32,000 Thai six graders are illiterate: Education official

[jbrain]

Failing is a total no no. Embarrassed parents would burn such a school down. In s private school would not pay for next year. Total nonsense. But I like how government explained it some time ago. Students getting dumber was a result of deficiency of certain chemical element. Cannot remember the last name now.

Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I think Iodine is the word you were looking for.

Well even feeding them iodized salt by the table spoon wouldn't make them smarter.

[culicine]

If so many kids can't read, how do they even attempt their ridiculous Thai language exams?? My 4th grade son just did a Thai language final test, of which their are three. 90 questions in 60 minutes...absolute madness. Yet kids can't read? So what / how Thai teachers are teaching them? No need to answer...I've been in the game since 2000.

[Phuket electrician]

The idea of 90 questions in 60 minutes is due to the grading system. Some student may complete all 90 questions.

The exam will be designed to include 45 'easy' questions so all literate students receive a minimum pass mark. The grade individual students receive must follow a predetermined bell curve regardless of their true exam result.

it is forbidden to give the majority of student a high grade as this is seen as too easy. It may seem odd to a person outside of the education system but TIT.

Under the current system a teacher is not assessed by student performance but conformity to the culture of the institution.

Only my experience and interpretation of discourse with long serving colleagues.

[Hugh Jarse]

What a surprise!

It is absolutely appaling that such a situation should occur. The Minister responsible should be called to account for this, disgraceful situation.No wonder he and his ilk send their children to private, international and overseas institutions for education. For a few Baht, out of school learning facilities could be set up where the poor can receive some extra and quality after schooling, bring in some overseas education advisers and shake up the pathetic Ministry of Education .

[Hugh Jarse]

How has the introduction of tablet computers helped or hindered literacy ?

According to my 10 year old she and her peers are reading more story books as they are on line and it is somehow cooler to read from a tablet/computer than a paperbook.

[Richard W]

Without doubt, on these two aspects (reading and writing) Thai is a lot more difficult to accomplish than doing the same in English. We only have 26 letters with 5 vowels - all single elements.

That doesn't simplify English - it complicates it.

Another thing, they have up to 4 or 5 symbols for some letters eg: kor kai, kor kwai, kor rakung, kor koowat and kor khon all sounding like the letter k/g. Just to complicate matters, kor kai is a high class letter whereas all of the others are low class so the tone rules and enunciation are different depending upon the actual class concerned.

These complicate writing, but for reading it is just down to knowing the tone rules, unless you're smart enough to work out the word from the context. It wouldn't surprise me if some haven't grasped the rules but rely on context.

If you can speak Thai well and are capable of reading, elementary Thai should not be difficult to read.

Incidentally, you chose the wrong example, as kho khuat and kho khon aren't used for modern Thai. The one you want is the 4 letters so so, so sala, so ruesi, so suea.

Is there any ASEAN country using a pre-colonial alphabet?

Unless you're being pedantic, there are Burma, Laos and Cambodia. I'm not sure how to reckon Singapore.

A few years back, something like 4-5 if I remember correctly, Vietnam realized the importance of English on the "world stage", and took a somewhat radical step to improve it.

<snip>

2nd - They "Roman-ized" their alphabet, and the teachers then taught using that. One unexpected, but much welcomed, surprise from that is that it soon began to make a marked difference in also learning the Vietnamese Language, with test scores easily showing the improvements.

Can you please give me some references for a recent reform of the Vietnamese use of the Roman alphabet. The Roman alphabet has been the official script of Vietnam for about a century.

[Phuket electrician]

Amazing how people manage to breath in and out, feed and clothe themselves yet basic maths is beyond them.

World literacy rate rate is 84%. Thailand's literacy rate is 93%. The article is a nonsense.

Why isn't the article about the stunning achievement of Thai sixth graders that are head and shoulders more advance than the world average?

The biggest issue the planet faces is the incredible number of stupid people that occupy it. Perhaps there should be a test here for TV members before they are allowed access to the internet - as self control mechanism built into every computer to save the user embarrassment.

Perhaps something like this:

PC: Vhat is your name?

USER: Erm.

PC: You are indeed a vorthy adversary.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Phuket electrician

[Somtamnication]

Amazing how people manage to breath in and out, feed and clothe themselves yet basic maths is beyond them.

World literacy rate rate is 84%. Thailand's literacy rate is 93%. The article is a nonsense.

Why isn't the article about the stunning achievement of Thai sixth graders that are head and shoulders more advance than the world average?

The biggest issue the planet faces is the incredible number of stupid people that occupy it. Perhaps there should be a test here for TV members before they are allowed access to the internet - as self control mechanism built into every computer to save the user embarrassment.

Perhaps something like this:

PC: Vhat is your name?

USER: Erm.

PC: You are indeed a vorthy adversary.

