Considering "Big Joke's" Actions, will agencies continue the way?

[jenny2017]

   

Reading several articles on the web, and regarding my neighbor who works for the cops and the Immigration, there's a very high possibility that the hunt for illegal teachers and foreigners on overstay continues and even intensifies.

 

     Considering that not only the illegals teachers will be in trouble. but also teacher agencies will look at hefty fines, wouldn't it be common sense not to continue sending degree- less teachers without non-immigrant visas/extensions to schools nationwide?

 

But not having enough “qualified degreed teachers” who work for 30 K/month, it’s also possible that they just continue as there weren’t any warnings. They only want to make money and finally don’t care about their employees.

 

    I'm aware that quite a few people don't have other chances to find employment other than through such agencies, but is it really worth to play Russian roulette?

 

 There's still a chance to study for a Dip/TE, or if no degree, certain organizations also offer Bachelor degrees doable in three years with possible monthly installments.

 

   To be honest, I feel sorry for those who’re trapped somewhere in the boonies, with a family and kids, but wouldn’t it make sense to do something to be legal? 

 

    

 

     

 

    

[mommysboy]

Yes, it would, but there is the money issue.  Me....well I don't want to study for a Masters; and by the time I qualify I'll be at an age when I'm no longer considered employable by many schools.  And you have to ask: What for?... you don't take a very advanced qualification without a good leap in salary.  

 

Reluctantly, one has to decide to teach elsewhere, or move in to other areas of teaching, or do something altogether different.  When all is said and done, TEFL teaching in Thailand pays chump money; I pretty much stopped.

 

This latest crackdown coincides with tougher labour laws.  They were due to be enforced last year, but there was a problem handling the registration of tens of thousands of migrant workers, so there was a general amnesty up to the beginning of this year.

 

The agencies will have to stop using illegals.  They won't do it because they care what happens to cannon fodder teachers; they'll stop because they will be hit with some very stiff fines.

 

I see the subtext of the current crackdowns as very much a shot across the bows for schools who will shortly be recruiting for the upcoming new school year. 

 

Quite what effect this will have on the labour market is anyone's guess, but I do know one popular school close to me that is now not hiring native speakers anymore.  My guess is that they simply won't be able to find any, and they realised that early.

 

Good posting.

 

 

 

 

[jenny2017]

1 hour ago, mommysboy said:

Yes, it would, but there is the money issue.  Me....well I don't want to study for a Masters; and by the time I qualify I'll be at an age when I'm no longer considered employable by many schools.  And you have to ask: What for?... you don't take a very advanced qualification without a good leap in salary.  

 

Reluctantly, one has to decide to teach elsewhere, or move in to other areas of teaching, or do something altogether different.  When all is said and done, TEFL teaching in Thailand pays chump money; I pretty much stopped.

 

This latest crackdown coincides with tougher labour laws.  They were due to be enforced last year, but there was a problem handling the registration of tens of thousands of migrant workers, so there was a general amnesty up to the beginning of this year.

 

The agencies will have to stop using illegals.  They won't do it because they care what happens to cannon fodder teachers; they'll stop because they will be hit with some very stiff fines.

 

I see the subtext of the current crackdowns as very much a shot across the bows for schools who will shortly be recruiting for the upcoming new school year. 

 

Quite what effect this will have on the labour market is anyone's guess, but I do know one popular school close to me that is now not hiring native speakers anymore.  My guess is that they simply won't be able to find any, and they realised that early.

 

Good posting.

 

 

 

 

Thank you very much for your great post. 

[peperobi]

I really hope they will intensify it, in case I know some illegal peoples I will denounce it!

[AsiaHand]

The Military will make a show of it but will be aiming at selected parties because the owners of many of these so called "International" schools have the power to interupt the military regime's so called "reform" ideas.Many of these schools would have to close and that would interupt the vast flow of money from wealthy foreign parents.

[Khun Paul]

if you look at the whole situation, it is azn exercise intended to draw out so-called criminals, however also it shows just how CORRUPT the system here is with POLICE and other OFFICIALS taking money to administrate these illegal visas. here although many do go the correct route many teachers here see useless and in-educated people taking posts. While this continues the wage will never rise for Foreign teachers as there is always a way to get a CHEAP TEACHER 

[roundtheworld]

Khun Paul, you refer to “ useless and in-educated people “.

