Sam125

jfk it sounds like your lessons need to be a lot more energetic and upbeat. Colouring in, watching cartoons...these are all quiet activities that any 7 year old will struggle with for a long period of time. I suggest activities like this should be used in the second half of your lesson after you have tired the kids out with all your games. Don't just chop and change things according the children's reaction, plan your lesson carefully in advance. Search on the internet about how to create lesson plans...your activities should be relevant to what you are trying to achieve and to the stage in the lesson.

With younger students it is also a good idea to have some very quick games that you can throw in to keep the children energised, but ensure that your activities themselves use lots of language, body language and kinetic activity. Try to understand that at this age kids are thinking a thousand to the dozen...you need to keep up with them, don't try and slow them down to a pace they are not adapted too...you will never win and will feel dejected. Think games, songs, energy, action... and then a wind down activity.

Be firm with them, but have fun. You gain authority by being even tempered and fair, not by being over-emotional and reactive. Have a corner children who misbehave sit in or some other punishment, and be very clear about what you have to do to get put there. Make the rules of the class a game - get the students to help you run through them at the start of every class. Children this age respond very well to routine and consistency.

I don't advocate giving the students prizes during normal games. Thai children are naturally very competitive and it is unnecessary.

If you like the kids, then they will like you back. If you really cannot enjoy teaching them, then it will always be a struggle and maybe you should think about teaching an older age group. having taught both Ps and Ms...Ps are definitely the most exhausting, but also the most rewarding. If you are not getting any rewards then it isn't for you.

Brilliant!

hi guys,

sorry for very little response from me as i have been very busy doing lesson plans to keep the kids interested. their attention span is no more than 20 seconds before they start to nod off from the heat in the class room. i took them to an air conditioned room and played an english speaking cartoon about germs and the super heroe fights them. thai subtitles were present. 1 minute in they ask me to put it on in thai speaking as they dont understand, i explain we are trying to learn english words. they lose interest and start playing up again. so its back to drawing,colouring in with words describing whats happening in the picture.

i say the words or sentences and they repeat back. 55 mins into the leason i write the word on the board,ask what it says and all i get is blank stares.

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

this is going to be hard but these little terrors are not going to win. they are going to learn something even if it kills me.

anymore suggestions to keep their attention is appreciated.

regards.

JFK,

Did you try modeling dialog and breaking them up into small groups liek I suggested?

I have done this a thousand times - it works....

"....And on more serious note i agree that qualifications are important and give the basic tools to build on but what matters more is right attitude and devotion to the job. With 7 years olds it might be even better to have a young guy without qualifications to get the kids interested of learning the language than force fed them with grammar and the teachers ego...."

I have 10 years of teaching experience including in early days being a substitute teacher while looking for a full-time job.

I agree 100% with the above post. Certainly formal training and a teaching internship help but in the end who you are and your talent at working with kids is what counts.

Any native speaker of English who is intelligent, kind, energetic and creative can teach kids to speak English.

Just have fun and make flash cards, get the kids to interact by actually talking instead of sitting bored in their seats

.

Example:

Class opens speaking only English you quickly take control and have the kids sit down with a couple of kids as volunteers stand up.

You have an easy dialog ready - model it get the two volunteers to repeat and then the whole class - you walk around and help.

Raro,

I do not read Thai so I never know for sure what is correct - but your posts that I have read all sound correct. - smiling.

The VAT refund sounds simple if you are good at paperwork and your books are in order - it is very similar all over the world.

As does the customs refund.

I have no interest in doing tax work anymore so the challenge is finding really good experts at reasonable prices....

Sounds correct.

thanks for approval

A related question is a refund of customs duty paid for raw materials that are then reexported in a finished product.

If you thought he VAT is difficult, then wait for the duties...there is a process "biz19" but it requires to register for it and significant paperwork (you will find yourself employing someone to handle only this soon...) so it is really only worth it if the savings outweigh the effort.

One notch above is BoI approval with the additional benefits of tax saving, Work Permit facilitation etc.

the way I see it, and this is from a forwarder's not from an accountant's perspective, you cannot get the VAT back if you have no prove of export. This would be the export entry form, not the AWB. The problem you have is that if you send out by mail , the goods are not officially exported as no proper customs process was made.

It is possible to reclaim the VAT but the process is indeed rather painful. The Revenue Department will check your books and this might take some times. It is understood that your books should be squeaky clean before you hand them over

Sounds correct.

A related question is a refund of customs duty paid for raw materials that are then reexported in a finished product.

In this case again through the Thai post office which is less expensive overall than UPS etc..

In the US I have done this but it required two steps - paperwork from US customs waiving the right to inspect the exported goods and then export documentation showing the goods had left the country. Sure enough the duty was refunded less a small fee.

If the paperwork is similar in Thailand I would imagine that it would not be practical to do this "duty drawback".

So it seems that VAT and duty often becomes a cost of doing business. Working from a special zone is an option but not an attractive one.

I've got the basic el-cheapo package and not having any problems at all. I'm connected at least 12 hours a day, no interruptions.

Metisdead,

I notice that you are in Minburi perhaps the lines are newer out there with less users and that could help?

