BritManToo Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overherebc Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chongalulu Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overherebc Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sead Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiChakayan Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melvinmelvin Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moo 2 Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesofa Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun Paul Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve187 Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chainarong Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chainarong Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajarnbrian Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawadee1947 Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orton Rd Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 why should they learn when they see most of those teaching them the subject cannot speak it either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burma Bill Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurtf Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommysboy Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen65 Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Of course the government should require Thai schools and universities to learn some English since it's the declared language for use in ASEAN !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maprao Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimP Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my friend you Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overherebc Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. ???????????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailand49 Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVENKEEL Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madusa Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubon farang Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justgrazing Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommysboy Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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