Thailand lagging behind in English

[willyumiii]

All my students can repeat well. If you ask the entire class (p6) "how are you today". They all reply " I'm fine thank you and you?".

But if you ask one of these students separately the same question, you get a blank stare. Surreal.

Once 2015 comes around and they see Asean citizens taking over their hospitality and customer centre jobs, they may, just may, wake up.

But I doubt it.

Just about any Thai can regurgitate "I am fine thank you, and you?"

Few even understand what they are saying, they just mimic the sounds.

When I was teaching English I tried very hard to get them to respond differently to the question " How are you?"

" I'm good. How are you?" " I am doing well, thank you." or even " not good today, sorry." anything but "I am fine thank you, and you?"!!

Then one day I had the thought, Why even teach such a stupid question or greeting??

" How are you?"

Does anyone really care how you are when they ask this?

Do they care?

Do they want an honest answer?

No!

I started to teach other greetings...

"Hello!"

" It is good to see you!"

even an informal "Hi!"

But......

I had to choke one day when a British expat criticized me and said that a Thai student/ children greeting someone with "Hi!" was way too informal and disrespectful.

I told her I would advise my students to avoid ever going to Briton if possible!

Thais do not care about learning English.

When money is allocated to improve the quality of teaching and teachers, the money is juggles around and used for field trips, sport activities, pretty statues of Buddha, just about anything that looks good or is fun to do

.It will be interesting to see the reaction when other ASEAN countries " invade " Thailand and take over the good jobs they are better prepared to do than the Thais who have lolly gagged and wasted time and money for al of these years!

[bigbamboo]

Can I like this three times?

[socksy01]

I think here Gooder Grammar is teached upstairs

[skorchio]

But they're not lagging behind in sanuk are they? Would you rather be fluent in a foreign language or be happy?

I think it is spelled 'sanook' .....

[cbluck58]

Not again please !!

[penwithcris]

Thailand's average IQ has been assessed as 91 (100 being average IQ) which is very low when compared with other Asian countries Hong Kong 107 South Korea 106 Japan 105 Taiwan 104 Singapore 103 and so on

Interestingly the United States is of below average intelligence scoring 98 as are their neighbours Canada 97

I think the whistle blowing and paper tearing of the opposing protesters rather underlines Thailand's low intelligence quotient as does the actions of students of a leading University signing a petition en masse to have one of their fellow students expelled.

Can't see this happening in any other developed country in the World

[belg]

thaailan, angrit no need

evelybod sapeek thai

thalaan numba oean

[crazydrummerpauly]

But they're not lagging behind in sanuk are they? Would you rather be fluent in a foreign language or be happy?

But they are not happy are they ? Sometimes manic, or hysterical, or happy-drunk...but really happy ? I don't see it.

[jinners]

3rd in highest number of traffic fatalities -- but perhaps 1st if being counted properly per WHO standards (extremely hazardous roads)

55th of 60 in English as a non-native language (very poor english ability)

103rd Human Development Index (lower than world average of human development which paints a much better picture than GDP per capita) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index

68th Human Development Index adjusted for inequality (high inequality, worse than Venezuela, for example) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_inequality-adjusted_HDI

Not Ranked in top 50 for anticipated Human Development Index by 2030 or even 2050 (perhaps not even moving in the correct direction) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_future_Human_Development_Index_projections_of_the_United_Nations

World's most dangerous country for British, American & Australian travellers. (generally and disproportionately dangerous for certain tourists)

135th for press freedom (very low freedom) http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2013,1054.html

Prevalent child prostitution (very poor morality) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_tourism

Most politically unstable (more coups than any other country in recent history)

PaullyW I'm guessing you're reporting this from the comfort and safety of Canada? Wouldn't want to live in a hell hole like that would you?

[123thaibourbon]

simple, start by having the CORRECT closed captions for all TV programs in English. RTG sponsor a PBS, BBC, NHK, DW, Al J type channels w/ 24/7 broadcasts of Sesame Street et al. Many young Thais still do not own the devices or have service for reliable internet feeds or access to Lido, MBK ac movie houses per se. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Korat 25 yrs ago, I can remember very limited English programs on a handful of govt channels w/ restricted schedules. The weekly 9pm Tom & Jerry or Popeye cartoon was often mistranslated and rather violent but comical.. hmmmmm please humor me again, was not PM Thaksin involved with an extensive effort to provide mass media to remote parts of The Kingdom..?? ps seen reports that alot of TV is watched in Thailand, ranking at the top in Asia at least. all the more reason to rebuild this 'galloping Gertie' bridge to the 21st century. Or as Tom Tuttle from Tacoma Washington said it best, 'trapped in a tiger trap by a tiger, this could be a setback'.

Edited December 16, 2013 by 123thaibourbon

[ratcatcher]

But they're not lagging behind in sanuk are they? Would you rather be fluent in a foreign language or be happy?

