Thai officials to slash number of foreign English teachers

[duanebigsby]

Top 6 countries don"t have NES teachers (or you can count on fingers of one hand) so I think NES teachers aren"t necessary for teach English what also proves link below. You need to be a good dedicated teacher. I meet bad and good NES or Thai teachers.

In my eyes main reason is system, for example first day in my school I have been told that every student must pass. I dissagreed, so now I can"t assess them, Thai teachers do????

So if you combine this with Thai nature (sabai sabai) you get result.

And education here is just a damn good business.

And before someone stays hangin" on my English Im not teaching English language. But every well-intentioned criticism is welcome.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EF_English_Proficiency_Index

The top 6 countries don't need NES teachers because they have enough fluent teachers of their own country.

Most of Asia doesn't have enough good, local fluent English speakers, thus the need for NES.

When Thailand has 100,000 or so proficient English teachers who are fluent, then they won't need NES. right now, they do need them.

[Gary A]

I had two friends, one was a highly educated professional teacher who had taught at universities. The other was a no formal education unemployed off shore oil worker. Both went to work at a Bangkok school teaching English. The professor speaking in his Texas drawl was a poor teacher, he just liked to talk. His students learned nothing. The other uneducated guy taught basic English from the books he had studied. His students learned English. When the government got serious about teachers being qualified, guess which guy lost his job?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that using the same measuring stick for all teachers doesn't work very well. We have all seen educated drunks who should not be permitted around Thai students. Vastly over qualified teachers should be scrutinized carefully. Good teachers usually are not job hoppers. You have to ask yourself why a highly educated professor would leave a high paying university job to teach English for a low wage in Thailand.

[Artisi]

Top 6 countries don"t have NES teachers (or you can count on fingers of one hand) so I think NES teachers aren"t necessary for teach English what also proves link below. You need to be a good dedicated teacher. I meet bad and good NES or Thai teachers.

In my eyes main reason is system, for example first day in my school I have been told that every student must pass. I dissagreed, so now I can"t assess them, Thai teachers do????

So if you combine this with Thai nature (sabai sabai) you get result.

And education here is just a damn good business.

And before someone stays hangin" on my English Im not teaching English language. But every well-intentioned criticism is welcome.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EF_English_Proficiency_Index

The top 6 countries don't need NES teachers because they have enough fluent teachers of their own country.

Most of Asia doesn't have enough good, local fluent English speakers, thus the need for NES.

When Thailand has 100,000 or so proficient English teachers who are fluent, then they won't need NES. right now, they do need them.

Correct, and a native English speaker even if only 50% efficient in teaching skills is streets ahead of a non-English speaking Thai teacher endeavouring to teach spoken English using Thai language.

What most of the poster's have missed is the difference between teaching grammar, writing etc. and teaching day-to-day spoken English - many Thai teachers are highly skilled at grammar etc but cannot string a 3 word together in spoken language - hence the need to retain native speaking staff if Thailand wants to move forward in the big wide world.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Artisi

[gemguy]

Boy oh boy...Another reminder of the Thai mentality at work.

The smart thing to do is carry on and train the 500 Thai people to become more proficient in their English language skills while continuing to utilize the skills of English language speaking foreigners also.

500 extra Thai people, English language teachers are not enough English language teachers for a Nation that has, for the last 50 years, ineffectively tried to make the English language its second language ....

This new policy has failure written all over it.

Now, please have a Thai person check my English grammar...lol

Cheers

[Bezdomny]

Top 6 countries don"t have NES teachers (or you can count on fingers of one hand) so I think NES teachers aren"t necessary for teach English what also proves link below. You need to be a good dedicated teacher. I meet bad and good NES or Thai teachers.

In my eyes main reason is system, for example first day in my school I have been told that every student must pass. I dissagreed, so now I can"t assess them, Thai teachers do????

So if you combine this with Thai nature (sabai sabai) you get result.

And education here is just a damn good business.

And before someone stays hangin" on my English Im not teaching English language. But every well-intentioned criticism is welcome.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EF_English_Proficiency_Index

The top 6 countries don't need NES teachers because they have enough fluent teachers of their own country.

