Thailand to recruit 10,000 foreign teachers to boost English standards of Thai kids

[spiekerjozef]

2 hours ago, KKr said:

Indians are usually as bi-lingual similar to Pilopinos  !

you want no-shaking thai kids?

[baansgr]

3 hours ago, Bezdomny said:

Being NES with irrelevant diploma and 2 Mondays one Tuesday TEFL course it doesn't make you language teacher. Hire competent teachers and pay them well! 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EF_English_Proficiency_Index

https://www.thailand-business-news.com/news/76941-thailands-english-proficiency-falls-to-very-low.html

I'm from.an age where only 3 people from my year of 290 students went to university...throughout the past 30 years or so I have seen what education level post grads have from the UK...shocking and a lot can't even work a call centre.,.a degree used to be reaching a certain level...today people do it to get out of working for three years....honestly, when you can obtain a B.A in Facebook or social media studies...who are they kidding

[wwest5829]

When I first retired to Chiang Mai in 2011, I had considered continuing my teaching at one of the universities helping Thai students learn English or perhaps American History. Fortunately or unfortunately, I found I was quite content being retired. Out went the 3 piece suits, most of the shirts and ties. Now at 73, I might be enticed to helping Thai teachers of the English language improve pronunciation, speaking, writing skills but think I am out of the price/immigration issues range that I would need. Shame there are many retired who would volunteer time (definitely would need to be vetted).

[Elfin]

2 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

you want no-shaking thai kids?

Surely if you have Indian teachers teaching English, eventually you will have Thai students rocking their heads from side to side when they are talking.

[lovethai123]

5 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

you want no-shaking thai kids?

Unfortunately thai people link a person's character with the skin colour. Indian tend to have a darker skin tone. Thai parents and recruiters won't be comfortable letting an Indian teach their kids. 

 

Pinoys are more racially closer to them and a cheaper choice than farangs. 

 

Even though so many Indians are teaching variety of subjects in western universities.

[lovethai123]

3 minutes ago, Elfin said:

Surely if you have Indian teachers teaching English, eventually you will have Thai students rocking their heads from side to side when they are talking.

Guess they will also teach them some morals and ethics which thais seem to lack.

[alzack]

Over 20 years this has been going on Farang teachers more and more every year, yet still Thais cannot speak English. The problem is obvious, they never use English, Conversational English is not taught, just books and reading, what a waist of time its all been

[talahtnut]

Thousands of Scots, Irish, and Welsh have applied.

That'll be fun.

[strawpanda]

You can't teach a non-native speaker to be a native speaker. 

[sambum]

20 hours ago, Acrylic said:

As long as Thai doesn't change their attitude regarding English language, I doubt it would be effective. 

Didn't the PM say he wanted Thai to be the World's "second" language instead of English? (????) In which case there should be no need for English teachers at all!

Edited February 16, 2020 by sambum

[Max69xl]

10 minutes ago, Benmart said:

Many comments, some of which are laced with a poison called negativity. I prefer the tonic labeled, "Wait and See". Being retired, it will be viewed with interest and gratitude.

You're a bit naive. I guess you don't have a clue about schools in Thailand and how they work. I know 4 english teachers, one from England, 1 from the US and 2 from Canada. The one from England worked up in Isaan. She was told from a thai female teacher that she didn't pronounce the words correct. She asked why, that's not the way we pronounce it,was the answer. My friend isn't the type of woman who takes <deleted> from anybody, especially not a totally useless thai teacher out in the sticks. You can probably guess what she told her. Never compare schools in BKK with schools in rural areas. These 4 teachers gets so frustrated some times about other teachers or headmasters who think they know everything. If you have to teach Thai teachers how to teach English so they in turn can teach kids,then the teachers have to be young and already be able to speak quite good English. Every lesson in Thai schools are just a monologue from the teacher and in many cases useless. There's been so many reports from exchange students when coming back home,telling everybody it was a total waste of time. They learned about Thailand,but nothing in school. 

[sambum]

20 hours ago, darksidedog said:

This subject comes round and round and never gets anywhere because they are not prepared to pay the money required to get decent staff. They always cheap out and employ those for whom English is often a second or third language. The other issue of course is one of face and paying a farang more than Thai teachers who in their minds are superior causes a problem. Those looking for teaching work need not get excited. This will go no further than the countless identical promises made over the years and the kids in ten years still won't be able to speak English to anything close to an acceptable standard.

