WELCOME TO THE HOOD!

The Hood (short for the neighborhood) isn’t just an English community - it’s your new neighborhood of English-speaking friends. Here, you’ll connect with real people every day, in real conversations, so your English starts to feel natural, automatic, and part of your daily life.

We live inside a private Slack workspace - FREE to download and easy to use on your phone or computer.

Slack makes it easy to join conversations, share photos, post voice messages, and even jump on video calls. Everything stays organized, so nothing important gets lost in the feed.

WHAT'S IT LIKE INSIDE?

When you join, your first stop is #introductions — tell us who you are, where you’re from, what you do, and a little about what you love. Straight away, you’ll start connecting with people who want the same thing as you: to improve their English while making new friends.

From there, you can:

Chat about your day in #general
Join our #grammar-and-vocab challenges to sharpen your skills
Support and encourage each other in #mental-health-support
Post about your favorite dishes in #food or favorite songs in #music
Share your good news in #wins
Watch for updates in #announcements
Ask questions or get help in #membership-and-tech-support

Some members check in during their morning coffee. Others chat after work or late at night. With people online all times of the day, you can practice whenever it suits you.

POINTS WIN PRIZES

In The Hood, progress isn’t just about improving your English — it’s about lifting each other up. That’s why we use a community points system to reward you for your efforts and progress.

Members can award points to each other for the big wins, the small wins, and everything in between:

Leader Points – for guiding and supporting others
Achiever Points – for hitting personal goals
Genius Points – for brilliant ideas or solutions
Hustler Points – for showing determination
Artist Points – for creative or fun contributions to conversations
Loyal Supporter Points – for being there when it matters
Scholar Points – for learning and growing
Motivator Points – for inspiring others
Innovator Points – for trying something new
Collaborator Points – for teamwork and cooperation

Points aren’t just numbers — they’re a way to show appreciation, build confidence, and keep the good energy flowing. The more you give and receive, the richer our community becomes.

And of course, there are rewards for high scores!

WHY DAILY PRACTICE MATTERS

Lessons are important — but progress comes from using English every day. Even 10 minutes of chatting can keep your skills sharp and your confidence high.

In The Hood, daily contact with real people means you’re constantly thinking, responding, and improving without it feeling like a chore.

THE RULES

We keep The Hood friendly, respectful, and focused on your growth.

ENGLISH ONLY!
No Vietnamese! Have the confidence to make mistakes so you can learn from them. Help other members to improve their English too.
KEEP THE CHANNEL TIDY
Remember to click ‘Reply In Thread’ so conversations are easier to follow.
USE IT OR LOSE IT
Silence kills the community! Be an active member in The Hood in order to maintain your membership.
ZERO ASSHOLE POLICY
Kindness and respect are non-negotiable. No bullying, no hate speech, no exceptions.

WHY IT WORKS

Sure, apps and AI tools can help you practice English, but they’re predictable and unnatural, and they can’t meet you for coffee.

Real conversation is unpredictable and full of surprises - exactly what helps you think in English and speak more naturally.

Add in a supportive community, a safe space to make mistakes, and plenty of laughs, and you’ve got the fastest, most enjoyable way to improve.

GET INVOLVED

Doors are open! Join The Hood now and become the newest member of Vietnam's hottest online community!

BACK TO THE HOOD