Nguyen Xuan Toan won first prize and the highest score in Hanoi's 2026 citywide English competition for gifted students in the non‑specialized school category. His success shows how self‑study and a supportive parent can lead to top results without extra tutoring.

Toan’s 80‑year‑old father, Nguyen Xuan Sung, took him to every exam and encouraged him. Sung let Toan play video games and watch English videos on YouTube because they helped his vocabulary. He said he wanted his son to have a real childhood and did not push for private tutoring.

Toan never attended private English tutoring classes. He learned English from regular school lessons and by studying at home. Every day he searched online for an English practice test, completed it, checked his answers, and wrote down mistakes and new words to improve.

The story shows that disciplined self‑study and a parent who supports rather than forces extra classes can bring top competition results. Students can aim for high scores even without costly tutoring.