Improving English skills is vital: Surin

[Zumteufel]

Tell me this then; HOW would Thai fluency in English improve anything, anything at all? It is not so much language (that is promulgated as a panacea to current unrest and unease), as an attitude barrier and hegemony that underpins an underperforming education system which is the foundation of current political leadership that imposes a strict hierarchical social structure to protect the elite and powerful (which is not unique to Thailand). Learning English wont change that.

At the very least it will provide access to information sources other than those in Thai. Nothing positive will never happen to this country if that little bubble of Thainess and ignorance and sappy soap operas is never being burst.

[drdoom6996]

lots of talk, let us hope there is some walk to go along with it. If the pollies and other government officials can make a quid out of it maybe something something will happen.

Just another headline.

[cup-O-coffee]

Improving English skills is vital: Surin

Get Off Your Ass and Do Something About It is Vital: C.O.C.

Edited September 16, 2013 by cup-O-coffee

[culicine]

Last year, among 54 countries surveyed for English proficiency, Thailand ranked 53, only ahead of Libya.

Perhaps they might consider allowing people that are here on retirement visas to help, i don't want to lose my visa just because i volunteer to assist young people in my village. My wife is asked frequently if i can teach english, i am the only farang in the village. Parents bring their kids to our house when they have to do the interviews in english for school projects, they ask where i come from, my hobbies, favourite colours etc. and take a photo, presumably to prove that they actually spoke to a foreigner. I am not a teacher but i think it would be helpful just to sit and chat with them.

Great idea - to avoid problems it would be a good idea to call these 'outings', 'family get-togethers', etc. Don't couch it as work/volunteer work or anything like that. Perhaps form a social group including Thai and foreign families, where people can practice english. There's nothing illegal about having social get-togethers.

[Halion]

English as an administrative language of international commerce and administration has been a prerequsite for most developing countries over the past 3 decades, however, Thailand with it's insular and myopic attitudes has failed to realize the importance of having a population adept in this comodity and as such are now facing the dramatic realisation of their poor standing in this area.

In a country which has significantly few natural resources and that is highly dependant on foreign investment as a viable growth factor , the lack of English as a second language seriously impacts both their competitiveness and their knowledge base.

Typical to much of the development in this country they now have little choice but to conform to international standards , however, it may well be a dollar short and 30 years too late.

[Skytrain2hell]

I was hoping the title would be more like, "EDUCATION

Improvement English skills is to being the vital: Surin"

[humble bee]

With tourism being a major source of income here for decades, it is very surprising to note that the locals still have no motivation, incentive to learn and speak english. Soon, Thailand will find out that it will lose out among the Asean countries. When i visited Phnom Penh last year, i found that even the waiters and tuk-tuk drivers speak better english than Khun Yingluck!!

[tetleythedog]

lots of talk, let us hope there is some walk to go along with it. If the pollies and other government officials can make a quid out of it maybe something something will happen.

Yep, definitely another load of repeated (oh so many times) <deleted>. Yes, English is the key ! Thais are incapable of learning it, until they change (and that will be never) their arrogant attitude and misplaced conceit , and realise that they are eons behind other countries.

[lostmebike]

'forcing teachers to be better prepared'

Prepared? Thai teachers prepare do they?

[Skywalker69]

All they have to do, is only show Thai Soap Operas in English. Everyone will learn the language quickly. The motivation will be incredible.

Also stop dubbibg all english films.

[hellodolly]

we need to do whatever malaysia is doing, the standard of english there is incredible

You don't think being a former English colony had any thing to do with it do you?

[razer]

This story has been repeated over and over for many years. Karma is coming to Thailand and Thais will learn the hard way which will not be pleasant for anyone.Thai polititians are great at talking the talk, but they don't even take just one step in walking the walk.

[Soutpeel]

we need to do whatever malaysia is doing, the standard of english there is incredible

You don't think being a former English colony had any thing to do with it do you?

Of course as in Singaore and a few other places as well, but isn't the key thing here, even once these countries stopped being colonies, did they revert back to the local languages to shake off the yoke of their colonial past ? No they continued using English and made it an official language along with the other languages used in the country

The first step in Thailand is to make English the second official language, but we know this not going to happen due to the nationalist

Edited September 16, 2013 by Soutpeel

[BlackJack]

Last year, among 54 countries surveyed for English proficiency, Thailand ranked 53, only ahead of Libya.

