Im at intermediate level in Thai language but still struggling. Any tips?

[advancebooking]

I've been living here for 10 yrs and didn't put any effort into learning the language apart from basic conversations with Thai ladies. 

 

4 years ago I started getting lessons for 5 months but quit. I think I managed to get above beginners level due to that. 

 

Early this year I decided to learn the Thai alphabet- pronounce and write it. Took me 3 months- 1 lesson a week

 

For 3 months now Im having 2 converstation lessons a week with a new teacher. At the start of each lesson I briefly run through pronunciation of the letters of the alphabet. She has helped me learn a lot more vocab now. We are having conversations. Im struggling to remember the vocab that I have remembered and make a sentence with it. 

 

Any tips are welcome. I took in flash cards with 1 word on each card and we try to make Q&A in thai. I understand her a lot bc she speaks so slow. But out in the real world I cant understand what the average thai is saying. I seem to have poor listening skills. 

 

thanks

 

 

[carlyai]

AUA in Bangkok used to have (not sure now) a structure learning approach and a natural learning approach.

I did both a long time ago.

Check it out.

Takes lots of time and exposure.

It also helps to do the reading and writing program. 

Hard work. 

Learning a language is not easy. :)

[ColeBOzbourne]

Your structured lessons sound good, but you didn't mention how much time you dedicate to study outside of the lessons. Do you have homework? Two conversation lessons a week is really not very much exposure. Between lessons you should be spending many hours each day studying and listening to Thai at your appropriate level. There are many resources available for free on the internet. 

 

Sometimes when studying a language you hit what seems to be a 'glass ceiling' and feel that you aren't advancing any more. You can break through that and move on up, but it takes a big dedication of your time and effort. Best of luck and enjoy the learning process.

[ColeBOzbourne]

Here are a couple of video series good for listening skills that might be at your level. There's plenty more on You-Tube. Find something that interests you and is challenging. 

 

 

 

 

 

[phuketsub]

On 9/14/2023 at 5:53 AM, carlyai said:

AUA in Bangkok used to have (not sure now) a structure learning approach and a natural learning approach.

I did both a long time ago.

Check it out.

Takes lots of time and exposure.

It also helps to do the reading and writing program. 

Hard work. 

Learning a language is not easy. :)

I started out in Thai at AUA as well, mostly with the natural (listening-based) approach but some of the structural as well. I did it for about six months, but to be honest I was hung over most mornings and didn't get as much out of it as I could have...then I started to run out of money and I got a chance to work teaching kids English. It was everything the 'natural approach' focused on, but with way more context and energy. It was like the natural approach on steroids.  Not only that, but you got paid to do it....Learning Thai isn't easy, but in my opinion it's really fun and there's no end to it. It helped me out a lot professionally. So to the OP, I would say the best way to learn Thai is from Thai kids.