Most of Asia doesn't have enough good, local fluent English speakers, thus the need for NES.

When Thailand has 100,000 or so proficient English teachers who are fluent, then they won't need NES. right now, they do need them.

I agree, but again in current system even 100,000 or so proficient English teachers can"t do nothing.

[TKDfella]

Yes, this is obviously a hot debate and I do agree with some posters that it could be a method of decreasing foreign (western) influence in Thailand. Others are concerned about whether the teachers should be American, British etc. As far as writing is concerned most computers in Thailand (I hope I'm right) use American English so as a Englishman, I don't see a problem on choice as long as the spelling differences are made clear. Not all spelling of course, but a few examples then quote reference books for the students consult themselves. When I was teaching basic conversation I used simple and common pronunciation examples such as 'last, 'past', 'grass' and that such differences were something that all of us have to deal with and it was up to the students to get as much exposure as possible. I also showed extracts from News programs, both British and American, indicating that watching British and American News might be a good start. I am not qualified to teach English as a subject and I was only used as exposure to a native English speaker and there were no exams. I didn't receive a salary as I was already retired and don't possess a work permit and received other forms of payment, fruit, lunch or something similar. I have taught other topics for which I am qualified (but not for a salary) and to mention them would be off topic here,

[Andarman]

I have to laugh at there apparent insight, or else I will cry for a system that is so disabled and broken with culturally intrinsic flaws. That really only a tiny tiny percentage of students have any real chance of success, and this is only through there own driven and self-determined motivational desires.

If only they could stand outside their little bubble and stop eating there own deficated ramblings and stop slapping themselves on the back for being so clever. GOOD LUCK.....Because they are going to need that and a lot more to fix this broken government department.....

[Nomyai]

You have to ask yourself why a highly educated professor would leave a high paying university job to teach English for a low wage in Thailand.

Im telling ya ALL right now. ITS the girls!

[Nomyai]

Top 6 countries don"t have NES teachers (or you can count on fingers of one hand) so I think NES teachers aren"t necessary for teach English what also proves link below. You need to be a good dedicated teacher. I meet bad and good NES or Thai teachers.

In my eyes main reason is system, for example first day in my school I have been told that every student must pass. I dissagreed, so now I can"t assess them, Thai teachers do????

So if you combine this with Thai nature (sabai sabai) you get result.

And education here is just a damn good business.

And before someone stays hangin" on my English Im not teaching English language. But every well-intentioned criticism is welcome.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EF_English_Proficiency_Index

The top 6 countries don't need NES teachers because they have enough fluent teachers of their own country.

Most of Asia doesn't have enough good, local fluent English speakers, thus the need for NES.

When Thailand has 100,000 or so proficient English teachers who are fluent, then they won't need NES. right now, they do need them.

I agree, but again in current system even 100,000 or so proficient English teachers can"t do nothing.

85,000 teach for visa reasons. to be near the thai girls! with foreigner its all about the girls.

[Shawn0001]

I wonder how many French teachers, say, in the UK are actually French nationals or French native speakers. The notion that one needs to be a native speaker to teach a language is flawed. The notion that you need to be a good teacher to teach a language is not. That is far more likely where Thailand's problems lie.

I went to an underfunded comprehensive in one of the lowest achieving areas of the UK, all of our foreign language teachers were native speakers of the language they were teaching.

[Scotwight]

One of the reasons that Korea became such a power house economically was because they did everything possible to increase English language education in the country

At one time South Korea had the largest number of US Peace Corps volunteers teaching English in their schools of any country in the world

But no, Thailand doesn't need English teachers that can speak English, they think that an intensive 6 week course taught by Thai English teachers to Thai English teachers is going to solve the problem

I am reminded of the old saying

Those who can do, do. Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach, teach teachers

Korea Cuts 2,500 Native-English Teachers at Public Schools

http://www.asiapundits.com/korea-cuts-2500-native-english-teachers-public-schools/

Native-speaker English teachers to lose more jobs Seoul Education Office to cut all positions except elementary schools

http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2957111&cloc=rss|news|joongangdaily

[bamukloy]

Interesting they use this word "slash" ? Maybe they are widening the vocabuary.

with anything talk about Thailand is always "hub"

For sure Thai must know, "crackdown" is the correct English when talking about foreigner?