Perhaps they might consider allowing people that are here on retirement visas to help, i don't want to lose my visa just because i volunteer to assist young people in my village. My wife is asked frequently if i can teach english, i am the only farang in the village. Parents bring their kids to our house when they have to do the interviews in english for school projects, they ask where i come from, my hobbies, favourite colours etc. and take a photo, presumably to prove that they actually spoke to a foreigner. I am not a teacher but i think it would be helpful just to sit and chat with them.

I'm sure i don't need to tell you to be careful because due to the insular, crazy attitude that is so prevelent here volunteer work is still work and requires a permit. I have known well meaning people to fall foul of this, luckily they were just warned off.

I myself was involved many years back when I helped several local government officials from my local municipal offices who were studying for a Master's Degree in Business Administration.

Over coffee one day the most senior of these officials pointed out the laws that were being broken but laughingly said no one was likely to report me.

However and crucially she warned of the ever present petty jealousies and said in our case someone who was not in the group could easily cause problems and of course that applies everywhere and often for the most obscure of reasons.

so relax the laws on immigration and allow these people to do prac engrish

[hellodolly]

Last year, among 54 countries surveyed for English proficiency, Thailand ranked 53, only ahead of Libya.

Perhaps they might consider allowing people that are here on retirement visas to help, i don't want to lose my visa just because i volunteer to assist young people in my village. My wife is asked frequently if i can teach english, i am the only farang in the village. Parents bring their kids to our house when they have to do the interviews in english for school projects, they ask where i come from, my hobbies, favourite colours etc. and take a photo, presumably to prove that they actually spoke to a foreigner. I am not a teacher but i think it would be helpful just to sit and chat with them.

Agreed I am not a teacher but I feel that just chatting with them would help. I could help them speak the language but not teach one iota of proper grammar. I feel proper grammar is some thing they can pick up after they learn the language. I remember taking a course in beginner learning Thai. There I was being tought grammer in a language I could not speak.

With that system it would be an interactive event. I feel that would be far more inviting to the students than lecture and no questions allowed. Also it would not be some thing that was graded it would be some thing for those interested in learning.

Edited September 16, 2013 by hellodolly

[Soutpeel]

With tourism being a major source of income here for decades, it is very surprising to note that the locals still have no motivation, incentive to learn and speak english. Soon, Thailand will find out that it will lose out among the Asean countries. When i visited Phnom Penh last year, i found that even the waiters and tuk-tuk drivers speak better english than Khun Yingluck!!

In Cambodia there are a lot of people who speak multiple languages....I was talking to one Khmer guy last time I was there and he spoke, English, French, Khmer (obviously) and even passable Thai, could you mistake him as a first language speaker of English, French and Thai, no but he could communicate pretty well in all 3 of these languages, and this is what is needed in Thailand, the ability to communicate, not the ability of knowing English grammatical structure as I believe is being taught in Thailand, anyone who is being force fed English grammar is going to get fed up pretty quickly, I know I did and I am a first language English speaker

[Soutpeel]

Last year, among 54 countries surveyed for English proficiency, Thailand ranked 53, only ahead of Libya.

Perhaps they might consider allowing people that are here on retirement visas to help, i don't want to lose my visa just because i volunteer to assist young people in my village. My wife is asked frequently if i can teach english, i am the only farang in the village. Parents bring their kids to our house when they have to do the interviews in english for school projects, they ask where i come from, my hobbies, favourite colours etc. and take a photo, presumably to prove that they actually spoke to a foreigner. I am not a teacher but i think it would be helpful just to sit and chat with them.

Agreed I am not a teacher but I feel that just chatting with them would help. I could help them speak the language but not teach one iota of proper grammar. I feel proper grammar is some thing they can pick up after they learn the language. I remember taking a course in beginner learning Thai. There I was being tought grammer in a language I could not speak.

With that system it would be an interactive event. I feel that would be far more inviting to the students than lecture and no questions allowed. Also it would not be some thing that was graded it would be some thing for those interested in learning.

