‘Hello English!’ completes roadshow to 10 schools

[rooster59]

‘Hello English!’ completes roadshow to 10 schools

By The Nation

 

 

A programme aimed at making English fun for students has just completed a tour of 10 schools in Thailand.

 

The “Hello English! On Stage” programme was created and performed by NJ Digital which, like The Nation, is under the Nation Multimedia Group umbrella. 

 

The programme, aimed at delivering English knowledge in an entertaining style for high-school students, has proven very popular and there is demand for more of the same.

 

 “Hello English!” is an educational show on the NOW26 channel hosted by Roseanna Marshman from the United Kingdom and “Taq” (Nattapon Kanokwanich). As well as appearing on TV, they have embarked on a mission to teach English to high-school students in four regions of the country.

 

The programme started in the North on August 4 at Montfort and Kavila school in Chiang Mai. Next, the performers went South, on August 18, to Hat Yai Ratprachasan and Tidanukroh School in Songkhla.

 

For the Northeastern region, the event was held on September 1 at Kalayanawat and Kaen Nakorn school in Khon Kaen. The latest and the last event of “Hello English! On Stage” for 2017 was held on November 23 and 24 in Bangkok at Triam Udom, Yothinburana, Debsirin and Wat Sutthiwararam schools.

 

Activities includes teaching English pronunciation, spelling games and tips on how to use English in daily life. 

 

The programme also offers souvenirs and exercises books to prepare for college entrance examinations.

 

“English is a very important language and it gets more important every day,” said Nattapat Thiramon, head of the foreign language learning group at Yothinburana school.

 

“This activity is going to give students an opportunity to learn from native speakers. It’s not a boring activity, because they add a lot of fun games and activities during the programme, and it is really a good thing for them.”

 

A Triam Udom student, who asked not be named, added: “It’s really fun, and both of them are very friendly.” 

 

NJ Digital produces educational content delivered to schools for use in conjunction with teaching sessions every week. At the same time, it allows the public – including those who may have missed the TV show – the opportunity to view “Hello English!” clips on the website, www.njdigital.net.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30333055

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-03

[Somtamnication]

Once the old school dinosaurs die off, it will get better. Not until then.

[Rally123]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Activities includes teaching English pronunciation, spelling games and tips on how to use English in daily life. 

It's not really English. It's the American version. For me I find it totally confusing when it comes to correcting my kids spelling of a word.  . 

[cornishcarlos]

My MIL was a teacher for 30 yrs... She would force left handed students to write with their right hand, as it was too much trouble to teach left handers :)

Lets pray that there is reform and progression in the near future !!!

[simon43]

It's not really English. It's the American version. For me I find it totally confusing when it comes to correcting my kids spelling of a word.

As a Brit, I'm not that keen on 'American'. But the female presenter in these video clips comes from the UK and speaks British English. I watched several of the video clips on the linked website. Most of the conversation was actually in Thai language, with the 'boiinnnngggg!' sound being played every few seconds.

IMHO, (and as a teacher of English), I think Thai kids will find the videos entertaining, but their knowledge of English will marginally (if at all) improve as a result.

[aussie11950]

Its a great idea to help turn around the negativity about learning English, by making it fun.

Good luck to this program.

 

 

[hansnl]

2 hours ago, Rally123 said:

It's not really English. It's the American version. For me I find it totally confusing when it comes to correcting my kids spelling of a word.  . 

I am afraid, also on tv, the Thai are forcibly introduced to the American twanging sounds.

Which makes the Thinglish even less understandable.

It would be much better if a more neutral English would be served

 

[mok199]

yes this countryneeds a complete makeover...and mabey the bad habbits are too entrenched....I have a 4 yr old,i wont rely on a school ,or a new dog and pony photo opp,to teach my boy English..we do it at home, and out doors, and at the mall ,and at the beach etc ,we don't let up,we teach him relentlessly.its fun and its work, we see results,but, when parents are afraid to think outside the box and feel the system will provide everything..they are wrong,and lazy....''TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL''...cosby stills nash and young..

[manicmike68]

Wow! Instead of always bashing and trashing American English, why can't we work together to help the Thai people become more knowledgeable in the English language regardless of where the native English speaker comes from? 

Edited December 3, 2017 by manicmike68

[Borzandy]

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

completes roadshow to 10 schools

Are there only 10 real schools in Thailand ?

[jaywalker]

1 hour ago, mok199 said:

yes this countryneeds a complete makeover...and mabey the bad habbits are too entrenched....I have a 4 yr old,i wont rely on a school ,or a new dog and pony photo opp,to teach my boy English..we do it at home, and out doors, and at the mall ,and at the beach etc ,we don't let up,we teach him relentlessly.its fun and its work, we see results,but, when parents are afraid to think outside the box and feel the system will provide everything..they are wrong,and lazy....''TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL''...cosby stills nash and young..