See my Post #162!

Edited February 16, 2020 by sambum

[Baerboxer]

20 hours ago, Jare said:

 

I'm confused... aren't those foreign teachers going to be foreign teachers still? If he wants "jao khong phasa", then is he planning on branching out from the Phils to Singapore and Nigeria? In the UK, teachers now get a promise of 30,000GBP a year starting salary if they're clever, that's a bit more than 30,000THB a month.

 

Indeed. And with a Master's degree and a bit of experience more than 30k p.a.

 

Which makes you wonder why some choose to be teaching in Asia. 

[Baerboxer]

10 minutes ago, sambum said:

Didn't the PM say he wanted Thai to be the World's "second" language instead of English? (????) In which case there should be no need for English teachers at all!

 

If you think English is the world's second language, what do you think the first is??

[Monkeycity]

No smart native English speaker wants to teach in Thailand for 30,000 a month when they can get around 80,000+ a month in China with free accommodation and meals at the school. 

Even in Vietnam people I know get 50,000 a month. 

 

I personally have taught part-time online with no previous experience and got over 30,000 a month. Who would want to work full-time for that amount?

[Moo 2]

That's not fair, my Thai wife is making great progress already and can say "darling give me money, please".

[Monkeycity]

They need to be taught bilingually, where they are taught science, maths or a couple important subjects in English. Just having a few English lessons a week is not enough. It needs to be 50/50 if you want good English speakers.

Howcome Scandinavians can speak English almost perfectly?

[lovethai123]

2 minutes ago, Moo 2 said:

That's not fair, my Thai wife is making great progress already and can say "darling give me money, please".

To send to my mom because she has some debts which I didn't tell you when we got married? 

 

Sorry. no offense.

 ????????????????

[sambum]

32 minutes ago, baansgr said:

I'm from.an age where only 3 people from my year of 290 students went to university...throughout the past 30 years or so I have seen what education level post grads have from the UK...shocking and a lot can't even work a call centre.,.a degree used to be reaching a certain level...today people do it to get out of working for three years....honestly, when you can obtain a B.A in Facebook or social media studies...who are they kidding

A BIG "like" for your post! It really shows the deterioration in standards when some one with a degree in English can't even spell! (I know that from one of my own family members!) The excuse I was given was "But I don't need to be able to spell - I have spell check on my computer!" (Ignoring the fact that the "correct" English spelling is always the American version - e.g. "color"!) 

[allenberg]

17 hours ago, murikamba said:

Racist, huh? This forum is a congregation of similar people who bash Thai, Chinese, Indians 24 hours a day. What I would call them?

Welcome to the congregation!!!..... Preacher.

 

[malcoml]

20 hours ago, Kelsall said:

From what English teachers here have told me, schools prefer American teachers over other nationalities.   True?  I can't see them getting many Americans to fly this far to teach for what is considered low pay in the US. 

I don’t think it’s the monthly salary that is at the top of the mind but rather other benefits.

 

im sure there will be 1000’s of 55 year old western guys lining up.

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, dallen52 said:

It does frustrate a little. 

I'm happy living here.

Want to offer my life skills gratis, but basically need a work permit to do voluntary skills (including English language) training to less fortunate people. 

That's exactly right-and that is why the system will not change..

 

Having said that I certainly encouraged some young students to drop in and "have a chat" for nothing more than a handful of agricultural provender if they parents could afford it..they could just listen to some classical music..watch a film in English or talk about their day.

 

I also used to kick a football around with the local lads and encouraged them to try a little English which some seem to enjoy.

 

Two students have gone on to bigger and better things which is great from my wife's friends point of view.

 

There obviously was not a Thai Batmobile hanging around at the time.????️‍♂️

Edited February 16, 2020 by Odysseus123

[Baerboxer]

32 minutes ago, Elfin said:

Surely if you have Indian teachers teaching English, eventually you will have Thai students rocking their heads from side to side when they are talking.

 

Although English is the language of business, law and government in India, their spoken English is often abysmal. Written English very good although often too flowery and complicated just to show off.

 

I lived there for 2 years and the standard of spoken English just isn't consistent. Different pronouncing, diction, strong regional accents, inflections and a very different range of figures of speech. 