Let me ask you this, one assumes you were taught English grammar at school ? I know I was and hated it....not sure if western schools even teach these days, unless you becoming a teacher...so one can imagine being taught this day in day out....is going to get bored sh@tess and lose interest very quickly

[ggold]

lots of talk, let us hope there is some walk to go along with it. If the pollies and other government officials can make a quid out of it maybe something something will happen.

one might be forgiven for thinking that corruption is actually the problem, that even head teachers are syphoning off funds that should go into education, as well as the other schemes such as one tablet for each pupil!

Not to mention the questionable qualifications of teachers to actually teach the subject they teach, and dare I say that includes some of those Farangs teaching English!

Edited September 16, 2013 by ggold

[Soutpeel]

Last year, among 54 countries surveyed for English proficiency, Thailand ranked 53, only ahead of Libya.

Perhaps they might consider allowing people that are here on retirement visas to help, i don't want to lose my visa just because i volunteer to assist young people in my village. My wife is asked frequently if i can teach english, i am the only farang in the village. Parents bring their kids to our house when they have to do the interviews in english for school projects, they ask where i come from, my hobbies, favourite colours etc. and take a photo, presumably to prove that they actually spoke to a foreigner. I am not a teacher but i think it would be helpful just to sit and chat with them.

I'm sure i don't need to tell you to be careful because due to the insular, crazy attitude that is so prevelent here volunteer work is still work and requires a permit. I have known well meaning people to fall foul of this, luckily they were just warned off.

I myself was involved many years back when I helped several local government officials from my local municipal offices who were studying for a Master's Degree in Business Administration.

Over coffee one day the most senior of these officials pointed out the laws that were being broken but laughingly said no one was likely to report me.

However and crucially she warned of the ever present petty jealousies and said in our case someone who was not in the group could easily cause problems and of course that applies everywhere and often for the most obscure of reasons.

so relax the laws on immigration and allow these people to do prac engrish

And how will this help, as typically the people this would help can't communicate properly in their own language to begin with....

[BlackJack]

Last year, among 54 countries surveyed for English proficiency, Thailand ranked 53, only ahead of Libya.

Perhaps they might consider allowing people that are here on retirement visas to help, i don't want to lose my visa just because i volunteer to assist young people in my village. My wife is asked frequently if i can teach english, i am the only farang in the village. Parents bring their kids to our house when they have to do the interviews in english for school projects, they ask where i come from, my hobbies, favourite colours etc. and take a photo, presumably to prove that they actually spoke to a foreigner. I am not a teacher but i think it would be helpful just to sit and chat with them.

I'm sure i don't need to tell you to be careful because due to the insular, crazy attitude that is so prevelent here volunteer work is still work and requires a permit. I have known well meaning people to fall foul of this, luckily they were just warned off.

I myself was involved many years back when I helped several local government officials from my local municipal offices who were studying for a Master's Degree in Business Administration.

Over coffee one day the most senior of these officials pointed out the laws that were being broken but laughingly said no one was likely to report me.

However and crucially she warned of the ever present petty jealousies and said in our case someone who was not in the group could easily cause problems and of course that applies everywhere and often for the most obscure of reasons.

so relax the laws on immigration and allow these people to do prac engrish

And how will this help, as typically the people this would help can't communicate properly in their own language to begin with....

can you rephrase this as I dont understand your engrish

[hellodolly]

"We talk a lot about teaching our students to be critical, to think independently and to solve problems, not use rote learning and memorisation. But we are getting nowhere.

"English could be an answer to our educational malaise. With a higher proficiency in English, Thai students can change the dynamics of the classroom. They will have access to more information before going to class, forcing teachers to be better prepared and turning traditional lecture rooms into seminars where active exchanges can take place, he said"

The man is not even in the ball park. I can just see it now the student goes into school and says I have been learning English for three years now can you please teach me how to add 2+2 with out a calculator. Or Graduate goes to employer and in perfect English says I would like to have a job on your assembly line putting on the lug nuts on the right side of the car. Or in perfect English please sir I would like to pick rice in your field for a minimum wage if the Government has not put you out of business yet.

