Integrating Vietnamese Folktales in Moral Education: Theoretical Perspectives and Practical Challenges in Primary Schools

Integrating Vietnamese folktales into primary moral education requires a theory-driven and curriculum-aligned approach rather than ad hoc storytelling. This conceptual paper synthesizes recent scholarship on moral and values education, experiential and dialogic pedagogy, and cultural pedagogy (2022–2025) to propose a practical framework for folktale integration under Vietnam’s 2018 General Education Curriculum. We first map core moral motifs in Vietnamese folktales (e.g., honesty, gratitude, responsibility, fairness) to competency standards and lesson objectives, and then introduce a four-criterion selection rubric addressing age appropriateness, ethical complexity, bias risks, and transfer potential. Next, we classify implementation challenges in five domains—curriculum fit, teacher capacity, assessment of moral competencies, learning resources, and educational technology—and respond with classroom-ready tools: 30–35-minute lesson kernels emphasizing dialogic analysis and experiential transfer, together with a performance-based assessment checklist usable in routine lessons. The framework is culturally grounded, actionable without experimental trials, and adaptable to local narratives and school constraints. We conclude with implications for teacher professional development and policy, and outline directions for future empirical validation across provinces and comparative ASEAN contexts.