Compulsory Reading/Writing for ED Visa

[trigger571]

I've just come back from my language school and we have been informed that the immigration is now requiring all ED Visa holders to have a compulsory test in not only conversation but also reading and writing.

As usual there was little clarification as to when this will start or how long you would need to be attending. When I asked my teacher he said it "probably" only is for intermediate's and advanced but that the school will start the writing for all classes as of next lesson!

[jackoholly]

Don't panic. It's just an issue with immigration. It really isn't that hard, and just practising with the school will help a great deal. I've done it over 3 months and in fluent in reading and writing.

[Seligne2]

Three months and you can read a Thai newspaper?

[Pattaya46]

Three months and you can read a Thai newspaper?

Not a long time that you are on this forum, but with a bit more time you will see that

many members here are genius in trading, investment, languages, and many other subjects too...

I wonder why I am still here, I am a zero in everything

[kevvy]

Three months and you can read a Thai newspaper?

Not a long time that you are on this forum, but with a bit more time you will see that

many members here are genius in trading, investment, languages, and many other subjects too...

I wonder why I am still here, I am a zero in everything

And dont forget the navy seals, commando's secret service .. they are all here

[jackoholly]

Three months and I'm fluent in reading. I can't understand what it means because that involves learning vocabulary intensively and anyway over time is something you'd pick up anyway.

[Seligne2]

OK, after 3 months you can sound out words. That in itself is an impressive accomplishment and you are to be congratulated for it. But I would not describe that as "fluent in reading."

[jackoholly]

Maybe 'fluent in understanding' would be more appropriate. Getting the tones correct is the hardest part.

[Fab5BKK]

Really impressed! Becoming fluent after 3 months!

I studied Chinese (Mandarin) during 4 years and I won't consider myself as fluent.

BTW, my academic records include 2 masters (Law & Business) and my 1st language isn't English...

Maybe 'fluent in understanding' would be more appropriate. Getting the tones correct is the hardest part.

[puchooay]

Actually I was about the same. After 3 months I could read just about anything in Thai, but was not able to understand the meaning.

Learning to read Thai language is quite easy to do.

I learned at the school where I was teaching.

During a free period, and with the permission of the teacher who was taking the class at the time, I would sit at the back of the classroom with the 5 year old students as they were having a Thai lesson.

[Rumblecat]

Trigger, don't sweat it. It's an easier language to read that you'd think, and showing a basic understanding of it- even if flawed- is what immigration will be looking for- evidence that you've tried to learn. They won't be throwing the daily newspaper at you and demanding you read it out loud.

Take a moment and watch these two videos (they're about five minutes long each) - by the end of them you'll actually be able to read some basic Thai. Great videos, they totally demystify the process

[TheRascal]

I'm in that position too - 3 months is plenty of time to go from nothing to being able to read (but not understand) almost everything. This is including recognising all tones from the letters (the presence of a tone marker merely changes the tone, the absence of a tone mark doesn't mean an absence of tone) and knowing some of the more peculiar language rules.

[paz]

Lots of talented people on this thread!

I think anyone that has tried know how credible is to state that one can learn reading and discerning tones in three months.

[smotherb]

Three months and you can read a Thai newspaper?

I doubt that too. In graduate school, I took Mandarin Chinese--three semesters of conversation, two of grammar. I learned almost 400 Chinese characters and several thousand words. I did well enough to be elected to Phi Sigma Iota, the International Modern Languages Honor Society. However, I could not effectively read a Chinese menu, let alone a Chinese newspaper.

[BWPattaya]

Learning to read is not the same as being fluent. I could write some Latin and you would all be able to read it, but very few would understand it.

Fluency is a very difficult concept to measure. How does one know when one is fluent?

Non quo sed quomodo

[vogie]

Three months and you can read a Thai newspaper?

Not a long time that you are on this forum, but with a bit more time you will see that

many members here are genius in trading, investment, languages, and many other subjects too...

I wonder why I am still here, I am a zero in everything

And dont forget the navy seals, commando's secret service .. they are all here

And of course the Sherlock Holme's, for our American friends Colombo

[Minnehaha]

My experience learning to read was mind-blowing.