[DrTuner]

Can't have 'em nasty farangs in classrooms trying to brainwash the students with silly ideas like freedom of speech, democracy and some such.

[jadee]

This plan makes good sense as most Thai teachers have better classroom management skills than the average foreign English teacher who has just done a 4-week TEFL course. Kids will learn better if they are taught by someone with good behavior management skills, even if the teacher's knowledge or skills are lacking. However, the proposed 6-week course seems too short. Sending Thai teachers to study abroad for a term or one year would be far better if they signed an agreement to work in schools for x number of years upon their return. Thai universities already offer study-abroad scholarships for their faculty.

[Emster23]

I was in US Peace Corps in the '70's in Colombia. We had a 3 month intensive Spanish course, mornings and afternoons, took place in Bogota. The teachers were quite good and all native Colombians. Did I feel qualified to teach Spanish to others at the end? Heck no.

This plan (as pointed out) is poor on so many levels. If want intensive 6 week course, it should be held in an English speaking country. Students would have to learn and use the language to survive. Of course have native speakers. Do Thais know enough idioms to "step up to the plate". I doubt they could "knock this one out of the ballpark" when they can't even find "home plate".

These ministers who make decisions suffer from disconnect from reality. They need to "wake up and smell the coffee".

[Nobb]

I talked to a Thai english teacher who taught English i Thailand for 30 years but i needed help talking to him because he could not speak English. Thailand has spend 100 year of poor teaching and now it is coming back to haunt them!

[HenryB]

I feel with only Thais teaching English it will easier for Thais to change English so It will be closer to Thai. Americans And English teachers do not want to change it so quickly

English needs to change

[Broken Record]

Yes, the Thai teacher stating to loose face.

So the only option for Thais is to eliminate the competition. Since this is thailand and no one is facing the music, what easier way to just kill the band.

Politics never cares about education only power. How to stay in power? Make the people happy. Promise them something .

Set the date in the near future. Aaaaaaaaaaand voilà you have nice obidient people how give a flying ? .

How do you keep control of the people? Easy, keep them from becoming too educated, block internet sites, cut funding or provide very little to education. If people don't know any better, it's easy to control them. Educated people will stand up and voice their opinions, they will ask questions and determine what's right and wrong, know their rights and fight for them. The government doesn't want and never has wanted this.

PhuketBoy is right on the money.

There is no way the Thai Elite want the unwashed masses educated, educated populations ask questions and are not easily brainwashed.

Thailand has a system that is almost medievil, a few wealthy people with all the privileges who can virtually do as they please without repercussions, and the poorly educated massive majority, the wealthy don't wan't the poor to get educated, it would threaten their way of life, so what do they do, employ Armed men to keep the poor in their place, brutally if necessary, the leaders of these bands of thugs would be permitted to have a decent slice of the pie too as long as they stay loyal, and they too can get away with virtually anything, as long as the poor are kept in their place, and the super wealthy are protected.

(Welcome to The Thai Police and Army Generals )

The Thai people are brainwashed from a very early age to accept whatever BS is thrown at them without question, and that's just the way the Elite like it. None of them send their kids to State schools, you can be sure of that.

Native English Teachers and the Internet need controlling, first ones easy, just get rid of them, Internet is more difficult, so just make new laws that forbid any questioning of the few with all the wealth.

Thailand is screwed and mired in a ridiculous medievil system, all for the benefit of a few.

And the new breed of Thai English Teachers will be teaching how wonderful these few are, and so the cycle continues.

You have to hand it to the Elite, they have this Country and it's population right where they want them = the majority, uneducated and poor, scared of the People who are supposed to protect them and kowtowing to anyone who has enormous wealth.

Edited November 15, 2015 by Broken Record

[Wilsonandson]

As one door closes another one opens. Hop over to Burma. Good Pay, cheap accommodation, unspoilt beaches and islands, friendly people and restart you adventures.

