Review of Thai language schools in Chiang Mai

[EricTh]

1. YMCA

 

After learning up to the highest level in YMCA Thai course and reviewing back, I would not recommend this school. 

 

Cons:

 

a. The textbooks are full of translation errors as much as 50%, they don't bother to correct the mistakes even though the books are almost 10 years old.

 

b. The teachers just recite through the textbooks without explaining the meaning of most of the sentences. 

 

c. The teachers don't explain the grammar structure at levels above level 3.

 

d. The textbooks emphasize formal words but don't teach the informal words that Thai normally use.

 

e. It's takes a very long time to wait for teachers to teach levels above level 3.

 

f. They don't provide education visa.

 

Pros:

 

a. They don't force students to learn the difficult Thai script from level 1 to 8 unlike most Thai schools. So you can concentrate on learning the vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar without being bogged down with the Thai script.

 

b. They have regular courses from level 1 to level 3 for absolute beginners.

 

c. The size of the classrooms is huge compared to the other schools.

 

d. The students are more serious in learning Thai.

 

e. You can stop anytime as all the levels are 5 weeks each.

 

2. TSL (Thai as second language) 

 

Cons:

 

a. The same goes for TSL in Pantip Plaza which apparently copied YMCA's syllabus and textbooks from level 1 to 8. There are many translation errors on the textbooks.

 

b. The teachers also don't explain the meaning of examples and grammar structure at the higher levels. Not good for people who wants to learn more complicated grammar.

 

c. The room is very small and feel very cramped.

 

d. They force people to learn Thai scripts above level 4 because they do away with phonetics on the textbooks. Many students struggled with the Thai scripts and pronunciation at the same time.

 

e. Their courses are quite intensive because they took the same 5 weeks course from YMCA and condense into a 4 weeks course. However, they provide another option of extending the 4 weeks course into 8 weeks course so that they are more manageable for some students.

 

f. There are no placement tests and students just choose whatever level they want to learn. They keep on asking questions that they should have learnt at lower levels if they went through the normal route thus slowing the other students down.

 

g. Many students are not serious learners and skip classes often, they are there for education visa. 

 

h. Even if you fail the final test, you can still move to the next level. The final test aren't serious and you can ask questions even during final exam.

 

Pros:

 

a. They have regular classes for the higher levels unlike YMCA.

 

b. Their tuition fees is inexpensive.

 

c. They have higher levels until level 15 (higher than YMCA)

 

d. They provide education visa.

 

[EricTh]

3. Chiang Mai university

 

Pros:

a. They provide education visa

b. The classroom is big enough

c. Fees is inexpensive

 

Cons:

a. You have to sign up for the whole year.

 

I am not sure about the syllabus and quality of teaching and how it compare to the other Thai schools.