Thais Score Lowest In T O E F L

[MisterE]

as to the problem of lower wages, i agree that in europe you can earn more than in thailand. but compared to the wages of thai teachers of english these wages seem to be quite higher.

So what if foreigners are paid considerably more than Thai teachers, it's still not enough. Any idea how much Thais with graduate levels of education spend for their education? You can earn a PhD in this country for under a million Baht. I spent that much on the first 2-years of my tertiary education. Foreigners come from a better education system and should be compensated as such.

i see your point. however, why do you think the schools should pay higher salaries if there are qualified teachers of english who are willing to accept the offered salaries....

I don't think a degree in basket weaving or comparative religions makes one a qualified teacher.

That said, some of the best teachers I've ever met in Thailand are unqualified by that standard. They have learned on the job what works and are very effective. Well, as effective as the broken system allows them to be. As I said in my previous post teaching Thai students [well] is a very unique skill that should not be undervalued. Japanese, Chinese, Nepalese, Burmese, etc. students are eager to learn and hang on every word the teacher says often asking questions and really keeping the teacher on their toes. Thais sit there like bags of sand, chat with their friends, play with their iPhones and a teacher who doesn't know how to teach Thai students well will spend half of the class time on classroom management and discipline which, is a battle the teacher will never win.

[salapau]

Strange culture where speaking English is common in conversation when I speak with Thai people, I've learned to speak and understand some Thai. I'm as English as they come, having lived and worked in and around the London area for several decades. Living in North West Thailand for a few years now in a fairly small, bustling and prosperous town. Apart from passing on experience and business skills I was not in the teaching profession. I have enjoyed helping some of the school children here, in various local and district English speaking competitions and have also taught two local thirty year Thai friends, not just to talk and understand English, but to write it quite well.

These experiences have been extremely enjoyable and I am pleased to have helped. However despite visits to several of the local schools and NGO's to ask for part time work teaching children, healthy and some less fortunate, I have been unsuccessful. I've met a few of the " English Teachers " at some of the schools and unfortunately have to agree with the comments of others on the site, that if the teachers can't speak reasonable English, what chance do the children have.

[Fookhaht]

I am a trained teacher with a B.S. and M.Ed, teaching at a Thai university (OK, please don't look up all my past posts and jump on typos or grammar errors!)

Unfortunately, I have lost count of the backpackers among whom I've had to teach alongside--most of whom had no inkling of how to teach a class, but were hired simply because they were white and a native speaker. Often a recent graduate (college OR high school grad) is hired simply on the basis of attractiveness (young and handsome/beautiful) so to act as a trophy-magnet for an English department's student-recruiting purposes. Several "teachers" sported fake credentials and were only found out because of gross incompetence or negligence a year or so later after the damage had been done.

I hope you read my post here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/622394-thais-score-lowest-in-t-o-e-f-l/page-4#entry6157749 for some contrast to the experiences you describe.

>>The educational institutions here have a long way to go in learning how to screen teaching staff, and holding to a reasonable academic standard.

Well, I certainly agree with you on this.

I read your post and I cannot agree more whole-heartedly. Well-said.

Not sure if it's a "contrast" to my experiences, or simply another side to the same coin.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Fookhaht

[caulfield2]

The message is getting through.

A lot of schools in BKK, including my own, have opened Intensive English Programmes in the past year. This means the students get an English lesson or two everyday instead of the old one a week

All a bit late for ASEAN though. The results of this will take 10+ years to be seen.

IEPs, EPs and MEPs are cash cows for schools, literally gold mines. You think they are opening everywhere for the benefit of the students? If so you're sadly mistaken.

Education is a business everywhere in the world but only in Thailand, that I know of, would profit, e.g. making payments on the school director's new Benz, be put so far ahead of the welfare of students. Most schools won't even spring for books and resourced for the students and even when teachers who care pony up and buy their own they are confronted with draconian copy policies at the school to save a few Baht.

But they are very good at refusing to let you make copies and forcing relatively lower middle class students to buy Thai English textbooks...profit over principles. Not that it doesn't happen all over the world, but the university system is ridden with road-blocks.

I say this from having taught at Burapha University in Bangsaen/Chonburi for two years, having taught at two Chinese universities, one Chinese international/IB school (current job), as well as South Korea and the Philippines.

