase student participation, thereby fostering confidence, sociability, and creativity among the children.

• Attitude: Interns demonstrated meticulousness, respect, and deep affection for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, while consistently observing and learning to grow.

On behalf of CED, the Board of Directors confirmed that the interns successfully met the requirements of the internship. Directly supporting and witnessing the pupils' immediate progress (such as active participation, understanding lessons, and diligent reading practice) is the most rewarding experience, giving them more motivation for their future career paths. At the same time, the field supervisor offered further encouraging words, motivating interns to actively overcome their limitations, capitalize on their strengths, and continue proactively cultivating professional knowledge and skills to become more confident in their chosen career path.

With the Mission of supporting the inclusion of people with hearing loss, the Center for Research and Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CED) is always willing to cooperate with the Open University of Ho Chi Minh City, Ton Duc Thang University and other universities to receive students for practicing education with students with hearing loss, social work with people with hearing loss in particular and practicing in the field of Hearing Loss in general.