Thai Speaking English Teachers?

[jackmuu]

Hi,

Trying to get the wife to speak English at last and went to a Ladprao English school and whilst asking questions (very frustrating with the fools on the front desk who knew next to nothing), turns out that the teachers don't speak Thai? How is a non English speaker supposed to ask questions and how does the teacher explain if they can't speak the native language?

There is no way I would have been able to learn Thai if my teacher hadn't been able to explain things in English.

Anyway, I am looking for a decent school with Thai speaking English teachers in Ladprao area. Does anyone have any suggestions please.

Not English First please where the fool on the desk didn't know the ansers to 80% of the questions asked and his female assistant squated on the floor giggling with a mouth full of food (very professional).

[jdinasia]

Hi,

Trying to get the wife to speak English at last and went to a Ladprao English school and whilst asking questions (very frustrating with the fools on the front desk who knew next to nothing), turns out that the teachers don't speak Thai? How is a non English speaker supposed to ask questions and how does the teacher explain if they can't speak the native language?

There is no way I would have been able to learn Thai if my teacher hadn't been able to explain things in English.

Anyway, I am looking for a decent school with Thai speaking English teachers in Ladprao area. Does anyone have any suggestions please.

Not English First please where the fool on the desk didn't know the ansers to 80% of the questions asked and his female assistant squated on the floor giggling with a mouth full of food (very professional).

Almost every Thai language school uses teachers that don't speak English .... 100% immersion is the way to go with classes. The learning curve is MUCH higher. When I started learning Thai the only questions that could be answered for me at the office were the fees and class times in English. After my first group of classes they would not speak Eng at all to me It worked!

<oops just noticed ... this should be in General Topics >

Edited May 20, 2007 by jdinasia

[PeaceBlondie]

To the original poster: do you wish to keep this discussion in the Teaching Forum, which makes sense? It's your call, and we'll move it to another appropriate forum, if you wish.

Also: as jdinasia points out, the immersion process is quite normal for language classes. That is generally the preferred method used in the foreign language business, and some schools in Thailand threaten to fire any English teacher who speaks Thai in class.

Nevertheless, I often wish I knew the Thai words for "please be quiet" and "open your books."

As for Thai students in school, they already have "English teachers" who are Thai nationals who in some cases speak English terribly and seldom. This is distressingly common in rural prathom schools, but it's not the teacher's fault that she's assigned to teach a subject for which she's not trained.

Conversely, it's quite possible that a farang EFL teacher who tries to use Thai would mangle it so badly that it would be better to speak in English.

Nevertheless, I'm fluent enough in Spanish that if I taught English in Mexico, I might revert to Spanish 10% or even 15% of the time. However, the less the teacher speaks, generally, the better.

[jackmuu]

To the original poster: do you wish to keep this discussion in the Teaching Forum, which makes sense? It's your call, and we'll move it to another appropriate forum, if you wish.

Also: as jdinasia points out, the immersion process is quite normal for language classes. That is generally the preferred method used in the foreign language business, and some schools in Thailand threaten to fire any English teacher who speaks Thai in class.

Nevertheless, I often wish I knew the Thai words for "please be quiet" and "open your books."

As for Thai students in school, they already have "English teachers" who are Thai nationals who in some cases speak English terribly and seldom. This is distressingly common in rural prathom schools, but it's not the teacher's fault that she's assigned to teach a subject for which she's not trained.

Conversely, it's quite possible that a farang EFL teacher who tries to use Thai would mangle it so badly that it would be better to speak in English.

Nevertheless, I'm fluent enough in Spanish that if I taught English in Mexico, I might revert to Spanish 10% or even 15% of the time. However, the less the teacher speaks, generally, the better.

Sure, keep it here, I don't see the need to move it.

[Rhys]

When learning Thai : Yes, 100 cultural and language immersion is best.. you just have to hang in there...Somehow it seeps in.. carry on

[smeagle]

To the original poster: do you wish to keep this discussion in the Teaching Forum, which makes sense? It's your call, and we'll move it to another appropriate forum, if you wish.

Also: as jdinasia points out, the immersion process is quite normal for language classes. That is generally the preferred method used in the foreign language business, and some schools in Thailand threaten to fire any English teacher who speaks Thai in class.

Nevertheless, I often wish I knew the Thai words for "please be quiet" and "open your books."