I have two Master's degrees (one in Curriculum and Instruction) and a BA in English (Univ. of Iowa) and my salary for university work was only around 26,000+ baht in 2008-2010, with roughly 6+ years of teaching experience at the time I took the job (four in US high schools/certified English and Social Studies teacher, one at an accredited Colombian international school in South America).

I lived in a pretty new furnished condo a couple of blocks from the beach, my rent was about $125 USD per month and air conditioning anywhere from $70-100 USD per month. So that left about $700-750 USD per month to live on...so you could definitely have a nice lifestyle, massages (not THAT kind!) once a week, nice seafood and affordable dining, but you certainly weren't going to be saving any money, no way.

[Jim walker]

If papa donates enough money to the school does this not
qualify for a 10 out of 10 pass for the stupid students.

[ragamuffin]

Again: the problem is not the lack of native speaker teachers. It's the general lack of qualified teachers who actually speak and understand English AND take communicative language teaching seriously instead of using pattern drills and mere memorisation techniques. This includes professional knowledge in the field of language teaching approaches and methodology. Being a native speaker alone is no qualification whatsoever.

[Yo Sup]

There's NO WAY in Hades Singapore and Malaysia are tied.

I think they're not even close to being in the same ballpark. And the numbers in Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia are probably skewed a bit because there are so few students from those countries actually taking the TOEFL on a yearly basis, especially Laos and Myanmar.

Most of the Myanmar students taking it are probably international school students planning to study abroad, coming from fairly wealthy backgrounds.

Whereas a lot of Thai students have the vague idea of studying abroad, in the US, England/UK, Australia, NZ, Canada (especially for Thais), but there are more students around the world choosing to take the IELTS exam than TOEFL.

For a number of reasons, IELTS is becoming more of the standard and more and more commonly is being accepted in the US in lieu of a qualifying TOEFL score.

Another reason for the low Thai scores (besides digressing into a pointed attack on the Thai education system, the lack of English used outside of the touristy areas, disdain for foreign influence coming from the government) is simply that MOST Thai students don't choose America for studies because of the ease of studying in another countries like Canada or Australia that are more aggressive in pursuing Thai students.

Whereas the US is presently consumed with swallowing up as many Chinese and Indian students as possible because of the rapidly increasing GDP and disposable incomes in the elite class...with those monies now being allocated to international schools, tutors, study abroad/student exchange programs and the hiring of placement agents, etc.

Finally, Thailand and much of Asia doesn't tend to be centered on a reading/literature culture. This is going to be hard to overcome, and it's an issue all across Asia, not just Thailand.

So correct!. The lost intellect and knowledge over the decades can not be replaced. What will the world be like when a moron is teaching your little moron, and you don't know the difference... Stated hypothetically, of course...

[Fookhaht]

Again: the problem is not the lack of native speaker teachers. It's the general lack of qualified teachers who actually speak and understand English AND take communicative language teaching seriously instead of using pattern drills and mere memorisation techniques. This includes professional knowledge in the field of language teaching approaches and methodology. Being a native speaker alone is no qualification whatsoever.

Would you kindly look up all the email addresses of English dept. heads in Thailand (universities, vocational schools, technical colleges, high schools and primary schools), and send them a copy? Thanks.

[chooka]

If papa donates enough money to the school does this not

qualify for a 10 out of 10 pass for the stupid students.

You could walk out with a Doctorate in English Literature and teach English at the finest universities in Thailand even if you do not speak a word of the language.

[youngXpat]

Again: the problem is not the lack of native speaker teachers. It's the general lack of qualified teachers who actually speak and understand English AND take communicative language teaching seriously instead of using pattern drills and mere memorisation techniques. This includes professional knowledge in the field of language teaching approaches and methodology. Being a native speaker alone is no qualification whatsoever.

Spot on.

This seems to be changing to a 'Unqualified Native English Speaking Teachers' thread. The real problem for the Thai's low scores/grades at any level of education is because of THAI TEACHERS. I have seen many teachers teach a basic structure but not being able to put into a spoken context after. Most of the time the grammar is also wrong!

[phantomfiddler]

Why on earth should thais be encouraged to learn english at all ? They are, by birthright, far more intelligent and superior in every way to any other race, be it farang or asian, and many of them must be sitting there wondering why all other languages have not been abolished or phased out. Even a street beggar is far superior to the cream of Oxford or Cambridge (Sorry M.I.T., Stanford, and Harvard !) and for one reason only, they speak better thai ! 555555555 ! Anyone ever read "The Politics of Poverty" ? An educated public is much harder to keep under control than a horde of numbskulls, presently and deliberately being produced by the people in power via notebooks, computer games, and comics. Did I say comics ? This whole place is a comedy extravaganza

[youngXpat]

If papa donates enough money to the school does this not

qualify for a 10 out of 10 pass for the stupid students.

