Farangs need to pass "Thainess" course to get teacher license

[kieran2698]

And who pays for this course? The individual teacher, the teacher's school, or the Ministry of Education?

You want to teach in Thailand, you must get the proper qualifications You want to teach,,,you pay,,I would say on top of that you would have to speak Thai so you could explain in class what the hell you are trying to say/teach,,,,,,My Gf son got an English teacher at school he can't talk Thai you know what,He is hopeless/useless he can't explain anything so he is teaching FA/nothing to the kids, they don't understand him so they don't learn anything.

It's a culture course, not a language course. There should be no requirement to speak Thai if you're teaching English, in fact the classroom should have a strict "English only" rule to be effective. Your GF's son's teacher may indeed be hopeless, but it may be more to do with the students than the teacher!

What a load of crap,,,,Try and get a teaching job in the UK or Germany without being able to speak the local lingo. Just trying to keep your job?

TEFL teachers work throughout Europe without the need to speak the local language. Every school I have worked in has forbidden me from speaking Thai with the children.

[cumgranosalum]

Well fancy that! A course with absolutely no content whatsoever!

[cumgranosalum]

And who pays for this course? The individual teacher, the teacher's school, or the Ministry of Education?

You want to teach in Thailand, you must get the proper qualifications You want to teach,,,you pay,,I would say on top of that you would have to speak Thai so you could explain in class what the hell you are trying to say/teach,,,,,,My Gf son got an English teacher at school he can't talk Thai you know what,He is hopeless/useless he can't explain anything so he is teaching FA/nothing to the kids, they don't understand him so they don't learn anything.

It's a culture course, not a language course. There should be no requirement to speak Thai if you're teaching English, in fact the classroom should have a strict "English only" rule to be effective. Your GF's son's teacher may indeed be hopeless, but it may be more to do with the students than the teacher!

What a load of crap,,,,Try and get a teaching job in the UK or Germany without being able to speak the local lingo. Just trying to keep your job?

Sorry chap, you're wrong - taught all over Europe, no native language requirements - it's basically against the principles of TEFL anyway.

[cumgranosalum]

Can someone reveal the source for this dictum?

[cumgranosalum]

I have to say, if you need evidence of how totally pathetic, inept and incompetent the Thai education system is for top to bottom then this is living proof.

[EmptyHead]

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What a load of crap,,,,Try and get a teaching job in the UK or Germany without being able to speak the local lingo. Just trying to keep your job?

I'm guessing you're not a teacher as you seem rather ignorant, or perhaps just old fashioned, on the subject. Emptyhead has already helped you out, so maybe just read his post again.

Sign up for Thai classes in Thailand and the best ones will have 'Thai only' rules.

Yeah, i think he is old fashioned, that's all.

I wonder what he thinks a teacher does when teaching a multilingual class? I was at a school in BKK, where the regular students are from Thailand, Pakistan, Japan, and China (all in the same class). And believe it or not (Green Job), they learned English together in the same class and the teacher only spoke English (shock horror). In fact, they learned better since the lingua franca was English (i.e. they couldn't cheat in their own languages). And this school uses the best teachers (imported from around the world). They apply cutting edge methodology and are used by Cambridge University for teaching CELTA courses.

Onto my next glass of wine. Thank god its Friday! alt=burp.gif width=42 height=36>

One of the best and most enlightening classes on the CELTA course is when the tutor conducts the whole lesson entirely using a language unknown to everyone in the class, and by the end you've learned something new! My tutor did it brilliantly in Polish!

Mine too...in Bulgarian!

[razer]

I would like for a Thai to explain to me just exactly what Thainess is.

[cumgranosalum]

I would like for a Thai to explain to me just exactly what Thainess is.

perhaps they could attempt it in English?

[cracker1]

Please tell me how to sign up for this new course ?

[aboctok]

How do I qualify to teach this Thainess course? (Is "Thainess" a word?)

Must be, since it was already a notorious concept.

[Mausgras]

While the cynics and trolls are once again out in force trying to pass sarcasm as an example of humor I would like to give the Thai education authority a tick for recognizing' a problem of cultural naivety and perhaps arrogance in some foreign teachers.

I think most foreign teachers will welcome the course as an opportunity to enhance their teaching skills and make them better teachers in a different education environment.

[Rhys]

_{So this is again..... in need of some extra cash fleecing ... hmm find students without learning issues.. administrators who come to work...and gosh darn it.. .stop the cheerleading talent shows as a college course.}

[cumgranosalum]

While the cynics and trolls are once again out in force trying to pass sarcasm as an example of humor I would like to give the Thai education authority a tick for recognizing' a problem of cultural naivety and perhaps arrogance in some foreign teachers.

I think most foreign teachers will welcome the course as an opportunity to enhance their teaching skills and make them better teachers in a different education environment.

Then you sir, are chronically ill-informed. You clearly have no idea about how English is taught around the world or how someone who has worked in Thai education for several years will have an awareness of Thai culture that is WAY beyond your estimation.

[EmptyHead]

How do I qualify to teach this Thainess course? (Is "Thainess" a word?)

Must be, since it was already a notorious concept.

Of course Thainess is a word.

[cumgranosalum]

"{“We have required them to take this course because Thai culture and theirs are completely different,”

this is why THEY SHOULD LEARN ENGLISH, not why teachers should learn Thai - they've come here to teach English and all that it entails.

