Schools To Teach Science And Maths In English Next Year

[oevna]

So first they need to learn the basic vocbulary and then be taught the correct usage of the vast lexis of science. Most students refer to chemistry as 'Chemmy'.

To be fair, that's because it is the Thai word for "chemistry".

[oevna]

The EP math and science classes lagged behind the Thai math and science classes. In English and social studies, the EP classes excelled far beyond their Thai counterparts.

I imagine this is because math and science involve concepts that are not common in day-to-day life and thus not intuitive, so they need to be described using very specific language. When the language chosen to express those concepts is one that the students don't speak well, it isn't surprising to me that they don't learn the subject very well.

However, it is interesting that the students in the English and Social Studies classes that were taught in English did better than these class's Thai language counterparts.

[Meridian007]

Weren't the MOE going to send the Thai English-teachers abroad to improve their English? I can't find the post now, but I remember it being announced as a new policy about a year or two ago. What ever happened to that? I think that would be a better start to the CLIL program. If they included their maths and sciences teachers in this group it might work. (not that I'd want to take away the training from the English teachers, their inability to speak English is the fundamental problem in language development here)

[Scott]

The article is from a newspaper and doesn't outline how they plan to do this. Phrases such as:

Other schools could follow if they had the resources to do so, he said.

This means there will be pressure on schools to do it. 500 schools is a large number to begin with.

Students need to start early in using a foreign language for learning. They need to learn the concepts in their own language and over a period of time, be introduced to the foreign language. It needs to be a gradual, well planned process.

Sorry, but I don't see that happening easily here.

[livedgim]

I have read the Thai version of the news and perhaps the idea of teaching English in Mattayom isn't as seriously important as we first thought.

What they are trying to do is to promote schools into 3 levels; Tambol's standard 7500 schools, Umper (district) standard 2500 schools, and international stardard 500 schools.

For the international standard schools, introducing English teaching in Science and Math is just one of the areas they will be looking into. Are they going to focus primarily on it; unlikely so.

My guess is some schools will try to teach some of their S&M classes in English. e.g. If Math is taught 5 days a week, Friday might be an English day for it.

It's just my guess but I really doubt that they are going for a major change in language education. It seems to me that the MOE is just trying to improve education overall and trying a little bit of English in the schools that can afford.

The MOE suggested some English should be taught in S&M, however, it was up to each school to decide.

Tha Nations made too much of a deal in a small fraction of his speech.

Edited December 15, 2009 by livedgim

[Artisi]

Just another silly early 1st April jokes.

I taught English at Thai university level and can assure you that most of the Thai teachers in the English department wouldn't have the English skills to teach science and math (not suggesting that they have the skills in those subjects anyway) so what chance will the science and math teachers have with virtually no English.

[Xangsamhua]

I have read the Thai version of the news and perhaps the idea of teaching English in Mattayom isn't as seriously important as we first thought.

What they are trying to do is to promote schools into 3 levels; Tambol's standard 7500 schools, Umper (district) standard 2500 schools, and international stardard 500 schools.

For the international standard schools, introducing English teaching in Science and Math is just one of the areas they will be looking into. Are they going to focus primarily on it; unlikely so.

My guess is some schools will try to teach some of their S&M classes in English. e.g. If Math is taught 5 days a week, Friday might be an English day for it.

It's just my guess but I really doubt that they are going for a major change in language education. It seems to me that the MOE is just trying to improve education overall and trying a little bit of English in the schools that can afford.

The MOE suggested some English should be taught in S&M, however, it was up to each school to decide.

Tha Nations made too much of a deal in a small fraction of his speech.

Thanks for the clarification. For a little while there I didn't know if I was living in Thailand or La-la-land. Yah boo sucks to the Nation for their terrible reporting.

[Firelily]

In some other countries, bilingual education is not for everybody, and it does not depend on the parents' financial background. Students need to pass tests in their native language, reading comprehension, composition and maths to be admitted to bilingual programs. Those who fall behind are immediately placed back to a native language only program.

In Thailand, it is shocking and often heartbreaking to see parents insisting on keeping mediocre or struggling kids in Thai-English bilingual schools or sections. Lots of these parents cannot utter a single word of English and cannot support their kids at all with their studies and homework. With the best intentions in mind, they bring up children to hate school and to struggle with Thai reading and writing at the end of grade 6 - and these are the kids who would otherwise be doing well enough to get the basics in place in Thai. On top, there are the kids with serious learning difficulties, dyslexia, speech problems, autism etc. who would have problems in any system or language. Why not just dump 2 languages on them to make it even more difficult? I could sometimes kill when I see kids crumbling under the pressure.

Bilingual education does work, but you cannot really start such programs out of nowhere. I think only about the top third of the kids should be in English or bilingual programs. Another third can cope with lots of help and support. The bottom third should definitely not be in these schools because it is actually harming their development and education. Of course, that does not mean only the top third should have access to EFL classes - those should be available for everyone.

I am all for science and Maths in English. But only if there is a clear concept, a syllabus, well-trained farang or Thai teachers who know exactly what they are doing, and carefully selected, talented classes of children who can cope with the extra hours, the pressure and the challenge.

[Mosha]

I saw something on BBC news earlier this year. A PE teacher in France was conducting his lessons in English. The result was the kids were having fun and learning English. Maybe that is what Thailand should copy.