[smotherb]

My neighbor is a school administrator and insists he is employing as many Filipino teachers as possible. He says three reasons are well known--they work for less, they complain less, and most are degreed, many as teachers; which better satisfies the powers that be on expenses, retention, and qualification.  The more prevalent reason is because they are Asians too. He says he works with his parents association and has convinced them that having Asians teach English to their children will help assure the students that they too can learn. To improve the English programs he is using English-language entertainment venues--music, movies, TV, even sports in English--to supplement the traditional grammar and conversation aspects of the curriculum.

[mommysboy]

2 minutes ago, smotherb said:

My neighbor is a school administrator and insists he is employing as many Filipino teachers as possible. He says three reasons are well known--they work for less, they complain less, and most are degreed, many as teachers; which better satisfies the powers that be on expenses, retention, and qualification.  The more prevalent reason is because they are Asians too. He says he works with his parents association and has convinced them that having Asians teach English to their children will help assure the students that they too can learn. To improve the English programs he is using English-language entertainment venues--music, movies, TV, even sports in English--to supplement the traditional grammar and conversation aspects of the curriculum.

 

 

It's probably the best solution.  Although their standard of English is often quite inferior to a native speaker, they are generally teaching low-level English, so should get by.  

 

Not many farang teachers have QTS, whereas the non-native speakers often do (of sorts anyway).

 

I expect the agencies will also adapt by recruiting similar.

 

Native TEFL teachers will increasingly have to teach in private language schools.  Really, this is no more, no less, than a TEFL teacher should be doing anyway.

 

 

 

 

[smotherb]

2 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

 

 

It's probably the best solution.  Although their standard of English is often quite inferior to a native speaker, they are generally teaching low-level English, so should get by.  

 

Not many farang teachers have QTS, whereas the non-native speakers often do (of sorts anyway).

 

I expect the agencies will also adapt by recruiting similar.

 

Native TEFL teachers will increasingly have to teach in private language schools.  Really, this is no more, no less, than a TEFL teacher should be doing anyway.

 

 

 

 

His comment was, if the Thais can learn to speak English as well as the Filipinos, he would consider his program a success.

[mommysboy]

1 hour ago, smotherb said:

His comment was, if the Thais can learn to speak English as well as the Filipinos, he would consider his program a success.

You should have pointed that out.

 

But.. yes it could be considered a success, because at present the standards are terribly low, so even speaking some broken English is better than the present situation.

 

I see your point though- the students will still be left unable to relate to a native speaker, who is, after all, a definitive speaker of the language.  Really, though, he is just putting on a brave face in adversity: there is a dearth of native TEFL teachers, and the school coffers are empty.

 

Seen from another angle, it's just the typical Thai way of avoiding the problem, and dumbing down the system to effect a (paper) result.

[smotherb]

14 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

You should have pointed that out.

 

But.. yes it could be considered a success, because at present the standards are terribly low, so even speaking some broken English is better than the present situation.

 

I see your point though- the students will still be left unable to relate to a native speaker, who is, after all, a definitive speaker of the language.

 

Seen from another angle, it's just the typical Thai way of avoiding the problem, and dumbing down the system to effect a (paper) result.

I don't see it that way. I find it a more practical approach for Thailand for their inclusion in the global economy. The Philippines is right behind Thailand economically, but the PI has has some real problems with foreign direct investment; rampant corruption, government bureaucracy, investment costs and poor infrastructure. However, lack of English is not part of the problem. You must remember, even though Japan and Korea are prime investors in SEA, they like all NES and European nations, speak English too. One of the reasons for the PIs relatively good economy are the Filipino Overseas Workers, who are a large part of the Philippine economy and account for over 10% of the Philippine's population, and depending upon your sources, about 20% of the Philippine workforce--primary reason; they are English-speaking and semi-skilled.

 

And, I am not as impressed as you with NES. I taught management at the graduate level in American universities; foreign students were often better, not only in the discipline, but in written and spoken English. 

[mommysboy]

1 minute ago, smotherb said:

I don't see it that way. I find it a more practical approach for Thailand for their inclusion in the global economy. The Philippines is right behind Thailand economically, but the PI has has some real problems with foreign direct investment; rampant corruption, government bureaucracy, investment costs and poor infrastructure. However, lack of English is not part of the problem. You must remember, even though Japan and Korea are prime investors in SEA, they like all NES and European nations, speak English too. One of the reasons for the PIs relatively good economy are the Filipino Overseas Workers, who are a large part of the Philippine economy and account for over 10% of the Philippine's population, and depending upon your sources, about 20% of the Philippine workforce--primary reason; they are English-speaking and semi-skilled.

