Entering Ep Programme Late

[mssabai]

A friend's daughter has just won a scholarship to a school here in Bangkok. She will be entering the second semester of Prathom 6. She is coming from a very basic temple school in Trang and therefore will, I would think, be behind in a lot of areas, particularly English. As she will have the option of an EP program, I am just trying to find out what the feasibility of her joining an EP programme at that age would be? Can a student theoretically join an EP programme at any age (as long as the money is there obviously), or do they need to be at a certain level? How about if they are receiving additional tuition outside of school?

Any help you may have would be appreciated.

Thanks

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Some schools have pretty high entrance requirements for EP admittance, because of high demand. They will require testing in English, maths and science (all in English obviously). They will also conduct an interview. Other schools with lesser demand for seats in EP only say "Show me the money."

If she can get into an EP program, I think she won't have too much difficulty, but she should also enroll in a language school for 1-2 years to bring her English skills up. She probably can get by in the actual English class, but she may have difficulty in the other subjects taught in English. Schools vary as to what other subjects are offered in EP programs, but will always have math and science in addition to English. Some schools also offer social studies, computer and health ed/PE in English at the M1 level. At the P6 level, most schools still use "home rooms" where all subjects are taught by one teacher, but the better funded schools often abandon the "home room" approach by P4.

[Scott]

If she enters an EP program, she will most likely find the subjects quite difficult and the language issue frustrating. However, with encouragement, she can catch up with the rest of the kids. It won't happen in a year and probably won't happen in 2, but she will catch up. Make sure she gets plenty of encouragement and her teachers have to be willing to cut her some slack as she moves along in the learning curve.

Most teachers I know will be pretty soft on the new students to EP (or bilingual) programs. She will catch up with the reading and book work relatively quickly, but the asking and answering questions will usually be slower.

Best of luck.

[aidenai]

At our English Program, we only accept new non-EP students in Prathom 2, 3 and 4. We think that it's impossible for the new students to catch-up with the EP students when coming to the program later than grade 4. The new student might not be behind in general English but think about subjects such as science, mathematics and health education (MOE-core subjects).

Here's a passage of the science book Prathom 4.

What is photosynthesis?

We need energy to move, think, play, watch television and even to blink our eyes. Where does this energy come from? It comes from the food we eat. Food provides us with energy.

Do plants need energy too? Why do they need energy?

Like all living things plants need energy to carry out processes such as growing and gas exchange. Since plants do not eat, where does their energy come from?

Glucose is the food that plants provide with energy to carry out life processes. How do plants obtain glucose?

Plants obtain glucose through a process known as photosynthesis. Photosynthesis means making food using light energy.

Light is needed to start the process of photosynthesis. Light is absorbed by the green pigment in the leaves (and other parts of the plant).

Water (H₂O) is obtained from the soil through the roots. It is transported to the leaves by the xylem.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is obtained from the surrounding air through the stomata on the outside of the leaves.

The green pigment is known as chlorophyll. Most of the chlorophyll in a plant is found in the leaves. This makes them appear green in colour!

Some Prathom 4 mathematical word problems:

Elizabeth has two shops. She earned 275,600 from the first shop and 586,270 Baht from the second shop. How much many did she earn in all?

289,236 packets of milk are brought out from a dairy every day. They are packed in boxes that can hold 52 packets each. How many boxes are brought out in a day. How many packets would be left unpacked?

79,658 rice bags are sent to 325 shops. Find the number of rice bags each shop will receive if each shop is given an equal number of rice bags. How many bags will be left?

The population of Rayong province is 837,982. There are 321,058 women and 279,831 children. Find the number of men in Rayong province.

I would feel sorry for the new student.

Best of luck.

[aidenai]

Forgot to tell.

In the second semester of English Program Prathom 6, students who started in English Program Prathom 1 have had about:

- 1,100 hours/ periods of Fundamental English

- 660 hours/periods of mathematics

- 440 hours of science

- 220 hours of health education.

All by foreign teachers of English.

[mssabai]

Thanks for the replies. I am actually thinking more in terms of a mini English programme first I think. Are they usually pretty easy to get onto? Was thinking of a year or so of that with extra tuition, and then see how much she has improved. If she seems naturally quite gifted with languages, then an EP would be the next step. If though it is an upwards struggle, I don't believe in pushing square pegs into round holes, so maybe money and time would be better spent on areas that she is more inclined towards. She is going to be on a sports scholarship so I am aware that this will take up a great deal of her free time too.

[mssabai]

Cripes Adenai. Not even sure I could do that let alone the student. Ha! No definitely thinking mini-English programme.

[Scott]

Different schools are going to have different admission criteria and as long as they have some provisions for new students, it shouldn't be a problem.

I have worked with a bilingual program that routinely admits new students all the way up to Mathyom. New students are placed in the same class for the first year and then may be moved to a higher functioning class if they can handle it.

My experience is that up to grade 7 most kids who are relatively bright and motivated can catch up. Along about Grade 9, they may be able to perform, but usually don't ever really catch up.

Of course, it also depends on the level of English before entering the program. It also depends on the school making allowances for those that need some encouragement and special attention.