Thai Kids At Bangkok's International Schools Risk Getting 'Lost In Translation'

[WhizBang]

Yes, apparently these students have families and friends that only speak English and everywhere they go in Bangkok the clerks and shopkeepers all speak fluent English as well. Hmm, now I certainly don't find that hard to believe.

I sure do (find it hard to believe). They live in Thailand, are Thai, yet (apparantly) speak only english. Unless they are locked up and totally isolated from the real world, I find it very hard to believe.

[sms747]

I lived next to an international School in Bangna, opposite the nation for several years. I never cared what languages they spoke but was more interested in how they behaved and they were always good kids. Far better than the Thai only speaking morons from the technical Schools who regularly attack each other with knives and guns, anyone ever hear of that happening at an international School? Maybe the Thai skills are lacking a bit but they are better educated, and as long as they can communicate in Thai to the level they need, then so what.

[Bluespunk]

Nonsense. I work in one in an international school here. Thai is part of the curriculum both during the day and as a compulsory extra curricular activity. We allow children to use Thai in the classroom and encourage discussion of new learning in their mother tongue Children and parents are fully aware that at home the school insists they use their mother tongue even when discussing homework that has been set. We are not stupid, we are fully aware that children cannot learn a second language until they are fully proficient in their mother tongue. Yes there may be problems with writing amongst some children, but these are a minority and the school provides support to these children. This article is just pandering to the fears and prejudices of those who fear the outside world. Where I work we offer a world class education that ensures our students have the best start possible in life.

Edited July 13, 2012 by Bluespunk

[EmptyBasementBin]

A friend of friend spent 12 months in America on a student program when she was 18. That was 10 years ago.... She still makes a big show of not being able to pronounce or know the correct Thai word because of her time abroad.

Makes a little bit of pee come out I laugh so much.

[LucidLucifer]

We allow children to use Thai in the classroom and encourage discussion of new learning in their mother tongue.

Which international school is this?

The ones I know of operate a strict English only policy.

[jonclark]

Hi,

To everyone critising me (Pakpinya) and Marquie - the author - I just want to tell you 'adults' that some, if not all, of you are just overreacting. Do any of you know us in the slightest bit? Do you know exactly how our lives work, who we speak to and in what languages? You don't, so why be all cringy and annoying by doing so?

Not going to mention anyone specifically, but I don't speak English to everyone, I speak Thai to my Thai friends, my mother and my family -apart from my sister- and I AM fluent Thai, if I wasn't then I wouldn't be taking my IGCSE Thai would I? I just have a bad accent and I'm unsure of what some words mean, and as I am more familiar with the English language, I prefer to read English books, watch English programmes etc. But it doesn't mean I'm completely ignorant and totally ignore the Thai culture. I do watch Thai news, converse in Thai etc. I just don't feel as comfortable as doing so as I would in English.

And to call my friend Marquie, the author of an article published in THE NATION, ignorant and foolish is just so below you. Just because she's a teenager and has achieved more than some of you in life already, or achieved more than your own children is no reason to judge her so quickly. Or is it because you're jealous of her? Hmm... I don't know

And some of you are forgetting that we, as students of one of Bangkok's best International Schools obviously don't even KNOW some of the..... less-known international schools in Bangkok. And we aren't talking about every single Thai student specifically either. Perhaps for those of you with children in international schools, maybe the school isn't as well-known. Because the well-known schools such as Bangkok Patana, NIST, ISB etc. will definately have this case of Thai kids being more comfortable in English.

And so what if we are? Who are you to judge? It's a part of our lifestyle and its just plain rude to judge someone like that, how would you like it if a random stranger judged you and your lifestyle after reading an extract from a newspaper

A word or two of advice.

Your staunch defense of your work is appreciated

.

However you were a little bit naive if you honestly thought that when you or your publisher publishes an article (on any topic); your writing would not attract any criticisms as part of a wider discourse . If something, for example this article, is put into a public internet forum you will get a range of extreme responses, Don't take them personally, that’s just the way the world works. Authors need to 'accept' (but not privately agree with) the critics of your work. Don’t call your critics ‘jealous or under achieving’ if replying to them, it lacks class.

The number of posts shows your article has its merits as a good discussion piece.

.

Good work though keep writing.

Edited July 13, 2012 by Scott

[EmptyBasementBin]

This article is just pandering to the fears and prejudices of those who fear the outside world.

