Times Edu Teacher
Mr Nguyen
Xuan Chung
Physics · IGCSE, Pearson and Cambridge A Level
Physics at IGCSE and A Level uses method marks, so working that skips steps loses marks even with the right answer. Three usual culprits: missing units or wrong sig figs, ‘explain’ answers that describe rather than give the cause, and calculations with no formula before the numbers. Mr Nguyen Xuan Chung has 15 years of bilingual Physics teaching and a Physics PhD from the University of Amsterdam, so he knows both the concepts and each system’s mark scheme.
Programmes taught
University of Amsterdam
Physics PhD · Netherlands
Bilingual Physics teaching in Vietnam and abroad
Physics PhD, University of Amsterdam
Postdoctoral research in Stockholm
Personalised, bilingual lessons
Intensive pre-exam plan
01 · Why Mr Chung
Three Physics mark traps
A correct answer is not enough: work also needs units, sig figs, explanations that give the cause and clear steps.
Units and sig figs
Missing units or wrong sig figs despite correct working. Students must check how the answer is written, not just the number.
‘Explain’ answers without a cause
The answer describes what happens, not the mechanism. Asked why an object cools more slowly, students must cover heat transfer.
Missing working
Numbers go in with no formula written first. He has students show the formula, substitution and answer with units.
Solid concepts, clear steps
15+ years teaching Physics bilingually, a PhD from the University of Amsterdam and postdoctoral research at KTH let him link knowledge to reasoning and written answers.
02 · Key experience
From research to global classrooms
15+ years teaching Physics in Vietnamese and English, in Vietnam and abroad, combining teaching, marking and research.
Teaching · 15+ years
Bilingual Physics
15+ years teaching Physics in Vietnamese and English, in Vietnam and abroad.
IGCSE · Pearson
Science and Physics
IGCSE and Pearson Science and Physics, taught online to students in Australia and in person in Vietnam.
Cambridge · Online & in person
A Level Physics
Teaches Cambridge A Level Physics, both online and in person.
University of Amsterdam
Physics teaching and TA work
TA and teacher for secondary and bachelor’s Physics at the University of Amsterdam, supervising and assessing international students: he knows European university marking.
KTH Stockholm · Postdoc
Research, international papers
Postdoctoral research at KTH Stockholm, with international Physics papers. Lesson examples come from real research, not textbook illustrations.
International school · Uni prep
Group tutoring and exam coaching
Group tutoring for international-school students; university entrance coaching.
Before the exam · Intensive
Choosing what to strengthen
Intensive pre-exam lessons: picking exactly what to fix when time is short.
Software · Programming
Solving Physics with tech
Uses software and programming to solve Physics problems, useful for data analysis and practical work.
03 · Teaching approach
Six principles in his lessons
Lesson format
One-to-one, bilingual lessons: core ideas explained in Vietnamese when needed, practice and answers in English to exam standard.
Phenomenon first, numbers second.
Students must say why an object moves as it does, or why current is distributed as it is, before using a formula. A formula learnt without the idea fails in a new context.
Tackle a hard problem through a simpler model.
Rather than give the full formula at once, he starts from the simplest case and adds conditions step by step. This is how Physics researchers really work.
Every calculation in three parts: formula, substitution, answer with units.
A correct calculation with missing units or wrong sig figs still loses marks.
‘Explain’ answers must give the cause, not retell what happens.
If asked why an object cools more slowly, the answer must cover heat transfer, not just say it cools more slowly.
Practicals taught as part of the exam.
Independent, dependent and control variables, sources of error and improvements. These are always examined, not an extra.
In intensive courses, target the most marks first.
One or two months cannot fix everything. He prioritises by mark weighting and difficulty, securing reachable marks first.
04 · Qualifications
Grounded in Physics, from study to research
A PhD in Physics from the University of Amsterdam; a Master’s and Bachelor’s in Physics from VNU University of Science, Hanoi; postdoctoral research at KTH.
PhD · Netherlands
PhD in Physics
University of Amsterdam
Master’s & Bachelor’s · Vietnam
MSc and BSc in Physics
VNU University of Science, Hanoi
Postdoctoral research
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Stockholm · International Physics papers.
Teaching and marking
- University of Amsterdam
Supervising and assessing international students; teaching secondary and bachelor’s Physics.
Used in teaching
- Software and programming
- Data analysis and practicals
Technology for solving Physics problems.
- Taking IGCSE Physics with Cambridge or Pearson Edexcel.
- Taking AS or A Level Physics and aiming for an A or A*.
- Understands lessons but loses marks in written work by skipping steps.
- Applying for engineering or science degrees and needs a really solid Physics base.
- Has 1 to 2 months left and needs an intensive plan with clear priorities.
- Living abroad and needs online lessons in another time zone.
- Has just switched from the Vietnamese system and needs Physics vocabulary in English.
06 · Research & teaching
From Amsterdam and Stockholm to Physics lessons
Grasp the physics, build a simple model, then add conditions and solve.
Mr Chung holds a Physics PhD from the University of Amsterdam and did postdoctoral research at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, with international Physics publications. Lesson examples connect to real research.
His experience supervising and assessing international students, and using software and programming in Physics, comes into lessons through modelling, data analysis and practical work.
Book a lesson
One-to-one with Mr Chung
Contact Times Edu to schedule lessons with Mr Nguyen Xuan Chung for IGCSE, Pearson or Cambridge A Level Physics, around the student’s goals.
