Private English Test Prep Lessons

[tutsiwarrior]

just a thought...what if I were to offer prep lessons for standardised English language tests, sort of like the ones that students wanting to enter university would need to take. I would focus on the test requirements and not on 'English language skills' to assist students to gain a good test result required for university entrance. Would 500-600 baht per hour seem reasonable (lots of chinese where I live that would pay the dosh if they figured that private lessons would increase their childrens chances of entry to a good uni.)?

In retirement I would never expect to learn thai to a fluent standard but I would expect prospective students to have a good English ability. I have a BA in history and a BS in mechanical engineering and have been told that I have very good classroom expository skills. I would maybe 'audit' a tefl course to pick up some skills specific to the level that I wanted to teach.

Has anyone checked out this arrangement?

[kenkannif]

I don't think any of the providers would let you 'audit' a TEFL course (isn't that just a nice way of saying 'for free'?) for longer than a few days if you have no intention of joining.

What standardised English tests are you on about? TOEFL TOEIC?

[tutsiwarrior]

in California terms to audit a course is to pay the fee but not take any exams or claim any course credit...

I presume that there are standardised English proficiency exams that a thai student would have to take to qualify for university enrollment...what these are called I don't know. In the US there are English tests that foreign students have to take to demonstrate English proficiency. I would want to tutor Thai students in the local equivalent.

[kenkannif]

Sorry I'm a bit stupid, my mistake! Apologies!

[otherstuff1957]

You might want to try to get your hands on a typical placement test for, say, a Thai Government Job. I haven't seen one myself, but I understand that they don't really test your ability to communicate in English, they are entirely written, not spoken, and have a heavy emphasis on grammar.

If they are like the tests I've seen most Thai students take, knowing English might actually be a disadvantage!

[PeaceBlondie]

In our govt. matayom school, I've seen the acceptance exam for English that the Thai kids take to get into university (at least the major uni up north, CMU). It's tough, but for a Thai test, it's much better than the crud that passes for 12th year final exam. This year's test resembled the prior test, but I assume it's classified material.

TEFL and TOEIC sales brochures sometimes offer samples of questions used in prior years' exams. They are international tests.

Otherwise, there's a good chance that any Thai test of English is full of terrible examples, bad questions, worse answers, etc.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it would be easier for a well-trained Westerner to prepare a Thai student for an international English test, than to prepare the student for a Thai test of English.

There are some intern'l tests that require a writing sample, or an oral interview where the examiner asks unexpected questions of the student. A thai test, by contrast, would be multiple choice.

Edited April 28, 2005 by PeaceBlondie