English Tutors Failing The Test

[george]

English tutors failing the test

Just one in 10 can score more than 60 per cent

BANGKOK: -- Training is needed urgently to improve the standard of English teaching in Thailand, senior government and private educationalists said after seeing the "highly unimpressive scores" in a recent test of English-language teachers.

Of the 14,189 teachers in 30 tourism-oriented provinces who took the test, 74.59 per cent scored less than 41 marks out of a possible 100, according to an Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) report.

Only 9.94 per cent of the teachers scored between 60 and 100 marks, while 15.47 per cent managed to score between 42 and 60 marks.

The lowest score earned in the test - which allotted 30 marks for listening ability, 30 marks for reading, 20 marks for writing and 20 marks for speaking - was two.

Among the 30 provinces from where the teachers who took the test came were Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and Chon Buri.

The test was conducted jointly by OBEC and Ramkhamhaeng University as a follow-up to a previous one conducted four years ago in which 90 per cent of English-language teachers also did poorly.

The OBEC report described English teaching in Thailand currently as a "failure", and cited the lack of direct education in teaching English for local teachers as the main reason.

Asst Prof Chaleosri Phiboolchol, chairperson of the English-language Teachers' Association of Thailand, said most of the approximately 500,000 English teachers in government and private schools at primary and secondary level "were made to do their jobs" without basic qualifications or proper training.

She suggested giving scholarships and providing training and rewarding outstanding teachers as solutions to encourage self-development among English teachers.

Assoc Prof Suchada Nimmannit, a lecturer with Chulalongkorn University's Language Institute, said the Education Ministry had failed to substantially improve English teachers.

"Training every few years for teachers is not enough to develop them academically," she added.

She said that if sending Thai English-language teachers to countries with native English speakers and highly professional training was too expensive, exchange programmes among Southeast Asian countries would be good enough to expose them to new experiences and prompt them to adjust to all-English environments.

Akkhara Akkharanithi, a lecturer at the Language Institute, said the teaching of English should also be improved at kindergarten level, where all the teachers are too burdened with full-time tasks to improve their English teaching.

She suggested that all government English teachers who worked for more than five years should be allowed to study English overseas on their own funds, while more scholarships should be made available to those who proved to be outstanding English teachers.

-- The Nation 2007-08-21

[Jingthing]

I am totally SHOCKED!!

they

did

that

well.

[mrtoad]

I am totally SHOCKED!!

they

did

that

well.

Yes, I concur, but the likely outcome is that Farang teachers will get the blame for this abject failure.

On a more light hearted note, this must be the first test that candidates can actually fail in the Thai education system.

[stevemiddie]

I am totally SHOCKED!!

they

did

that

well.

Yes, I concur, but the likely outcome is that Farang teachers will get the blame for this abject failure.

On a more light hearted note, this must be the first test that candidates can actually fail in the Thai education system.

[stevemiddie]

I believe this post relates to THAI teachers ( teaching English ) ? NOT Native Speakers?

Edited August 20, 2007 by stevemiddie

[endure]

She suggested that all government English teachers who worked for more than five years should be allowed to study English overseas on their own funds, while more scholarships should be made available to those who proved to be outstanding English teachers.

That's mighty generous of her.

[markg]

On a more light hearted note, this must be the first test that candidates can actually fail in the Thai education system.

Not quite. No one failed it! A failure usually means you cannot continue doing what you're doing unless you have more training. If you fail your driving test for example, you cant drive a car on your own. You need more training. The same old useless teachers will still be at the blackboard today teaching 'i not go watching sa-port yesterday, i'm not like footborn'

Of the 4 'English' teachers we had at our school, only one could speak enough English to hold a conversation with.

Luckily our school re-assigned them all and replaced them with native speakers.

[sensei]

I've heard from somewhere that the same test will be give to all foreign teachers...

[KhaoNiaw]

Luckily our school re-assigned them all and replaced them with native speakers.

Ultimately this is not a solution though.

It really does need some serious training and measures to attract more capable people into the teaching profession. Dream on

[PeaceBlondie]

These were undoubtedly Thai teachers who already have jobs (very secure jobs in almost all cases) in Thai government schools. Of the 30 such English teachers I knew in matayom schools in a remote northern province, about 4 or 5 could hold a real conversation, and they might have been the top 15% in that test.

However, we need more details of this test. If it was multiple choice, the questions might have been too difficult or obscure, and the answers might have had three correct answers, or none. If the test included listening and speaking, that would result in a huge failure rate. But as markg points out, the teachers don't really 'fail' in the sense of not being allowed to continue teaching English.

