Teachers-to-be can graduate with poor English, panel decides

By The Nation

 

FILE PHOTO

 

A STRONG grasp of the English language will not be required of teacher-education graduates, the committee in charge of preparing a teacher qualifications framework has decided.

 

"We have reached this resolution because most stakeholders at a forum on the draft Thailand Qualifications Framework (TQF) disagreed with the plan to set too ambitious goal about graduates’ English,” the committee’s chair, Rathakorn Kidkan, said this week.

 

“There were serious concerns that students may not be able to graduate” if the English mastery requirement was set to high, he said. Rathakorn also chairs the Council of Rajabhat University’s Education Deans. 

 

It was initially proposed that the TQF require that teacher-education graduates who have not majored in English attain a B2 level in English under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Those majoring in English would be expected to reach the C1 level. 

 

CEFR is an international standard for describing language ability, using a six-point scale from A1 for beginners, up to C2 for those who have mastered a language. 

 

To reach the C1 level, a person must be able to communicate in English with a significant degree of fluency based on appropriate use, sensitivity and the capacity to deal with unfamiliar topics.

 

To reach B2 level, a person must be able to achieve most goals for that level and express themselves on a range of topics.

 

Rathakorn said most students in teacher-education programmes were only at A1 and A2 levels. A1 refers to a basic ability to communicate and exchange information in a simple way, while A2 reflects an ability to deal with simple, straightforward information and begin to express oneself in familiar contexts.

 

“So, most committee members have the opinion that B2 and C1 levels should not be mentioned in the TQF,” he said. 

 

Rathakorn said he had already raised the issue with Deputy Education Minister Udom Kachintorn. 

 

According to Rathakorn, it has now been decided that while English knowledge is important, TQF will not require teacher-education graduates to demonstrate a CEFR-based English proficiency. 

 

“We will just set English tests as criteria in the Education Ministry’s regulations,” Rathakorn said. 

 

He added that the committee decided that regulations would also reduce the required level of teaching graduates’ English proficiency from B2 to B1, the level at which the speaker could express themselves in a limited way in familiar situations and to deal in a general way with non-routine information. For English majors, the required level will drop from C1 to B2. 

 

“As well, we are going to make a clear plan on how to improve teacher-education graduates’ English,” Rathakorn said. Several universities have until now required their graduates to demonstrate a good level of English knowledge as a graduation criterion. 

 

For example, Mahidol University has required its graduates to get TOEIC scores of at least 600 while grads of Kasetsart University and Rangsit University must reach TOEIC scores of at least 500.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30362171

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-01-14

So...in practical terms nothing much has changed.Thailand continues it's enthusiastic plunge to the bottom of the ASEAN education ladder.

 

One hopes that they will all be trained to drive a tank..that's a good line of work.

As my wife just said when she read this: "they will never reach the top of the mountain" as people and country. She's Thai.

This country is so stuck

Edited January 13, 20197 yr by mok199

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Teachers-to-be can graduate with poor English

Well, who speaks English these days anyhow? Good for them to see the advantages of sticking with an obscure language that no other country speaks. It gives the kids more time for parade practice anyhow.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

A STRONG grasp of the English language will not be required of teacher-education graduates, the committee in charge of preparing a teacher qualifications framework has decided.

"Will not be required". That gives the impression it was required until now. I've got news for them.

When my wife was doing her English  test to become a teacher, almoat all of her classmates copied the 2 or 3 who knew some English.

The proctor or lecturer allowed this cos otherwise almost everyone would have failed the test.

I'm not sure what they learn here in education courses, but it isn't English.

path of least resistance......lets  face it

1 minute ago, Chippy151 said:

When my wife was doing her English  test to become a teacher, almoat all of her classmates copied the 2 or 3 who knew some English.

The proctor or lecturer allowed this cos otherwise almost everyone would have failed the test.

I'm not sure what they learn here in education courses, but it isn't English.

they learn to be lazy..................requires  less effort

Don't be worried too much about education it's just a method of turning public funds into luxury cars and villas for the nobs at the top. 

“As well, we are going to make a clear plan on how to improve teacher-education graduates’ English,” Rathakorn said. Several universities have until now required their graduates to demonstrate a good level of English knowledge as a graduation criterion. 

 

It is clear. Very clear. Too clear.

