Thai students poor in math, science and reading

[Dap]

Who needs maths when you have an iPhone with a calculator.

Which they don't seem to use either

[biggles45]

The Thai students most probably did not complete the exam papers....they were waiting for someone to give them the answers !!

[Mackie]

Yes, this is pretty sure. But they are also poor in history, geography, map, time or any basic skills.

BUT THIS IS NOT THEIR MISTAKE. "they" keep them in dark, that is easier.

dear high educated yellow mob, what is your opinion in this case ???

So now you would bring politics into Thai schools? Leave politics out of schools. By the way, Abhisit was the only PM who actually tried to do something about it and started some sort of reform which was subsequently abandoned even though it was benefiting Thai schools and students in general.

[phantomfiddler]

Bottom of the pile in education and on top in corruption. There is a correlation.

Read "The Politics of Poverty" and you will see that keeping the general public as poorly educated as possible is good for the ruling class, and is an intended side effect of keeping power over them. An educated population can easily see through what the government is up to, and can vote more responsibly, definitely a no-no for the current administration.

[ginjag]

Apparently 1.7 million tablet computers distributed this year did not help

After 2 years + where is the rest of the order ????? How many of the privileged kids that received them still use them, how many are broken and who mends them ?? how were they paid for ??? initially. are the rest when they are delivered will be paid for with rice ???.

When I was at school we had our own classroom for near all lessons, the teacher moved. Here in so many cases classes are moving rooms, just crazy, time wasted. Too many are stuck in a room because of no teachers ( as they have staff meetings During school hours) not caring for the student.

These are everyday happenings, too much sport time, and too many school holiday days per year. In general classes are boring, teachers telling to open books at a certain page and begin to read, until the end of the lesson, there are some exceptions but not many.

[Scott]

There are 7 family members selling the daily items in a shop nearby where I live. One graduate of a high school and one studied IT at an university. They work in the shop for 4 years now. None of them is capable to tell you the price of a pack of cigarettes (66 baht) and a can of Leo beer (35 baht) without a calculator. I have never seen any of them reading a newspaper. When it comes to "science" - they turn off the fridges over night to save electricity...

Would that qualify them to announce another hub?

I have run into this before, but I found out that the lady wasn't able to say the sum in English, so she put it on the calculator so she could show it to me.

Oh, and I took a fair amount of math all the way through University, but I am pretty much totally dependent on a calculator these days. I tried to do a simple division problem -- finding out how many kilometers per liter of petrol. I couldn't remember how to do it by hand!! I finally got it done, but it's been many years since I had done and the simple mechanics of dividing (with two decimals) was quite a challenge.

And yes, some folks are just bad at math.

[culicine]

The Thai students most probably did not complete the exam papers....they were waiting for someone to give them the answers !!

Most probably finished in 5 minutes as it's multiple choice:)

I've even had students think my multiple part question was multiple choice. They didn't even read the questions. Suffice to say they didn't do very well:)

[culicine]

Who needs maths when you have an iPhone with a calculator.

Go to shop buy something for ฿48 give young girl ฿100.

Girl gets calculator out to workout change !!!!!!!! <deleted>

I find this astounding, as Thai schools ban the use of calculators even to the final year of high school, and even in some university programs. So these kids should be adept at doing basic additions and subtractions in their head, especially in a shop where they would be doing that all day.

Non-use of calculators in schools also tells you a lot about the style and content of what is learned in schools here. The study of calculus is minimal and severely impedes the study of logarithms/trigonometry, etc.

[chooka]

Here is few sample questions of PISA math test . I think those are good way to test the ability to use the math skills.

http://www.oecd.org/pisa/test/form/

Yea well that is a hard question and you only get to choose between 4 possible answers.

Where is option E - Call a friend.

[Rorri]

petertucker48, on 05 Dec 2013 - 10:56, said:

hansgruber, on 05 Dec 2013 - 06:17, said:

Who needs maths when you have an iPhone with a calculator.

Go to shop buy something for ฿48 give young girl ฿100.

Girl gets calculator out to workout change !!!!!!!! <deleted>

Many of my Thai family and friends are still stunned by me being able to do maths mentally, they simply are not taught mental arithmetic, hence they reach for the calculator.

[gemini81]

petertucker48, on 05 Dec 2013 - 10:56, said:

hansgruber, on 05 Dec 2013 - 06:17, said:

Who needs maths when you have an iPhone with a calculator.

Go to shop buy something for ฿48 give young girl ฿100.

Girl gets calculator out to workout change !!!!!!!! <deleted>

Many of my Thai family and friends are still stunned by me being able to do maths mentally, they simply are not taught mental arithmetic, hence they reach for the calculator.

Tell me about it...every day at the coffee shop, this bird gets my 100 baht bill to buy a 25 baht black coffee. For 2 straight months now she has whipped out the calculator, despite my pointing out the change and the...you know, consistent pattern of 75 baht change.... <deleted>?!

Edited December 6, 2013 by gemini81

[ginjag]

petertucker48, on 05 Dec 2013 - 10:56, said:

hansgruber, on 05 Dec 2013 - 06:17, said:

Who needs maths when you have an iPhone with a calculator.