And in Asia of all places.

Who'd think it eh.

[animatic]

My daughter goes to an international school,

she speaks Thai with her friends, as well as some english,

but the Thai program is intentionally intensive.

They know they are building students to connect both worlds

not just either or. But of course if you only learn to speak Thai,

it might be learned faster than if you learn 3 languages at the same time.

[rockderk]

I was under the impression that where there's a high percentage of Thai kids at some International schools, it tends to bring down the general level of instruction because their English isn't up to par with their foreign classmates. So do we have half the class able to speak broken Thai and the other half speaking broken English?

[Old Man River]

Asked why she and her fellow Thai students often find Thai so hard to master, 15-year-old Pakpinya at Bangkok Patana says the alphabet is difficult. "And I speak English with my friends and sisters and I've never been to a Thai school, so my whole life has been spent speaking English," she says. "I listen to English songs and watch English TV, so I don't really get to practise any Thai."

Don't these kids speak with their parents at home? I don't get it!!!

Actually, most of these kids do speak fluent Thai, but their reading and writing is weak (my kid goes to this school). These schools stress speaking in English and all of their classes (accept foreign language studies) are in English. They practice reading and writing Thai in their Thai classes and many take Thai language classes outside of the school as well.

BTW, not being strong in reading and writing Thai isn't that much different from those that went to international schools in Bangkok years ago. Of course, there are now many more international schools in Thailand than years past.

[HeavyDrinker]

Makes a little bit of pee come out I laugh so much.

Phew! I thought that was just me....

[Ferangled]

Nonsense. I work in one in an international school here. Thai is part of the curriculum both during the day and as a compulsory extra curricular activity. We allow children to use Thai in the classroom and encourage discussion of new learning in their mother tongue Children and parents are fully aware that at home the school insists they use their mother tongue even when discussing homework that has been set. We are not stupid, we are fully aware that children cannot learn a second language until they are fully proficient in their mother tongue. Yes there may be problems with writing amongst some children, but these are a minority and the school provides support to these children. This article is just pandering to the fears and prejudices of those who fear the outside world. Where I work we offer a world class education that ensures our students have the best start possible in life.

I find it very worrying that someone working in an international school would come out with such a statement... We are not stupid, we are fully aware that children cannot learn a second language until they are fully proficient in their mother tongue

What a totally flawed and incorrect statement. How do you apply that comment to mix race children? I personally grew up with French and English as languages... my "mother" tongue is French, my "father" tongue is English. I learnt both simultaneously from birth and enjoyed the massive benefits conferred by speaking two languages fluently, effectively a native of both.

English has always been my "main" language out of practicality; I have worked across the world and English is the wider spoken of the two so naturally I use it more, although during time spent working in France, Africa and Canada, my French proficiency was crucial to my role.

Now living in Thailand, my wife is Thai and my children are learning both Thai and English simultaneously. My four year old has already surpassed my own Thai language skills (and that of her international teachers), and I feel it is of paramount importance that she learn both simultaneously and be fluent in both. My wife is a highly proficient English speaker but we have made the conscious decision that one on one, she talks to our children in Thai, I in English, and as a family we talk in English, as a language it is more accessible to "group" discussion when with friends and family.

I'm sorry but I find your comment exactly what you say it is not... stupid. The major advantage you should be conferring to your students is proficiency in both Thai and English. How do you decide what is the "mother tongue" for a child with parents of different nationalities?

[PV123]

Hi,

To everyone critising me (Pakpinya) and Marquie - the author - I just want to tell you 'adults' that some, if not all, of you are just overreacting. Do any of you know us in the slightest bit? Do you know exactly how our lives work, who we speak to and in what languages? You don't, so why be all cringy and annoying by doing so?

Not going to mention anyone specifically, but I don't speak English to everyone, I speak Thai to my Thai friends, my mother and my family -apart from my sister- and I AM fluent Thai, if I wasn't then I wouldn't be taking my IGCSE Thai would I? I just have a bad accent and I'm unsure of what some words mean, and as I am more familiar with the English language, I prefer to read English books, watch English programmes etc. But it doesn't mean I'm completely ignorant and totally ignore the Thai culture. I do watch Thai news, converse in Thai etc. I just don't feel as comfortable as doing so as I would in English.

