Good Morning
My daughter age 11, living in the UK and a non Thai speaker will be moving to Thailand with myself (dad). Lived in Thailand before and always had a firm commitment that we would move back to Thailand permanently once she finished primary/infant school in the UK.
I am looking seriously at a Thai only school, at least initially to help her acceleration in learning Thai.
I was wondering as a guideline how long it should be for her to learn Thai as I feel one of the best ways for children to learn Thai is from other Thai children in the playground.
Thank you

Can you introduce her to the language through online learning before arrival??

 Just to give her a head start.

24 minutes ago, Clive said:

was wondering as a guideline how long it should be for her to learn Thai as I feel one of the best ways for children to learn Thai is from other Thai children in the playground.

1 year and she'll be talking like a native.

Zero contact with any other English speakers while she's learning.

(That's how long it took Portuguese kids in my class in the UK)

 

Don't waste your time preparing her, she won't be interested until she's forced.

And there'll be tears for the first week or two at the Thai school.

Edited May 7, 20197 yr by BritManToo

Kumin (many locations in Thailand, don't know if available in the UK etc.), have good Thai language programs, reading writing and conversation, plus well structured / well organized homework and practice on a password based website, it's very user friendly, very well presented and is progressive, worth a look, whether as a starter before starting school in Thailand or as an add on when she's here. And Kumon teachers are well trained.

 

Good luck.

I'm curious why you didn't expose her to Thai as a young child.

 

When my son was born in Singapore, me and my wife had a strict regime;

She only spoke to him in Thai & Lao

I only spoke to him in English & Mandarin

 

Worked out great, he ended up perfectly fluent in all for languages.

 

11 is a tricky age, you're moving into HS, the brain is beginning to hard wire, so I'd be skeptical about dumping her into a Thai only school.

 

That might need some dual language teaching for a while

Edited May 8, 20197 yr by GinBoy2

26 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

I'm curious why you didn't expose her to Thai as a young child.

 

When my son was born in Singapore, me and my wife had a strict regime;

She only spoke to him in Thai & Lao

I only spoke to him in English & Mandarin

 

Worked out great, he ended up perfectly fluent in all for languages.

 

11 is a tricky age, you're moving into HS, the brain is beginning to hard wire, so I'd be skeptical about dumping her into a Thai only school.

 

That might need some dual language teaching for a while

I tried so had to expose her to Thai when she was young which I did. After my ex beat her up I whisked her over to the UK as fast as I possibly could for her own safety. There has been no contact with her mother so unfortunately all her Thai has been forgotten.
Trying to work out what is the best route for her as she wishes to live in Thailand, as do I.  Whether we go soon or wait until she finishes high school in the Uk but I feel that the older you get the more difficult it will become learning Thai as she gets older.    

Where are you planning on settling, Clive?

1 minute ago, Clive said:

I tried so had to expose her to Thai when she was young which I did. After my ex beat her up I whisked her over to the UK as fast as I possibly could for her own safety. There has been no contact with her mother so unfortunately all her Thai has been forgotten.
Trying to work out what is the best route for her as she wishes to live in Thailand, as do I.  Whether we go soon or wait until she finishes high school in the Uk but I feel that the older you get the more difficult it will become learning Thai as she gets older.    

If I had to give you some advice, I'd let her finish school in the UK.

 

My son went through elementary and part of middle school in Singapore before we moved to Thailand.

Thai education is appalling, and I'm being kind.

He was a straight A student in Singapore, yet after a HS in Thailand he struggled in college in the US. 

 

I'd be careful what you want for your daughters future