One day two very experienced matayom (secondary) ladies who had been teaching English full time for years proved they didn't know the difference between single and singer., because they'd always heard those two words pronounced the same. It took a long time to explain that my friend was an unmarried singer.

One time we held a conference for all the prathom teachers in the most remote parts of the entire province. Nice little ladies and diligent and well dressed and polite, but they had no training in English whatsoever, and they could not string a single sentence together. Yet, as mentioned in the article, they had been assigned to teach English. That was 2004; I'm sure nothing has changed.

[El Taco Loco]

I have never met any Thai English teacher who could hold a conversation. Most are terrified to talk to a native speaker. Some have no clue and others are teachers of other subjects forced to teach English. I know of a science teacher who has to teach English and God help the kids.

Sad.

But, it is their country. Native speakers will not be listened to by any school admin; irrespective of how "integrated" you really think you are.

[Scott]

Our school isn't a lot different. The foreign teachers teach "conversation" and the subject is called Language. The Thai teachers teach English and it's almost entirely grammar--straight from books approved by the MOE, with a fair number of mistakes.

Quite a few of our "English" teachers can speak reasonably well, but the level is quite remedial. They use very simple grammar.

One of the problems is that when a teacher with reasonably good English is employed, they generally leave for greener pastures. They can command a much better salary working in the private business sector.

[pattyboy]

English tutors failing the test

Just one in 10 can score more than 60 per cent

She suggested that all government English teachers who worked for more than five years should be allowed to study English overseas on their own funds, while more scholarships...

-- The Nation 2007-08-21

The logic of this escapes me. If I'm not mistaken, a Thai teacher in a government school probably doesn't make enough money to move overseas for even a month to study English, let alone the months (years?) it would take him or her to become truly decent with English. Also, if somehow a Thai teacher could come up with a small fortune (by Thai standards) to live abroad and become proficient with English, does the MOE (Ministry of Education) really think they're going to want to return to an upcountry school to earn 10-15,0000 baht a month after spending considerable time and money enhancing their qualification? They'll likely start applying at multinational companies in Thailand that pay much more than government schools and never step into a classroom again.

[markg]

The logic of this escapes me.

That's generally how the MoE works.

If I'm not mistaken, a Thai teacher in a government school probably doesn't make enough money to move overseas for even a month to study English, let alone the months (years?) it would take him or her to become truly decent with English. Also, if somehow a Thai teacher could come up with a small fortune (by Thai standards) to live abroad and become proficient with English, does the MOE (Ministry of Education) really think they're going to want to return to an upcountry school to earn 10-15,0000 baht a month after spending considerable time and money enhancing their qualification? They'll likely start applying at multinational companies in Thailand that pay much more than government schools and never step into a classroom again.

Quite correct - and i agree completely. But what is the solution to the problem?

My solution is 'accountability and empowerment'

Make the teachers accountable and empower them to bring their own ideas, methodologies and strategies into school.

Failing teaches should be given remedial classes in which to improve (accountability) and if they dont then they should be shown the door.

Of course, we are approx. 2 generations from this happening - by which time we will have fallen even further behind competing countries.

[Xangsamhua]

Quite correct - and i agree completely. But what is the solution to the problem?

My solution is 'accountability and empowerment'

Make the teachers accountable and empower them to bring their own ideas, methodologies and strategies into school.

Failing teaches should be given remedial classes in which to improve (accountability) and if they dont then they should be shown the door.

Of course, we are approx. 2 generations from this happening - by which time we will have fallen even further behind competing countries.

First up, I'd have to say that at our school, a private bilingual school in Bangkok, some of the Thai English teachers have excellent ability in the language. Others are not bad at all, and others are struggling but can conduct a conversation.

However, I know that when you get out into the provinces it's very hard to find capable English teachers and capable English trainers and the time for the teachers to do further training. Many of the suggested plans and programs simply can't be implemented in, say, Jangwat Nan.

If Thailand wants to join the global conversation, only government can come up with the strategy and funding to make a significant advance. It doesn't really seem to be a priority. Or there simply isn't the money available to do it. In the meantime public and private funds are put into hiring foreign guest teachers, many of whom do not stay for very long and there's no real transfer of skills for local teachers to take on the work afterwards.

The priority has to be, not only to train Thais to teach English, but to train them to teach content through English. That will give students a more meaningful context in which to learn how to use the language. Hard, though, especially if teachers switch codes too often, as appears to happen in Hong Kong and China.