Learning English will not be the savor of the Thailand education system. It serves only as another way to block proper education. Thailand must first educate the teachers in methods of teaching. Methods designed to teach the students how to use logic and reason. Then and only then will they have a chance of learning. Teaching them English is no different than teaching them Spanish it is just some thing we can say Thailand has more Spanish speakers. As it is there is enough English speaking Thais it is not a language that most of them will ever need. Make it available but to the people who want to learn it and with people teaching it that can speak it. Also if they do not learn fail them. There will all ways be enough Thais who can speak it. If it is so important for 100% of Thais to be able to speak it how come their economy is growing and there is only about a 1% unemployment rate?

Personally I think a lot of the people who place so much importance on it just want to have the Thais speak English to them rather than learn enough to get around with.

[Thai at Heart]

lots of talk, let us hope there is some walk to go along with it. If the pollies and other government officials can make a quid out of it maybe something something will happen.

one might be forgiven for thinking that corruption is actually the problem, that even head teachers are syphoning off funds that should go into education, as well as the other schemes such as one tablet for each pupil!

Not to mention the questionable qualifications of teachers to actually teach the subject they teach, and dare I say that includes some of those Farangs teaching English!

Considering the amount of cash from government funds that goes into education and how little of it reaches the front line, one might conclude that corruption is the first problem, actual teaching the second because the corruption drives the whole raison d'etre for the whole system.

[lostmebike]

lots of talk, let us hope there is some walk to go along with it. If the pollies and other government officials can make a quid out of it maybe something something will happen.

one might be forgiven for thinking that corruption is actually the problem, that even head teachers are syphoning off funds that should go into education, as well as the other schemes such as one tablet for each pupil!

Not to mention the questionable qualifications of teachers to actually teach the subject they teach, and dare I say that includes some of those Farangs teaching English!

Considering the amount of cash from government funds that goes into education and how little of it reaches the front line, one might conclude that corruption is the first problem, actual teaching the second because the corruption drives the whole raison d'etre for the whole system.

I think a thread on personal experiences with corruption in Thai schools from TV members that teach here would be an interesting read.

[hellodolly]

Last year, among 54 countries surveyed for English proficiency, Thailand ranked 53, only ahead of Libya.

Perhaps they might consider allowing people that are here on retirement visas to help, i don't want to lose my visa just because i volunteer to assist young people in my village. My wife is asked frequently if i can teach english, i am the only farang in the village. Parents bring their kids to our house when they have to do the interviews in english for school projects, they ask where i come from, my hobbies, favourite colours etc. and take a photo, presumably to prove that they actually spoke to a foreigner. I am not a teacher but i think it would be helpful just to sit and chat with them.

Agreed I am not a teacher but I feel that just chatting with them would help. I could help them speak the language but not teach one iota of proper grammar. I feel proper grammar is some thing they can pick up after they learn the language. I remember taking a course in beginner learning Thai. There I was being tought grammer in a language I could not speak.

With that system it would be an interactive event. I feel that would be far more inviting to the students than lecture and no questions allowed. Also it would not be some thing that was graded it would be some thing for those interested in learning.

Let me ask you this, one assumes you were taught English grammar at school ? I know I was and hated it....not sure if western schools even teach these days, unless you becoming a teacher...so one can imagine being taught this day in day out....is going to get bored sh@tess and lose interest very quickly

In grade 9 I failed a semester of it and had to go to summer school for it. I now know more about the world and realize that proper English grammar is directly opposite to proper grammar in other languages.

I knew an English teacher in high school who told me the only good proper grammar did was it allowed some teachers to make money. The semester I failed the teacher understood every word I said and still failed me. In my 40s I took a few collage classes for general information. I asked out of curiosity what if I wanted to take English. They gave me a test and told me I had college entry level abilities. Go figure.

[Thai at Heart]

Last year, among 54 countries surveyed for English proficiency, Thailand ranked 53, only ahead of Libya.

Perhaps they might consider allowing people that are here on retirement visas to help, i don't want to lose my visa just because i volunteer to assist young people in my village. My wife is asked frequently if i can teach english, i am the only farang in the village. Parents bring their kids to our house when they have to do the interviews in english for school projects, they ask where i come from, my hobbies, favourite colours etc. and take a photo, presumably to prove that they actually spoke to a foreigner. I am not a teacher but i think it would be helpful just to sit and chat with them.

