4 hours ago, Kieran00001 said:

66.3% got a decent grade in English this year, a clear majority.  Foreign languages are no longer compulsary in the UK and only 43% took one at GCSE last year, but of those who took GCSE French 71% got a decent grade and of those who took German 74% got a decent grade, it would not be fair to assume that those who did not choose to take a foreign language could not have achieved a decent grade in one.

Sounds like BS to me.

I taught French and German in a UK (council estate) high school for a while, and maybe 10-20 in the school year could get a decent GCSE pass. (That's a year of 300-400 students)

Edited December 21, 20187 yr by BritManToo

41 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

No it doesn't work like that, we don't blame the students, if they have been teaching them English for many years and they haven't leaned then there is something wrong with the teaching not the students.

Well, both really.

8 hours ago, James Powell said:

I am seeing some farang in here complaining about the student laziness to learn 550 words, but I ask them, "Do you know that many Thail words?"  If one lives in a country, that is pretty minimal also.  "When one lives in a glass house, one should not throw stones."  I hear that too often "speaks little English" from farang who can say little more than "sawat di krap".  I think we ALL  need to focus more on learning languages and less time complaining about others' learning of languages.

I was in my 60s when I came here and know more than 500 Thai words. I can’t have a proper conversation but can can make myself understood. I have the luxury of a Thainwife too. Like me many farang may be older when coming here so language learning is much harder than for young students who’s future depends on learning the Lingua Franca of the world,and not understanding that simple expedient points to a singular lack of intelligence,certainly not sufficient to be in a higher education establishment . Are they satisfied that uneducated bar girls in tourist resorts have a better vocabulary than them? 

16 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

You're right, they probably don't know what the acronyms stand for.

Yes, luckily I do know, as I worked in electronics and telecoms.

My son asked me as it was part of his technology project for school, sadly not because of a general inquisitiveness.

 

What does 'acronym' mean.

Easy.....

Make one class national technology and one international technology. 

And let the good students choose.

When they later have to compete for same job we will see what the international companies choose

 

Edited December 21, 20187 yr by sead

1 hour ago, shy coconut said:

I recognize the importance of learning English for aspiring university students, but find

it a little sad that you need a 3 year old to translate for you.

Well.. I am am happily married to a bright, reasonably bilingual Thai lady, and dad of to equally bright and fully bilingual girls. This gives me a sheltered environment, hence only a very weak incentive to learn Thai. 

But my personal situation is irrelevant to what is at stake in this thread: The refusal by the most educated layer of Thai society to adopt a means of communicating with the rest of the world. Hence confirming the level of xenophobia this country has reached. 

Now, I have learnt english in my early thirties, thanks to the remarquable Adult Education Programme that was given to us by the Australian Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. My part of the deal was to attend evening classes, 12 hours a week, for about 18 months. While I worked for a UN agency I learnt Spanish under similar conditions. 

So if anyone could indicate a good Thai school for elderly Farangs somewhere near Prakhonchai I'd be happy to dedicated 12 hours a week to my further education...

24 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

English, to varying degrees of competance is spioken all over the World.

Thai to various degres of competance is spoken all over Thaialnd.

Therefore by consensus, English is by far the most used, undrstood, and practical  language in the World, despite what the Big Guy says..

 

 

 

consensus among ????

 

several "things" where English is not very practical

 

business of scale in West Africa, not wise to do that without French

north Africa, you can get away with English, but would do much much better with French (Egypt excepted)

here and there in the Pacific, French is needed

south America without Spanish, tough luck (south, not central)

wanna take part in the oil adventure in Brazil?, better brush up on your Portuguese - Spanish and English will not do

 

sat bpra laat kanom keek,

just using your post as a vehicle for some comments

 

never heard of test in English for entering a university before

where I come from you will be met with English and some German material as part of the courses,

up to you to learn sufficient, failing that you are welcome to flunk your university course.

if a university course was heavily dependent on ability to read German or French it would probably say so

in the course description

if a course was all English text books, that would not be mentioned at all

 

 

I do not agree with this English lingua franca idea,

you will not do well with English in Japan

not in China

not in Russia

not in Maghreb

not in West Africa

South America, not great

 

still - there are several areas behind the old iron curtain where German and French is more usefull,

         depending on what you are dealing with

 

am not arguing against english, but lingua franca? do not agree

 

 

English is definitely the language to learn today, unfortunately Thailand has been slow to realize

that English, at present time is the international language, looking through history there has been

many other international languages, Greek, Latin, French, etc..

In Thailand very few employees today speak some English in all sorts of industries and it's creating

lots sorts of problems on the international scene also as far as investors, tourism, etc. are concerned.

 

28 minutes ago, overherebc said:

What does 'acronym' mean.

It's the name given to a word made up using the first letter of the name of each word:

Laser - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

 

9 hours ago, darksidedog said:

You have to say that if they are incapable of learning 550 words of English that they are too stupid to be going to university anyway. They should go straight into the job market cleaning toilets or sweeping the street, tasks commensurate with their intellect.

The current Thai curriculum states that students understand at least 1200 words so there fore all those complaining must have p[aid for their results to be doctored to actually apply to the University. Oh dear how the worm has turned, zero knowledge equals stupoid people . the University is correct you no understand bugger off. 

9 hours ago, mikebell said:

Why bother learning anything?  I still haven't found a use for Quadratic Equations.

i still haven't found a use for sex education, English as a second language was a tough subject as i spoke cockney.

I just ask the question, how many other countries speak Thai and how many other countries either use English as a second or first language. just asking.

10 hours ago, Wallander4 said:

God forbid they should learn some English or learn anything at all

Just ask them what language the cockpit crew are using when arriving or landing at Swampy and Don Muang if they aren't using English there'd be a right old stuff up.