As some posters have rightly pointed out, too, Thais who have good English language skills can probably attract better income and working conditions outside teaching. If teaching conditions could be improved for English teachers, there are still a lot of people who want to teach and would like the respect shown to arjarns.

[markg]

If Thailand wants to join the global conversation, only government can come up with the strategy and funding to make a significant advance. It doesn't really seem to be a priority. Or there simply isn't the money available to do it. In the meantime public and private funds are put into hiring foreign guest teachers, many of whom do not stay for very long and there's no real transfer of skills for local teachers to take on the work afterwards.

Heh heh heh.

Ok - in this week's Phuket Gazette (page 7) in response to deficiencies in the THAI language, the Ministry of Education has '...declared 2007 as Year to Promote Thai Language. As part of the ministry's 2 million baht project, ..............youngsters can take part in a composition contest on the subject of "good children embrace moral principles".

(Great timing by the way, when there are only 4 months left of 2007 - just think of it this morning did they?)

Well - that should get the teens reaching for their pens then.

Could they possibly have thought up anything drier or less relevant to children?

I vehemently disagree that it's only the government who can come up with strategy.

Thai teachers have the answers - but are afraid or have no framework for, passing good ideas and plans up the chain of command. Only when the Thai teachers become empowered, will things change for the better.

Edited August 21, 2007 by markg

[PeaceBlondie]

Unfortunately, the salaries and working conditions offered to farang to teach EFL in most of Thailand will never attract half enough well qualified educators (even with say a BA in English and a TEFL course) who are dedicated, and who stay long enough to be able to transfer their skills. I stayed 1.5 years in two big provincial schools where whatever skills I had (and I writes prety good, doncha tink?) were seldom if ever transferred to the professional Thai English teachers who had been at the same schools for over ten years.

One point not mentioned in the opening article is that new teachers have apparently not been hired in great numbers for many years, and most Thai ajarns in the state schools have been there so long that they're stuck and can't get out, can't make significant changes, and they get demoralized. However, by then they are earning more than the farang, with ten times the benefits, but that's another story. "Empowerment of Thai teachers" is unlikely to occur in the forseeable future, for many reasons.

[mbkudu]

Unfortunately, the salaries and working conditions offered to farang to teach EFL in most of Thailand will never attract half enough well qualified educators (even with say a BA in English and a TEFL course) who are dedicated, and who stay long enough to be able to transfer their skills. I stayed 1.5 years in two big provincial schools where whatever skills I had (and I writes prety good, doncha tink?) were seldom if ever transferred to the professional Thai English teachers who had been at the same schools for over ten years.

One point not mentioned in the opening article is that new teachers have apparently not been hired in great numbers for many years, and most Thai ajarns in the state schools have been there so long that they're stuck and can't get out, can't make significant changes, and they get demoralized. However, by then they are earning more than the farang, with ten times the benefits, but that's another story. "Empowerment of Thai teachers" is unlikely to occur in the forseeable future, for many reasons.

I thought this was what being transferred to 'an inactive post' was supposed to be for. They do it to ineffective policemen and soldiers, so why not ineffective teachers?

[PeaceBlondie]

mbkudu, I think teachers who mess up in the Thai system are simply assigned five or ten more classroom hours per week! Hardly an inactive post.

[Scott]

No, no, no...inactive posts are for gov't employees who have BROKEN the law. Inefficiency allows you to continue to accrue benefits and salary while in your current job!

[Messmann]

Amazing... from teachers...!

Why do you not read about the history...!

... ?

[SqdnGuns]

Doesn't surprise me at all....

Back in November of last year while up in Isaan, I helped my fiancee's niece (age 15) with her English homework.

The questions were not even written in proper English for crying out loud.

When I figured out what the question were, I had her work out the answer and she got them all correct. Well, a few weeks later, I heard from my fiancee that her niece did not get any of the questions correct on the homework assignment. I was furious because they were correct and the teacher had no freaking idea what the he!! she was doing.

This is one reason why I would love to be able to teach English up in Isaan, although it would be American English.

[PeaceBlondie]

Oh, I'd be happy if all the matayom teachers were perfectly fluent in Glaswegian or Cockney, let alone Hillbilly.

Here's a quickly made up example of a question on a Thai English test:

Finish the following sentence with the best answer below:

At Ranchanapa see the black dog, she

A. Bite it with her mothers lipstik.

B. Call Uncle Somchai she in Krungthep now.

C. Why she not scream!

D. we go to shopping now to buy new mobi'.

[Messmann]

WOW WOW WOW

Did I hit something?