It's Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (plus about a hundred other things above).

[Artisi]

3 hours ago, Rally123 said:

It's not really English. It's the American version. For me I find it totally confusing when it comes to correcting my kids spelling of a word.  . 

It is a battle, but can be tolerated when compared to Thanglish currently taught in most schools. 

[hansnl]

1 hour ago, manicmike68 said:

Wow! Instead of always bashing and trashing American English, why can't we work together to help the Thai people become more knowledgeable in the English language regardless of where the native English speaker comes from? 

You seem to miss the point, American English with its tone changes, special R, etc, is more difficult to learn as a more neutral kind of English.

On top of it, Thai people with some or more English proficiency trying to ape American sounds become unintelligable.

On TV3 in the morning, an American speaking Thai, from time to time may play his part by saying something in Yankee American. (Sorry)

And oh boy, he lays it on, makes it sound like "transatlantic twanging sounds", as said in the past by someone.

If these sounds are taken up by Thai it will make their English sound stupid.

 

Yes, I am not a native English speaker, it is just one of the languages I can use, for better of for worse.

Edited December 3, 2017 by hansnl

[Rally123]

2 hours ago, hansnl said:

It would be much better if a more neutral English would be served

 

Why do the Thais use American English to teach their children in schools? I was told this by a head teacher as to why. All schools whether private or government have budgets. Private schools buy their English learning packages from BKK. Private schools automatically buy the cheapest package due saving money. Profit before education. The packages are composed in the Philippines and sent to Thailand for sale.

Government schools are the same. Financial constraints play a big part. As long as it sounds like English it will do. BS baffles brains.

[samjaidee]

4 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

My MIL was a teacher for 30 yrs... She would force left handed students to write with their right hand, as it was too much trouble to teach left handers :)

Lets pray that there is reform and progression in the near future !!!

I've been working in government schools in Vietnam for 10 years and haven't seen a child writing with their left hand. Here they're also forced to use their right hand. They also learn cursive writing from the start. No print writing. It's crazy.

[Rally123]

7 minutes ago, samjaidee said:

They also learn cursive writing from the start. No print writing. It's crazy.

Same applies in Thailand regarding apostrophe's. Right from the beginning my kids were taught to shorten words. Yeah that may be okay once it is fully understood but 5-6 years old? Lazy American English practice IMO.

[masuk]

10 minutes ago, samjaidee said:

I've been working in government schools in Vietnam for 10 years and haven't seen a child writing with their left hand. Here they're also forced to use their right hand. They also learn cursive writing from the start. No print writing. It's crazy.

I had a bit of culture shock when I moved to Indonesia to teach English.  Being a Muslim country (85%), it was a total 'no-no' to use one's left hand for anything apart from the rear end shower.

As a total left-hander since day 1, I had to adapt rapidly; accept or give money with my left hand, point with the thumb of my right hand, and most difficult of all, use chop sticks with my right hand.    I managed to do it, but not so easy.

However, I refuse to use the American version of the International Metric System, and a metre is a metre.   

[jaywalker]

25 minutes ago, samjaidee said:

I've been working in government schools in Vietnam for 10 years and haven't seen a child writing with their left hand. Here they're also forced to use their right hand. They also learn cursive writing from the start. No print writing. It's crazy.

My daughter is a Lefty. Wife wanted to make her write with her right hand???

 

I cut that idea off at the knees quick-fast.

[mikebell]

Teach the teachers first.  I visited my step-daughter's school & was introduced to the Head of English (a post I held for 30 years in UK).  He shook my hand and said confidently, 'Me number one teach angrit in sacoon.'

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, mok199 said:

yes this countryneeds a complete makeover...and mabey the bad habbits are too entrenched....I have a 4 yr old,i wont rely on a school ,or a new dog and pony photo opp,to teach my boy English..we do it at home, and out doors, and at the mall ,and at the beach etc ,we don't let up,we teach him relentlessly.its fun and its work, we see results,but, when parents are afraid to think outside the box and feel the system will provide everything..they are wrong,and lazy....''TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL''...cosby stills nash and young..

 

My Thai wife spoke very advanced English and she suggested at our son's birth (in Thailand) we speak only English at home, and ensure our son had plenty of opportunity for immersion in Thai (at school every day with the other kids, when shopping, watching some Thai TV etc). Result - my Thai son grew up learning to comprehend, speak read and write both Thai and English at native speaker level.