[cumgranosalum]

Teaching in Thailand is an uphill job, thanks to the incompetence of those in the system, the culture of never failing students, corruption and nepotism at every turn - universities churning out people who simply aren't up to the qualifications on the bit of paper they are carrying, policy makers who make decisions without any recourse to research or consultation - the whole thing has resulted in Thailand lagging behind the rest of ASEAN in English which is officially the lingua franca - and rather than look at what they are doing wrong, they turn on the teachers and blame them - it's quite outrageous!

Of course in many other countries that would result in industrial action, but in Thailand teachers fall outside all the workers rights laws - minimum wages, right to sickness etc etc none is guaranteed in their package. ....and this is how they are repaid.

I hope all the EL teachers just back up and go to a neighbouring country....let them experience a bit of "Westness" - a bit of egalitarian "people's culture" -

Maybe while they're at it we can charge them 1000% extra when they arrive in our respective countries and expect to do a spot of tourism?...or study at our universities?

Edited February 13, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[cumgranosalum]

How do I qualify to teach this Thainess course? (Is "Thainess" a word?)

Must be, since it was already a notorious concept.

Of course Thainess is a word.

It's a word OK - but how about a definition?

[cumgranosalum]

How do I qualify to teach this Thainess course? (Is "Thainess" a word?)

Must be, since it was already a notorious concept.

Of course Thainess is a word.

It's a word OK - but how about a definition?

[SaamBaht]

I don't think adding the "ness" to any other nationality sounds as good as when you add it to the word Thai.

Let's see: Englishness. Nah.

Americanness. nope.

Frenchness. better. I think you need a one syllable word for the country's nationality.

[khun custard]

Thainess - Lesson 1.1

Thai's do not take kindly to being told what to do by foreigners

[Guitar God]

The article says "teachers" yet every other comment is about teaching English. Are there no foreign teachers in Thailand who teach subjects other than English language?

Seven pages of posts and I've yet to read one cogent argument against a country requiring teachers to be familiar with the culture in the country they're teaching in.

[greenchair]

I don't think adding the "ness" to any other nationality sounds as good as when you add it to the word Thai.

Let's see: Englishness. Nah.

Americanness. nope.

Frenchness. better. I think you need a one syllable word for the country's nationality.

AustraliaNess Canadianness

Maybe you need to shorten the names.

Austness new zealness canadness

[BudRight]

If you are trying to teach someone from a different culture anything, and this is not just Thailand but any country, you have to have an understanding of that persons culture if you are going to do a good job.

Where this idea is that you dont need any knowledge of a country and can still do a good job comes from I have no idea.

I would suggest that all of these people posting on TV do several things.

1. Learn to spell. Most of the spelling on here is bad. Dont ever think of teaching English until you can write it yourself.

2. Stop trying to find things that are wrong with any requirements that make the teaching better.

3. As you have such a sad life, leave TV and try to find a life

If you have a course outline and it will enhance education standards then share it here. Otherwise you're making shit up.

Most of us however had to do that moronic culture course. At mine the guy just told jokes for 7 hours and then we had to dance. Really the negativity is based on experience.

Edited February 13, 2015 by BudRight

[Tonawatchee]

Wondering if any teachers beat a path for an attitude adjustment upon graduating from the Thainess course.

[BobbyL]

I can just see it now, old Paitoon and his buddies patting each other on the back for a job well done. ''Let's celebrate with another cha yen na kap''.

If a course like this is well planned and most importantly, well taught by the Thai educators, then fair enough, it could be beneficial.

If it's similar to the previous culture course, with lessons on Thai dancing, how to properly wai and the names of Thai food all taught by some robot with the personality of a park bench, then it's going to be yet another embarrassing fiasco.

Sadly, my money is on it being the latter. But don't say anything negative about it, we certainly can't have Somchai or Porntip losing face.

[Interman]

People need to give their head a shake when they think Thailand is so great. It's the same circle jerk over and over.

[smotherb]

And who pays for this course? The individual teacher, the teacher's school, or the Ministry of Education?

I'll give you one guess. However, I have a question, who paid for your education?

[smotherb]

Wondering if any teachers beat a path for an attitude adjustment upon graduating from the Thainess course.

No, everything becomes exceedingly clear and there are no more questions.

[smotherb]

Thainess , so come 2 hours too late , play with your telephone the whole time , let somebody else do the work while drinking laokao , pay official in charge to give you the paper ?

Ah, isn't it obvious why the Thainess course is mandated. Once graduated, none of that would even be a problem.

[smotherb]

How do I qualify to teach this Thainess course? (Is "Thainess" a word?)

Be able to:

1. procure tea-money from students to assist with grade 'adjustment'

2. administer corporal punishment, and witness it without flinching

3. retrain to 'teacher-focused' education

4. talk about your breakfast for 2 hours each day

5. scream 'falang-falang' without interruption

6. write baht as bath

7. never invent, initiate or act in a creative capacity

8. upwardly manage without fear or favor

9. recognize that it's a complete waste of time

I think it would be interesting to learn how to create a place in which, apparently, we all want to live, yet we all complain how terrible it is, how ignorant the authorities are, how devious the ladies are, how corrupt the existence is, and of course, learn how to make even more farangs want to live here and endure all this.