English Instruction In Chiang Mai

[just_Elaine]

Our housekeeper has been taking English lessons for the past year or so, but we are having difficulty finding reliable and good instructors. They seem to fade away or lose interest after a few months.

Our housekeeper ran across a flyer for an instructor named Peter near Lotus on Hang Dong road. After talking to him on the telephone, I’m not too sure if he’s the right one for us. Also, the TB4000 for 20 hours seems a little high.

We will check out AUA on Monday morning to see what they have to offer.

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations?

Thanks,

Elaine

[Ajarn]

Our housekeeper has been taking English lessons for the past year or so, but we are having difficulty finding reliable and good instructors.  They seem to fade away or lose interest after a few months.

Our housekeeper ran across a flyer for an instructor named Peter near Lotus on Hang Dong road.  After talking to him on the telephone, I’m not too sure if he’s the right one for us.  Also, the TB4000 for 20 hours seems a little high.

We will check out AUA on Monday morning to see what they have to offer.

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations?

Thanks,

Elaine

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think your experiences with English Teachers is normal, and either AUA or the British Council would do a good job for you.

400 baht per hour is not too much to pay in my opinion (I was getting that in CM 10 years ago), but your chances of getting a good teacher from a poster might not be very good...

[up-country_sinclair]

Our housekeeper has been taking English lessons for the past year or so, but we are having difficulty finding reliable and good instructors.  They seem to fade away or lose interest after a few months. 

Also, the TB4000 for 20 hours seems a little high.

if you want to find a qualified and reliable instructor that will improve your housekeeper's english skills, you're going to have to pay a lot more than 200 baht/hour.

[just_Elaine]

I talked to AUA (053-278-407) and it sounds like their program will be ideal. Each course is 30 hours long and meets Tuesday through Friday, 70 minutes each day. It costs TB1700 and books are 480.

Saturday classes are also available.

Students take a placement test to ensure that they are placed at the appropriate level.

Elaine

[SiamOne]

I am taking English lessons in Kuala Lumpur with ELS

they are good, have placement test, and are half the price of Brit council

Try them if they have place in CM

[Maejo Man]

I talked to AUA (053-278-407) and it sounds like their program will be ideal.  Each course is 30 hours long and meets Tuesday through Friday, 70 minutes each day.  It costs TB1700 and books are 480. 

Saturday classes are also available.

Students take a placement test to ensure that they are placed at the appropriate level.

Elaine

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

AUA is a great place if you want to learn to speak American and spell funny, but not English. Find a decent private tutor. 400/500 baht an hour for anyone half reasonable.

[Judge]

I talked to AUA (053-278-407) and it sounds like their program will be ideal.  Each course is 30 hours long and meets Tuesday through Friday, 70 minutes each day.  It costs TB1700 and books are 480.  

Saturday classes are also available.

Students take a placement test to ensure that they are placed at the appropriate level.

Elaine

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

AUA is a great place if you want to learn to speak American and spell funny, but not English. Find a decent private tutor. 400/500 baht an hour for anyone half reasonable.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

America is the leader of the free world, its biggest economy and the only super-power.

England's biggest significance these days is that it is America's partner in the war against terrorism and, lets not forget, they make some excellent rock n' roll.

AUA teaches American English at a much cheaper price than a British tutor, the quality of the teachers is high, you don't have to worry about picking up a low class cockney accent without realizing it, and it is much less boring studying with other people as well.

I would imagine that AUA will do just fine!

Edited October 9, 2005 by Judge

[lamphun]

I talked to AUA (053-278-407) and it sounds like their program will be ideal.  Each course is 30 hours long and meets Tuesday through Friday, 70 minutes each day.  It costs TB1700 and books are 480. 

Saturday classes are also available.

Students take a placement test to ensure that they are placed at the appropriate level.

Elaine

AUA is a great place if you want to learn to speak American and spell funny, but not English. Find a decent private tutor. 400/500 baht an hour for anyone half reasonable.

America is the leader of the free world, its biggest economy and the only super-power.

England's biggest significance these days is that it is America's partner in the war against terrorism and, lets not forget, they make some excellent rock n' roll.

AUA teaches American English at a much cheaper price than a British tutor, the quality of the teachers is high, you don't have to worry about picking up a low class cockney accent without realizing it, and it is much less boring studying with other people as well.

I would imagine that AUA will do just fine!

Imagination is no substitute for reality. One on one with a tutor is the best way.

[Judge]

One on one with a tutor is the best way.

Maybe for you. I was bored silly with a tutor, but really enjoyed taking a class at AUA with other people and stuck with it quite a while.

Easy to learn from others mistakes also.

[up-country_sinclair]

my 2 satang.....

i'm guessing that just_elaine wants to communicate more effectively with her housekeeper on job related issues. she wants to be able to discuss her duties, provide relevant information, and be able to ask questions when she is unsure of something.

while her english will more than likely improve at AUA, just_elaine and her housekeeper would be better served by a private tutor because her individual needs would be addressed---this type of learning is referred to as English for Specific Purposes (ESP). a private tutor could work on job related vocabulary, indirect questions, probability, etc...

again, just_elaine's housekeeper will probably see an improvement in her overall english skills while studying at AUA, but IMO it is a waste of time to have her studying units of 'interchange' that focus on vacations in america, favorite movies, etc...

[just_Elaine]

Sorry, I didn’t specify what we were looking for. Our housekeeper currently speaks English well enough that we have no problems communicating. She is able to read and write English at a level where we can communicate by mail when we are away from Thailand.

She is relatively young, 28 years old, and we think that she may want to get out of the housekeeping business someday. I try to spend an hour or so each day helping her with her English. However, I think she needs a better teacher, a better program and a chance to practice her English with other people. We think the AUA program will work out fine.

Thanks for the input.

Elaine

[Judge]

We think the AUA program will work out fine.

[x-pat]

As someone who has learned English as a second language, I would recommend to start with British English first. Switching from British to American English later is no problem at all. You simply put a hot potatoe in your mouth while reading the exercise texts aloud.

X-Pat

Edited October 15, 2005 by x-pat

[Judge]

England is not an important world power.

In fact, it is practically a third-world country these days.

That would be like learning French in the Central African Republic instead of Paris.

[BigMac]

Now now boys. Surely you are not so ignorant as to not realise that Australia is the world leader in cultural issues as well as being the number 1 super-power. If you have any doubts that Aussies can't speak the english language just sample a few tracks by Kevin B. Wilson.

[Mali_in_CM]

Hi Elaine,

If you need a tutor instead of or in addition to AUA, email me.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I talked to AUA (053-278-407) and it sounds like their program will be ideal.  Each course is 30 hours long and meets Tuesday through Friday, 70 minutes each day.  It costs TB1700 and books are 480.  

Saturday classes are also available.

Students take a placement test to ensure that they are placed at the appropriate level.

Elaine

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

AUA is a great place if you want to learn to speak American and spell funny, but not English. Find a decent private tutor. 400/500 baht an hour for anyone half reasonable.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you decide that by walking past AUA or through experience? I worked there for a year and a half and do not speak American. My spelling is also OK.

AUA is good for teenagers, but I feel adults have varying needs and would probably find more suitable tuition at other schools. Students also have to show a competent level of reading and writing, competition for places is very fierce. I remember speaking to students who queued for over 10 hours to register for a place.

Edited October 16, 2005 by Grant