Teaching English

[Gillyflower]

  Everyone gayly uses the word 'pidgin'. But do you realise that pidgin is different from country to country.  I lived when I was younger for quite a while on a copra and cocoa plantation on a Pacifique Island.  We spoke pidgin to the natives, but I will bet you that Buka pidgin is not at all the same as spoken by Philippine or American etc. etc.  

What's a 'sook, sook'?

 

PS  Sorry, Buka is pidgin, I meant Bougainville.

[Gillyflower]

I just picked up my book (written by an American), where the brat is just corrected by his uncle on the usage of 'can' and 'may'.  You see sometimes American use better English than ...........

[blazes]

34 minutes ago, Gillyflower said:

Actually to be really correct, it's May I have a latte.

 

 

Yes, if you are part of the grammar police (and ultra polite), but in N America I have heard only "can I have".  Which of course is absurd, cos there you are, in a coffee shop, asking whether you can have (or even may have) something that they are obviously selling.....

[elgenon]

I've always thought Thais learned English English not American English because of things like using "take away" rather than "take out".

[elgenon]

On 10/27/2020 at 8:34 PM, EricTh said:

Do most Thai schools teach American English or British English? What I mean is the official curriculum books.

 

 

I like the American the best!! Americans are hot! 555

The words used vary from country to country. It's not just the accent.

[hotchilli]

On 10/28/2020 at 10:34 AM, EricTh said:

Do most Thai schools teach American English or British English? What I mean is the official curriculum books.

Most students I've come across don't even know that a difference exists, most use English US in schools.

[MadMuhammad]

16 hours ago, HarrySeaman said:

Oh my God, you taught English.

My thoughts exactly. Wow. 

[MadMuhammad]

1 hour ago, elgenon said:

I like the American the best!! Americans are hot! 555

The words used vary from country to country. It's not just the accent.

Always something important to consider when deciding on a curriculum 

[1FinickyOne]

On 10/28/2020 at 12:52 PM, uncleP said:

these teachers have very little grasp of English language in real life!

And they teach Thai English

[Caldera]

Having had the pleasure to converse (555) with Thai English teachers at Thai government schools, I would have to conclude that most schools in Thailand teach Thinglish. Now, if that has an American or a British flavo(u)r almost doesn't matter, does it?

[Scott]

Troll post reported.

 

[Darksidedude]

whatever it is its not worth it, if you want your kid to learn english its a must that you go to a English curriculum school

[elgenon]

On 10/31/2020 at 6:37 PM, kenk24 said:

And they teach Thai English

I remember reading the BKK Post and seeing a story that mentioned a French guy teaching English. My Thai teacher included cultural things of interest that were very informative. A good student would also want to know idioms.,

[allane]

5 hours ago, elgenon said:

I remember reading the BKK Post and seeing a story that mentioned a French guy teaching English. My Thai teacher included cultural things of interest that were very informative. A good student would also want to know idioms.,

Zut alors !  (That's an idiom.)

[elgenon]

20 hours ago, allane said:

Zut alors !  (That's an idiom.)

Yes, it is! But this is about studying English. I prefer <deleted>! I have such a t-shirt to show how I feel about the year.

[Jeffrey346]

Quite a few years ago KKU advertised for and English teacher/prof. I can't recall how it was worded but they would only accept American dialect as it's considered the global language.

[blazes]

On 11/1/2020 at 6:00 PM, Darksidedude said:

whatever it is its not worth it, if you want your kid to learn english its a must that you go to a English curriculum school

 

Is the grammar here British or American or pidgin?

[hotchilli]

On 10/28/2020 at 12:52 PM, uncleP said:

Is it called English or American? ???? unfortunately  it changes from school to school depending on who books are purchased from. It is further confused by the use of upcountry  teachers to set exams: these teachers have very little grasp of English language in real life!

Most that I've come across use English US... especially if linked to computer studies & Microsoft programmes.

[SomchaiCNX]

On 11/3/2020 at 5:16 AM, elgenon said:

I remember reading the BKK Post and seeing a story that mentioned a French guy teaching English. My Thai teacher included cultural things of interest that were very informative. A good student would also want to know idioms.,

Probably they learned more from him than the one from Glasgow, Newcastle or Manchester ????

Many French and English words are similar but pronounced different. Strange thing is that I, as a Non native English speaker, can communicate with all of them but I had Americans who did not have a clue what the British guy was talking about. It happened the other way around as well. My guess is because they never had to learn another language so a non native English speaker can be a very good English teacher as he knows what it is to learn a foreign language. Most foreign English books in Thailand make no sense. Currency, Nickels , dimes, singers and fruits Thai never heard of. 

[SomchaiCNX]

The problem is not only the English they teach but the number of English speaking students at the school. Once out of the classroom they go back to Thai with their friends. They have more difficulties with the entrance exams for the Thai universities, those who opt not to do the bilingual program are much better prepared for the Thai tests. So International or private are the only options. 

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.

 

[Neeranam]

19 hours ago, blazes said:

 

Is the grammar here British or American or pidgin?

I went to the same school as Lord Byron yet we never studied grammar at all in my English classes. This is a 750-year-old school in Scotland. When I started teaching English here, I didn't know what the Present Perfect tense. 

[jomtienisgood]

On 10/30/2020 at 6:11 AM, allane said:

This seems to be a recurring concern to the British and the Americans, even if the Thai's couldn't care less.  I taught in Thai high schools for 17 years.  It is 50 - 50.  If the only problem you have is that your students know one and not the other, you are a lucky teacher indeed.

To my opinion and experience this is 100% correct, as most of them speak Thaiglish, for a big majotity no matter what level of education..... 

[jomtienisgood]

On 10/28/2020 at 10:34 AM, EricTh said:

Do most Thai schools teach American English or British English? What I mean is the official curriculum books.

 

 

Why is it the US English teacher is represented by a , depending on taste ,cute lady and both the others by the other gender? Does this implicate a ??????? 

[Iron Tongue]

From my experiences working in the intl. Corporate world on 4 continents, the preference is American English.  People want to talk the way people do in movies.

Unfortunately, Americans want to speak like the British.

[samsensam]

32 minutes ago, Iron Tongue said:

From my experiences working in the intl. Corporate world on 4 continents, the preference is American English.  People want to talk the way people do in movies.

Unfortunately, Americans want to speak like the British.

 

unless someone is fluent and/or has spent time living in a native english speaking country, or has close native speaker friends they will have very little chance of speaking like a native british or american speaker. and to be honest it makes absolutely no difference because what is important is not the accent but being able to communicate in a clear and effective way.

[Damrongsak]

On 10/31/2020 at 5:58 AM, Neeranam said:

My 17 year old used "I could care less" a few months ago. This one I corrected as it doesn't make sense to me. 

I think that's the way I learned it in the midwest of the U.S. (Ohio) when young.  Perhaps it's a regional thing, or a shortened version - Could (n't).  Save a syllable.  I comes out like "I c'd care less".

Edited November 12, 2020 by Damrongsak

[jomtienisgood]

On 11/13/2020 at 2:50 AM, Damrongsak said:

I think that's the way I learned it in the midwest of the U.S. (Ohio) when young.  Perhaps it's a regional thing, or a shortened version - Could (n't).  Save a syllable.  I comes out like "I c'd care less".

So they speak Thaiglish in the wild wild west????? 55555 lol