And to call my friend Marquie, the author of an article published in THE NATION, ignorant and foolish is just so below you. Just because she's a teenager and has achieved more than some of you in life already, or achieved more than your own children is no reason to judge her so quickly. Or is it because you're jealous of her? Hmm... I don't know

And some of you are forgetting that we, as students of one of Bangkok's best International Schools obviously don't even KNOW some of the..... less-known international schools in Bangkok. And we aren't talking about every single Thai student specifically either. Perhaps for those of you with children in international schools, maybe the school isn't as well-known. Because the well-known schools such as Bangkok Patana, NIST, ISB etc. will definately have this case of Thai kids being more comfortable in English.

And so what if we are? Who are you to judge? It's a part of our lifestyle and its just plain rude to judge someone like that, how would you like it if a random stranger judged you and your lifestyle after reading an extract from a newspaper

A word or two of advice.

Your staunch defense of your work is appreciated

.

However you were a little bit naive if you honestly thought that when you or your publisher publishes an article (on any topic); your writing would not attract any criticisms as part of a wider discourse . If something, for example this article, is put into a public internet forum you will get a range of extreme responses, Don't take them personally, that’s just the way the world works. Authors need to 'accept' (but not privately agree with) the critics of your work. Don’t call your critics ‘jealous or under achieving’ if replying to them, it lacks class.

The number of posts shows your article has its merits asa good discussion piece.

.

Good work though keep writing.

hhaha ok cool good for you, but I didn't write the article, if you read what I had written through thoroughly, you would see that I am not the author, but one of the people she interviewed

[belg]

but the thai hi-so will go study in the US anyway and get a degree overthere and then come back and work in daddies hi so office or get a job thanks to some hiso placed person

and managers do not need to know to do anything, except giving orders, and that is what the lower personell is for

[Ferangled]

My daughter goes to an international school,

she speaks Thai with her friends, as well as some english,

but the Thai program is intentionally intensive.

They know they are building students to connect both worlds

not just either or. But of course if you only learn to speak Thai,

it might be learned faster than if you learn 3 languages at the same time.

This to me is the correct approach. Surely the aim is to build students that connect to both "worlds" freely, and the only way to be truly proficient in multiple languages is to learn them simultaneously. A language learned as a second language, will always be just that, the real opportunity here is in encouraging students to learn both as "native" speakers.

Also very valid point about it taking more time to learn multiple languages simultaneously; my Mother was devastated while I was in Primary school, after a particularly ignorant English teacher accused her of impairing my education by "muddling" my mind with French! I was evidently lagging behind in studies at that point and the school deemed me too young to learn two languages.

The school even tried to encourage my father to talk to my mother and prevent her speaking French to me. Fortunately my father was no fool and told them exactly what he thought of their medieval approach to education. 2 years later I had not just caught up with the class, but overtaken them considerably, and won a full scholarship from a down right terrible state school to one of the most renowned private schools in England.

[Bluespunk]

Nonsense. I work in one in an international school here. Thai is part of the curriculum both

during the day and as a compulsory extra curricular activity. We allow children to use Thai in the classroom and encourage discussion of new learning in their mother tongue Children and parents are fully aware that at home the school insists they use their mother tongue even

when discussing homework that has been set. We are not stupid, we are fully aware that children cannot learn a second language until they are fully proficient in their mother tongue. Yes there may be problems with writing amongst some children, but these are a minority and the school provides support to these children. This article is just pandering to the fears and prejudices of those who fear the outside world. Where I work we offer a world class education that ensures our students have the best start possible in life

I find it very worrying that someone working in an international school would come out with such a statement... We are not stupid, we

are fully aware that children cannot learn a second language until they are fully proficient in their mother tongue

What a totally flawed and incorrect statement. How do you apply that comment to mix race

children? I personally grew up with French and English as languages... my "mother" tongue is French, my "father" tongue is English. I learnt both simultaneously from birth

and enjoyed the massive benefits conferred by speaking two languages fluently, effectively a native of both.

English has always been my "main" language out of practicality; I have worked across the world and English is the wider spoken of the two so naturally I use it more, although during time spent working in France, Africa and Canada, my French proficiency was crucial to my role.

Now living in Thailand, my wife is Thai and my children are learning both Thai and English simultaneously. My four year old has already surpassed my own Thai language skills (and that of her international teachers), and I feel it is of paramount importance that she learn both

simultaneously and be fluent in both. My wife is a highly proficient English speaker but we have made the conscious decision that one on one, she talks to our children in Thai, I in English, and as a family we talk in English, as a language it is more accessible to "group" discussion when with friends and family.