You could walk out with a Doctorate in English Literature and teach English at the finest universities in Thailand even if you do not speak a word of the language.

Aint that the truth!

[ragamuffin]

Again: the problem is not the lack of native speaker teachers. It's the general lack of qualified teachers who actually speak and understand English AND take communicative language teaching seriously instead of using pattern drills and mere memorisation techniques. This includes professional knowledge in the field of language teaching approaches and methodology. Being a native speaker alone is no qualification whatsoever.

Spot on.

This seems to be changing to a 'Unqualified Native English Speaking Teachers' thread. The real problem for the Thai's low scores/grades at any level of education is because of THAI TEACHERS. I have seen many teachers teach a basic structure but not being able to put into a spoken context after. Most of the time the grammar is also wrong!

Exactly.

It doesn't matter whether the crappy teacher is a native speaker or not. Language AND methodology need an adequate level.

[dighambara]

When those teaching english can barely speak the language then it doesn't look bright. Those with kids being taught english by thais at school will know what I mean.

The results do not surprise me one iota. Of all 58 countries in Asia,Thailand is 56th in English proficiency.

And when you have the entire population with an average IQ level 10% below the likes of Singapore, Hong Kong and markedly below other ASEAN countries what hope have you got.

It is a simple fact that to teach English effectively the teach should be a native English speaker.

My personal belief (shared by the majority of Caucasians who have been here for any length of time) is that Thais and Thailand are so xenophobic that there is almost a an unwritten policy not to encourage the children to learn English.

The average hooker has a better level of English proficiency than the majority of Thai teachers.

I am not suprised. Tune into the education chanels on True Vissions and select an English lesson. You will find out immediatly that not even the Teacher can speak English.

Teacher standards are pathetic in Thailand.

I would have thought Thai students were WORSE than this. The stupid systems the Government has for people who ACTAULLY speak english is terrible. You have to LEAVE thailand to get a visa for a few months to come back and TEACH THais english. Then the money you earn you use agaoin to leave the country to get another Vidsa to come back. this is the case for most people I speak to or they teach ILLEGALLY on retirement visas. getting a proper work visa is hard because the incentive to be paid a low wage is not really there.

The government if it wants PROPER ENGLISH TEACHERS needs to change its visa policy otherwise thais will be going back to living under banana palms and climbing cocoumt trees... or chasing faranbngs dfor income as they are proficient at.

I have travelled EXTENSIVELY and Thailand with SO MANY TOURISTS lags behind the world in Elglish

All valid coments.

However, I suspect the reverse to be true in the USA - few schools teach foreign languagesand English is the common denominator.

Fixing visa problems would go a long way to improving English skills. Many retirees from English speaking countries would embrace teaching if it was allowed.

There are between 3 to 6 million long term foreign residents (depending on source), yet they cannot be used to help teach.

[MisterE]

Fixing visa problems would go a long way to improving English skills. Many retirees from English speaking countries would embrace teaching if it was allowed.

There are between 3 to 6 million long term foreign residents (depending on source), yet they cannot be used to help teach.

Yes but, first you have to make Thai students want to learn English for any of these people to be able to be put to use. You also would have to cut class sizes and add more foreigners to the payrolls which means less money for the poo yais running the school. Never going to happen.

[Fookhaht]

When those teaching english can barely speak the language then it doesn't look bright. Those with kids being taught english by thais at school will know what I mean.

The results do not surprise me one iota. Of all 58 countries in Asia,Thailand is 56th in English proficiency.

And when you have the entire population with an average IQ level 10% below the likes of Singapore, Hong Kong and markedly below other ASEAN countries what hope have you got.

It is a simple fact that to teach English effectively the teach should be a native English speaker.

My personal belief (shared by the majority of Caucasians who have been here for any length of time) is that Thais and Thailand are so xenophobic that there is almost a an unwritten policy not to encourage the children to learn English.

The average hooker has a better level of English proficiency than the majority of Thai teachers.

I am not suprised. Tune into the education chanels on True Vissions and select an English lesson. You will find out immediatly that not even the Teacher can speak English.

