Class act: Thai teacher learns how to make English lessons fun

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Class act: Thai teacher learns how to make English lessons fun

By Prapan Chankaew and Juarawee Kittisilpa

 

Teeraphong Meesat, 29, known as teacher Bally teaches English in a classroom at the Prasartratprachakit School in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand, July 10, 2019. Picture taken July 10, 2019. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai English teacher Theeraphong Meesat has a unique way of boosting his students' confidence in class and making sure they loosen up - by wearing outrageous outfits and makeup. 

 

Theeraphong, 29, struts into his classroom at the Prasartratprachakit School in Ratchaburi province in a gray wig that resembles Lisa from the popular K-pop band Blackpink and eyelashes made from a feather duster.

 

Theeraphong, also known as "Bally", said many students used to dislike learning English because they were embarrassed by making mistakes. His stunts help break down the barrier, he said.

 

"Some students were scared... But now they are more curious and eager to learn what is going to happen in class," Theeraphong said.

 

Many of his students said classes were less boring.

 

"Bally will ask questions in class and encourage students to be confident," said Metas Wiriyakitkaset, 15. "It's really fun."

 

 (Writing by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Nick Macfie)

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-07-17

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[StayinThailand2much]

Class as a Halloween event: great! Sanuk for the kids; but are they actually learning something useful (besides 'how to make up')? Wouldn't it be also important (for foreign-language education) to actually foster 'interest in the outside world'?

 

I have been to many countries, but the only ones where kids seem to have 'difficulties' learning English are the ones with heightened nationalism and superiority complex (China is one of those few countries)...

Edited July 17, 2019 by StayinThailand2much

[anterian]

I don't think this is the answer, but show me some comparative results and I will be happy to be proven wrong. 

[z42]

Style over substance. And what learning is taking place? And could (considerable) time spent applying make up have been better spent on preparing materials?

Just looks like a cheap gimmick to me. And for the record i am a qualified, licenced teacher with 13 years experience across 3 continents, so I am in a position to comment

[lust]

Thai teaching English... 

[jaltsc]

 "...many students used to dislike learning English because they were embarrassed by making mistakes."

 

The best these students might hope for is to be able to use their acquired English skills while performing as a mime. 

 

Many, if not most Thais are embarrassed to make a mistake because the culture considers that losing face. Teachers are pressured to give high grades which do not reflect the students' performance. A low grade would not only cause the student to lose face, but would be a reflection on that student's family.  

Edited July 17, 2019 by jaltsc

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

'interest in the outside world'?

Where's that???

[spidermike007]

Look, whatever it takes to get the kids to pay attention, and do the work. I would refer to what she is doing as the expression of creativity. That alone is a good lesson for the kids to learn, as they are not exposed to much of it, from their teachers. 

[StayinThailand2much]

17 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Where's that???

Not in Thai media, I guess...

 

Some Thai parents even discourage their little kids to learn English.

 

And that overused argument of 'they are just shy' is utter nonsense... Little Vietnamese, Laotian, Khmer, and Burmese kids are, naturally, "shy" at first too, but still they can pick up foreign languages. But perhaps they are not 24/7 indoctrinated that everything 'foreign', except whitening cream, is "bad" and that foreigners are to blame for all of Thailand's ills. Plus, that often repeated horror story, taught at school, of 'falangs' "stealing (or having stolen) Thai territory"...

Edited July 17, 2019 by StayinThailand2much

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, jaltsc said:

 "...many students used to dislike learning English because they were embarrassed by making mistakes."

 

The best these students might hope for is to be able to use their acquired English skills while performing as a mime. 

 

Many, if not most Thais are embarrassed to make a mistake because the culture considers that losing face. Teachers are pressured to give high grades which do not reflect the students' performance. A low grade would not only cause the student to lose face, but would be a reflection on that student's family.  

 

Face. Who cares? It means nothing. Less than zero. 

 

Face is no doubt, the greatest form of weakness, a human can engage in. Many will say it is societal, cultural, etc. No matter. It is the absolute and complete lack of the ability to introspect, and look within for the source of any problem, shortcoming, conflict, or issue. It is the polar opposite of spirituality, and therefore an absolute scourge on Buddha, and all of the precepts he taught. By practicing face, you are denying your spiritual heritage. You are refusing to man up. To take responsibility for your actions. If a man or a woman cannot, and will not take responsibility for their actions, the problems they create, the mistakes they make, and the issues they involve themselves in, what are they? Are they still an adult? Are they a complete individual, if they allow themselves to be limited by such infinitely small social convention? 