I'm sorry but I find your comment exactly what you say it is not... stupid. The major advantage you should be conferring to your students is proficiency in both Thai and English. How do you decide what is the "mother tongue" for a child with parents of different nationalities?

I was only referring to children whose parents speak one language at home as the news article referee to, not families who have two mother tongues spoken at home. Children who live in this environment learn both languages equally well. My point was that children need to know and communicate in their home languages before they become fully able to learn a foriegn one.

[boggle]

Hi,

To everyone critising me (Pakpinya) and Marquie - the author - I just want to tell you 'adults' that some, if not all, of you are just overreacting. Do any of you know us in the slightest bit? Do you know exactly how our lives work, who we speak to and in what languages? You don't, so why be all cringy and annoying by doing so?

Not going to mention anyone specifically, but I don't speak English to everyone, I speak Thai to my Thai friends, my mother and my family -apart from my sister- and I AM fluent Thai, if I wasn't then I wouldn't be taking my IGCSE Thai would I? I just have a bad accent and I'm unsure of what some words mean, and as I am more familiar with the English language, I prefer to read English books, watch English programmes etc. But it doesn't mean I'm completely ignorant and totally ignore the Thai culture. I do watch Thai news, converse in Thai etc. I just don't feel as comfortable as doing so as I would in English.

And to call my friend Marquie, the author of an article published in THE NATION, ignorant and foolish is just so below you. Just because she's a teenager and has achieved more than some of you in life already, or achieved more than your own children is no reason to judge her so quickly. Or is it because you're jealous of her? Hmm... I don't know

And some of you are forgetting that we, as students of one of Bangkok's best International Schools obviously don't even KNOW some of the..... less-known international schools in Bangkok. And we aren't talking about every single Thai student specifically either. Perhaps for those of you with children in international schools, maybe the school isn't as well-known. Because the well-known schools such as Bangkok Patana, NIST, ISB etc. will definately have this case of Thai kids being more comfortable in English.

And so what if we are? Who are you to judge? It's a part of our lifestyle and its just plain rude to judge someone like that, how would you like it if a random stranger judged you and your lifestyle after reading an extract from a newspaper

A word or two of advice.

Your staunch defense of your work is appreciated

.

However you were a little bit naive if you honestly thought that when you or your publisher publishes an article (on any topic); your writing would not attract any criticisms as part of a wider discourse . If something, for example this article, is put into a public internet forum you will get a range of extreme responses, Don't take them personally, that’s just the way the world works. Authors need to 'accept' (but not privately agree with) the critics of your work. Don’t call your critics ‘jealous or under achieving’ if replying to them, it lacks class.

The number of posts shows your article has its merits asa good discussion piece.

.

Good work though keep writing.

hhaha ok cool good for you, but I didn't write the article, if you read what I had written through thoroughly, you would see that I am not the author, but one of the people she interviewed

I think he was giving you words of praise and some friendly advice. This is a good thing.

[bigbamboo]

Asked why she and her fellow Thai students often find Thai so hard to master, 15-year-old Pakpinya at Bangkok Patana says the alphabet is difficult. "And I speak English with my friends and sisters and I've never been to a Thai school, so my whole life has been spent speaking English," she says. "I listen to English songs and watch English TV, so I don't really get to practise any Thai."

Don't these kids speak with their parents at home? I don't get it!!!

The clue is she is 15 years old. She's a teenager and they rarely comminicate with their parents!

[kimamey]

Asked why she and her fellow Thai students often find Thai so hard to master, 15-year-old Pakpinya at Bangkok Patana says the alphabet is difficult. "And I speak English with my friends and sisters and I've never been to a Thai school, so my whole life has been spent speaking English," she says. "I listen to English songs and watch English TV, so I don't really get to practise any Thai."

Don't these kids speak with their parents at home? I don't get it!!!

I can see a real problem here for those who want to promote the Thai language.

Unlike a lot of languages such as French, Spanish, German it is really only used in this one country. Chinese is spoken by a huge population and of course Arabic is spread around quite a bit and there are other examples as well. If you look at people from these countries a lot speak English as well, in particular those in Europe. This is one reason why I think English speakers like myself have so much trouble with foreign languages, it's far too easy for us to get by as there is usually someone who speaks English. I can fly across the globe and when I get to an airport there will be someone who speaks my language so I admit it's easy for me to get lazy. try doing that with Thai. It will be difficult explaining to younger people why they should speak Thai although I agree it should be maintained. I would think that the Isaan dialect has a similar problem as does Gaelic and Welsh in the UK.