They did not major in English. So good decision 

4 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

They did not major in English. So good decision 

There's always one.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

A STRONG grasp of the English language will not be required of teacher-education graduates, the committee in charge of preparing a teacher qualifications framework has decided.

obviously a lot of quality thought put into this decision; result: a third world country sentencing itself to remain so

Good news for my kids, who are fluent in both languages. Their future job market value stays guaranteed.

34 minutes ago, Chippy151 said:

When my wife was doing her English  test to become a teacher, almoat all of her classmates copied the 2 or 3 who knew some English.

The proctor or lecturer allowed this cos otherwise almost everyone would have failed the test.

I'm not sure what they learn here in education courses, but it isn't English.

They learn cooperation through the sharing of homework and class notes.  The names of the Kings and Queens and Princesses and what they accomplished, that is, their projects.  Also learn not to disagree with teacher and don't ask a question the teacher cannot answer, which is why most students are silent, in contrast the the constant chatter of the teacher.

If they're not teaching English then they don't need it. Even if a higher grasp of English was required, all the teachers, even if they don't speak a lick of English, would all graduate with the certificate saying they are English proficienct. No fails, none of the time.

2 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

One hopes that they will all be trained to drive a tank..that's a good line of work.

Just so long as they can read the instructions Ody ..

I taught a bunch of English teachers a few years back. Their CEFR grades were between A1 an A2. How can you expect all teachers to attain B2 if a lot of English teachers aren't reaching that level.

The teflon economy is doing great, why would they need the outside world?

3 hours ago, webfact said:

A STRONG grasp of the English language will not be required

Hardly surprising in a country whose Education Department and government refuse to accept that English is the most communicative language in the world . . . a country already in the bottom third of international ratings for core education standards and which refuses to accept that it will soon be at the bottom of the heap.

The nobs have the education system exactly where they want it. Keeps the elite elite, and the poor poor, and subservient. 

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

They did not major in English. So good decision 

Yes the expats are out in anger, i see this as good too why hold back good math teachers if they are bad at languages. I bet most expats here dont speak much Thai. 

 

Yes English teachers should have good English command but others don't need it. I did not need English language in my program to graduate for an accounting tax education. Why should Thai teachers. 

2 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

As my wife just said when she read this: "they will never reach the top of the mountain" as people and country. She's Thai.

Great quote by your wife. But I would respond: 'Reach the top of the mountain? They will not even scale the educational heights of an ant hill!'

 

Edited January 14, 20197 yr by Eligius

5 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes the expats are out in anger, i see this as good too why hold back good math teachers if they are bad at languages. I bet most expats here dont speak much Thai. 

 

Yes English teachers should have good English command but others don't need it. I did not need English language in my program to graduate for an accounting tax education. Why should Thai teachers. 

I think because at the lower school ages, one teacher tends to teach their class all the subjects, rather than specialise in just one.

Strong grasp of English? Heck I'd be happy and amazed with even a limp handshake

8 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I think because at the lower school ages, one teacher tends to teach their class all the subjects, rather than specialise in just one.

And that is the case for all.. I know first hand of people who wanted to become an English teacher they had a special education with loads of English. That was totally different from other teachers. So I think your information might not be correct. Unless the person I knew only teaches higher classes.

 

My point is that people who don't teach a subject don't need the subject. If they teach it then they do of course. Totally different story.

 

But all the non Thai speaking expats with only one language that they can speak huff and puff a lot on this forum while those of us who actually did have to study English as it was not our native language have a much better gasp of the situation how things go in other countries. 

 

I for one know that English is only mandatory to a certain level if you go to higher education. Those that teach English of course need an higher level and get more English.. guess what.. that is what is done here too. Those that teach English need a higher score as those who dont. Just read the OP.

2 hours ago, Chippy151 said:

When my wife was doing her English  test to become a teacher, almoat all of her classmates copied the 2 or 3 who knew some English.

The proctor or lecturer allowed this cos otherwise almost everyone would have failed the test.

I'm not sure what they learn here in education courses, but it isn't English.

They learn to copy.

1 hour ago, SoilSpoil said:

Good news for my kids, who are fluent in both languages. Their future job market value stays guaranteed.

Mine too!

2 hours ago, kannot said:

they learn to be lazy..................requires  less effort

I am not sure they have to learn to be lazy as it seems to me to be an inherent quality.