 

Son now has 3 daughters and luckily his Thai wife speaks pretty good English, they made the same policy at home only English (annoys the hell out of son's MIL who insists it's not good, it will damage the children's brains etc., but son and his wife ignore this).

 

Bottom line all 3 kids speak Thai and English at the same level, appropriate for their ages. They all attend good English language programs at school with well qualified sincere native English speakers.

 

The sad part - all the other kids in their classes have the same English lessons at school, but all the other kids have no practice opportunities whatever outside of the class room because their parents speak little to zero English.

 

Also, at two of the schools my granddaughters attend they have English lessons with a farang native speaker and a Thai English teacher - one speaks some English, the other speaks no English, both Thai teachers are quite old. Both of these teachers continuously openly criticize the qualified native speaking professional native speaker teachers and continuously:

 

- Insist the native speakers make many errors.

- Insist that the children should not be encouraged to speak (practice) spoken English in the class room, because it makes the children embarrassed and because 'children should be quiet'. 

 

A couple of years back we met a husband and wife from Colombia, both late 20s, they are both professional English teachers in the Colombian school system. They shared that they studies some English in primary and high school but when they decided to become professional English teachers they had to attend intensive interactive classes (all day - 2 years) in a bachelor program to attain the level of 'very advanced' for listening and comprehension, speaking, reading and writing English . When they achieved this level they then started their 4 year bachelor in education with specialization in teaching English.

 

A long way to go here, and as already said, until the dinosaurs retire not much will be achieved. 

Edited December 3, 2017 by scorecard

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, masuk said:

a metre is a metre. 

Isn't that French?

[nausea]

Learning English isn't fun, it's hard work; and until they get that little misconception off their chests I expect little progress.

[Jeremy50]

6 hours ago, mok199 said:

yes this countryneeds a complete makeover...and mabey the bad habbits are too entrenched....I have a 4 yr old,i wont rely on a school ,or a new dog and pony photo opp,to teach my boy English..we do it at home, and out doors, and at the mall ,and at the beach etc ,we don't let up,we teach him relentlessly.its fun and its work, we see results,but, when parents are afraid to think outside the box and feel the system will provide everything..they are wrong,and lazy....''TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL''...cosby stills nash and young..

Bill Cosby?

[dinsdale]

9 hours ago, Rally123 said:

Why do the Thais use American English to teach their children in schools? I was told this by a head teacher as to why. All schools whether private or government have budgets. Private schools buy their English learning packages from BKK. Private schools automatically buy the cheapest package due saving money. Profit before education. The packages are composed in the Philippines and sent to Thailand for sale.

Government schools are the same. Financial constraints play a big part. As long as it sounds like English it will do. BS baffles brains.

American in English is cheaper. Less letters e.g. colour/color. Aluminium/aluminum. Aeroplane/airplane.

[wakeupplease]

14 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Once the old school dinosaurs die off, it will get better. Not until then.

That quote says it all about the place not just the schools

[Happyman58]

21 hours ago, aussie11950 said:

Its a great idea to help turn around the negativity about learning English, by making it fun.

Good luck to this program.

 

 

One thing i have learnt over here Thais hate people being serious So if you go into class room Ok students you will learn this that and be very serious and try to force them to learn you will get nowhere with them But on the other if u are light heart ed and show it can be good fun learning you will have more chance they will pay attention I think this program is a great idea and i hope it succeeds My saying would be " Its cool to learn English"

[mok199]

15 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

Bill Cosby?

555   thanks'' Crosby'''...5555

[tingtongtourist]

Have nice blonde sexy lady sapeek angrit

Have lor poochai thai

No have ego maniac "MC" d'head from hat-on-backwards country

Gotta be an improvement!!

[Kasset Tak]

Just get it, English is not a language owned by the Brits any more! There are more people in US speaking American English then there are Brits in UK speaking British English, there are even more people that speak  Indian, Pakistani, Philippine and Nigerian English than there are people in UK speaking British English... So, the Queens English is a thing of the past!

 

[JAG]

I am afraid, also on tv, the Thai are forcibly introduced to the American twanging sounds.
Which makes the Thinglish even less understandable.
It would be much better if a more neutral English would be served
 

It is a battle, but can be tolerated when compared to Thanglish currently taught in most schools. 

I don't really mind - if a child, asked where they can buy a bar of chocolate, answers in a confectioners (unlikely), in a sweet shop or in a candy store. All are correct, all three are comprehensible. The important thing is that they are saying it in English. And let's face it, America is the largest English speaking country.

Apart from pronouncing "z" as "zee' of course. That is just silly...

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