 

Who cares what people think of you? For those of us with high self esteem, it just does not matter. Sure, close friends and family. But strangers on the street? Who gives a rat's butt about this? It means nothing what they think, nor what they say about you. They count for nothing. They are just people, and people you do not know, nor will ever see again. Face is rife with self doubt, and by subscribing to this weakness, and man or woman is made a far lesser person. For those of us with high self esteem, we know who we are. What others think, what society thinks, what a guy or gal thinks, means less than zero.

Real men or women, simply own a situation, and take responsibility for their errors or mistakes. Small men, social deviants, or emotional adolescents deflect, obfuscate, attempt to confuse, and do everything in their power to deny that they made a mistake, or that they are responsible in any way, or on any level. They make up narratives about fake news, or alternative facts. Anything to avoid looking within, for the source of the problem. Anything.

 

[Snackbar]

New meaning to the notion of class clown.

 

Collective culture is the biggest issue here with too much emphasis on getting ‘the right answer’ than gradual improvement. There are no ‘right answers’ in the English language only individual expression. 

 

[RJRS1301]

It would be interesting to see his results compared to other people with similar qualifications and similar students.

 

[connda]

That's a start to break the monotony of classic Thai rote teaching which is both ineffective and simply plain boring.  So - kudos.  It's a start in the right direction.

[Orton Rd]

1 hour ago, lust said:

Thai teaching English... 

No mention if teacher can actually speak English. They need to dump all the grammar books in the bin, teach vocabulary and SPEAK it instead of filling out the exercises in the books. Kids get 10 out of ten for the work books all through School, but it's useless when it comes to speaking the language.

[Labpooch]

If the teacher can actually speak English....then his outrageous outfits and make-up is actually something to talk about.   This teacher creates very interesting situations to encourage students to talk and express their feelings in English.  Keep it up!  English is fun.

 

[Matzzon]

Sack the teacher. Clowns like this has no place in a class room, except circus school.

[nausea]

I thought class clown was a reserved Farang occupation.

[RandolphGB]

This is not appropriate for a school class room. 

 

But it's typical of liberal MSM to promote it. 

[marko kok prong]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

 

Face. Who cares? It means nothing. Less than zero. 

 

Face is no doubt, the greatest form of weakness, a human can engage in. Many will say it is societal, cultural, etc. No matter. It is the absolute and complete lack of the ability to introspect, and look within for the source of any problem, shortcoming, conflict, or issue. It is the polar opposite of spirituality, and therefore an absolute scourge on Buddha, and all of the precepts he taught. By practicing face, you are denying your spiritual heritage. You are refusing to man up. To take responsibility for your actions. If a man or a woman cannot, and will not take responsibility for their actions, the problems they create, the mistakes they make, and the issues they involve themselves in, what are they? Are they still an adult? Are they a complete individual, if they allow themselves to be limited by such infinitely small social convention? 

 

Who cares what people think of you? For those of us with high self esteem, it just does not matter. Sure, close friends and family. But strangers on the street? Who gives a rat's butt about this? It means nothing what they think, nor what they say about you. They count for nothing. They are just people, and people you do not know, nor will ever see again. Face is rife with self doubt, and by subscribing to this weakness, and man or woman is made a far lesser person. For those of us with high self esteem, we know who we are. What others think, what society thinks, what a guy or gal thinks, means less than zero.

Real men or women, simply own a situation, and take responsibility for their errors or mistakes. Small men, social deviants, or emotional adolescents deflect, obfuscate, attempt to confuse, and do everything in their power to deny that they made a mistake, or that they are responsible in any way, or on any level. They make up narratives about fake news, or alternative facts. Anything to avoid looking within, for the source of the problem. Anything.

 

"If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,if all men count with you,but none too much"

Part Of Rudyard Kiplings "if" wonderful poem,and as well as a great writer,he made exceedingly good cakes.

[Myran]

Ugh, I'm getting flashbacks to Dead Poets Society and all the "fun" teachers it spawned.

[djayz]

When I see teachers having to act the clown, I usually suspect that something's wrong. Either he/she hasn't prepared for class or has absolutely no idea what/how to teach. But now this teacher in question has taken it one further - actually dressing up like a (transvestite) clown! Alarm bells are ringing at this stage! 

Although I don't agree with the rote system used so widly here as I don't believe it's really effective, but turning class into a circus is taking it, in my humble opinion, too far. 

