Learning Thai - Uni, Language School or Private Tutor?

[kriswillems]

If you want to study fast, AUA might not be the perfect solution for you. But if you study the full program your level will be OK.

Union style courses go faster (about 2 to 3 times faster than AUA), and Chula goes much faster (about 5 or 6 times faster).

The advantage of AUA is that you've to do a lot of listening. So, I believe in the end you will be a better speaker.

[CaptHaddock]

I doubt very much that AUA's idiosyncratic, listening-only approach is effective, much less efficient. Sounds amateurish and out-of-sync with what is known from the research on second language acquisition. Is there any research at all to support such an approach, which sounds frankly like some auto-didact's notion of learning Thai as a mother tongue? From my own experience, if you are not attempting to speak Thai you won't even know what to listen for.

kriswillems, have you actually met foreigners here in Thailand who achieved fluency studying at the Union-type schools or at AUA? It would surprise me very much, but if you can honestly say you have, I'll consider it possible.

If you want to study fast, AUA might not be the perfect solution for you. But if you study the full program your level will be OK.

Union style courses go faster (about 2 to 3 times faster than AUA), and Chula goes much faster (about 5 or 6 times faster).

The advantage of AUA is that you've to do a lot of listening. So, I believe in the end you will be a better speaker.

[AyG]

kriswillems, have you actually met foreigners here in Thailand who achieved fluency studying at the Union-type schools or at AUA? It would surprise me very much, but if you can honestly say you have, I'll consider it possible.

One shouldn't expect to have complete fluency with the Union course. If you study all six levels plus a handful of advanced courses you'll still only have done less than 1,000 hours of study. Research suggests a further 1,000 hours of study is typically required for full fluency.

I did the course at UTL for about 1,000 hours. I left able to read a newspaper (albeit with a fair bit of recourse to a dictionary), write fairly slowly and pretty badly, and able to sustain a conversation about a topic with which I was familiar. Fellow students (mostly Japanese and a few Koreans) were perhaps a bit more diligent than I and were slightly better - not much, though. However, none of us was at a level, in my opinion, ready to study at university level in Thai.

[harrry]

kriswillems, have you actually met foreigners here in Thailand who achieved fluency studying at the Union-type schools or at AUA? It would surprise me very much, but if you can honestly say you have, I'll consider it possible.

One shouldn't expect to have complete fluency with the Union course. If you study all six levels plus a handful of advanced courses you'll still only have done less than 1,000 hours of study. Research suggests a further 1,000 hours of study is typically required for full fluency.

I did the course at UTL for about 1,000 hours. I left able to read a newspaper (albeit with a fair bit of recourse to a dictionary), write fairly slowly and pretty badly, and able to sustain a conversation about a topic with which I was familiar. Fellow students (mostly Japanese and a few Koreans) were perhaps a bit more diligent than I and were slightly better - not much, though. However, none of us was at a level, in my opinion, ready to study at university level in Thai.

What you probably gained though was the abiltity to use your environment to build on this basic language quickly and add to the vocabulary and usage by reading and conversing with people around you.

[CaptHaddock]

All of the Chinese, Korean and Japanese students in the Chula Intensive Thai program speak English since it is a requirement as the language of instruction.

I think the main reason Chinese, Korean and Japanese students are so quick in learning Thai is that they don't speak English and that they have the correct attitude. Japanese is not a tonal and they are just as quick. If you want to achieve something quickly you've to work hard. So, you can skip all schools that teach only 3 or 4 hours per week and don't give homework. These are typically the schools attended by farangs.

[KokoSKL]

I can recommend Payap University in Chiang Mai. I studied there ca. 6 years ago and finished P.6 level.

They offer full-time courses, with 6 weeks each level (P.1-P.6) I studied Mon-Fri 5 hours each day.

I was provided with a Non-Immigrant "B" for 2 years, although I've completed the P.6 level after 18 months. I didn't even had to leave Thailand for the application, it was handled in BKK.

At my time, the fee per level was 13,600 Baht.

We were between 6 and 15 students. That course included reading and writing as well.

My teachers were very competent.

Their English skills were poor, after 2 months my Thai was already better than their English.

It was a great experience, with lots of fun and challenges.

Hope it helps

[kriswillems]

The only foreigners that I've met that are fluent have been here since they were very young, or they are autodidacts with a special interest and talent for languages.

I don't think any school will bring an adult to a level of full fluency, unless the student is really exceptionally talented.

The union students that finish the full course can have a smooth conversation about everyday subjects. They can read books, and write small essays. When they do the government level test they will score between p.3 and m.3 on all skills (listening, reading, talking, writing), the average level is p.6.

To be honest, most AUA students I've met dropped out and moved to the union schools. The AUA course is slow going, but considering the huge amount of hours it takes to finish it, it's almost impossible you'll not be reasonably good.

I think we overestimate the Thai university level. When you study at a Thai university many of the books will in English. And in the books that are only in Thai you'll find a lot of English words, pictures and mathematical expressions. Exam question are very often multiple choice. Full fluency in not necessary to study a scientific subject at a Thai university (in Thai). Scientific books very often use simple, structured language.

Just as a test, try to read a Thai computer book about a computer program you don't know. You'll see that after struggling for a few pages, the rest will be pretty easy.

[aomgiegie]

It depends on person.Someone can learn well with group but someone can learn well with private tutor.I used to learn with group at AUA too but I can not get more from the teacher so I decided to learn with private tutor.I can ask many question and she not bored to explain so I recommend k. AOR Her website is [email protected] for anyone who want to learn Thai with private tutor.