Teacher standards are pathetic in Thailand.

>>>I would have thought Thai students were WORSE than this. The stupid systems the Government has for people who ACTAULLY speak english is terrible. You have to LEAVE thailand to get a visa for a few months to come back and TEACH THais english. Then the money you earn you use agaoin to leave the country to get another Vidsa to come back. this is the case for most people I speak to or they teach ILLEGALLY on retirement visas. getting a proper work visa is hard because the incentive to be paid a low wage is not really there.

The government if it wants PROPER ENGLISH TEACHERS needs to change its visa policy otherwise thais will be going back to living under banana palms and climbing cocoumt trees... or chasing faranbngs dfor income as they are proficient at.

I have travelled EXTENSIVELY and Thailand with SO MANY TOURISTS lags behind the world in Elglish

...in the USA - few schools teach foreign languagesand English is the common denominator.

Don't talk out of the top of your hat. As of 2000 (latest data I could find), nearly 7 million US high school students were enrolled in foreign language courses in public high schools. Interest in foreign language learning has increased since then. My own public high school alma mater still offers German, French, Spanish and Chinese.

Virtually every US community college, college and university have foreign language courses.

Get real.

Data link: http://www2.ignatius.edu/faculty/turner/fl_in_us.htm

Edited February 28, 2013 by Fookhaht

[MisterE]

The Thai education system was modernized in the reign of Rama V, at the time rote learning was the only methodology in use pretty much everywhere. Researchers and teachers have found more effective methods to teach since then but nothing has changed in Thailand.

Edited February 28, 2013 by MisterE

[Scott]

My close friend works in the area of University education for overseas placement. It includes testing, recruitment and all related areas for students studying abroad. The US is the # 1 destination of most Thai students:

http://studyinthailand.org/study_abroad_thailand_university/thai_higher_education_thai_students.html

and

http://www.nesothailand.org/dutch-organizations/study-abroad-market/thai-study-abroad-market-trends

He once left a job because he was moved from the recruitment for US schools to those in another country. According to him, most students wish to study in the US, even if they are destined for another country.

[drl02]

I am retired from the USA and live with a Thai English teacher for 6 months a year in a rural area in a northern Province. I have basically taught (assisted) her English classes for 3 years grades 3-5. I do it out of boredom and for fun. There are so many hurdles to Thai children learning English that after I list them I will think of 10 more at this level.

- Farangs may be seen at High Schools but never at grade schools

- Thai English teachers can not speak English

- No other teacher in the school can speak 2 words of English

- Children are not exposed to English until the third grade

- Students are taught 1 to 2 hours of English a week

- The English books are so bad that it would be impossible for an English speaking person having anything to do with their publication, I rewrite the books as I go along.

- The Director and staff have no clue on what I do there. They are just happy to have another body to take over a class when a teacher does not show up, does not matter what subject.

- The Ministry will spend money on Hallloween outfits for students and staff for nonsense events such as Sport Day, Children Day, Teacher Day, etc, but nothing for books or supplies. My chalk comes in pieces 1 " long if lucky. I spend hundreds of dollars a year on student supplies and socks/shoes. Teachers themselves have 4 uniform costumes.

- I was not allowed to teach English to the 6th grade because it would interfer with their studying for the National test. Of course this District is always at the bottom of scores. Duh.

- This whole week there was no school. Why? Monday was a Buddha day. The Director decided students and staff would do landscaping at the school for the remaining 4 days to make students happy to be there (child labor laws?).

- 50% would be a good estimate of school time spend in class between landscaping and 1 hour assembly in the morning, 1 1/4 lunch, and afternoon events. Last year the girls practiced Thai dancing every afternoon for a month because of a parade they would be in. It would not be fair to the boys at this time so they practiced soccer for the month.

- Staff are complicent, selfish, lazy, etc. The majority of teachers have over 30 years in and are just taking up space at 40-50,000 bht a month. New teachers start at 20,000 and get a 1000 bht raise every year.

If it wasn't for the eagerness of the students to learn in spite of everything I would get out of there.

[cardinalblue]

The vast majority of Thais do not take TOEFL. Only the ones who are planning to study in USA so that means these are the best of Thai students who want to study abroad...

By the time the students take TOEFL, most have been exposed to native english teachers and especially if they take TOEFL prep courses...

