Thai Language Summer School For 4 Year Old

[paperplates]

Hi, my Thai/English son really wants to speak Thai but doesn't get many opportunities as he attends an international school and he only sees his Thai parent at weekends because of work. I would like to send him to a Thai or Bilingual school for the 7 week international school holiday in July and August. Does anyone know of any programmes?

Thanks

[chatette]

I sent my daughter to the local day care during the international school break when we returned from 4 yrs abroad during which she'd forgotten all of her Thai (thx to husband not bothering). She was 8 and, altho the day care is for babies, tots and after school care, they were so delighted to have her that they assigned a person to teach her to communicate at no extra cost to us. None of them spoke any language other than Thai and she was fluent and literate by the time school resumed. When she was 4 she was dumped into a French language kindgergarten. She picked that up in a snap, too, and is now fluent in 3 languages.

I'd recommend Thai only, not bilingual or he'll retreat to his comfort zone. Check out your local area for day care centers if you're in a Moo Baan. If you're more downtown, I'd recommend Neokids. That's not where my daughter relearned her Thai but I've used it since during holidays when I've needed day care. See http://www.neokids.co.th/ If you don't read Thai, you'll need the help of someone who does.

[lost_in_space]

I'm interested in this, too.

Although my 3 year old uses Thai daily at home, she also goes to an international school. I'd like her to get some more exposure to the language, some reading (well, recognizing the Thai alphabet) and writing, too.

If I find out anything, I'll let you know.

[chatette]

I have friends who sent their (French-Korean, long-term living in Thailand) kids to neokids for several weeks during the summer break to pickup on their spoken Thai and literacy who were very happy. Just got an email this morning about their camp and daycare programs during the Oct. Thai and international school breaks and am looking into them.