I think it is spelled 'sanook' .....

Sanuk , sanook or Sir Nook, it doesn't really matter, all are correct to reasonably reproduce the sound of the spoken Thai word. It is merely transliterated.

Suvarnabhumi is pronounced as Suwanapoom yet the transliteration sounds like Soo var na boo me.

I am sure a linguistics expert will be along soon to clarify.

Happy too mutt.

[farangbanok]

It is interesting to mote that in England some schools are now banning local dialect, not only for teaching but also for conversations between students

If yo cor spayke proppa yo cor tek the exam

[Briggsy]

When will the average Thai use, actually use to communicate, English, or indeed any other language other than Thai or its dialects or close relatives, Isaan, Lanna, etc.?

Hardly ever, if not never, is the answer.

Until this situation changes, Thailand will remain bottom of the list.

[NongKhaiKid]

This topic comes up every two weeks. When you have Thais who can't speak English teaching the language then the kids aren't going to learn. It is like farangs who don't speak thai teaching thai. My son's English teacher at a previous school couldn't speak English even tho she had graduated as an English teacher.

Unfortunately here ' graduated ' is a relative term.

[farangbanok]

simple, start by having the CORRECT closed captions for all TV programs in English.

Might help to sack the technicians at a certain Cable TV company in Khon Kaen who insist on selecting Thai language on English language movies and changing the subtitles from English to Thai also.

Must be something about not losing face when they cannot read the English!

[DocN]

Excuse me, but doesn't the term "News" imply, there is something "new" to report...?!

[123thaibourbon]

All my students can repeat well. If you ask the entire class (p6) "how are you today". They all reply " I'm fine thank you and you?".

But if you ask one of these students separately the same question, you get a blank stare. Surreal.

Once 2015 comes around and they see Asean citizens taking over their hospitality and customer centre jobs, they may, just may, wake up.

But I doubt it.

Just about any Thai can regurgitate "I am fine thank you, and you?"

Few even understand what they are saying, they just mimic the sounds.

When I was teaching English I tried very hard to get them to respond differently to the question " How are you?"

" I'm good. How are you?" " I am doing well, thank you." or even " not good today, sorry." anything but "I am fine thank you, and you?"!!

Then one day I had the thought, Why even teach such a stupid question or greeting??

" How are you?"

Does anyone really care how you are when they ask this?

Do they care?

Do they want an honest answer?

No!

I started to teach other greetings...

"Hello!"

" It is good to see you!"

even an informal "Hi!"

But......

I had to choke one day when a British expat criticized me and said that a Thai student/ children greeting someone with "Hi!" was way too informal and disrespectful.

I told her I would advise my students to avoid ever going to Briton if possible!

Thais do not care about learning English.

When money is allocated to improve the quality of teaching and teachers, the money is juggles around and used for field trips, sport activities, pretty statues of Buddha, just about anything that looks good or is fun to do

.It will be interesting to see the reaction when other ASEAN countries " invade " Thailand and take over the good jobs they are better prepared to do than the Thais who have lolly gagged and wasted time and money for al of these years!

if an ASEAN Free Trade Zone ever comes to pass, the vibrant & young people of The PI will run the board literally. They are willing to go anywhere & do almost anything to earn an honest living and have become a global workforce bar none.

[Local Drunk]

But they're not lagging behind in sanuk are they? Would you rather be fluent in a foreign language or be happy?

I think it is spelled 'sanook' .....

Sanuk , sanook or Sir Nook, it doesn't really matter, all are correct to reasonably reproduce the sound of the spoken Thai word. It is merely transliterated.

Suvarnabhumi is pronounced as Suwanapoom yet the transliteration sounds like Soo var na boo me.

I am sure a linguistics expert will be along soon to clarify.

Happy too mutt.

They like their names to look elegant is the basic answer. It would take me writing a book to explain this, but I'll give you an example. A few years back we had a kindergarten teacher from the UK who wrote up reports on a student named Khao... which he wrote as Cow, and that made the parents very angry because they knew in English what a cow was. Now had they named their daughter Rice then the whole matter could have been avoided.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Local Drunk

[123thaibourbon]

Walking into a classroom does not make one a teacher and neither does a BA in English or any other study qualify one to teach ESL or any other discipline. Teaching is an art that paints the canvas of confusion with an image of understanding, inspiration, curiosity and individual thought...

Some of the worst teachers I've seen here have been those with the most formal education. They rest on their laurels and books, and preach their lessons rather than teach, so their students learn to fill in the blank correctly but they haven't a clue as to what the sentence means.

Some of the best I've seen are those who are self taught because they've learned to think for themselves and that's knowledge that no degree can share.

I'll rant about the system later...

Goooood Mmmmooornnn i nnnngggg Thailand! or rather Aaaarrruuuunnn Saaaawwwwwannnn....!

