Language School Course

[soloman]

I enrolled in a standard level 1, 20 day - 3 hours per afternoon course, but I had almost no knowledge of Thai. A big mistake. I am not as young and alert as I once was, but it was FULL ON, very intensive with no time for learning reinforcing and practicing of vocabulary. I think that all of the other students were either long term residents of thailand, or they had already done DIY Thai courses. Despite studying every evening I pulled out after 6 days. I will reenroll after a DIY course. Why do they not have a basic intro course for those with ABSOLUTELY NO Thai language knowledge?

[globalwander1]

I enrolled in a standard level 1, 20 day - 3 hours per afternoon course, but I had almost no knowledge of Thai. A big mistake. I am not as young and alert as I once was, but it was FULL ON, very intensive with no time for learning reinforcing and practicing of vocabulary. I think that all of the other students were either long term residents of thailand, or they had already done DIY Thai courses. Despite studying every evening I pulled out after 6 days. I will reenroll after a DIY course. Why do they not have a basic intro course for those with ABSOLUTELY NO Thai language knowledge?

That's a bummer!

What would you say the requirement of knowledge is to comfortably learn? I mean, Do they assume that you already know the alphabet, consonants, tones and all that?

I too want to start a course so I will follow your thread.

Good Luck..

[SoftWater]

I enrolled in a standard level 1, 20 day - 3 hours per afternoon course, but I had almost no knowledge of Thai. A big mistake. I am not as young and alert as I once was, but it was FULL ON, very intensive with no time for learning reinforcing and practicing of vocabulary. I think that all of the other students were either long term residents of thailand, or they had already done DIY Thai courses. Despite studying every evening I pulled out after 6 days. I will reenroll after a DIY course. Why do they not have a basic intro course for those with ABSOLUTELY NO Thai language knowledge?

Soloman, which school was this, please?

[bapak]

I enrolled in a standard level 1, 20 day - 3 hours per afternoon course, but I had almost no knowledge of Thai. A big mistake. I am not as young and alert as I once was, but it was FULL ON, very intensive with no time for learning reinforcing and practicing of vocabulary. I think that all of the other students were either long term residents of thailand, or they had already done DIY Thai courses. Despite studying every evening I pulled out after 6 days. I will reenroll after a DIY course. Why do they not have a basic intro course for those with ABSOLUTELY NO Thai language knowledge?

Soloman, which school was this, please?

At the school in Hua Hin there are various levels... but the first class - Beginning Thai - assumes absolutely no Thai knowledge.

Bapak

[Tod Daniels]

That class format and structure is offered at many well known thai language schools. The price is very competitive for the number of hours you get to attend BUT the classes are as the O/P said "FULL ON".

In reply to a post made by ‘globalwander1’; I honestly doubt they even used the thai alphabetic system right out of the gate, but relied on some transcription method.

Just after I moved here 4+ years ago I attended Unity Thai's program they offer; “60 hours for 6000 baht" (their standard 3 hour a day afternoon class structure). I was able to hang in there and managed to get thru the class, but it was VERY discouraging, and almost put me off trying to learn the language completely.

The people who were in my class were either asians who were working here or foreign missionaries sent by various churches (evidently to convert the natives). All of them had already studied thai to some degree BEFORE enrolling in the class. Walking in "cold" (with only "two-word-tourist-thai") like I did was a very rude awakening, especially as the class was sold to me as the introductory/basic thai course.

Something which can be very beneficial in classes like that is to enroll with a friend. Often times the school will offer a slight discount for multiple enrollees, plus you'll have someone you know, who you are comfortable with to practice outside the class.

If I might ask; did they allow you to keep your unused hours towards attending class in the future?

When I attended any hours you didn't use were lost if you dropped out. A student in my class dropped out the second day but even after meeting with the owner of the school could not get the hours applied to a re-enrollment later. I think that is why they are priced soo competitively. It seems they're almost hoping you'll drop the course.

I would suggest anyone wanting to take advantage of that type of class format in thai language to initially invest in Benjawan Becker's book Beginning Thai. Get the one with the C/D because it's worth its weight in gold (although C/D's don't really weigh all that much). Working thru that book first at your own pace, will give you a much better “bang for the baht” when you enroll in a thai language class which has the format the O/P mentioned.

[globalwander1]

That class format and structure is offered at many well known thai language schools. The price is very competitive for the number of hours you get to attend BUT the classes are as the O/P said "FULL ON".

In reply to a post made by 'globalwander1'; I honestly doubt they even used the thai alphabetic system right out of the gate, but relied on some transcription method.

Just after I moved here 4+ years ago I attended Unity Thai's program they offer; "60 hours for 6000 baht" (their standard 3 hour a day afternoon class structure). I was able to hang in there and managed to get thru the class, but it was VERY discouraging, and almost put me off trying to learn the language completely.

The people who were in my class were either asians who were working here or foreign missionaries sent by various churches (evidently to convert the natives). All of them had already studied thai to some degree BEFORE enrolling in the class. Walking in "cold" (with only "two-word-tourist-thai") like I did was a very rude awakening, especially as the class was sold to me as the introductory/basic thai course.

Something which can be very beneficial in classes like that is to enroll with a friend. Often times the school will offer a slight discount for multiple enrollees, plus you'll have someone you know, who you are comfortable with to practice outside the class.

If I might ask; did they allow you to keep your unused hours towards attending class in the future?

When I attended any hours you didn't use were lost if you dropped out. A student in my class dropped out the second day but even after meeting with the owner of the school could not get the hours applied to a re-enrollment later. I think that is why they are priced soo competitively. It seems they're almost hoping you'll drop the course.

I would suggest anyone wanting to take advantage of that type of class format in thai language to initially invest in Benjawan Becker's book Beginning Thai. Get the one with the C/D because it's worth its weight in gold (although C/D's don't really weigh all that much). Working thru that book first at your own pace, will give you a much better "bang for the baht" when you enroll in a thai language class which has the format the O/P mentioned.

I'm glad to have your advise

Jim

[soloman]

I would rather not name the school as I think that their levels are pegged to that similar to other schools and they target completion of that level by the end of the 60 hours. The staff were really nice, and the teachers very likeable..............but the pace was FULL ON and there is no way that I could recall and apply the new words that were thrown at us and compounding day by day. I bought Benjawan Becker's book and cd Beginning Thai. and the format/structure is not dissimilar and so I will study that first. I was too apologetic and embarrassed at dropping out to ask for credit towards another course. There was an assumption of no Thai knowledge on the course, but you would have to be pretty sharp to keep up if you had none. They used a similar transliteration system to that of a few other schools that I visited to look at.