Looking For English Lessons For Thai Girlfriend

[CBinParadise]

Hi Everyone

I'm a newbie, so please forgive me if this has already been discussed to death (and tell me where I can find the discussion

My TGF would like to attend English-language school here in BKK, not too far from Silom or Sukhumvit for 2-4 hours a day. Mornings would be best.

Like many rural girls, she only finished minimum schooling. She is 31 and very bright; still, she is worried that she will be out of place, embarassed by her peers, etc. She knows someone who went to AUA and feels that would be way beyond her at this stage. So we're looking for something less formal that is still challenging and effective.

She is not from BKK and she doesn't know anybody here. A school that gives her a chance to make friends with some local Thais is real important. So we're not looking for one-on-one instruction.

My guess is that the ideal would be a female native English speaker who runs a school with 50-100 students.

Do you agree? Do you have any suggestions or recommendations?

Thanks

Cheeseburger

[orlah24]

Hi ! How are everybody here? I hope all of you are Ok.

A cuestion to someone who can give me a hand , I am still travellin to Thailand the beautiful Kingdom, and I would like to meet a people who`s still wanted to learn the first steps in English as well I woulf like to learn Thai language as it calling ""Interchange of Languages as well I will teach SPANISH. if someone would like to reply me I very glady to listen anything, As it can do through this page and after we have more close communication via E-mails before I arrive in Bangkok.

Regards

Orlah2

Edited March 24, 2004 by Candyflip

[Candyflip]

One of my friend had her English lesson at ECC siam square, she did enjoy it. The class is smaller than AUA and there are various courses for you to choose.

I would recommend do it only 2 hours a day though otherwise it would be too much to take it. Make sure that she practices alot and try to correct her when she talks ( maybe not everytime) , so that she will learn and speak it properly.

Cheers

[Up2U]

I have been married three times, each time to a non-native-English-speaker. (Spanish, Polish, now Thai). Each time the problem has been the different stage of learning with regard to speaking, reading and writing the language (English).

Most people become fairly proficient in speaking and understanding the spoken word well before they consider reading, and that again well before writing the language.

The best way, as I have found in reverse (learning Spanish, Polish and now Thai) is a one-on-one or close to it. Big classes where she already knows more spoken English than the average will be boring, but moving up to the next year's lessons will show that she does not have the reading / writing skills necessary to take in the lessons.

Meanwhile, I could always give her lessons in french

[Bluecat]

Like many rural girls, she only finished minimum schooling. She is 31 and very bright; still, she is worried that she will be out of place, embarassed by her peers, etc. She knows someone who went to AUA and feels that would be way beyond her at this stage. So we're looking for something less formal that is still challenging and effective.

Unfortunately, any formal classes will have some writing and reading skills included,...

If she has little schooling, she probably will not be able to follow, however bright she is.

So the best option is probably one to one courses (unfortunately not the cheapest one,...).

[bangsaen bob]

My wife learned on her own, but she must have some nact for learning languages. You might try going to a Thai book store and picking up some Thai - English books and try and help her yourself. I've know a lot of girls who go to English class once and never go back. They are typically very shy, don't like to ask questions etc.

Good Luck

[thaihome]

When we were living in Bangkok a couple of years ago, my wife attended the ECC courses near Victory Monument. Her main focus was on grammer and writing. I think her classes were 2 or 3 times a week for a couple of hours. They have a series of levels that you progress through. The first 2 or 3 of the series are taught by Thais, not native speakers. We moved after she had completed only 2 levels, so she never made it to the farang taught class. She liked it, but I was not overly impressed with what she learned. Maybe if we had stayed it would have provided a good foundation.

TH