I don't know how literacy rates are graded. Thailand may have a 93% rate compared to other countries. But can they read a Thai language book and understand its' contents? I can read Russian, but understand bugger all.

I can read English and Spanish and speak and write both fluently. Put me in front of Shakespeare and I dumb down tremendously. So, how is literacy graded?

[SICHONSTEVE]

according to your twisted logic - climbing a small hill is easier than climbing a tall mountain!!

I simply do not know how you come to your conclusion that a language with just 21 consonants, 5 vowels,no special witing rules, no tone rules, whereby the vowels are fitted into the word only, 1 class of consonant, all of the letters are very simple characters, having gaps between the words etc: can be simpler than a language that has 44 consonants, 32 vowels, many special writing rules, 5 tones for pronunciation dependant on the tone marks, consonant class, whether they have live or dead endings plus short or long vowels, vowels appear all around the letters, 3 classes of consonant (low high and mid), no gaps between the words in a sentence etc:

English does have to deal with capital letters, commas, full stops and the like but these hardly make it difficult to master!!

Kor khon and kor koowat are seldomly used but they are Thai letters all the same.

You chose the wrong 4 by the way as I much prefer tor tong, tor toong, tor pootow and tor taharn!!

Edited September 26, 2013 by SICHONSTEVE

[Scott]

Without knowing more about how they gauge illiteracy, it is difficult to make definitive comments. A lot of people in a lot of countries are functionally illiterate. That means, they cannot read and comprehend rather ordinary material. They may be able to read and write, but only to a certain level. For example, they may be able to read the cooking instructions on a can of soup and follow it, but they may not be able to fill out a form for a credit card etc.

[Phuket electrician]

Language is as a social science as such it is infinite. It is a means to communicate a message, and as mentioned many times here and elsewhere, if a message is conveyed, received and understood communication has taken place. The general purpose of any language.

In any developed economy 'work' has to be generated to employ a populous - without work, there would be social chaos.

South east Asia is a developing economic region that consumes raw material and adds economic value by processes. it supplies a world market and in return generates cash. This cash is distributed to the populous so they also develop. The goal is to become a mature economy.

When an economy matures it becomes economical for the populous to engage in sophisticated industry and purchase basic finished goods from a developing economy.

The developed economy then has no industry and employs new technology to create new markets. It cannot produce the same goods and compete with a developing economy because the labor force is sophisticated, unionised, organised and educated. It is idle.

When the wheel was utilised people had more time, they no longer had to carry the goods they produce to the consumer. When man has free time he is naturally inquisitive and employs technology.

These studies, collections of data are generated by inquisitive minds with nothing else to do. And there has to be a protocol for efficiency and enable widespread use

For a NES to be employed in Thailand he must have a degree and TEFL certificate, it is biased and prejudice but the protocol. Applicants without them are simply binned it saves the employer time ie. finite resources.

Apple packaged technology to develop the walkman into an ipod, combined it with mass marketing to create a perceived new product and new market. Designed in the sophisticated west and assembled in the developing east.

The TOEIC test is another 'product' developed to create a new market. A cash generator. As are literacy tests, financial products, vitamin pills, spas, diet books etc, a means of generation cash out of thin air.

The culture of testing in Thailand is to generate cash to buy large amounts of non-existent tea. The figures are published to say:

'...look we aren't sitting around scamming, we are working, and here is the proof.'

Schools out for a month, I've nothing to do but pretend to mark 200 exam papers. The students will receive a grade that correlates with their existing GPA. No relation to their exam result. It's all just for show.

[Phuket electrician]

Steve do you suggest the Thai language should be promoted as the language of ASEAN as you expressed it is more sophisticated than English?

Is that why a Thai person will often grunt, utter errrgh or say uhhh? instead of speaking?

[SICHONSTEVE]

Steve do you suggest the Thai language should be promoted as the language of ASEAN as you expressed it is more sophisticated than English?

Is that why a Thai person will often grunt, utter errrgh or say uhhh? instead of speaking?

I didn't say it was more sophisticated!!

I said that the structure and complexity of the language is more complicated than English (to read and write).

I am stating nothing else other than this single aspect so you shouldn't start inventing things or misconstruing anything from what I write!!

[Phuket electrician]

I agree but complex, complicated and sophisticated aren't they the same thing as misconstruing?

Edited September 26, 2013 by Phuket electrician

[Phuket electrician]

Sorry. In the office pretending to 'work'.

Edited September 26, 2013 by Phuket electrician

[jmccarty]

About half of the grade 3 students don't learn until grade 6. They just need another 3 years and all should be literate.

[SICHONSTEVE]

I agree but complex, complicated and sophisticated aren't they the same thing as misconstruing?

Not at all!!

Sophisticated means cultured or well mannered (refined) - I would hardly call (not) planting your elbows on the dinner table whilst eating as a complicated or complex action!! Maybe you wouldn't know that as I'm guessing that you are not a sophisticate.