Dear PeaceBlondie. You can not change the past by deleleting my messasge.

I will be back when I get more time :-)

[Messmann]

The topic is:

English tutors failing the test

Just one in 10 can score more than 60 per cent

BANGKOK: -- Training is needed urgently to improve the standard of English teaching in Thailand, senior government and private educationalists said after seeing the "highly unimpressive scores" in a recent test of English-language teachers.

Of the 14,189 teachers in 30 tourism-oriented provinces who took the test, 74.59 per cent scored less than 41 marks out of a possible 100, according to an Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) report.

Only 9.94 per cent of the teachers scored between 60 and 100 marks, while 15.47 per cent managed to score between 42 and 60 marks.

I think this is a clear statement from the senior government and private educationalists. And they know they must do something about it.

But what is the reaction on Thai Visa? Laughing and funny remarks...! Teach English and it's almost entirely grammar--straight from books approved by the MOE or Linguistics (conversations!)?

I know a lot of farang teachers who just teach the grammar because this is an easy way and are, what they say, approved by MOE…!

Linguistics (conversations!) I will comment later.

QUOTE PeaceBlondie:

Oh, I'd be happy if all the matayom teachers were perfectly fluent in Glaswegian or Cockney, let alone Hillbilly.

When you mentioned Cockney I was very surprised…!

I’m not British but normally I can hear and understand if people come from England, Scotland, Wales, India or America. But I find it a little difficult to understand Cockney’s from London!

I don’t want to ‘flame’ English teachers but I remember a movie (Musical) ‘My Fair Lady’ from 1964 (Before the tourists and the English teachers came to Thailand!)

The tale is about a 'guttersnipe' Cockney flower girl heroine (Hepburn), who is trained by a misogynistic, bachelor linguistics expert (Higgins) to speak properly within six months - the result of a daring challenge and bet. During her elocution lessons, her unrepentant, calculating drunk father (Holloway) appears for handouts and wanted to get some money for her daughter!

‘Why can't the English teach their children how to speak’? Just a song from the musical.

My comment is that English teachers in Thailand have to understand the history of the beautiful and lovely land. It’s another religion and another culture. And the Thai’s are sometimes thinking in another way than Europeans/Americans.

Let us have a proper chat about it!

If this is deleted a think Thai Visa have a big problem and I will past it another Place.

Best regards to all.

Messmann

[petedk]

It would be interesting to see the test.

The English exams at our university always consist of multiple choice questions and sometimes I'm asked to proof read them. Often all 4 choices can be correct or all 4 choices can be wrong. I haven't a clue as to how they mark them and what answers the students give.

There are also examples of students writing perfectly good, grammatically correct essays but are given poor marks because they disagree with the Thai teacher's own personal opinions or they are based on Western culture or habits.

[PeaceBlondie]

I was only joking about Cockney and Hillbilly. I spent another evening with an English English teacher, two American English teachers including me, and five Thai English teachers. Only one of the Thai English teachers has acceptably fluent English; the rest were halting with improper or incomplete grammar, limited vocabulary, etc. The Thai English teachers probably averaged 17 years of teaching English. And it's not really such a 'remote province;' they are part of a faculty that teaches over 3,000 secondary students in a central city.

I'm often mistaken. Perhaps Krungthep is chockablock full of perfectly fluent Thai English teachers. But as one Thai ajarn said, shortly after she attended a seminar in the West on 'brain-centered educational theory,' such modern concepts will NEVER be applied in Thailand.

If it were only a problem with the teaching of English as a very foreign language, even the farang parents wouldn't need to worry because your kids probably speak English well already. And 95% of the Thai students will never need to be fluent.

[IH1138]

I think some educational software might be in order to buttress either the lacking education of the tutors and educators. It is often the case that educators and tutors in the United States untilize educational software to round-out the education of the students. In this case it may well be used for the teachers. I think Knowledge Adventure has an adequate selection of software.

This is their URL:

http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/

Best of luck and sorry to hear the terrible news.

[bkk_mike]

I have never met any Thai English teacher who could hold a conversation. Most are terrified to talk to a native speaker. Some have no clue and others are teachers of other subjects forced to teach English. I know of a science teacher who has to teach English and God help the kids.

Sad.

But, it is their country. Native speakers will not be listened to by any school admin; irrespective of how "integrated" you really think you are.

I know at least one Thai teacher at a government school in Bangkok who speaks very good English. But she did get her TEFL in New Zealand.