I had lived in Thailand for a few years and then was back in home country and did an intensive language course over 3 months. I learned to read and every day was like having little revelations. For example, I knew the word for white, news, enter, etc. All sound similar but have different tones but I could pronounce them correctly so in my mind they were not linked. They were different words. Then learning to spell I saw how the consonants and some vowels were similar but I did not confuse them when communicating. I see the sea. It was like that.

[Spock]

Trigger, don't sweat it. It's an easier language to read that you'd think, and showing a basic understanding of it- even if flawed- is what immigration will be looking for- evidence that you've tried to learn. They won't be throwing the daily newspaper at you and demanding you read it out loud.

Take a moment and watch these two videos (they're about five minutes long each) - by the end of them you'll actually be able to read some basic Thai. Great videos, they totally demystify the process

Anymore of these videos available?

[paz]

Anymore of these videos available?

High Speed Thai is a commercial product, available on their website.

[SheungWan]

Like it or not some people have an aptitude for languages just as others have an aptitude for mastering the playing of a musical instrument. Maybe irritating for those struggling in the trenches but there it is.

[Fab5BKK]

Becoming truly fluent in a foreign language does take much more than 3 months, like it or not, even with the right aptitude...

What I mean by fluent: being able to fully negotiate a contract (as an example)

;-)

[FritsSikkink]

Don't panic. It's just an issue with immigration. It really isn't that hard, and just practising with the school will help a great deal. I've done it over 3 months and in fluent in reading and writing.

3 months and fluent in reading and writing. what a load of crap.

[gk10002000]

I am a USA citizen. I grew up in Rhode Island so I have quite an accent. That doesn't go well with thai pronunciations. can speak and understand a fair amount of Thai, my accent is bad enough in the USA not to mention speaking in Thai! I am an engineer and grew up speaking Greek and later went through a fair amount of French studies both in high school and college. I have taken a few stabs at the written Thai language and that is a challenge. My congratulations if you can associate the script with sounds and words and meanings after only three months.

[4evermaat]

What will they do about diving schools?

[Timwin]

What will they do about diving schools?

An immigration official will be waiting at 40 meters. If you cannot dive that deep, you are DENIED! And you have to speak Thai with correct tones while on Trimix.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Timwin

[horsewell]

I was tested by immigration recently. Reading. I've been learning for years and could sound out the title of the main article on that days edition of the ThaiRath but for the life of me didn't have a clue what it meant, partly because was put on the spot. Newspaper speak is very much different from normal speak, the same as royal or political speak. If immigration tested everyone that came into the country I am sure a large percent of the citizens of the country would have some problems completing the test too, well, the understanding part. That said, Thai language is good because generally speaking you can sound it out, not like many English words.

Really, a language course should include reading and writing. It may be hard at first but it gets easier and would probably help with pronunciation.

[Mario2008]

Some off topic post removed.

Keep it civil on the forum.

[CaitlinHappyMeal]

Three months and you can read a Thai newspaper?

I started private lessons last year and I could read and write within 10 days, albeit at a child's level but every lesson after that was just another giant stride, once you've learned to read you can read irrespective of what it is you are reading, menu, book, newspaper. Maybe you've never learned to read and write the language, or maybe you have but did not get on so well or so fast, but please don't find it unbelievable when others do, maybe even replace your disbelief with a well done, as credit where credit is due ?

[charliebadenhop]

Rumble cat-

I find the videos you posted quite impressive.

MUCH better than most stuff out there.

Can you say how much experience you have using the system and your results?

Also please let us know if you have any business affiliation with these folks.

I wish there was a LOT more stuff out there with a good mnemonic system!

One thing I found rather disturbing...

I looked all over their site and did not see a price shown!

Seems like you had to put into all your details before you even know the price.

Is it just that I missed something?

TIA for all the info I am asking for!!

[TheRascal]

Lots of talented people on this thread!

I think anyone that has tried know how credible is to state that one can learn reading and discerning tones in three months.

Depends what you mean by discerning tones. Hearing them and pronouncing them completely accurately no, however what I meant in my most was recognising what a tone should be from the written syllable.

ie. knowing that from the class of the first consonant, the length of the vowel, the end consonant (if there is one) and the tone mark (again, if there is one) what the tone should be and also if there's something that changes it like a preceeding hor heep for example.