I remember when I first came here to visit my gf. Her friends wanted to know how they could get a farang man. (I'm not sure how serious they were.) My answer was they need to speak English. If my gf had only spoken Thai she wouldn't get a very wide response when she went onto the internet and I certainly wouldn't have been able to come here with her. With English you can communicate with others who are native speakers plus the many who have learnt the language very well.

It should be remembered that it's not only Thais that can't speak or write their own language. My mother in law ( I suppose I can call her that even though I'm widowed) is in her 80s and constantly uses double negatives. There's not much point in telling her as she wouldn't know what a double negative was and even if I could get her to understand I know she would just give a drawn out "well" and carry on. I was trying to explain the difference between "lend" and "borrow" to a Spanish guy I worked with.I told him not to worry if it got it mixed up he would just sound like many native English speakers.

As for writing, well I don't want to start a war of words here but forums like this one are a great place to find poor English skills and I don't mean from those for whom it's not their first language.

[kimamey]

Not going to mention anyone specifically, but I don't speak English to everyone, I speak Thai to my Thai friends, my mother and my family -apart from my sister- and I AM fluent Thai, if I wasn't then I wouldn't be taking my IGCSE Thai would I?

I took GCSE French, and believe me, it doesn't take a high level of proficiency to get a good grade.

I'd like to compliment you on your level of English though, If you are truly 15, I am impressed. You are clearly a very able girl, and I am sure you have a bright future in front of you.

Your English puts certain native speaker on here to shame.

I also don't think anyone has attacked you personally. The contents of the article and the author, yes, but not you.

+1

[SuneeTH]

Can't read or write their parents' language. Just a dam_n shame, the incredible depth and breadth of the native literature that will be unavailable to them. Their brains are probably being horribly altered at these schools too, what with those wicked "critical thinking" and "analytical skills" being indoctrinated into them.

****ing foreigners.

This is exactly why Farang schools are NOT allowed in Thailand, until some 20 years ago, it is alleged that some corrupted official from the ministry of education take under table payment and start giving out license for Farang to open school in Thailand.

This has destroyed the language and culture ability of Thai people in Thailand. What a disgrace. I am such our father would have objected.

[kimamey]

Yes, apparently these students have families and friends that only speak English and everywhere they go in Bangkok the clerks and shopkeepers all speak fluent English as well. Hmm, now I certainly don't find that hard to believe.

I simply don't believe the line about "...everywhere they go in Bangkok the clerks and shopkeepers all speak English....."

But I am very aware of one very wealthy Thai family (just one example only):

- Both parents travel abroad constantly for business and spend very little time with their children.

- Both parents speak fluent English (they were both educated in Geelong in Australia, from the start of 4th grade in Primary, right through to completing their Masters degrees).

- Both parents have have a very strong desire for their kids to speak fluent English. They have a whole house full of Philippino staff: house manager, cooks, maids, drivers, all of whom have advanced education (easy enough to find from the Philippines), plus one Pinoy man late twenties who is a qualified and experienced high school teacher - he is there as a school coach and to supervise homework and he is the official contact person with their international school, and he is responsible to constantly update the parents. All of the staff have excellent salaries and other benefits. They are forbidden to ever speak Thai to the children.

- I've been to the house several times, all the Pinoy staff have excellent communication skills and they speak very clear English (have to or they wouldn't have the job).

- The Pinoy house manager contacts a senior person at the company office when repairs to the house, cars etc., are needed.

- All of these kids go to an expensive but good international school where the Thai student numbers are very low, and the main language of the whole student body is English.

- If the kids must interact with a Thai person (e.g. a government officer) then someone from the company office is assigned to go with them. Why? Because their Thai language skills are very poor (all skills, reading, wrting, listening and speaking).

This is an isolated example and it's clear that the parents have gone overboard.

I think "everywhere they go in Bangkok the clerks and shopkeepers all speak fluent English" was supposed to be sarcastic and consequently very British.

[Ferangled]

Can't read or write their parents' language. Just a dam_n shame, the incredible depth and breadth of the native literature that will be unavailable to them. Their brains are probably being horribly altered at these schools too, what with those wicked "critical thinking" and "analytical skills" being indoctrinated into them.

