Junior Dublin Literary Awards reflect high English levels of Thai students

By The Nation

 

 

THE 13TH Junior Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand, organised under the theme “Moving Forward”, attracted a strong response with almost 10,000 entries from students across all regions of the country.

 

Ramita Hongharnnarong of Triam Udom Suksa School won the overall national award. She received a Bt10,000 cash prize, a certificate and the chance to participate in the International Dublin Literary Award 2018 in the Irish capital with one parent.

 

The awards presentation ceremony was held on February 9 at Rembrandt Hotel in Bangkok.

 

“I’m really attached to my work and I didn’t think anyone would like it,” winner Ramita said. “I didn’t write to please anyone because if I had done that it would have been different. I’m glad that they [judges] liked me for I put myself in that work,” said Ramita.

 

The awards were jointly organised by The Nation and NJ Digital with support from the Embassy of Ireland and strategic partners OCS Group, Emerald Cultural Institute, Irish-Thai Chamber of Commerce, LawtonAsia Insurance Brokers, and Saint Patrick’s Society Bangkok Thailand.

 

The competition was held in all four regions of the country and each region’s representatives competed in the National Round. The main objectives of the annual competition are to enhance the creative English writing skills of Thai students nationwide and to encourage innovative thinking among members of the younger generation. This year’s keynote speaker was Roseanna Marshman, Hello English MC and a well-known English instructor. She shared valuable experiences with the young authors and offered some useful tips for all creative writers, inspiring the students to continue with their passion for English.

 

“After reading the essays, I was actually shocked about how high the standard was,” Marshman said. “I really didn’t expect Thais to be able to write that well. I myself could not have written like that. And even most English people cannot match that level. I’m very, very impressed with the English level of Thai students. So I hope that the rest of Thailand can see these students as a great example. And that the rest of the country will also be as interested in English as these students,” she added.

 

The judging committee of the 13th Junior Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand comprised Brandon Rogers, the Irish Ambassador to Thailand; Philomena Murnaghan, former Irish ambassador to Lithuania and Argentina; Dr Sirikorn Maneerin, former deputy minister of education; asst prof Suchada Nimmanmitr, former president of the English Teachers Association and director of the English Language Institute, Rangsit University; Prof Atchara Pradit, director of the Bachelor of Arts Programme in Literature for Children of the Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Humanities, Srinakharinwirot University; Pana Janviroj, president of Nation News Network; and Pimpimol Kongkriengkrai, editor of NJ Digital.

 

The essays submitted for the awards can be read at www.njdigital.net/dublin

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30341095

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-17

34 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

 

“After reading the essays, I was actually shocked about how high the standard was,” Marshman said.  I myself could not have written like that. And even most English people cannot match that level.

 

What a statement..........

 

 

 

 

“After reading the essays, I was actually shocked about how high the standard was,” Marshman said. “I really didn’t expect Thais to be able to write that well. I myself could not have written like that.

 

so a 'well known' 'english instructor' admits to failings in her ability to write english to a high standard... and shows her low expectations of the english ability of thais with the comment, 'i really didn't expect thais to be able to write like that'

 

any initiative to improve the standard of english here is to be welcomed and encouraged but lets have people involved who have a high level of english themselves.

50 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

 . . . . . reflect high English levels of Thai students

If the education top brass think for one minute that these essay-writing awards in the slightest way reflect the level of English skills of averagely intelligent secondary pupils in Thai state schools, they have another think coming.

 

My 14yr-old stepdaughter is as bright as a button, around the family home and on her smart-phone, yet despite the fact that English is a compulsory subject on the curriculum, she knows nothing more than how to say 'hello' and 'thank-you'.

 

English skills in Thai schools are an absolute joke and it seems nobody is doing sod-all (*) about it.

(* another way of saying 'much', for use only at advanced English level)

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

“After reading the essays, I was actually shocked about how high the standard was,” Marshman said. “I really didn’t expect Thais to be able to write that well. I myself could not have written like that. And even most English people cannot match that level. I’m very, very impressed with the English level of Thai students. So I hope that the rest of Thailand can see these students as a great example. And that the rest of the country will also be as interested in English as these students,” she added.

 

No wonder. 

 

A paragraph full of errors. 

And yet it was only a few years ago that teachers from the Republic had to get a TOEIC certificate before they could legally teach English!

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Ramita Hongharnnarong of Triam Udom Suksa School won the overall national award.

 

Having a student from the top secondary school in Thailand win, does not indicate that the whole student body is capable in English.