Go to shop buy something for ฿48 give young girl ฿100.

Girl gets calculator out to workout change !!!!!!!! <deleted>

Many of my Thai family and friends are still stunned by me being able to do maths mentally, they simply are not taught mental arithmetic, hence they reach for the calculator.

Tell me about it...every day at the coffee shop, this bird gets my 100 baht bill to buy a 25 baht black coffee. For 2 straight months now she has whipped out the calculator, despite my pointing out the change and the...you know, consistent pattern of 75 baht change.... <deleted>?!

They have to do it -they always do it-and always will do it, I could smack em across the kisser, half brain dead (bless em) sometimes they resemble robots for all walks of life are in a time warp. programmed - they are brill with texts-remotes-games-music, so the brain is there but not activated at school for the basics in life.

[stedyedy]

Not much learning going on in Thai schools. I wonder if the scores were inflated by using students from International schools

I reckon its more to do with the fact that they aint that interested in it,I drive heavy machines and ive never had to use much academics for the job its just what ive always been (interested)in.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[attrayant]

When I applied for a teaching position, the school director saw that my degree was in electrical engineering. "Oh great, you can teach math and science!"

And thus it came to pass.

Sadly for the students, my school provides nothing in the science classroom other than four walls, a floor, ceiling and projector. There is absolutely nothing to touch, nothing to experiment with. No glass beakers. No magnets. No educational generators. Every bit of science is taught as pure theory only, which is a huge disservice to the students. Science is learned partly by theory, but largely by kinesthetic exposure. Kids learn things by touching, examining and experimenting.

I try my best to put together an entertaining slide show for each topic, complete with embedded videos showing certain phenomena such as Lenz's Law but it would be so much more interesting for the students if they could actually hold the magnet and copper bar and experience the effect first hand. To a young curious mind that has never experienced Lenz's Law before, it's just this side of magic.

I'm thankful that I saved a trunk full of sciency-type objects from my college years - some ingots of lead, aluminum, copper, a small vial of mercury, gauss meters, Leidenfrost jars, and so on. But it's a shame that the school seems not to know what a science classroom should be equipped with.

As for the math, I was given a syllabus containing standard topics you might expect for high school: algebra, trig, plane and solid geometry, etc. All of them quite easy to teach but I soon discovered that the students lacked a basic understanding of fundamental arithmetic! Exponents, squares, number theory, simple equalities - so many of them simply had no idea. I had to spend so much time teaching them the basics that we never really got to the level where the syllabus expects us to be.

So the problem with math seems to be that the students - at least MY students - either did not develop an understanding of simple arithmetic functions when they were expected to. As for science, the school doesn't seem to care since all they've given me is a bald classroom to teach it in.

[Robby nz]

Went fishing down at the river this morning and two school kids in school scout uniforms came along, about 12 or 14 I guess.

One asked me in Thai if I spoke Thai, I gave the stock answer nid noi, very little.

Then I asked , in Thai , if they learnt English at school, they both nodded and one said "My name is Jaeb"

I asked them a couple of simple questions in English, "Where is your school and what class are you in"

They looked at each other blankly then one said "Money"

I told them in English then Thai if they wanted money they should work for it.

That would appear to be the combined extent of their English.

Don't know why they thought a farang would give them money.

Perhaps they are planning a career as beggars.

[Johpa]

Who needs maths when you have an iPhone with a calculator.

Uh, it is pretty hard to find a decent job in the market workplace without basic math skills that extend beyond doing elementary school arithmetic on a calculator. For a deeper exploration of the subject, for those few here on ThaiVisa who can handle math beyond using a calculator or who can read beyond a simple post here or a tweet there, I suggest reading the recent book by journalist Amnda Ripley, The Smartest Kids in the World:and How They Got That Way. Although aimed at improving PISA scores in the US, the lessons can easily applied to Thailand and elsewhere.

Bottom of the pile in education and on top in corruption. There is a correlation.

The correlation is on income inequality. Both medicore education and corruption, correlate with income inequality, as do most societal woes. Again, for those few here who can read a book, I suggest The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger by Pickett and Wilkinson.

[h90]

Who needs maths when you have an iPhone with a calculator.

Uh, it is pretty hard to find a decent job in the market workplace without basic math skills that extend beyond doing elementary school arithmetic on a calculator. For a deeper exploration of the subject, for those few here on ThaiVisa who can handle math beyond using a calculator or who can read beyond a simple post here or a tweet there, I suggest reading the recent book by journalist Amnda Ripley, The Smartest Kids in the World:and How They Got That Way. Although aimed at improving PISA scores in the US, the lessons can easily applied to Thailand and elsewhere.

Bottom of the pile in education and on top in corruption. There is a correlation.

The correlation is on income inequality. Both medicore education and corruption, correlate with income inequality, as do most societal woes. Again, for those few here who can read a book, I suggest The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger by Pickett and Wilkinson.

I saw in my staff very little interest to know why things are the way they are. So school must have done a perfect job in training them to not ask any questions. Learn the way it is told but don't think don't ask....