I have taught TOEFL prep and the other prep courses(to teachers, doctors, nurses) and what I discovered most were not ready for a prep course as their englsih skills were way too lacking...They were trying to use the prep couse to learn english and that is a mistake...

Most of the students scored in the 400 - 470 range so when the average is reported to be 450, I have my doubts it's that high...

What I learn from these prep courses is not only were their english skills not at the level to get the most from prep courses, but the students really didn't know how to approach/study/take a test and that was the most disturbing to me - totally unprepared for what they to experience and a 30 or a 50 hour prep course was not the quick fix that they wanted or more importantly needed. They were doomed b/c all the years and hours due to poor and ineffective teaching...

Bottom line...I found the students fairly bright individuals but came from non-competitive, unable to think and analyze backgrounds. Since I was teaching gov employees, these kids (really adults) were products of a very poor gov educational system from primary through university....They were all passed through the system thinking they were competent in English but deep down knew they were not...

CB

Edited February 28, 2013 by metisdead
: Bold font removed.

[Halion]

Through the medium of English this nation would benifit considerably in both knowledge and understanding and that is exactly what this and successive Governments before ,do not want. They shake in their designer shoes at the thought of and educated and adequately informed public. Raise the IQ of this nation by 10 % and the current forms of administaration and Governance are doomed.

It is not just arrogance or zenophobia that restrict and impairs the proliferation of English , it is fear in the lack of control of the population whom they currently feed a banquet of absolute bullshit on a daily basis and get away with it.

i worked and lived inSingapore for over 25 years and guarentee that the standard by any evaluation regarding proficency in English is light years ahead of Thailand at any and all levels. Most Singaporeans use English as the language of business and administration and are to a high degree tri lingual with the combination addition of Bahassa, Indian and Chinese.

Also I would strongly disagree that there is any form of agglomeration between Malaysia and Singapore in this mater.

[timewilltell]

Sorry but I just don't believe the numbers quoted:

- Thai students - 450 - believable.

- Singapore students - 550 - not believable because teachers actually teach 99%

of all classes in English in singapore, students totally immersed in English from

day 1 at Kindergarten. The averageTOEFL score for Singapore students must be

a lot higher than 550 / the gap cannot be just 100, impossible.

Another case of Thai media whitewashing. It happens every minute, or every day here in the LOS. In a nationwide study done some time ago, Thai math teachers were given the same exam they give their students, and there was an 84% failure rate. How are the students expected to learn, when the teachers know so little about what they are supposedly teaching? What is going on in the schools here? Why are they so poor? Why doesn't anyone care? Why does the government not get involved? Why can't they appoint just one minister (education) not based on cronyism, but rather based on qualifications, and talent? If Thailand does not start catching up, they will literally be left in the dust by their neighbors.

That would be because they are scared that education will expose the corrupt traitors they all are in local and national government!

[FWIW]

Many retirees from English speaking countries would embrace teaching if it was allowed.

There are between 3 to 6 million long term foreign residents (depending on source), yet they cannot be used to help teach.

The numbers seem high, but I will skip on that. However, I would have to say no, no no to your first line.

Why do you think career driving lorries/building houses/running a business or whatever would enable one to TEACH English?

You make the same mistake that the Thais seem to make. A native ability to speak a language does not mean that one can teach that language in any meaningful sense.

[Scott]

Off-topic and inflammatory posts as well as replies have been deleted.

[ChanJoonYee]

Sorry but I just don't believe the numbers quoted:

- Thai students - 450 - believable.

- Singapore students - 550 - not believable because teachers actually teach 99%

of all classes in English in singapore, students totally immersed in English from

day 1 at Kindergarten. The averageTOEFL score for Singapore students must be

a lot higher than 550 / the gap cannot be just 100, impossible.

Yes, it's possible. We've been getting a lot of "new citizens" in recent years. It just takes a few million bucks and a Chinese passport to become a Singaporean. The ultimate destinations for these "instant Singaporeans" are Canada, USA, UK, Australia. Hence, they're the ones most likely to take TOEFL tests.

[maidu]

I taught at a Thai U for a few months as a 'lecturer'. I was willing to continue teaching but, because I didn't have the required certificates, I was let go. I've published 10 books on as many subjects, and every so often students would come up to me and thank me for the interesting topics I covered with them. I had other teachers pulling me aside in the hallways, asking for hints on how to engage their students more effectively, because they had heard glowing reports from my students.