Assuming its a word for word quote, I probably shouldnt correct her... lol

 

While there are stand out students everywhere on the whole most are terrible

 

Doesnt help with constant barrrage of 'Thailand Number 1' bs.

Edited March 17, 20188 yr by kaorop

Hey you where you go?

54 minutes ago, Ossy said:

English skills in Thai schools are an absolute joke and it seems nobody is doing sod-all (*) about it.

Yes it seems so. But then again Prime Minister Prayut is running around the country telling impressionable schoolchildren that the new international language will be the Thai language. Therefore one would  expect schoolchildren to think that learning English is unimportant. 

Thai could be world's new English, Prayuth says

 

 

20 minutes ago, Donotdisturb said:

Hey you where you go?

Yes, that's a classic and how's this for another: "Hey! . . . you spik Thai?" And, when you try to explain that 'Thai is very difficult', they look away, as if they'd not asked you. I've hardly met a Thai, yet, who knows what 'very difficult' means.

...Delusional thailand

Edited March 17, 20188 yr by mok199
speliing

“After reading the essays, I was actually shocked about how high the standard was,”

 

did you paste the essay into google and find out who really wrote it?

the  judging committee  also commented ,''the all you can eat buffet is amazing'' .... yes ...Amazing thailand

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

I was actually shocked about how high the standard was

Would it not have been more appropriate to us "surprised" rather than "shocked"?  If Marshman is as "famous" as indicated by the report, how come she has not been heard from on a regular basis as I am sure may readers have never heard of her.  Also, of note is that most of the committee was comprised of Thais and from my experience few are capable of expressing themselves in a satifactory manner and often leave or stay quiet when they must talk with an English speaking person with whom they cannot converse at a truly competent level in the subject of their own speciality.  Just saying. 

41 minutes ago, mok199 said:

..Amazing thailand

Surely, you jest.  Should it not be "A maze in Thailand"?

Some of the self called English teachers I have encountered in Thailand over the decades are barely intelligible to me. They have a lowly paid job and Thai students have little future. That said, I am sure there are many good ones out there.

This has got to be a St Paddy's day bit of fun.

8 hours ago, samsensam said:

“After reading the essays, I was actually shocked about how high the standard was,” Marshman said. “I really didn’t expect Thais to be able to write that well. I myself could not have written like that.

 

so a 'well known' 'english instructor' admits to failings in her ability to write english to a high standard... and shows her low expectations of the english ability of thais with the comment, 'i really didn't expect thais to be able to write like that'

 

any initiative to improve the standard of english here is to be welcomed and encouraged but lets have people involved who have a high level of english themselves.

 

 

Wow, so fast to jump to a negative comment, perhaps she was just trying to encourage the Thai entrants.

 

Have you never said anything in your life that could be misconstrued, or made a comment that was just said as an encouragement? 

 

I wonder how many folks scan this forum website with just one objective, search out anything that can be turned to a negative, and/or a negative about Thai people or Thailand.

 

 

 

 

8 hours ago, Ossy said:

If the education top brass think for one minute that these essay-writing awards in the slightest way reflect the level of English skills of averagely intelligent secondary pupils in Thai state schools, they have another think coming.

 

My 14yr-old stepdaughter is as bright as a button, around the family home and on her smart-phone, yet despite the fact that English is a compulsory subject on the curriculum, she knows nothing more than how to say 'hello' and 'thank-you'.

 

English skills in Thai schools are an absolute joke and it seems nobody is doing sod-all (*) about it.

(* another way of saying 'much', for use only at advanced English level)

 

Practice is the key to reinforcing the classroom learning. How often do you slowly engage her in conversation?

 

Do you ever check what the current lessons are focusing on (the functions of English), and create some reinforcement discussion?

 

 

8 hours ago, Donotdisturb said:

Hey you where you go?

Where my friend you?

A troll post using pidgin Thai has been removed. 

A troll post has been removed:
 

Quote

 

Who the hell writes this dribble??

 

 

According to the link in the OP, THE NATION wrote it, here's their contact details if you would like to make a complaint:  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/Contact/Contact_nation

"After reading the essays, I was actually shocked about how high the standard was,”

 

Having taught English here to students and teachers alike, I'm 'shocked' that the individuals judging this 'contest' don't really grasp how things work here in the Land of Smiles (and Illusions). 

Edited March 17, 20188 yr by connda

Easy to find top 0.1% of a population in any field including English contests. What about the average Thai citizen? Headline would read: English Nil Among 65,000,000 Thai Citizens.