[SICHONSTEVE]

About half of the grade 3 students don't learn until grade 6. They just need another 3 years and all should be literate.

We start teaching the children in our private kindergarten school the Thai language when they are 3 years old and English when they are 4!!

Twice in 4 years (including last year) we have had the number 1 English pupil in Nakhonsithammarat province and this year the number 1 English pupil in tests for the English program in the local (largest government school in the area).

Once they know children have graduated from our school they can bypass entry tests into this school on account of their previous schooling!!

[Richard W]

according to your twisted logic - climbing a small hill is easier than climbing a tall mountain!!

I simply do not know how you come to your conclusion that a language with just 21 consonants, 5 vowels,no special witing rules, no tone rules, whereby the vowels are fitted into the word only, 1 class of consonant, all of the letters are very simple characters, having gaps between the words etc: can be simpler than a language that has 44 consonants, 32 vowels, many special writing rules, 5 tones for pronunciation dependant on the tone marks, consonant class, whether they have live or dead endings plus short or long vowels, vowels appear all around the letters, 3 classes of consonant (low high and mid), no gaps between the words in a sentence etc:

Clearly you believe that the initial teaching alphabet (i.t.a.) was thoroughly ill-conceived! My parents, who had to teach using it, found that though it got children reading and writing quicker, it's big drawback was the time taken to progress to Traditional Orthography (T.O.).

English has more than just 21 consonants and 5 vowels. It has many digraphs, a few trigraphs and the occasional tetragraphs. Counting the (irregular) length rules as discontinuous digraphs, we have in your first paragraph:

a (context rule: class)

age (language)

al (all)

c (context rule: sentence)

ch (characters)

ci (special)

ea (dead)

ea (appear)

ee (between)

el (vowels)

er (simpler)

ere (where)

gu (language)

i_e (writing, live)

igh (high)

o_e (do, to, tones)

o_e (consonant, only)

om (come)

ou (around)

wor (word)

ow (know, low)

ow (how, vowels)

ou (your - and probably a trigraph <our> for British English)

si (conclusion)

th (with, the, than, whether)

u_e (conclusion, rules)

wh (where, whether)

y_e (whereby)

wh (whereby)

I've ignored the silent letters, as Thai has implicitly silent letters as well. I've also ignored vowel slurring, and a few other issues.

You chose the wrong 4 by the way as I much prefer tor tong, tor toong, tor pootow and tor taharn!!

And you can add tho than and tho montho.

[SICHONSTEVE]

according to your twisted logic - climbing a small hill is easier than climbing a tall mountain!!

I simply do not know how you come to your conclusion that a language with just 21 consonants, 5 vowels,no special witing rules, no tone rules, whereby the vowels are fitted into the word only, 1 class of consonant, all of the letters are very simple characters, having gaps between the words etc: can be simpler than a language that has 44 consonants, 32 vowels, many special writing rules, 5 tones for pronunciation dependant on the tone marks, consonant class, whether they have live or dead endings plus short or long vowels, vowels appear all around the letters, 3 classes of consonant (low high and mid), no gaps between the words in a sentence etc:

Clearly you believe that the initial teaching alphabet (i.t.a.) was thoroughly ill-conceived! My parents, who had to teach using it, found that though it got children reading and writing quicker, it's big drawback was the time taken to progress to Traditional Orthography (T.O.).

English has more than just 21 consonants and 5 vowels. It has many digraphs, a few trigraphs and the occasional tetragraphs. Counting the (irregular) length rules as discontinuous digraphs, we have in your first paragraph:

a (context rule: class)

age (language)

al (all)

c (context rule: sentence)

ch (characters)

ci (special)

ea (dead)

ea (appear)

ee (between)

el (vowels)

er (simpler)

ere (where)

gu (language)

i_e (writing, live)

igh (high)

o_e (do, to, tones)

o_e (consonant, only)

om (come)

ou (around)

wor (word)

ow (know, low)

ow (how, vowels)

ou (your - and probably a trigraph <our> for British English)

si (conclusion)

th (with, the, than, whether)

u_e (conclusion, rules)

wh (where, whether)

y_e (whereby)

wh (whereby)

I've ignored the silent letters, as Thai has implicitly silent letters as well. I've also ignored vowel slurring, and a few other issues.

You chose the wrong 4 by the way as I much prefer tor tong, tor toong, tor pootow and tor taharn!!

And you can add tho than and tho montho.

Wow I'm impressed!!

However, what I am talking about is normal reading though (to the point of understanding text) and not to degree, or PhD standard!!

Then there is the simplicity of the 26 characters (26 only note).

Yes, I forgot the foundation and giant's wife - just proves that this is a better choice as I have 6 against his 4!!

[Somtamnication]

I so confew,

[SICHONSTEVE]

I so confew,

Best way to be.