 

And, I am not as impressed as you with NES. I taught management at the graduate level in American universities; foreign students were often better, not only in the discipline, but in written and spoken English. 

 

A somewhat macro-economic view that is far removed from the problem at hand.

 

As for your comparison NES vs NNEs, we can both be right: your experience has been gained by teaching a specific cohort of advanced level foreign students, whereas mine has not.  Generally, I would say that NNES simply do not have the same feel for the language in conversation, which is the job most farang teachers do within schools.

 

 

[duanebigsby]

5 hours ago, smotherb said:

I don't see it that way. I find it a more practical approach for Thailand for their inclusion in the global economy. The Philippines is right behind Thailand economically, but the PI has has some real problems with foreign direct investment; rampant corruption, government bureaucracy, investment costs and poor infrastructure. However, lack of English is not part of the problem. You must remember, even though Japan and Korea are prime investors in SEA, they like all NES and European nations, speak English too. One of the reasons for the PIs relatively good economy are the Filipino Overseas Workers, who are a large part of the Philippine economy and account for over 10% of the Philippine's population, and depending upon your sources, about 20% of the Philippine workforce--primary reason; they are English-speaking and semi-skilled.

 

And, I am not as impressed as you with NES. I taught management at the graduate level in American universities; foreign students were often better, not only in the discipline, but in written and spoken English. 

I think the students from overseas you taught in an American university were the absolute cream of the crop for English language. The vast majority of Thai kids in school couldn't tell you their favourite colour. You also saw Japanese and Korean from the top of class students because very little English is spoken by the average students there. Your basis for dismissing NES teachers in SEAsia because of seeing foreign uni kids from your graduate level classes doing well doesn't make sense at all.

[smotherb]

5 hours ago, mommysboy said:

 

A somewhat macro-economic view that is far removed from the problem at hand.

 

As for your comparison NES vs NNEs, we can both be right: your experience has been gained by teaching a specific cohort of advanced level foreign students, whereas mine has not.  Generally, I would say that NNES simply do not have the same feel for the language in conversation, which is the job most farang teachers do within schools.

 

 

While I appreciate your view that NES teachers impart a better feel to English conversation, I maintain that better feel comes more from practice than from classrooms.

[smotherb]

12 minutes ago, duanebigsby said:

I think the students from overseas you taught in an American university were the absolute cream of the crop for English language. The vast majority of Thai kids in school couldn't tell you their favourite colour. You also saw Japanese and Korean from the top of class students because very little English is spoken by the average students there. Your basis for dismissing NES teachers in SEAsia because of seeing foreign uni kids from your graduate level classes doing well doesn't make sense at all.

My impression of NES teachers here is from those I have known well over the last eleven years; including my son and his friends and my wife and her friends. The fact that most Thai students couldn't tell you their favorite color may be the result of a flawed Thai system, but some blame has to apply to the many years of pseudo-qualified NES teachers who have left most Thai students still unable to speak English.

[mommysboy]

14 minutes ago, smotherb said:

My impression of NES teachers here is from those I have known well over the last eleven years; including my son and his friends and my wife and her friends. The fact that most Thai students couldn't tell you their favorite color may be the result of a flawed Thai system, but some blame has to apply to the many years of pseudo-qualified NES teachers who have left most Thai students still unable to speak English.

 

There's really nothing 'pseudo' about a TEFL qualified teacher; he/she is a qualified teacher of English as a foreign language- no more and no less.  He is not a state qualified teacher though.  

 

But everything seems to fail... regardless of who is or isn't in the classroom, ie, the Thais can't help them, the Native speakers can't, and there is no reason to suppose that the Filipinos will do any better...in fact things are getting worse.

[duanebigsby]

20 minutes ago, smotherb said:

My impression of NES teachers here is from those I have known well over the last eleven years; including my son and his friends and my wife and her friends. The fact that most Thai students couldn't tell you their favorite color may be the result of a flawed Thai system, but some blame has to apply to the many years of pseudo-qualified NES teachers who have left most Thai students still unable to speak English.

I'll meet you half way.