****ing foreigners.

This is exactly why Farang schools are NOT allowed in Thailand, until some 20 years ago, it is alleged that some corrupted official from the ministry of education take under table payment and start giving out license for Farang to open school in Thailand.

This has destroyed the language and culture ability of Thai people in Thailand. What a disgrace. I am such our father would have objected.

Sarcasm anyone?!

[boggle]

Can't read or write their parents' language. Just a dam_n shame, the incredible depth and breadth of the native literature that will be unavailable to them. Their brains are probably being horribly altered at these schools too, what with those wicked "critical thinking" and "analytical skills" being indoctrinated into them.

****ing foreigners.

This is exactly why Farang schools are NOT allowed in Thailand, until some 20 years ago, it is alleged that some corrupted official from the ministry of education take under table payment and start giving out license for Farang to open school in Thailand.

This has destroyed the language and culture ability of Thai people in Thailand. What a disgrace. I am such our father would have objected.

Sarcasm anyone?!

Is it?

[Ferangled]

Nonsense. I work in one in an international school here. Thai is part of the curriculum both

during the day and as a compulsory extra curricular activity. We allow children to use Thai in the classroom and encourage discussion of new learning in their mother tongue Children and parents are fully aware that at home the school insists they use their mother tongue even

when discussing homework that has been set. We are not stupid, we are fully aware that children cannot learn a second language until they are fully proficient in their mother tongue. Yes there may be problems with writing amongst some children, but these are a minority and the school provides support to these children. This article is just pandering to the fears and prejudices of those who fear the outside world. Where I work we offer a world class education that ensures our students have the best start possible in life

I find it very worrying that someone working in an international school would come out with such a statement... We are not stupid, we

are fully aware that children cannot learn a second language until they are fully proficient in their mother tongue

What a totally flawed and incorrect statement. How do you apply that comment to mix race

children? I personally grew up with French and English as languages... my "mother" tongue is French, my "father" tongue is English. I learnt both simultaneously from birth

and enjoyed the massive benefits conferred by speaking two languages fluently, effectively a native of both.

English has always been my "main" language out of practicality; I have worked across the world and English is the wider spoken of the two so naturally I use it more, although during time spent working in France, Africa and Canada, my French proficiency was crucial to my role.

Now living in Thailand, my wife is Thai and my children are learning both Thai and English simultaneously. My four year old has already surpassed my own Thai language skills (and that of her international teachers), and I feel it is of paramount importance that she learn both

simultaneously and be fluent in both. My wife is a highly proficient English speaker but we have made the conscious decision that one on one, she talks to our children in Thai, I in English, and as a family we talk in English, as a language it is more accessible to "group" discussion when with friends and family.

I'm sorry but I find your comment exactly what you say it is not... stupid. The major advantage you should be conferring to your students is proficiency in both Thai and English. How do you decide what is the "mother tongue" for a child with parents of different nationalities?

I was only referring to children whose parents speak one language at home as the news article referee to, not families who have two mother tongues spoken at home. Children who live in this environment learn both languages equally well. My point was that children need to know and communicate in their home languages before they become fully able to learn a foriegn one.

What did you do to my post?!

I appreciate your backtracking but you are evidently missing the point. You have these children for far longer each day than any parent does, and so have the majority input into education and nurturing bilingual skills in your students.

I also object to this statement you made "Children and parents are fully aware that at home the school insists they use their mother tongue even when discussing homework that has been set."

How dare you insist anything of the parents, they are paying you to provide an education for their children and you seem to simply be passing the buck back to the parents. How does this attitude work for full-time boarding students I wonder?

[Mooner]

If these children struggle to speak , write or read Thai whose fault is it? It can only be their parents lack of interest in them learning their mother tongue and the children's lack of desire to learn it.

[chrisinth]

Sounds like the the international school kids are in for more difficult "required" classes if they hold Thai passports. I know a family that moved to the US so that they could gain US citizenship and then happily came back and enrolled their kids at ISB, knowing that with their US passports, they would not have to take the tedious Thai language classes imposed on ISB students who hold Thai passports. For many of these Thai families, there is little incentive to learn Thai or have it as a principal language. They will work for multinational corporations in Thailand or abroad or own and manage factories with international clientele. The Thai language is useful if you want to work for a company that pays between 10-15,000 THB/month with no career development or real opportunity to develop as a professional (for the rest of your life). Thai is necessary if all your business is with Thais, in which case, you likely don't have a desirable position or future (given the economic realities in the Kingdom).