Beside one who learned in a temple.

The point to get the people asking questions and get curious seems non existing in the educational system

[anotheruser]

This news is hardly shocking. Wonder how much money was spent to come to this conclusion?

[anotheruser]

Piss-poor in reasoning/logic as well. But, who cares. The girls are stunning.

Is that the reason you can pull one in? If so not too shabby.

[anotheruser]

Bottom of the pile in education and on top in corruption. There is a correlation.

I am going to surmise that it means that you can be utterly stupid and still get paid?

[trogers]

Bottom of the pile in education and on top in corruption. There is a correlation.

I am going to surmise that it means that you can be utterly stupid and still get paid?

Yes, all you need to do is to buy a degree or even a doctorate.

[stedyedy]

Not much learning going on in Thai schools. I wonder if the scores were inflated by using students from International schools

I reckon its more to do with the fact that they aint that interested in it,I drive heavy machines and ive never had to use much academics for the job its just what ive always been (interested)in although i was smart all through my school years and got school cert I still havent even used qauter of what was taught in everyday life when was the last time you used used calculis or algebra in real worl situations im 28 yrs old and dont even remember half that was taught to me and thats why I think the education systems a big frauding joke for a bunch of pedantic know it alls to be little the young ones and mould you into there way of doing things pfft pleeassee.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Edited December 7, 2013 by stedyedy

[trogers]

Not much learning going on in Thai schools. I wonder if the scores were inflated by using students from International schools

I reckon its more to do with the fact that they aint that interested in it,I drive heavy machines and ive never had to use much academics for the job its just what ive always been (interested)in although i was smart all through my school years and got school cert I still havent even used qauter of what was taught in everyday life when was the last time you used used calculis or algebra in real worl situations im 28 yrs old and dont even remember half that was taught to me and thats why I think the education systems a big frauding joke for a bunch of pedantic know it alls to be little the young ones and mould you into there way of doing things pfft pleeassee.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

One does not need to use much of the knowledge gain from education when doing menial work...

[stedyedy]

Not much learning going on in Thai schools. I wonder if the scores were inflated by using students from International schools

I reckon its more to do with the fact that they aint that interested in it,I drive heavy machines and ive never had to use much academics for the job its just what ive always been (interested)in although i was smart all through my school years and got school cert I still havent even used qauter of what was taught in everyday life when was the last time you used used calculis or algebra in real worl situations im 28 yrs old and dont even remember half that was taught to me and thats why I think the education systems a big frauding joke for a bunch of pedantic know it alls to be little the young ones and mould you into there way of doing things pfft pleeassee.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

One does not need to use much of the knowledge gain from education when doing menial work...

Well unless your a rocket scientist its all menial and i take it you aint and know one really cares anyway fact is those people are there to stay haha.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Edited December 8, 2013 by stedyedy

[trogers]

Not much learning going on in Thai schools. I wonder if the scores were inflated by using students from International schools

I reckon its more to do with the fact that they aint that interested in it,I drive heavy machines and ive never had to use much academics for the job its just what ive always been (interested)in although i was smart all through my school years and got school cert I still havent even used qauter of what was taught in everyday life when was the last time you used used calculis or algebra in real worl situations im 28 yrs old and dont even remember half that was taught to me and thats why I think the education systems a big frauding joke for a bunch of pedantic know it alls to be little the young ones and mould you into there way of doing things pfft pleeassee.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

One does not need to use much of the knowledge gain from education when doing menial work...

Well unless your a rocket scientist its all menial and i take it you aint and know one really cares anyway fact is those people are there to stay haha.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Basic math have saved lives in everyday situations. Pilots of planes that lost all engine power have no onboard computer to help them, and have to rely on working out glide slopes, speed and altitude on paper to estimate time of crashing and then choosing best landing spots, etc. They aren't rocket scientists either...

[stedyedy]

Not much learning going on in Thai schools. I wonder if the scores were inflated by using students from International schools

I reckon its more to do with the fact that they aint that interested in it,I drive heavy machines and ive never had to use much academics for the job its just what ive always been (interested)in although i was smart all through my school years and got school cert I still havent even used qauter of what was taught in everyday life when was the last time you used used calculis or algebra in real worl situations im 28 yrs old and dont even remember half that was taught to me and thats why I think the education systems a big frauding joke for a bunch of pedantic know it alls to be little the young ones and mould you into there way of doing things pfft pleeassee.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

One does not need to use much of the knowledge gain from education when doing menial work...

Well unless your a rocket scientist its all menial and i take it you aint and know one really cares anyway fact is those people are there to stay haha.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Basic math have saved lives in everyday situations. Pilots of planes that lost all engine power have no onboard computer to help them, and have to rely on working out glide slopes, speed and altitude on paper to estimate time of crashing and then choosing best landing spots, etc. They aren't rocket scientists either...

Stop it experience and flight time would of been 90 percent the reason not stupid figures,scientist have conducted tests with monkeys flying jet simulators with success you comparing those pilots with them also.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Edited December 8, 2013 by stedyedy