Education Ministry to push for coding as third language for Thai students

 

 

Thailand’s Ministry of Education will push for the inclusion of a third ‘language’, coding (computer programming language), in the curricula of Thai students, from kindergarten level if possible, said Deputy Education Minister Kalaya Sophonpanich on Friday.

 

Responding to the proposal to teach coding at schools, from Future Forward MP Kulthida Roongruangkiat during the debate on government’s policy statement, Khunying Kalaya said that it was her wish, since the election campaigning early this year, that Thai students should learn a third language, coding, in addition to English and their native language.

 

As a science student herself, the deputy education minister promised that she would push for the inclusion of coding in the curricula of the Thai educational system as quickly as possible, pointing to the increasing role of technology in in everyday life.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/education-ministry-to-push-for-coding-as-third-language-for-thai-students/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-07-28

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Which is the second language?

Gonna be hard to find teachers who can teach Scratch, Javascript and Phyton, preferably in English. The ministery will have to come up with a curriculum and sets of learning resources, as most schools dont have a clue what coding is and how to chunk it in motivational lessons.

 

Maybe they should focus on learning proper English first before trying to master a third "language".

18 minutes ago, PhonThong said:

Which is the second language?

Must be Mandarin, because as we all know, all programming is done in Chinese.

<End Sarcasm mode>

How about also including how to

use google maps and google search?

It was only a short time ago that students were protesting at having to learn English to a decent standard, and were claiming that they didn't need a second language. (Don't worry, they don't.)

Not going to happen except with a small elite.

"Thailand’s Ministry of Education will push for the inclusion of a third ‘language’, coding (computer programming language), in the curricula of Thai students..."

 

Fantastic!!! Now they can be illiterate in 3 languages. Progress - Thai Style. 

But who teach the teacher how teach the children?

 

that means English will be taught as a 4th language, with Pasa Thai, as always, as a 2nd language for just about all students still and..... what?  C++ as a coding "language"??? 

it doesn't make sense to me.  but hey, I'm a farlang.  to me, what does need to be changed is learning English or Chinese as a 2nd language.  forget about 3rd and 4th languages, the students have enough stuff to discuss and learn.  besides, most technical manuals are written in English including the C++ manuals and on line help.

I smell a dodgy deal with a Chinese computer company!! 

That woman is not even fit to be in the picture. Starting coding computer from kindergarten level? 

I see a major flaw in her planning. Coding is generally done in English, and as we know the schools here are totally incompetent at producing students with even a modicum of ability in it. How on earth are they going to be able to write flawless code, if they can't write the language involved? Another pipe dream thought up by someone without the wits to think it through.

Just now, darksidedog said:

I see a major flaw in her planning. Coding is generally done in English, and as we know the schools here are totally incompetent at producing students with even a modicum of ability in it. How on earth are they going to be able to write flawless code, if they can't write the language involved? Another pipe dream thought up by someone without the wits to think it through.

your'e right just tits no wits ????

57 minutes ago, PhonThong said:

Which is the second language?

If they are as successful with "coding" as they are with English, then they better save their money...

7 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I see a major flaw in her planning. Coding is generally done in English, and as we know the schools here are totally incompetent at producing students with even a modicum of ability in it. How on earth are they going to be able to write flawless code, if they can't write the language involved? Another pipe dream thought up by someone without the wits to think it through.

Just what I was about the post.

 

I have enjoyed teaching coding to primary age children and I do think it is beneficial, but without a good understanding of English it would be almost impossible to do correctly. Tools like Scratch and Hopscotch were also things I had to practice myself beforehand to make sure I knew what I was teaching. 

 

I think this woman has looked online, found a few buzzwords and decided to roll with this one, without really thinking what needs to be done for not only the children, but also the Thai teachers. 

11 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I see a major flaw in her planning. Coding is generally done in English, and as we know the schools here are totally incompetent at producing students with even a modicum of ability in it. How on earth are they going to be able to write flawless code, if they can't write the language involved? Another pipe dream thought up by someone without the wits to think it through.

They do have wits, they've been in training for years. Most of them are halfway there.

 

9 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

your'e right just tits no wits ????

which do you prefer - come on, honest answer? 

Just now, Artisi said:

which do you prefer - come on, honest answer? 

A hard one that

1 minute ago, geoffbezoz said:

A hard one that

is that you you are talking about?

1 minute ago, geoffbezoz said:

2 minutes ago, Artisi said:

which do you prefer - come on, honest answer? 

A hard one that

You've been looking at those pictures of wits again, getting all excited.

30 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

That woman is not even fit to be in the picture. Starting coding computer from kindergarten level? 

Never heard of coding.org?

Coding for toddlers is picture and block based and teaches the concept of movement and looping. 

 

Code.org uses Frozen and Starwars in their curriculum. The future of coding is block based coding and starts indeed at Kindergarten level. You can take free teacher courses at Code.org, which is founded and supported by companies such as Facebook and Disney.

The objective, however, should not be how to create apps , but how to operate machines.

 

 

41 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

That woman is not even fit to be in the picture. Starting coding computer from kindergarten level? 

As a matter of interest Kalaya Sophonpanich is a Democrat Party member who sold her soul to the Devil by joining with the Palang Pracharat Party to elect Prayut as Prime Minister.

Naturally she had to be rewarded and was handed a ministry for which suitability was not a consideration. 

By making this data language recommendation she has exposed her incompetence. Just another deadhead in the Prayut hand picked ministry.

8 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

Never heard of coding.org?

Coding for toddlers is picture and block based and teaches the concept of movement and looping. 

 

Code.org uses Frozen and Starwars in their curriculum. The future of coding is block based coding and starts indeed at Kindergarten level. You can take free teacher courses at Code.org, which is founded and supported by companies such as Facebook and Disney.

The objective, however, should not be how to create apps , but how to operate machines.

 

 

Yes, I have, but her objective is coding. You are saying that coding.org focus on how to operate machines and not on coding. I was talking about coding which was the core in the news. All that makes your comment totally irrelevant.

Why even bother with this 

Didn't Thailand's Great One say that Thai should/will be the world's international language ????

Give or take a 20 year plan. 

May as well even forget about English

 

 

 

 

Why focus on kindergarten pupils? Wouldn't it make more sense to rather teach coding to the Immigration Bureau first so their online registration websites and apps finally are going to work properly?

A contemporary computing curriculum teaches children how to become creative, critical thinkers.

I suspect that teaching "coding" through rote learning will achieve very little.

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

I see a major flaw in her planning. Coding is generally done in English, and as we know the schools here are totally incompetent at producing students with even a modicum of ability in it. How on earth are they going to be able to write flawless code, if they can't write the language involved? Another pipe dream thought up by someone without the wits to think it through.

Not to worry by the time this is implemented they will all be speaking Chinese and the currency Yuan

1 hour ago, BestB said:

How about also including how to

use google maps and google search?

Google search? You're kidding. It's "phone a friend" 

The new school uniform for this particular class is out and I think they're great. ????