 

Just watch BBC World Service where some of the Indian reporters are barely understandable because of their accents; or call centers located in India.

 

Filipinos and Filipinas are mostly the same. Only American English, with American / Philippine cross accents. And many, IME, can't spell and have poor grammar.

 

Having said all of that some of the British, Canadian and South African teachers that have taught my kids leave a lot to be desired when it comes to English language.

 

 

[lovethai123]

Just now, Monkeycity said:

They need to be taught bilingually, where they are taught science, maths or a couple important subjects in English. Just having a few English lessons a week is not enough. It needs to be 50/50 if you want good English speakers.

Howcome Scandinavians can speak English almost perfectly?

In india, there are English medium schools wherein all text books are in English and medium of instruction is English. 

 

The state run schools have the local state language as a medium of instruction plus English as a subject.

 

Generally the students from English medium school have good command over English .

 

I agree that if English is taught from the beginning and important subjects are in English it would be better for the children. 

 

[UncleErnie]

My daughter taught English in a public school about three years ago. She has a bachelors degree in communication from a top rated university in the US. She left totally disappointed after her contract expired. Her superiors told her to go teach. No curriculum, No direction of any kind, No instructions other than make sure every student MUST pass. One hour (fifty minutes) a week for each class of mostly non-motivated students. Add Thai holidays to the curriculum and some classes missed at least one, sometimes two classes in a month. Cell phone usage was not specifically banned by the school authorities. NO amount of money can change this p*** poor situation unless the people in charge at the school level are held accountable. And perhaps the rot can be traced much further up the chain but what possibly could force change at that level?

[lovethai123]

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Although English is the language of business, law and government in India, their spoken English is often abysmal. Written English very good although often too flowery and complicated just to show off.

 

I lived there for 2 years and the standard of spoken English just isn't consistent. Different pronouncing, diction, strong regional accents, inflections and a very different range of figures of speech. 

 

Just watch BBC World Service where some of the Indian reporters are barely understandable because of their accents; or call centers located in India.

 

Filipinos and Filipinas are mostly the same. Only American English, with American / Philippine cross accents. And many, IME, can't spell and have poor grammar.

 

Having said all of that some of the British, Canadian and South African teachers that have taught my kids leave a lot to be desired when it comes to English language.

 

 

India has a lot of languages with different dialects so the influence of the mother tongue would be present. 

 

 

[ChipButty]

2 hours ago, Elfin said:

My salary in China is 4 times the average Thai NES salary, plus I get a free 3br modern apartment, 10 weeks fully paid leave + public holidays, end of year bonuses/travel money, free comprehensive health insurance, subsidised meals and RP and medical exam paid for. I teach 16 hours face to face per week, sometimes without office hours.

Sounds like a good deal, why would you teach in Thailand?

[Cake Monster]

20 hours ago, Acrylic said:

As long as Thai doesn't change their attitude regarding English language, I doubt it would be effective. 

As long as people like the Big Guy at the top keep making statements like " The Thai language will be used more than English around the World. It will be more popular than English ", there is absolutely no hope for Thailand to progress.

English is the premier language used around the Globe. It is the Internationally recognised language for Business use, and every Country on the Planet has English speaking people within their populations.

OK, some may be a little more English savvy than others, but Thailand appears to make very little or no progress in the use of English.

This one  thing alone takes the young people of Thailand away from the world stage when it comes to careers and progress.

Very sad really, as their are some very intelligent young people in Thailand, whos talents will be just wasted.

[Baerboxer]

4 minutes ago, malcoml said:

I don’t think it’s the monthly salary that is at the top of the mind but rather other benefits.

 

im sure there will be 1000’s of 55 year old western guys lining up.

 

Agree with you. And not just the older ones. I know of some 30 somethings teachers here who spend as much time as possible chasing as many females as possible (or males in some cases) and boozing. 

 

My wife, a qualified and experienced teacher, tells me that many are known for this behavior which is why they're looked down on. Unfortunately, as with many things, everyone gets tarred with the same brush.

[Pawpcorn]

Did this for 11 years in BKK... a never ending series of nightmarish situations, each day, or week, or month... some new hideous nightmare, lie, totally bizarre situation, or yet another betrayal to try and cope with... yet again. Was SO HAPPY to finally "retire" 4 years ago...

The stories I could tell, would fill a book or two. I can tell that many here have "been there, done that", too.