There have been a lot of bs NES passing themselves off as teachers, but there have also  been a hell of a lot more trying to do a decent job in my opinion.

 

It is getting better(slowly) as each year the Thai English teachers,, the interns from university English teaching programs are all better than the year before.

 

[duanebigsby]

6 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

 

There's really nothing 'pseudo' about a TEFL qualified teacher; he/she is a qualified teacher of English as a foreign language- no more and no less.  He is not a state qualified teacher though.  

 

But everything seems to fail... regardless of who is or isn't in the classroom, ie, the Thais can't help them, the Native speakers can't, and there is no reason to suppose that the Filipinos will do any better...in fact things are getting worse.

I like your first paragraph.

Your second?  Things as I see it are slowly getting better in terms of English language.

[jenny2017]

36 minutes ago, smotherb said:

My impression of NES teachers here is from those I have known well over the last eleven years; including my son and his friends and my wife and her friends. The fact that most Thai students couldn't tell you their favorite color may be the result of a flawed Thai system, but some blame has to apply to the many years of pseudo-qualified NES teachers who have left most Thai students still unable to speak English.

But to be honest, that would also include the countless Filipinos in Thailand, because they are in the majority.  

 

   Many of them are so difficult to understand, always using the wrong gender and perhaps no way to have a more complex chat. 

 

P.S. Are there any other countries where thousands of Filipinos teach English?

 

 If they are such great teachers, why does a degree from the Philippines means nothing in, let’s say Europe?

[mommysboy]

34 minutes ago, smotherb said:

While I appreciate your view that NES teachers impart a better feel to English conversation, I maintain that better feel comes more from practice than from classrooms.

 

But it is the practice that English teachers are employed to do: the Thai teachers do the core English (grammar and vocab), while it is the TEFL teacher's job to get them speaking the language.  But most students arrive in the classroom without the slightest intention of saying a word, and you can walk in to any classroom up and down the country, and well over half the students can't respond to the simplest of questions.  Also, a class of 50 students just produce a wall of Thai noise- you can't even here yourself think. Most non-qualified people would go to pieces, in fact I once saw an administrator try his hand and he came out after 2 minutes as white as a sheet.  

 

I maintain that better feel comes more from practice than from classroom.  Well of course, but this is the end product after years of tuition.  You have to have basic skills in order to begin.  There is a process, and, unfortunately, while Thais are keen on the end result, they aren't so dedicated to the process.

 

I honestly don't think I've met a fluent Thai speaker yet.  Even with those who speak the language well, there always seems a 'time lag' as they have to think about what they are going to say, and their reply is often littered with small errors, and there is an absence of idioms and phrases.

 

I'm glad to be out of it tbh.  

[jenny2017]

4 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

But it is the practice that English teachers are employed to do: the Thai teachers do the core English (grammar and vocab), while it is the TEFL teacher's job to get them speaking the language.  But most students arrive in the classroom without the slightest intention of saying a word, and you can walk in to any classroom up and down the country, and well over half the students can't respond to the simplest of questions.  Also, a class of 50 students just produce a wall of Thai noise- you can't even here yourself think. Most non-qualified people would go to pieces, in fact I once saw an administrator try his hand and he came out after 2 minutes as white as a sheet.  

 

I maintain that better feel comes more from practice than from classroom.  Well of course, but this is the end product after years of tuition.  You have to have basic skills in order to begin.  There is a process, and, unfortunately, while Thais are keen on the end result, they aren't so dedicated to the process.

 

I honestly don't think I've met a fluent Thai speaker yet.  Even with those who speak the language well, there always seems a 'time lag' as they have to think about what they are going to say, and their reply is often littered with small errors, and there is an absence of idioms and phrases.

 

I'm glad to be out of it tbh.  

Please go to one of the famous Rajabhat universities nationwide and try to find a good English speaking senior student. 

 

   IMO, the level of English isn't better as it was 15 years ago and that means a lot.

 

   

[mommysboy]

29 minutes ago, duanebigsby said:

I'll meet you half way.

There have been a lot of bs NES passing themselves off as teachers, but there have also  been a hell of a lot more trying to do a decent job in my opinion.

 

It is getting better(slowly) as each year the Thai English teachers,, the interns from university English teaching programs are all better than the year before.

 

Agreed.  The younger Thai teachers are getting better and better, so things are improving.  I stand corrected.