Remember teaching some students there years ago before it achieved `university` status. Their interest in learning English was not great then. I wonder if today`s students are prepared for university level study?

It's really a shame and scandalous to let them learn 550 English vocabs.

Better to teach them how to drive a scooter safely and to learn the rules on the streets

why should they learn when they see most of those teaching them the subject cannot speak it either

I thought some English words were essential for Thais like:-

Hello Mister

What's your name

Where you from

Buy me drink

Play a game of pool etc. etc. - mainly Thai ladies of course!

 

10 hours ago, mikebell said:

Why bother learning anything?  I still haven't found a use for Quadratic Equations.

As I was told when I was taking advanced algebra, the reason to study mathematics is to train your brain to think. These college students apparently have a problem with that and their parents should be ashamed of themselves for trying to make it easier for their kids.e

3 hours ago, sanemax said:

They have been studying English in school for many years , if they havent been able to learnt to speak English in that time, they may be considered to thick for university

Language learning is different from other subjects- it's more a natural talent like music.  I was good at economics and politics, but lousy at French.  I went on to get well qualified. According to your reasoning I was too thick for higher education.

Of course the government should require Thai schools and universities to learn some English since it's the declared language for use in ASEAN !!!!!   

11 hours ago, mikebell said:

Why bother learning anything?  I still haven't found a use for Quadratic Equations.

I agree..... but you can use them for; calculating required room areas

Figuring out profit margin for products

Calculating speed given other variables 

My dishes need washing, floors mopping, and my toilet could use a good scrub from these "students."  The world always needs a ditch dug.  Good luck, bums.

12 hours ago, webfact said:

They have said that they were required to learn up to 550 words in English.

oh my god! 550 takes a lifetime to learn.

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

It's the name given to a word made up using the first letter of the name of each word:

Laser - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

 

Sorry mate, my post was a joke.

Just One Kidding Everyone.

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

Edited December 21, 20187 yr by overherebc

The reason you learn English speak it and comprehend the language is so you don't go through the rest of your life thinking Thailand is the center of the world! Learning English will allow you to open your mind to books to the world and learn the truth which as they say " the truth will set you free "  or you can continue to b-tch and be ignorant like your parents!

 

Those of us with kids here that learn both English and Thai fluently have a leg up on the job market. Let the students complain.

Taxi drivers who speak good English don't even get a tip of 20 baht. If they don't get nothing why would they bother to improve on their English. No, not true? Then you are not being honest and truthful.

Thais are not fools you know, the students also know that even if they graduated with good grade in English and speak it fluently it doesn't mean they are sure to get good job in big company. It depends on who they know not what they know. Son of somebody will be given priority not because his English is good. 

Learning a foreign language well is not only difficult it is also time consuming. Many Thais(I don't know what percentage) are living from hand to mouth (if you judge by European or American standard of living) how on earth are they going to spend time learning foreign language?

The Thais are perfect as they are, they don't have to study English, Japanese, French or Mandarin.

Before these foreigners came and mess up Thailand , Thailand was wonderful, simply beautiful , its language probably the most melodic and beautiful in this part of Asia.

Please, Please don't say the Thais are lazy they don't want to study English to improve themselves. They are living in their own country they do what they like and they are happy that is all that matters

If you can love someone wholeheartedly then and only then you will be able to help them not otherwise.

 

Unfortunately, Thailand has all these students running around with degrees and no jobs for them. The boyfriend of the stepdaughter 19 never done a days work in his life said to me he is going to university next year to study to be a teacher I said to him don't worry about becoming a teacher there are not enough jobs for them in Thailand I said look up see that and I pointed  to a split Air on the wall. I said learn  to  install and fix them A TRADE Thailand has millions of split air con  Hard work but you will make money I looked at him and he fainted  and was lying on the floor The stepdaughter said u mentioned that word WORK

l

10 hours ago, Jane Dough said:

Australia won the World Cup of Scrabble. Thailand were fifth. They have not awarded themselves anything but it is a known fact that Thailand leads the way in Scrabble especially among youth along with nations like Pakistan who have won all the main youth titles recently. To the Thais I know they would memorize 550 words before lunch. 

Indeed .. self awarded was included as they do like to big thereselves up a bit but the reality is somewhat different when they came 5th in the recent Championy-ship .. Another reality of their confabulations is that whilst they may be good at memorising words to compose in Scrabble what's the point if they don't know its meaning and in many cases are unable to pronounce them .. And that is highlighted even more when English words not in everyday use are brought together in a sentence as you may find in some profession's .. If it were put to girlfriend Grazing " It is incumbent upon me to bring to you're attention dear that the prior arrangment entered into by myself to provide you with financial patronage will now be subject to revision as the  generous currency exchange rate that we used to but now no longer enjoy is exerting considerable constraint upon my ability to continue providing succour at the rate you previously enjoyed " would just draw a portrait of puzzlement in her face .. So it far easy to go with " Sorry Babe its small money for you this month because £ cannot buy many Bart this time " but in doing that some of the grandiloquence of the English language is lost which is a shame as girlfriend Grazing does have a reasonably good grasp ( relatively speaking ) of English but I can't over exert her pretty little head by maxing out on higher class elements of it . 

Edited December 21, 20187 yr by Justgrazing
Sp

30 minutes ago, thailand49 said:

The reason you learn English speak it and comprehend the language is so you don't go through the rest of your life thinking Thailand is the center of the world! Learning English will allow you to open your mind to books to the world and learn the truth which as they say " the truth will set you free "  or you can continue to b-tch and be ignorant like your parents!

 

Is your mind open?