Agreed I am not a teacher but I feel that just chatting with them would help. I could help them speak the language but not teach one iota of proper grammar. I feel proper grammar is some thing they can pick up after they learn the language. I remember taking a course in beginner learning Thai. There I was being tought grammer in a language I could not speak.

With that system it would be an interactive event. I feel that would be far more inviting to the students than lecture and no questions allowed. Also it would not be some thing that was graded it would be some thing for those interested in learning.

Let me ask you this, one assumes you were taught English grammar at school ? I know I was and hated it....not sure if western schools even teach these days, unless you becoming a teacher...so one can imagine being taught this day in day out....is going to get bored sh@tess and lose interest very quickly

In grade 9 I failed a semester of it and had to go to summer school for it. I now know more about the world and realize that proper English grammar is directly opposite to proper grammar in other languages.

I knew an English teacher in high school who told me the only good proper grammar did was it allowed some teachers to make money. The semester I failed the teacher understood every word I said and still failed me. In my 40s I took a few collage classes for general information. I asked out of curiosity what if I wanted to take English. They gave me a test and told me I had college entry level abilities. Go figure.

The thing is, since the government recognises that this is of such national importance, they can take control of so many issues that they can actually make it an awful lot of fun. languages can be a bit of drudgery if you make it that way. The government can mandate all sorts of things.

Daily English hours on TV, weekly english language speaking corners, jobs for volunteer english speaking high school students, stop translating English language movies. Someone should call up MK and get them to run a discount if kids order the entire family meal in English. Run national competitions, run spelling competitions that celebrate the kids to high heaven.

Expecing this bunch of dinosaurs at the education ministry to come up with the solution is delusional, better to subcontract the whole thing to Singapore. The Thai system can't even teach Thai language, what hope do they have of English.

[ggold]

lots of talk, let us hope there is some walk to go along with it. If the pollies and other government officials can make a quid out of it maybe something something will happen.

one might be forgiven for thinking that corruption is actually the problem, that even head teachers are syphoning off funds that should go into education, as well as the other schemes such as one tablet for each pupil!

Not to mention the questionable qualifications of teachers to actually teach the subject they teach, and dare I say that includes some of those Farangs teaching English!

Considering the amount of cash from government funds that goes into education and how little of it reaches the front line, one might conclude that corruption is the first problem, actual teaching the second because the corruption drives the whole raison d'etre for the whole system.

I was actually being sarcastic!

[Thai at Heart]

lots of talk, let us hope there is some walk to go along with it. If the pollies and other government officials can make a quid out of it maybe something something will happen.

one might be forgiven for thinking that corruption is actually the problem, that even head teachers are syphoning off funds that should go into education, as well as the other schemes such as one tablet for each pupil!

Not to mention the questionable qualifications of teachers to actually teach the subject they teach, and dare I say that includes some of those Farangs teaching English!

Considering the amount of cash from government funds that goes into education and how little of it reaches the front line, one might conclude that corruption is the first problem, actual teaching the second because the corruption drives the whole raison d'etre for the whole system.

I was actually being sarcastic!

I'm not. Considering that as a percentage, Thailand puts more into education than everyone else, but apparently gets less bang for their buck than anyone else, presumably, they buck is somewhat smaller by the time it gets to be spent. Oh, I see. Well if you had put a question mark on the end of the sentence, it would have given away that it was a rhethorical question. Anyway, no doubt, the fact that just about everything that goes on in education involves slicing 10 to 30% of the bill, hardly inspires confidence that anyone gives a s**t whether little Somchai can speak English.

When teachers are as bent as some of the lot in Thailand, it's sometimes a wonder that the kids turn out even remotely well adjusted.

[rosst]

we need to do whatever malaysia is doing, the standard of english there is incredible

What, be a pommy colony??

[Thai at Heart]

we need to do whatever malaysia is doing, the standard of english there is incredible

What, be a pommy colony??

Well, it worked well enough for your English language ability, I see.....

Edited September 16, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[DrTuner]

Double-edged sword. If the Thais were fluent in English, it wouldn't take them too long to find this forum and read the assorted ramblings of the farangs. End result would likely be a universal deportation.