I don't know about newer lines, the house is in an older mooban, I got the basic package when it was originally introduced, I forget how long ago that was now. My neighbor has the 8 MB package and he's always whingeing about slowness of his connection.

Very interesting I also have the 8mb package, and like your neighbor am not happy - Could it be package specific?

I doubt it, but I wonder...

Could to know as I may one day move out to Minburi mainly for school for our kids.

I've got the basic el-cheapo package and not having any problems at all. I'm connected at least 12 hours a day, no interruptions.

Metisdead,

I notice that you are in Minburi perhaps the lines are newer out there with less users and that could help?

anybody experienced outages on TRUE ADSL in BKK the late afternoon early evening?

Have there been again rainstorms in the inner city or do I have a problem with my line.

I'm now using dial-up.

opalhort

I have the true 8mb plan in Bangkok with usually ok service for the last week or so the connection stops and starts very frustrating.

Hopefully they will soon fix the situation.

Houston is reported as being a more liberal consulate than some others.

I'm from Houston and have used them as have others I know, so I'll confirm this. I've also used KL in the past once or twice, gotten only 90 day. Haven't had to do it in several years because of extensions.

The thing I wanted to toss in is that Denver is a gold mine. Last anyone I knew went, it was a real estate office and when you ask for the Thai consulate the lady pulls a little name plate out and puts it on the desk and smiles. No kidding, heh. Very friendly office and easy to get what you need.

Denver is indeed friendly although they only serve people from the local area.

Found Ur Station right opposite the Immigration Department at Sathorn area. I took the MRT to Lumphini and went out from exit 2. Walk straight and turn left at the first road. The full information is here:

http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/base.php?page=location

I don't know why I missed it the last few times I was at the Immigration Department. Now I can submit my passport and go to this place to eat and wait before going back to collect my passport.

I do the same - they have coffee and snacks also. a great place to wait.

from my experience, doctors, even in the most expensive one's are 10-20 years behind...

if children are sick, they will automatically give anti-biotics... for soar throat, for some fever, and other useless things...

they will give now and do a culture of mucus or whatever later...

giving antibiotics for anything and everything, specially virus where it has no effect is damaging the body

but try to explain that to thai family...

it is like old people in western countries: they go see the doctor and pressure him to prescribe even useless medications....

my 2 satang...

Actually many people old and young ask for the medicines perhaps more in Thailand than the West (not sure..) so it really is not the fault of the doctors unless you feel that they should hold their ground and "just say no" which probably is what they should do in a perfect world.

As for cultures they take time and cost money - again in a perfect world where cost was not an issue they would be done but they are expensive and if there is a good chance that a patient can have pain relieved and their health improve because they take antibiotics on a chance then it is a calculated gamble that should be made by a good doctor and patient together.

As for being 10-20 years behind - yes, new doctors will have more more modern training but less experience. Really good doctors will have both.

As some have posted there are good and bad people and doctors everywhere - end of story.

There is a another reason many drugs are prescribed in Thailand and elsewhere at times - people want them.

I have spoken to doctors with a smile and asked for only what I need and they have always done just that.

The doctors have also told me which drugs can be bought at a lower price outside the hospital - some simply can't be found at any price outside a pharmacy.

Not in your area but in the mall 3 in Ramkamhaeng on the 4th floor is a vegetarian place.

The food tends to be cold if you are not there just before lunch so ask them to recook it.

Brown rice and a choice of 6 or 7 dishes.

Are optometrists available in Bangkok?

I had a very good in-depth eye exam at a large private hospital but the actual vision part of the exam was done by a nurse and it was very short compared to what I am used to in in America.

In some ways the situation is similar to dentists doing cleanings in Thailand a quick procedure that is not up to American standards.

Rutnin Eye Hospital. Huge modern facility with 25-30 specialists. Best of the best. Very reasonable prices for quality care. Highly recommended.

Sounds like you are going to the wrong dentists. There are some that do very thorough cleaning and are comparable with good American dentists.

Interesting - thank you, I will take a look at Rutin hopefully they have optometrists.

As for dentists here in Bangkok I have used large hospital dentists which again are very smart and good for serious problems but weak at slow and careful cleanings. Which in America are not done by dentists - instead they have assistants who focus on cleanings. This is what I would like to find in Bangkok.

Are optometrists available in Bangkok?

I had a very good in-depth eye exam at a large private hospital but the actual vision part of the exam was done by a nurse and it was very short compared to what I am used to in in America.

In some ways the situation is similar to dentists doing cleanings in Thailand a quick procedure that is not up to American standards.

The cleaning was done by the dentist and done by hand. After that the dentist used some kind of device that uses salt kind of like sand blasting which was pretty cool. I don't remember how how long it took because it was about 5 months ago but it seemed about like the normal time you would expect.

KCM,

Thank you I shall have to give them a call.

As a random thought I wonder why dentists give cleanings in Thailand?

I had a very good cleaning at DC One on Yen Akart Rd. This is not far from Rama 4 and Sathorn. This is a very nice, comfortable, high end dental office. There phone number is 02-240-2800. The have a website also you can check.

Sounds interesting, thank you for the information

Was the cleaning done by the dentist?