[animatic]

"The schools must make the decision based on their level of preparedness," he said.

The ministry was not pushing the schools to teach all science and math classes in English because a similar initiative by Malaysia failed to deliver good results, he said.

There is the escape clause in all it's glory.

Basically this gives a green light to do it officially for those that can,

rather than continue to dictate it must remain solely in Thai.

Regardless it is a small step forward.

[sneary7]

Wow....great Science, 1st lesson my dear M5's is the Sun is YELLOW...I know the books and stories all say red, and so you fall in line and say red, but true..It IS YELLOW !@!!

[IMA_FARANG]

Not being a teacher maybe I shouldn't comment...but I will.

Trying to teach Science in English to Thai students obviously means that the Thai students must have a level of understanding of English to understand what is being taught.

If they do, that's fine. If they do not, teaching in English will fail. That ought to be obvious.

But I think that the real problem is that what is being taught, either in Thai or English is just 'facts' to be memorised. There is no attempt to weave those facts into a coherent understanding.

That is what the real problem of Thai "education" is. Students are being taught facts to memorise, and reguritate as answers for tests.

If you can reguritate those "answers" you "succeed" on your tests.

Whether you understand those "answers" or not is irrlevent.

Science, whether taught in Thai or English should teach "why" and "how", not just what. It should be taught for comprehension and understanding, not just as a catalog of facts.

Edited December 20, 2009 by IMA_FARANG

[solent01]

I have no trust in "any" school, to educate my son, he will be home schooled, no religious education, and no monarchy education, he will learn everything he needs to learn to understand that this is not a free world. He will learn how to project his will and make an effect with the universal energy.

[slapout]

Doing a home schooled politician, are you?

[solent01]

Doing a home schooled politician, are you?

I don't think so. What I see of those tossers, I would rather my son became a farmer.

I simply will not send my son off 5 days a week to be brain washed and stupefied.

He will learn math, and the real manifestation of our physics, quantum physics, with this understanding he will go where ever he wishes.

Well...... Thats my wish, I may be very very wrong, he may end up a drug pushing nazi

Edited December 20, 2009 by solent01

[wolf5370]

Wow....great Science, 1st lesson my dear M5's is the Sun is YELLOW...I know the books and stories all say red, and so you fall in line and say red, but true..It IS YELLOW !@!!

Erm, its white - its just looks yellow from the Earth.

He will learn math, and the real manifestation of our physics, quantum physics, with this understanding he will go where ever he wishes.

Erm, I would suggest Newtonian physics would be more helpful given that it covers most of what he will experience in life.

/------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/

In the UK science teachers of any ilk are now recruited to terach any science subject - eg: Physics teachers teaching biology. This is because of a shortage in relevently qualified teachers and graduates (who takes degree level physics now when one can get a degree in surfing or soap operas!)

I think that if its intriduced in the prtom half of the school and allowed to eek upwards, the students will eveolve the language necessary - if its dumped on M5 kids, then not much chance I fear.

[sneary7]

Wow....great Science, 1st lesson my dear M5's is the Sun is YELLOW...I know the books and stories all say red, and so you fall in line and say red, but true..It IS YELLOW !@!!

Erm, its white - its just looks yellow from the Earth.

He will learn math, and the real manifestation of our physics, quantum physics, with this understanding he will go where ever he wishes.

Erm, I would suggest Newtonian physics would be more helpful given that it covers most of what he will experience in life.

/------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/

In the UK science teachers of any ilk are now recruited to terach any science subject - eg: Physics teachers teaching biology. This is because of a shortage in relevently qualified teachers and graduates (who takes degree level physics now when one can get a degree in surfing or soap operas!)

I think that if its intriduced in the prtom half of the school and allowed to eek upwards, the students will eveolve the language necessary - if its dumped on M5 kids, then not much chance I fear.

haha..right you are, white light, changes to yellow ( or what are eyes see as yellow) in the atmosphere...

[Tanaka]

That is not the first priority :.....quality schools would have good facilities, a decent library and at least one personal computer per 10 students...

The schools need teachers , who are able to speak English . Obviously , even the "English Teachers" cannot.

Our foster daughter cannot tell easy words or even sentences( I am... , you are.., week days etc. etc. ). What were they doing in pre-school and 3 years regular school ?

Parents should no pay any extra money for extra teaching ( does not work , just a kind of tea money ). Teachers should be paid for good results , not just for being at school.

My wife's brother, 13, has learned English in school many years. Yeah, right. Yet he is the same. Does neither understand an elementary question nor is he able to form a simple sentence. Scary.

[astral]

This also supposes that the pupils have sufficiently good Eglish skills to understand what they are being taught......................

[Neeranam]

Total waste of time in my experience. I refused to pay extra at my daughter's school for these subjects to be taught as she's only 7. The older students I know that learn Science/Maths in English all need to have extra tuition (in Thai) in order to pass their university entrance exams.

Anyone who has expereinced the Thai education system will know that it is all about making money.

[Neeranam]

I have no trust in "any" school, to educate my son, he will be home schooled, no religious education, and no monarchy education, he will learn everything he needs to learn to understand that this is not a free world. He will learn how to project his will and make an effect with the universal energy.

Poor little lad - my kids will have freedom to do whatever they want.