Edited December 16, 2013 by 123thaibourbon

[12DrinkMore]

55 out of 60???

That's almost 92%

Excellent passing score.

Carry on.

[123thaibourbon]

English skills: 55th in the world

Deaths on the road: 3rd in the world

Thailand, you're doing it wrong.

and crazy on both counts as charged..

[Hecate]

When I was in Vietnam I used to eat breakfast at the same place every day. Some kids noticed this and began chatting me up. One day one of them brought her English book and asked me to help her with it. I did and soon there were eight or nine kids every day waiting for me at the restaurant. I had some materials so we had informal lessons every day. If I did this in Thailand, I would have been arrested and deported.

[12DrinkMore]

When I was in Vietnam I used to eat breakfast at the same place every day. Some kids noticed this and began chatting me up. One day one of them brought her English book and asked me to help her with it. I did and soon there were eight or nine kids every day waiting for me at the restaurant. I had some materials so we had informal lessons every day. If I did this in Thailand, I would have been arrested and deported.

Only if some self-righteous fellow Farang decided to report you.

[123thaibourbon]

Thailand #1 TV watching, peaks during the hot, very hot & hot/rainy season and cool season too..http://www.aneki.com/watch_tv.html?order=desc&orderby=table_watch_tv.name&number=all

[NeverSure]

Once 2015 comes around and they see Asean citizens taking over their hospitality and customer centre jobs, they may, just may, wake up.

They wont. Do you want to know what will happen? They will blame the new workers for stealing their jobs and you'll probably start seeing violence against them.

You're probably right, but I have never seen Thailand fitting into this Asean deal. Every Thai I know believes that the Thai way is best, and that Thailand is best.

Are they really going to give up their "reserved for Thais" and work permit rules? Are they really going to let other peoples just waltz in and take Thai jobs? Are they ever going to see that they are behind? Even if Asean is a wake-up call, it would take at least a generation and a complete shift in paradigm for Thailand to catch up. Just cross the border to the much poorer Cambodia and see how much real English is spoken. They are way ahead, and have cab drivers who could work the phones in international commerce.

All I have ever seen is "It's the Thai way or the highway" and I think in the end Thailand will balk at the Asean rules and remain behind and aloof.

[Hecate]

Walking into a classroom does not make one a teacher and neither does a BA in English or any other study qualify one to teach ESL or any other discipline. Teaching is an art that paints the canvas of confusion with an image of understanding, inspiration, curiosity and individual thought...

Some of the worst teachers I've seen here have been those with the most formal education. They rest on their laurels and books, and preach their lessons rather than teach, so their students learn to fill in the blank correctly but they haven't a clue as to what the sentence means.

Some of the best I've seen are those who are self taught because they've learned to think for themselves and that's knowledge that no degree can share.

I'll rant about the system later...

They're not mutually exclusive, my friend. I have a BA in English, a couple of TESL certificates, and I'm a creative, popular, hard-working teacher who gets excellent results. Some of the worst, most arrogant teachers I have run into are the self-taught variety who think they care more about teaching than someone who has invested time and money in proper training. If you had a degree you would know that getting one involves plenty of independent thinking, and that teaching involves a lot more than filling in blanks.

[trainman34014]

Oh Dear; all the words that Thai's hate are in this report....'Excellence', 'Continuity, 'Sincerity', 'Accountability', 'Responsibility'.....There will not be a positive reaction to any prompting like this that's for sure.

[Spare]

What is worst?

Don't speak English well (example Thailand Japan China)? or Don't even have a national language of your own (example Singapore)?

Edited December 16, 2013 by Spare

[thailien8]

When I was in Vietnam I used to eat breakfast at the same place every day. Some kids noticed this and began chatting me up. One day one of them brought her English book and asked me to help her with it. I did and soon there were eight or nine kids every day waiting for me at the restaurant. I had some materials so we had informal lessons every day. If I did this in Thailand, I would have been arrested and deported.

I think this is a big part of what Thailand is doing wrong. I taught English in classrooms in Bangkok for twelve years, but some of my best teaching experiences were in less formal settings, as you described above.

Now I'm too "old" to teach anymore, so I live in Thailand on a retirement visa, which forbids me from working, or even volunteering. I would be happy to do any kind of English teaching for a few hours a week, for money or not; but I dare not because I sure don't want to lose my visa.

There may be others like me who would like to help Thais improve their English, if only they were allowed to.

[flyingdoc]

In the 27 years I have been coming to Thailand, I have noticed a very great decline in the ability to speak English. So many of the posts are correct. Corruption abounds, but there is also a feeling of 'jingoism' and lack of any need to speak a foreign language in what is, after all, their own country! What impact entry to ASEAN will make , should soon be clear to see, but I agree that it will probably lead to acute resentment!