I don't want to brag here, but what Thailand desperately needs is to lighten up and allow farang to teach English - regardless of credentials. Some will be effective teachers, and some won't - but certificates have very little to do with innate prowess at being a good teacher. Unfortunately, Thai administrators have very little acumen regarding who is effective and who is not.Thais can't even discern between good English diction and bad. Same for thick accents and bad. If there is a candidate who is young and handsome with credentials (but speaks English badly) and someone a bit older with no certificates - the Thais will pick the less effective teacher every time. .....and don't get me started on the problems of Thais teaching English.

[ChanJoonYee]

Through the medium of English this nation would benifit considerably in both knowledge and understanding and that is exactly what this and successive Governments before ,do not want. They shake in their designer shoes at the thought of and educated and adequately informed public. Raise the IQ of this nation by 10 % and the current forms of administaration and Governance are doomed.

It is not just arrogance or zenophobia that restrict and impairs the proliferation of English , it is fear in the lack of control of the population whom they currently feed a banquet of absolute bullshit on a daily basis and get away with it.

i worked and lived inSingapore for over 25 years and guarentee that the standard by any evaluation regarding proficency in English is light years ahead of Thailand at any and all levels. Most Singaporeans use English as the language of business and administration and are to a high degree tri lingual with the combination addition of Bahassa, Indian and Chinese.

Also I would strongly disagree that there is any form of agglomeration between Malaysia and Singapore in this mater.

I don't think the survey distinguishes between people like me (who were born and educated in Singapore) and the Chinese table tennis players. These days, there are numerous undergraduates in our universities who speak horrible English. Our government has been bending over backwards to accommodate these foreign "scholars" and very soon, they're going to be as Singaporean as I am - at least on paper.

[ongchart]

"being a native english speaker alone does not automatically qualify anybody as an english language teacher. backpackers teaching for a short period - without having any qualification except being native english speakers - is worrying as well"

Totally agree. Some years back I worked in London as an IT consultant. My colleague, who is English, asked me when he should use 'effect' and 'affect'! So much for native speakers...

[ongchart]

There were several postings that mentioned the 'low IQ' of Thais affecting their ability to learn. I don't think Thais in general have a lower IQ than other nationals. I am spending a lot of time in Isaan and have come across kids who learn extremely fast - be it learning the alphabet or counting. I believe the problem with Thai students is the environment rather than their inherent IQ.

[MisterE]

What I learn from these prep courses is not only were their english skills not at the level to get the most from prep courses, but the students really didn't know how to approach/study/take a test and that was the most disturbing to me - totally unprepared for what they to experience and a 30 or a 50 hour prep course was not the quick fix that they wanted or more importantly needed. They were doomed b/c all the years and hours due to poor and ineffective teaching...

Indeed. I have done a lot of TOEIC test prep, which is a similar test as TOEFL but for occupational candidates. Students want jobs in the tourism industry, with airlines, etc. Completely agree that their English levels, even students with MAs in English, were not high enough to have even a chance at scoring a 600 which is the minimum to be considered by a multi-national hotel chain or an airline. 670 is what they really want. Scores from students who took the test prior to my arrival averaged 250. I quickly realized that teaching these students English was a total waste of time. The best value I could give them for the time I had with them was to teach them test taking skills. For example, you read the questions and answers first, then go back and skim the reading passage looking for specific information. It's all about time management and most students don't do well because they are taking too long to answer the questions and/or wasting too much time on 1 hard question when they should be skipping it and moving on to the easier ones then, time permitting, come back to the more difficult questions.

Teaching test taking skills and doing endless practice tests is quite boring for both the student and teacher. There simply is no way to make this kind of teaching sanook (fun) so many students dropped out early and, others sat in the back like zombies taking no notes. The very few that worked hard at it were able to bring their scores up by as much as 200 points, without learning a single new thing about English. (Doesn't say much for the way the test is designed.) Still, they were scoring well below the 600 they wanted and of course I took the heat and was shat on because they didn't get the magic English proficiency pill they thought they had signed up and paid for.

I was paid well but was chasing a hopeless goal, had unhappy students who misplaced blame on me instead of the incompetent Thai English teachers they had had throughout their primary, secondary and tertiary education so I moved on after training my replacement. My Filipino replacement insisted that teaching English was the way to go so, I was quite satisfied when I stopped by 6 months later to find out that scores were back down to 250. I was asked to return and my answer was "som nam na."