[duanebigsby]

20 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

Please go to one of the famous Rajabhat universities nationwide and try to find a good English speaking senior student. 

 

   IMO, the level of English isn't better as it was 15 years ago and that means a lot.

 

   

The better English speaking students go to universities with English instruction, they don't go to the rajabhats.

They go to MaeFahLuang in Chiang Rai for example or Stamford in Bkk along with many other English language unis throughout Thailand. English language is slowly improving here.

[smotherb]

32 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

 

There's really nothing 'pseudo' about a TEFL qualified teacher; he/she is a qualified teacher of English as a foreign language- no more and no less.  He is not a state qualified teacher though.  

 

But everything seems to fail... regardless of who is or isn't in the classroom, ie, the Thais can't help them, the Native speakers can't, and there is no reason to suppose that the Filipinos will do any better...in fact things are getting worse.

Not all NES teachers are TEFL qualified. You're placing the blame on the students; all of them, huh? Sure there are difficulties, sure some Thais think little of anything non-Thai. Sure many students do not see the need to learn English. I see it as primarily the system's fault. There are many changes that need to be made; starting with the cultural encouragement of all Thais to learn English. That encouragement must extend to students by providing more time in, and classes for, English at all levels. Thai teachers need to be taught English and encompass it in all their courses; thus helping to reinforce the need to learn English. Thai teachers need to teach in English. Entire requisite courses need be taught in English for the higher grades. Entire primary, secondary and college-level schools need to be conducted in English. Foreign English teacher positions may increase by sending the Thai teachers to learn English. And, all foreign and Thai teachers need to be qualified and heavily-regulated.  However, will this ever happen?

[smotherb]

36 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

But to be honest, that would also include the countless Filipinos in Thailand, because they are in the majority.  

 

   Many of them are so difficult to understand, always using the wrong gender and perhaps no way to have a more complex chat. 

 

P.S. Are there any other countries where thousands of Filipinos teach English?

 

 If they are such great teachers, why does a degree from the Philippines means nothing in, let’s say Europe?

Certainly, it must include all teachers, the entire educational system as well as Thai culture. However, it also does not mean the NES are better. Filipinos teach English in many countries; anywhere English is needed and cost a consideration. In Asia--Vietnam, China, South Korea--also in South America and the Middle East. 

 

You are the one placing Filipinos and great teachers together. Your bias is hanging out. I suggest you should consider comparing them with poorly-qualified foreign teachers; and as my neighbor suggested the fact that it may be more ensuring for the students to see a similar-looking face speaking English.  

[jenny2017]

24 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Not all NES teachers are TEFL qualified. You're placing the blame on the students; all of them, huh? Sure there are difficulties, sure some Thais think little of anything non-Thai. Sure many students do not see the need to learn English. I see it as primarily the system's fault. There are many changes that need to be made; starting with the cultural encouragement of all Thais to learn English. That encouragement must extend to students by providing more time in, and classes for, English at all levels. Thai teachers need to be taught English and encompass it in all their courses; thus helping to reinforce the need to learn English. Thai teachers need to teach in English. Entire requisite courses need be taught in English for the higher grades. Entire primary, secondary and college-level schools need to be conducted in English. Foreign English teacher positions may increase by sending the Thai teachers to learn English. And, all foreign and Thai teachers need to be qualified and heavily-regulated.  However, will this ever happen?

A nephew in law will start as a PE teacher this year, but has to pass a TOEIC test.

 

  The guy went to a smaller school without foreign teachers, his English is basically non existent, but he wants me to help him to pass.

 

   There are a lot of new regulations, but I just don't understand why not the Thai English teachers have to pass certain tests, which would make sense. 

 

   The nationwide CEFR test results of Thai English teachers were obviously a catastrophe and they figured out that they can't change the situation by attending some CEFR seminars, held by foreigners.

 

   Many Thai English teachers scored A 1, some even less. It's ridiculous to teach them grammar if they don't have the needed vocabulary to use it.

 

  I had 14 grade 11 classes last year where a Thai English teacher "taught" the English book, which would have been good for students who grow up with English.

 

Taught in Thai, which raises the question how you can teach English when mostly speaking in Thai? 

 

  At the end of the day, nobody could answer questions about the studied material in the book. What a waste of time. 

