Anyone can recently attended a language school in BKK & can recommend?

[TheSpade]

I'm currently in BKK and would like to join a language school and study for 1 year.

My thai is basic and I want to get a good grasp of it.

I'd also like to take advantage of the edu visa though I do want to learn Thai.

I've read a lot of controversial things about Walen and their teaching methods and not convinced they are for me...anyone done the course and have an opinion?

Also read about Pro Language but not got enough information on them to know whether considered effective or not? Opinions from anyone who has completed the course?

Any others you can recommend?

Thanks.

[Deserted]

I thought Nisa in The Emporium (office complex) were pretty good.

[singa-traz]

How much time, effort and money are you ready to make?

[Rumblecat]

I'd recommend Language Express.

I studied at Walen before- it wasn't for me, just didn't gel with their method at all and I also wanted a school that taught reading and writing from the start (to be fair Walen may have changed that since I was there and I have to say I thought the teachers were very good- if hamstrung by the course material).

Language Express puts equal emphasis on reading / writing and speaking / listening. Good teachers, decent course material, and like any school you get back what you put in in terms of revision and studying after the lesson is done. I sat in on a Pro Language class as well, which seemed pretty good, Language Express just seemed better to me.

I know both Walen, Pro Language and Language Express allow you to sit on a class before you sign up, as do most language schools, so it's well worth going along and checking them out for yourself as well if you have time.

[MacWalen]

Hi TheSpade, Walen School has made a banner specially for you. See the attachment. Opinions may differ on how the language should be taught, so opinion of one student may be totally different to another student's. Very few people dislike Walen and those who dislike are usually those you do not like to learn the language in its pure form but prefer transliteration. We teach Thai script right form the beginning so progress is much easier later on. We would like to invite you for a demo lesson so you can see for yourself.

Walen School of Thai - come and try for yourself!

[Neeranam]

Be very careful as not to get ripped off. I know a very good teacher that charges 200 baht an hour for private lessons.

Many of the 'language schools' employ Thai teachers based on their English ability, which hinders your Thai learning! You are paying for their fancy window display.

Walen charge 900 baht/hour

Pro Language 560 baht/hour

Similar to some English language schools - ie Inlingua who charge twice as much as ECC , because of the name and a few extra potted plants but have the same standard of teachers and are actually owned by the same people.

The best option would be Union, IMHO.

Best value would be AUA.

I've never gone to a school but learned Thai by immersion, which is by far the best way to learn, according to experts. The AUA method is similar to this, I believe. I did learn to read and write using the AUA book which cost a couple of hundred baht.

I do know 2 guys who learned for 6 months at Unity and were pretty fluent in that time, although one had a basic understanding before going.

Don't be fooled by the window dressing.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Neeranam

[MacWalen]

Walen charge 900 baht/hour

Not correct. For private lessons price will depend on how many lessons you take and no shortage of students. Certainly not 900 baht/hour. Good to check your info before posting. And for group lessons that work very very well it is only 24,960 Baht for 180 lessons. We offer free demo lessons so it is easy to see if students like it or not.

Walen - the most popular Thai school in the world

[krisb]

Walen charge 900 baht/hour

 

Not correct. For private lessons price will depend on how many lessons you take and no shortage of students. Certainly not 900 baht/hour. Good to check your info before posting. And for group lessons that work very very well it is only 24,960 Baht for 180 lessons. We offer free demo lessons so it is easy to see if students like it or not.

 

Walen - the most popular Thai school in the world 

In the whole wide world! Really? Popularity is based on number of students I take it? What numbers?

How many different courses are you running now? I've lost count!

[Neeranam]

Walen charge 900 baht/hour

Not correct. For private lessons price will depend on how many lessons you take and no shortage of students. Certainly not 900 baht/hour. Good to check your info before posting. And for group lessons that work very very well it is only 24,960 Baht for 180 lessons. We offer free demo lessons so it is easy to see if students like it or not.

Walen - the most popular Thai school in the world

Is this your website? http://thaiwalen.com/en/Prices

30 x 50 minute lessons for 22,500 baht is 900 baht per hour. Clever tactic, though I must admit, making the lessons 50 min as it sounds much cheaper than it actually is.

How much do you pay your teacher per hour? I'll bet it's not even half of that. As I said before, money wasted on window dressing.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Neeranam

[MacWalen]

As I said before, money wasted on window dressing.

You obviously don't know too much about running a school, paying rents, taxes, other staff etc. I suggest you to open a school and run it for a while and then you will see for yourself how expensive it is. I do not blame you as most people do not know that. Believe it or not, but we have a lot of students taking private lessons. Those who would like to spend less can take group lessons and they will get very good value for the money Neeranam. Thank you for participating in this thread, always good to know other people's opinion.

Edited September 18, 2013 by MacWalen

[MacWalen]

Walen - the most popular Thai school in the world

In the whole wide world! Really? Popularity is based on number of students I take it? What numbers?

How many different courses are you running now? I've lost count!

Yes, based on number of students and number of branches as well as brand recognition. We are also woking on becoming even more popular. Opening two new schools in Cha Am and Hua Hin and we will not stop here as there is demand for our services in other parts of Thailand.

Edited September 18, 2013 by MacWalen

[Neeranam]

As I said before, money wasted on window dressing.

You obviously don't know too much about running a school, paying rents, taxes, other staff etc. I suggest you to open a school and run it for a while and then you will see for yourself how expensive it is. I do not blame you as most people do not know that. Believe it or not, but we have a lot of students taking private lessons. Those who would like to spend less can take group lessons and they will get very good value for the money Neeranam. Thank you for participating in this thread, always good to know other people's opinion.

Actually, I do know a little bit about running a school but that's irrelevant to the point I was making.

Sure, obviously if you have a school in Central Chidlom or the Emporium, it's going to have higher overheads than if it is above a noodle shop in Khon Kaen, therefore higher prices.

It's good that there are so many school now that one can choose from.

Are you going to open a school in Khon Kaen? I have lots of people asking me about schools to learn Thai and there are actually not very many for such a boom town.

[MacWalen]

Yes, I am considering it. Perhaps next year as Walen is also expanding internationally so it keeps me quite busy. Thank you for the encouragement.

[Rimmer]

Off topic post and quoted replies removed.

[MacWalen]

Rimmer has removed the off topic and unfriendly post so I will not be replying to it.

Edited September 19, 2013 by MacWalen