Yep, you should put that theory to people like Dhanin Chearavanont, Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, Niti Osathanugrah or the many others who did OK with just the Thai language. Very interesting concept that if your career is planned for only Thailand you can only expect 10-15,000 THB/month.

Everyone of our office girls clears more than that, and yes, it is a Thai company and not one of them went to an international school. Bit of a misleading post I think.

[Arkady]

The article is interesting in that, while it seems somewhat exaggerated and is rather superficial in its analysis, it does highlight a pitfall for Thai children studying at the numerous international schools that have proliferated in Thailand. There are many interesting academic studies that have been done on bilingualism that go into similar problems in a a more methodical way. When I lived in Hong Kong I remember reading one of these studies on the effects on Chinese children of studying at the English medium schools there that are a left over of colonial days. That is a far more extreme situation than that the international schools in Thailand. All the students in the schools are Cantonese speaking Chinese who study every subject except Chinese through the medium of English using English textbooks. They also have to learn Chinese as a serious compulsory subject and the written language is far harder to attain proficiency in than Thai due to the thousands of characters that need to be learned by heart just to be able to read a newspaper. The results were quite interesting. The conclusion was that the effects on children depended very much on their IQ levels. Children with high IQs came through the English medium schools pretty much unscathed and obtained scores in Chinese language exams than were no worse than students with similar IQs attending Chinese medium schools. Children with lower IQs ended up a mess in the English medium schools. Their English was too poor to follow lessons in the medium of English and their Chinese language scores were significantly worse than students with similar IQs in Chinese medium schools. The conclusion was that less capable students would be better to study in the mother tongue. Otherwise they risk graduating as virtually illiterate in two languages.

I have also seen studies of immigrant groups in the US where Spanish is spoken at home but the kids obviously attend English medium schools where Spanish is only an optional subject and then only in high school. Children from the poorest immigrant families tend to fare badly at school as their English is always flawed due to what academics refer to as "mother tongue interference", while children from wealthier immigrant families where the parents speak fluent English there is a lot of emphasis on English in the home tend to fare as well as the native English speaking students, or better.

Finally there is an interesting example from Malaysia where the government phased out the system of English medium schools as well as Chinese and Indian language schools at the high school level and forced all students to study through the medium of Bahasa Malaysia (Malay). It wasn't long before students from Chinese and Indian families started to grab all the top scores and prizes in Malay language exams, despite the fact that Malay was their second or third language and not spoken at all in their homes. The reason was clearly that they came from wealthier families where there was much greater emphasis placed on education and competitiveness than in the average Malay families.

In conclusion there are many variables that conspire to influence the outcome of bilingualism in education and the IQ of the students and the family background are two very important factors. I think that parents of Thai children studying at international schools in Thailand need to give very careful consideration first of all to whether the child is suited to the additional pressures of studying through the medium of a foreign language or actually would be better off attending a Thai school. Then they need to understand that their is no external pressure on their Thai kids at international schools to become proficient in the Thai language in the way that Chinese students at English medium schools in Hong Kong are under pressure to become proficient in Chinese. Therefore it is up to the parents to ensure that they supplement the meagre diet of Thai classes the international schools provide their children to ensure proper Thai literacy. Just being able to pass GCSE Thai is not a meaningful benchmark, since that is an exam intended for learners of Thai as a foreign language not native speakers. There are millions of people in the UK who have passed GCSE French but can't read, write, speak or understand a work of French!

Edited July 13, 2012 by Arkady

[sprq]

You have completely misunderstood the comment. Back to school!

[Kalbo]

Can't read or write their parents' language. Just a dam_n shame, the incredible depth and breadth of the native literature that will be unavailable to them. Their brains are probably being horribly altered at these schools too, what with those wicked "critical thinking" and "analytical skills" being indoctrinated into them.

****ing foreigners.

This is exactly why Farang schools are NOT allowed in Thailand, until some 20 years ago, it is alleged that some corrupted official from the ministry of education take under table payment and start giving out license for Farang to open school in Thailand.

This has destroyed the language and culture ability of Thai people in Thailand. What a disgrace. I am such our father would have objected.

Are you being serious ?