 

   

 

  

 

   

[mommysboy]

17 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Not all NES teachers are TEFL qualified. You're placing the blame on the students; all of them, huh? Sure there are difficulties, sure some Thais think little of anything non-Thai. Sure many students do not see the need to learn English. I see it as primarily the system's fault. There are many changes that need to be made; starting with the cultural encouragement of all Thais to learn English. That encouragement must extend to students by providing more time in, and classes for, English at all levels. Thai teachers need to be taught English and encompass it in all their courses; thus helping to reinforce the need to learn English. Thai teachers need to teach in English. Entire requisite courses need be taught in English for the higher grades. Entire primary, secondary and college-level schools need to be conducted in English. Foreign English teacher positions may increase by sending the Thai teachers to learn English. And, all foreign and Thai teachers need to be qualified and heavily-regulated.  However, will this ever happen?

 

No, I am not blaming the Thai students, nor defending all NES teachers.  In fact, I am not blaming anyone; I do think it is one giant pile-up however.  Tellingly, most of the problems discussed also apply to other subjects.  Regarding English in particular, I do think it is a mistake to treat it as a mandatory/core subject, and contend that the majority of students simply don't want to learn it; why should they?  Besides languages are one of those things you have an aptitude for or not.

 

IMHO, English should only be offered to students after the age of 14, say, if they display genuine ability or desire; that goes for many subjects after all.  What is the point of teaching a subject to someone who is simply not interested?....arguably that is the worst system of all.

 

 

[smotherb]

56 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

But it is the practice that English teachers are employed to do: the Thai teachers do the core English (grammar and vocab), while it is the TEFL teacher's job to get them speaking the language.  But most students arrive in the classroom without the slightest intention of saying a word, and you can walk in to any classroom up and down the country, and well over half the students can't respond to the simplest of questions.  Also, a class of 50 students just produce a wall of Thai noise- you can't even here yourself think. Most non-qualified people would go to pieces, in fact I once saw an administrator try his hand and he came out after 2 minutes as white as a sheet.  

 

I maintain that better feel comes more from practice than from classroom.  Well of course, but this is the end product after years of tuition.  You have to have basic skills in order to begin.  There is a process, and, unfortunately, while Thais are keen on the end result, they aren't so dedicated to the process.

 

I honestly don't think I've met a fluent Thai speaker yet.  Even with those who speak the language well, there always seems a 'time lag' as they have to think about what they are going to say, and their reply is often littered with small errors, and there is an absence of idioms and phrases.

 

I'm glad to be out of it tbh.  

What practice; an hour or two a week in a class? I have seen Western children enter a language class intent on not uttering a word either. I have also seen Thai children without foreign parents, who speak English quite well and seen half-Thai children who have one English-speaking parent who do not speak English well. I maintain that better English comes from social interaction. especially when classroom exposure is slight and fraught with social pressures.  My neighborhood Thai kids who speak English well have actually taught other Thai children in the neighborhood some English; they play games and use English phrases.  

 

I have met many fluent Thai speakers here in Thailand. Are you sure you didn't mean you haven't met a Thai fluent in English?

 

Well, I have met Thais fluent in English. My wife has several Thai women friends who speak excellent English. Our son was here for six years; his first girlfriend has a PhD in Political Science and American Studies and teaches in English at a Thai university. He married his second girlfriend who is an industrial engineer in a multinational O&G firm. She is fluent in English and is often asked to translate at meeting with Thai business people. 

[smotherb]

25 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

A nephew in law will start as a PE teacher this year, but has to pass a TOEIC test.

 

  The guy went to a smaller school without foreign teachers, his English is basically non existent, but he wants me to help him to pass.

 

   There are a lot of new regulations, but I just don't understand why not the Thai English teachers have to pass certain tests, which would make sense. 

 

   The nationwide CEFR test results of Thai English teachers were obviously a catastrophe and they figured out that they can't change the situation by attending some CEFR seminars, held by foreigners.

 

   Many Thai English teachers scored A 1, some even less. It's ridiculous to teach them grammar if they don't have the needed vocabulary to use it.

 

  I had 14 grade 11 classes last year where a Thai English teacher "taught" the English book, which would have been good for students who grow up with English.

 

Taught in Thai, which raises the question how you can teach English when mostly speaking in Thai? 

 

  At the end of the day, nobody could answer questions about the studied material in the book. What a waste of time. 

 

   

 

  

 

   

As I said, the system needs fixing--read my post #25 in response to mommysboy