As for Thai students in school, they already have "English teachers" who are Thai nationals who in some cases speak English terribly and seldom. This is distressingly common in rural prathom schools, but it's not the teacher's fault that she's assigned to teach a subject for which she's not trained.

Conversely, it's quite possible that a farang EFL teacher who tries to use Thai would mangle it so badly that it would be better to speak in English.

Nevertheless, I'm fluent enough in Spanish that if I taught English in Mexico, I might revert to Spanish 10% or even 15% of the time. However, the less the teacher speaks, generally, the better.

PB, I thought a guy thats been in Thailand and teaching a LONG time and the knowledge you keep given to people you would know the Thai for " please be quiet and open your your books" I've noticed you have mentioned this on a few posted ,if it's a cackle then forgive me.

[Ijustwannateach]

It's not generally recognised as a direct help to students that their L2 teacher can speak their L1, although probably a teacher who has greater understanding of their language has some better empathy for the challenges facing them.

And PB's Thai ability is faaaarrrr off-topic.

"Steven"

[PeaceBlondie]

Nevertheless, I often wish I knew the Thai words for "please be quiet" and "open your books."

Conversely, it's quite possible that a farang EFL teacher who tries to use Thai would mangle it so badly that it would be better to speak in English.

Nevertheless, I'm fluent enough in Spanish that if I taught English in Mexico, I might revert to Spanish 10% or even 15% of the time. However, the less the teacher speaks, generally, the better.

PB, I thought a guy thats been in Thailand and teaching a LONG time and the knowledge you keep given to people you would know the Thai for " please be quiet and open your your books" I've noticed you have mentioned this on a few posted ,if it's a cackle then forgive me.

But smeagle, I was trained to not speak Thai in the classroom, I've gone without learning Thai for numerous reasons, and this example may prove the point. If I had used Thai, then I wouldn't be teaching them English. Except, if I could pronounce it perfectly, I could teach them the translation. I can say 'abre sus libros' to a Mexican class, and they would understand my pronunciation. Instead, in Thailand, I would pick up a closed book on a student's desktop and open their book as I issue the command in English. They associate what they see with what they hear in English.

If it's still a cackle, go ahead and cackle.

[Ijustwannateach]

A post has been deleted. This isn't, I repeat, isn't going to go off-topic onto the old flamebait saw about residents who don't learn the language of their country of residency. I repeat: it is off-topic.

"Steven"

[Ijustwannateach]

I'm sorry to have removed a few quite decent posts, but they were replying to a post (also deleted) which specifically did not follow my instructions on this thread. This desire to post off topic has now resulted in 2 warnings of various levels, and the next post of its type will result in the closure of this thread, even if that post is by the opening poster.

"Steven"

P.S. Just to remind everyone, the topic is finding a school where the OP can find Thai-speaking English teachers.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Learning with no English is a good way to go. When I was at AUA kids would get failed for speaking Thai at class. The result was that they would make the effort to learn classroom language with their friends so that they could communicate in class.

My last school was teaching Phratom 2 with class sizes ranging from 30 - 40. For this sort of class I felt that speaking some Thai was essential, kids that age tend to switch off when Teacher Grant spoke English. For the kids in the English Program - well, that was a different matter, they would be expected to follow classroom commands in English.

I think that for younger kids speaking Thai in class is good for concept checking.

Just my ha'penth worth...

[Ijustwannateach]

Thanks for throwing us a few school names, DSK. I was beginning to despair.

[DrFisher]

My daughter has a Thai teacher that teaches all the grammar and rules of English and a foreign teacher that teaches her pronunciation of English words. This is not necessary for my daughter as she speaks Thai and English fluently but I understand the concept and she tells me it helps the Thai students a great deal. I personally have been watching Thai TV and I have been listening to the radio on my way to work for a few years and I have learned nothing I find when I say something in English and my daughter answers me in Thai or repeats what I said in Thai I pick it up very quickly. I would also like to mention that my daughters Thai-English teacher speaks English very well and almost sounds native.

[Loaded]

My daughter has a Thai teacher that teaches all the grammar and rules of English and a foreign teacher that teaches her pronunciation of English words. .

This is the intention of the MoE and makes sense. Thai teachers for structure and farang for practising the communicative skills. Over the years I've met farang teachers with many years of teaching TEFL under their belts but don't know the arse end of a participle from a conditional. I've also met Thai English teachers who struggle with short conversations.