Bilingual Schoools

[pumpkin225]

Hello.

I will be returning to thailand in August with my wife, who is Thai, having previously lived in Ayutthaya for 3 years. This time we will be in Bangkok as I have a job teaching in an International school. My son will go there, but my wife's other son can't as the fees are so expensive so I am looking to send him to a bilingual school. I was wondering how much these cost on average and if there are any in the Huay Kwang area of Bangkok.

Thanks for your help.

[Ijustwannateach]

Don't really know- but if he's still in Prathom would suggest an EP/MP rather than a bilingual. Too often the bilingual programs just teach half as much because the kids learn to tune out the alien language and wait for the Thai teacher to explain what is going on.

[jeffrosner]

Don't really know- but if he's still in Prathom would suggest an EP/MP rather than a bilingual. Too often the bilingual programs just teach half as much because the kids learn to tune out the alien language and wait for the Thai teacher to explain what is going on.

Mr. Rosner ask if the kids you write about are Thai or Luk Kungs Krungs Kruengs - you spell it.

[johna]

Sarasas International charge 56000 for the bilingual course, 2 school terms. Uniforms, books and transport extra.

My daughter has homework in English and Thai, the school in Patum Thani is modern and well staffed with both Thai and expat teachers

Sarasas have about 16 schools in Thailand, not sure where located in BKK

[Xangsamhua]

Sarasas International charge 56000 for the bilingual course, 2 school terms. Uniforms, books and transport extra.

My daughter has homework in English and Thai, the school in Patum Thani is modern and well staffed with both Thai and expat teachers

Sarasas have about 16 schools in Thailand, not sure where located in BKK

Perhaps the nearest Sarasas Bilingual School to Huay Kwang is the one at Sai Mai. There's another, Sarasas Rangsit, at Patum Thani, as mentioned above. The others are a bit far away.

Tuition fees vary slightly, but should be around the 60K mark per year.

I can provide more details if the op can pm me.

"Bilingual school/program" and "EP/English Program" are terms often used interchangeably in Thailand for some strange reason (this is confusing and doesn't happen anywhere else in the world).

There are different forms of bilingual education in Thailand; however, the Sarasas model has students studying core curiculum areas in both Thai and English (though there's more English immersion from KG to G2). Each language is used in separate classes, so there's no waiting for the translation.

International schools are English-medium schools. Nothing is taught in Thai except for Thai language and culture (one or two periods a week?).

[johna]

Perhaps the nearest Sarasas Bilingual School to Huay Kwang is the one at Sai Mai. There's another, Sarasas Rangsit, at Patum Thani, as mentioned above. The others are a bit far away.

Just to make this clear the Sarasas school I mentioned is in Bang Bua Tong Nonthaburi, We live approx 15 Km away in Patum Thani

[Ijustwannateach]

There *is* a consistent distinction (at least in the mind of the MOE) between bilingual and EP, as far as I'm aware. Bilingual means that classes in all subject are taught in two languages. EP means all the classes in a subject (most subjects, in fact) are taught in English.

The theory is that the bilingual schools are better for kids whose English is not quite up to snuff yet, or for those who may be more interested in a Thai university. But it's my experience that in such schools the English side of things is often wasted, for the reason I gave above.

"Steven"

[Xangsamhua]

There *is* a consistent distinction (at least in the mind of the MOE) between bilingual and EP, as far as I'm aware. Bilingual means that classes in all subject are taught in two languages. EP means all the classes in a subject (most subjects, in fact) are taught in English.

The theory is that the bilingual schools are better for kids whose English is not quite up to snuff yet, or for those who may be more interested in a Thai university. But it's my experience that in such schools the English side of things is often wasted, for the reason I gave above.

"Steven"

Thanks Steven

I've wondered what was in the mind of the MoE. I took an overseas academic to visit them a couple of years ago and, though they were very pleasant and courteous, they didn't seem very clear at all. I think they generally understood that what was happening in schools is what you've said is EP (English immersion) and didn't really know anything about two-way bilingual immersion.

If EP is immersion - teaching a subject in one language only - and bilingual education is teaching some subjects (probably not all) in two languages, then that clarifies things up to a point. The problem is that, worldwide, what MoE is calling "EP" is known as "immersion", which is a common form of bilingual education. Generally, I think everywhere else in the world, one would understand "English Program" to be a program for teaching English as a foreign or second language.

The teaching of the same subject in two languages is perhaps a minority form of bilingual education. However, in the Sarasas schools, with some variations, it is the practice to teach the core subjects (English, Maths, Social Studies) in both languages. The Sarasas schools pioneered bilingual education in Thailand and have used the term consistently despite the MoE's objections. However, the Bilingual Schools' Association, which represents private schools implementing a range of bilingual and immersion programs, has had to call itself the Association of Private Providers of English Program (no "s"). I am too embarrassed to admit that in overseas forums or to overseas visitors.

The two-way ("parallel") immersion approach appears to work well. My school has for years attained way above the mean in G9 and G12 national tests for English, well above the mean for Thai and at or above the mean for other subjects tested in Thai. As you say, bilingual education is probably better suited to students who wish to maintain and develop the Thai side of their education as well as getting into local universities in either Thai or English-medium programs. It's about more than just English.

PS At the risk of going on too much, can I mention that Professor Joe Lo Bianco, though well-intended and probably on the side of the angels, muddied the terminological waters further at a Royal Institute forum in January by suggesting that the term "bilingual education" be reserved for programs such as those where ethnic minorities are introduced at school to the national language over a period of time. Programs that teach content in another language to students who already speak the national or mainstream language he would always refer to as immersion programs. On that definition we would have very few bilingual programs indeed in Thailand (there are a handful, run by universities, in ethic minority villages). However, the term "bilingual education" has been used too widely for too long now to be waved out the door like that.