There should be an element of fun to learning, but that should only play a minor role. 

Honestly, I don't don't care how little they teach the kids here in school; sooner or later they come to people like me for private/small group classes to help them climb the career ladder, get a higher score on some test or other, which in turn gets them a higher salary.

Keeping them stupid at the lower levels keeps me in work when they get older and enter the workforce. ???? 

Edited July 17, 2019 by djayz

[DrTuner]

Face makes the culture inferior. Making mistakes should be something to be proud of. It means you're trying to learn a new thing.

[nickstav]

It is true that the students are afraid of making a mistake and being embarrassed. My girlfriend's niece supposedly learns English in school, but won't even try simple English, even with me her "uncle", for fear of making a mistake. I agree with the previous post, making mistakes is part of the learning experience.

[Cake Monster]

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

No mention if teacher can actually speak English. They need to dump all the grammar books in the bin, teach vocabulary and SPEAK it instead of filling out the exercises in the books. Kids get 10 out of ten for the work books all through School, but it's useless when it comes to speaking the language.

The chances are that the Teacher speaks " Tinglish ", as there are very few that actually speak good English.

I recently asked 2 English Teachers from my Daughters School if they had heard of the Phonetic Alphabet,and had they applied it to teaching the Children how to speak English..

They both looked at each other with puzzled expressions, and then both replied "NO", they neither knew of the Phonetic Alphabet, or taught it

With an Education System that does not encourage the use of Phonics in teaching English, there is little or no chance for the Students to learn correctly.

PPP = PPP

 

 

 

[DILLIGAD]

It is true that the students are afraid of making a mistake and being embarrassed. My girlfriend's niece supposedly learns English in school, but won't even try simple English, even with me her "uncle", for fear of making a mistake. I agree with the previous post, making mistakes is part of the learning experience.

Also learning from them, is (should be) an important aspect of History lessons but it (errors/mistakes) cannot be taught here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[marcusarelus]

41 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Face makes the culture inferior. Making mistakes should be something to be proud of. It means you're trying to learn a new thing.

You are correct.  Probably the most extreme example of not being able to own up to your mistakes is committing suicide.  A cowards choice instead of facing the music and saying the heck with face.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_suicides_in_1945_Nazi_Germany

[nickstav]

4 hours ago, z42 said:

Style over substance. And what learning is taking place? And could (considerable) time spent applying make up have been better spent on preparing materials?

Just looks like a cheap gimmick to me. And for the record i am a qualified, licenced teacher with 13 years experience across 3 continents, so I am in a position to comment

I honor your opinion as a qualified teacher, but what if his method is working? What if his students demonstrated advanced proficiency over the other teacher's students? We don't know either way, as the article makes not mention of this, but would your opinion change?

[marcusarelus]

I think teachers who shun and disparage novelty acts and gimmicks in the classroom are trying to cover up their lack of creativity.  It's been my experience that my best professors were my most dramatic ones who used creativity in their lessons and kept up the interest of the class.  They always had problems with the administrators who didn't have one creative bone in their whole bodies so tried to make everyone else as boring as themselves.  Masters degree,  University of Michigan.  

[nickstav]

1 hour ago, djayz said:

When I see teachers having to act the clown, I usually suspect that something's wrong. Either he/she hasn't prepared for class or has absolutely no idea what/how to teach. But now this teacher in question has taken it one further - actually dressing up like a (transvestite) clown! Alarm bells are ringing at this stage! 

Although I don't agree with the rote system used so widly here as I don't believe it's really effective, but turning class into a circus is taking it, in my humble opinion, too far. 

There should be an element of fun to learning, but that should only play a minor role. 

Honestly, I don't don't care how little they teach the kids here in school; sooner or later they come to people like me for private/small group classes to help them climb the career ladder, get a higher score on some test or other, which in turn gets them a higher salary.

Keeping them stupid at the lower levels keeps me in work when they get older and enter the workforce. ???? 

"Keeping them stupid at the lower levels keeps me in work when they get older...". What a horrible, horrible thing to say about children. 

[DrTuner]

29 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

You are correct.  Probably the most extreme example of not being able to own up to your mistakes is committing suicide.  A cowards choice instead of facing the music and saying the heck with face.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_suicides_in_1945_Nazi_Germany

The Japanese seppuku is another excellent example of that one. There's one thing I do admire about the yanks, they may screw up thousands of times trying to do something, but in the end they get there. That tenacity and flexibility is what earned them the #1 place after WW2.