Learn Thai language in a class with other Farang

[thaisail]

I hear a rumor that there is now a school in Phuket Town or Chalong that has enough students to for a class for Farang to learn Thai. There are plenty of schools in Chiang Mai that do this. I cannot afford private lessons and I am desperate to learn Thai. If you or any one you know has the same situation, please contact me so that I can for a group to reduce the cost of Thai lessons. Chalong preferred.

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[phuketsub]

If you want to learn Thai, the best way is to try and teach Thai kids English; you can get paid for it too. I spent a lot of time and wasted a lot of money before I figured that one out.

[NamKangMan]

If you want to learn Thai, the best way is to try and teach Thai kids English; you can get paid for it too. I spent a lot of time and wasted a lot of money before I figured that one out.

How much do the Thai kids charge for a lesson?

[phuketsub]

If you want to learn Thai, the best way is to try and teach Thai kids English; you can get paid for it too. I spent a lot of time and wasted a lot of money before I figured that one out.

How much do the Thai kids charge for a lesson?

I am serious. When I was in Bangkok in the late 80s, early 90s, I studied "natural approach" (focus on listening) at AUA in Bangkok for almost a year, but the presence of so many other foreigners at different understanding/concentration/interest levels was a major problem.. When my funds started to run out I started teaching kids English, and I found that situation was the perfect replacement for what the AUA "natural" approach was trying to achieve artificially...As for the question "How much do the Thai kids charge for a lesson?", I feel like I was always very professional about it and seldom if ever spoke to them in Thai while teaching...I still do believe the key is listening -- and patience.

[NamKangMan]

If you want to learn Thai, the best way is to try and teach Thai kids English; you can get paid for it too. I spent a lot of time and wasted a lot of money before I figured that one out.

How much do the Thai kids charge for a lesson?

I am serious. When I was in Bangkok in the late 80s, early 90s, I studied "natural approach" (focus on listening) at AUA in Bangkok for almost a year, but the presence of so many other foreigners at different understanding/concentration/interest levels was a major problem.. When my funds started to run out I started teaching kids English, and I found that situation was the perfect replacement for what the AUA "natural" approach was trying to achieve artificially...As for the question "How much do the Thai kids charge for a lesson?", I feel like I was always very professional about it and seldom if ever spoke to them in Thai while teaching...I still do believe the key is listening -- and patience.

"I found that situation was the perfect replacement for what the AUA "natural" approach was trying to achieve artificially." - I have the same experience with bar girls.

Apparently, my Thai / Issan / Lao is quite good.

Edited December 30, 2013 by NamKangMan

[Neeranam]

If you want to learn Thai, the best way is to try and teach Thai kids English; you can get paid for it too. I spent a lot of time and wasted a lot of money before I figured that one out.

This is not the best way, there are many other better ways.

IMO, the best way is total immersion. Find friends who can't speak any English. Don't get a Thai teacher that can speak good English.

[horsewell]

If you want to learn to speak Thai you need to speak it everyday. You need to have a number of people that you speak to that will not get too used to your mistakes and that will try and correct you, most people will not correct you if they know what you are saying. Also, if you have a good vocabulary building program with audio you will be able to at the very least know what people are saying and be able to read Thai script (transliteration is practically useless outside of "farang" message boards and there is so many styles that it would be like learning 10 different written languages). However, many vocabulary programs use formal language, have mistakes and much of the material is irrelevant to daily life.

The problem with being in a class situation is that most people aren't really interested in learning (much) Thai and most group classes I have been in people will revert to (mainly) English when other students want to express themselves. It is really something that the teacher should manage.

Walen Phuket is in Chalong (I asked about a course once but they didn't seem too interested, maybe you will have more luck).

[MacWalen]

Walen Phuket is in Chalong (I asked about a course once but they didn't seem too interested, maybe you will have more luck).

Horsewell, I am very sorry to hear you have had a bad experience at Walen. This is certainly not the culture of our school and we are certainly interested in students learning at Walen and making progress. Must have been just a very rare occurrence.

For those who would like to start learning Thai for free Walen school has made an app for Android and iPhone. It works very well for beginners. Enjoy!

[phuketsub]

If you want to learn Thai, the best way is to try and teach Thai kids English; you can get paid for it too. I spent a lot of time and wasted a lot of money before I figured that one out.

This is not the best way, there are many other better ways.

IMO, the best way is total immersion. Find friends who can't speak any English. Don't get a Thai teacher that can speak good English.

Being surrounded by seven or eight kids is as close to total immersion as one is likely to get, and the fact that they speak simply and emphatically makes it a lot easier than when studying with a single adult teacher...after a while you can graduate to lakhon (soap operas)...One warning, however: teaching a "mainstream" class with 30-50 kids is just a recipe for a migraine, at least in my experience...