How long did it take?

Done by hand without the "sonic" water tool? Or?

Any dental offices in Bangkok with American style teeth cleanings?

As in typically not done by the dentist instead a slow and through job that is 30 minutes plus to finish.

I prefer it done by hand not with the "sonic water"(?) treatment.

Cost is not an issue only the quality of the cleaning.

Any dental offices with American style teeth cleanings?

As in not done by the dentist instead a slow and through job that is 30 minutes plus to finish.

I prefer it done by hand not with the "sonic water"(?) treatment

Free in a government hospital other than for private room and doctors kick back of 1,500 Baht. Total 7,500 Baht.

Coventry,

Surely you are joking?

The quality of care in the best private hospitals in Thailand is light years above the typical public hospitals.

1) Better trained doctors - the cream of the crop not new interns

2) Shorter waits - a cousin of my wife had a baby in a public hospital when she was ready to have the baby no doctor was available until it was almost too late.

3) Doctors that can speak a much ligher level of English. Also typically translaters on staff

4) Better equipment MRIs etc

5) Better medicine - the best drugs that are not always stocked at public hospitals.

6) Nicer rooms and facilities.

7) Public hospitals and the 30 Baht or social security payment plans require approvals and waits for many procedures and medicines. My wife has a university friend who is currenty dying from cancer as she could not get the care she needed at a public hospital in time endless delays and waits...

8) There is only one reason to use a public hospital - lack of funds or perhaps a public emergency room when there is no private hospital nearby.

I could go on and on

ALFREDO there is a English speaking lawyer in Korat, but I forget her last name and work place. Her first name is Rena and she's married to a farang. To find her I would ask in Isaan Lawyers as I'm sure they would tell you her location, if they're too busy. She has a practice not too far away from them. I did use her myself with regards to my money problem, but felt she wasn't working hard enough. May be she can help you as your case may be different to mine. If I can find her business card I'll get back to you. Good luck.

Good idea - also be careful about non Thai citizens claiming to be lawyers they may very well be back in their home countries but not in Thailand.....

I went to the docs today here in Pattaya and for a 5-7 minute consulation followed being prescribed 5 days supply of antibiotics and anti histomine (spelling) tablets this cost me a total of 1250 BHT.

Now i know this is obviously the farang price but even still 25GBP is what i would pay at a walk in clinic in London less the tablets.

The docs surgery was a bit run down and was just the average kind of place you see in any soi.

Now what do people usually pay on average for a consultation with a doctor. and what would a Thai pay as even half of 1250 bht is unaffordable to most i'd have thought.

The antibiotics could be anywhere from next to nothing to 1,000 baht + depending on what they are.

I do not know what doctors in run down clinics charge but in a nice private clean air conditioned hospital in BKK 300 to 350 for a simple childrens appointment and 350 to 700 for a doctor. Thais pay the same price.

What a long thread - this is good news that we all care about our children.

The fact that there is disagreememt is just fine as we all agree that kids are important.

One point I want to try and make is that for many parents keeping their kids away from strangers is not because we fear the strangers molesting or kidnapping our kids in full view.

Instead we are trying to train our kids in how to behave in all times as in on school trips, walking to school etc. As there will be times when kids will be on their own.

To use a metaphor think of martial arts training: You train well beyond merely knowing the movements it must be second nature to be of use in an emergency.

It is exactly the same with kids you need to train them constantly. I have been a school teacher in America and I am a parent so I may very well be just a bit over protective - but I am very happy to be this way and I will never understand laid back parents who allow small kids to ride motercycles ar all amd certainly without helmets is madness - I also am shocked at parents that allow small kids to play in the streets. Again call me conservative and over protective but I am happy and my kids are safe.

I teach my kids not to talk to or go anywhere with strangers - touching does not even come into the equation. My 3 year old daughter is taught to politely say no. If I am there I will gently use my hand to block their hand.

I am American and the trend these days is to teach children to stay away from strangers for safty reasons and I agree with this 100%. There is nothing more important than the safety of a child end of story.

No doubt 99.9% of the people out there who want to touch my daughter are likely to be paying her a compliment. But you need to train kids so that later if they are at a bus stop after school etc they will always know to stay away from strangers

I love Thailand but living here does not mean adapting all the customs.

Now if the next door neighbor whom we know well wants to pick up my daughter that is fine.

Perhaps you would be better teaching them the bit about if "Mummy and Daddy arent there" not to talk to strangers?

It is always better to error on the side of caution where the safety of children is concerned.

I teach my kids not to talk to or go anywhere with strangers - touching does not even come into the equation. My 3 year old daughter is taught to politely say no. If I am there I will gently use my hand to block their hand.

I am American and the trend these days is to teach children to stay away from strangers for safty reasons and I agree with this 100%. There is nothing more important than the safety of a child end of story.

No doubt 99.9% of the people out there who want to touch my daughter are likely to be paying her a compliment. But you need to train kids so that later if they are at a bus stop after school etc they will always know to stay away from strangers

I love Thailand but living here does not mean adapting all the customs.

Now if the next door neighbor whom we know well wants to pick up my daughter that is fine.