[slappy]

This plan makes good sense as most Thai teachers have better classroom management skills than the average foreign English teacher who has just done a 4-week TEFL course. Kids will learn better if they are taught by someone with good behavior management skills, even if the teacher's knowledge or skills are lacking. However, the proposed 6-week course seems too short. Sending Thai teachers to study abroad for a term or one year would be far better if they signed an agreement to work in schools for x number of years upon their return. Thai universities already offer study-abroad scholarships for their faculty.

(This plan makes good sense as most Thai teachers have better classroom management skills than the average foreign English teacher who has just done a 4-week TEFL course. Kids will learn better if they are taught by someone with good behavior management skills, even if the teacher's knowledge or skills are lacking)

Do you or have you ever worked in a Thai School? As i have been teaching here now for 6 years, and from my experiences most Thai teachers don't know how to manage a class. They just treat the kids as if they are robots and not human beings. And couldn't give 2 hoots about teaching, because once they become a government officer, they think, that's it, i don't need to improve myself, i have a job for life now. As here in Thailand it is extremely extremely difficult to be sack if you are a government officer.

Just a few examples i have witness at my school among the Thai English teachers 1, always late for classes, so if teachers are late why should students be on time. 2, Teachers sat in the corner playing on their iphone / pads and students just messing about . 3, Teachers sleeping in room next to where they should be teaching.

A good teacher must have good man management skills to teach, when he or she is teaching M1/1 (who are the good students who want to learn) He or she must adapt her lesson plan differently for M1/5 (who are the poor or slow learners). But here they all teach the same robotic way. Then once in class, you have teach every individual slightly differently, because as mention before we are human beings we are not robots.

A good teacher has to gain respect from his or her students by setting a good example. Once this is done the students will show respect back, then school and classroom time will be good.

This is what i have found in my experiences of teaching here. But saying this i have come up against 1 slight drawback, and that is, If you are a good teacher, the Thai English teacher sometimes become jealous of you. and try to turn the students against you.

[Artisi]

This plan makes good sense as most Thai teachers have better classroom management skills than the average foreign English teacher who has just done a 4-week TEFL course. Kids will learn better if they are taught by someone with good behavior management skills, even if the teacher's knowledge or skills are lacking. However, the proposed 6-week course seems too short. Sending Thai teachers to study abroad for a term or one year would be far better if they signed an agreement to work in schools for x number of years upon their return. Thai universities already offer study-abroad scholarships for their faculty.

(This plan makes good sense as most Thai teachers have better classroom management skills than the average foreign English teacher who has just done a 4-week TEFL course. Kids will learn better if they are taught by someone with good behavior management skills, even if the teacher's knowledge or skills are lacking)

Do you or have you ever worked in a Thai School? As i have been teaching here now for 6 years, and from my experiences most Thai teachers don't know how to manage a class. They just treat the kids as if they are robots and not human beings. And couldn't give 2 hoots about teaching, because once they become a government officer, they think, that's it, i don't need to improve myself, i have a job for life now. As here in Thailand it is extremely extremely difficult to be sack if you are a government officer.

Just a few examples i have witness at my school among the Thai English teachers 1, always late for classes, so if teachers are late why should students be on time. 2, Teachers sat in the corner playing on their iphone / pads and students just messing about . 3, Teachers sleeping in room next to where they should be teaching.

A good teacher must have good man management skills to teach, when he or she is teaching M1/1 (who are the good students who want to learn) He or she must adapt her lesson plan differently for M1/5 (who are the poor or slow learners). But here they all teach the same robotic way. Then once in class, you have teach every individual slightly differently, because as mention before we are human beings we are not robots.

A good teacher has to gain respect from his or her students by setting a good example. Once this is done the students will show respect back, then school and classroom time will be good.

This is what i have found in my experiences of teaching here. But saying this i have come up against 1 slight drawback, and that is, If you are a good teacher, the Thai English teacher sometimes become jealous of you. and try to turn the students against you.

Isn't the standard procedure for the majority of Thai teachers opening the class

"Good morning, sit down, open your books, and shut up "

[slappy]

This plan makes good sense as most Thai teachers have better classroom management skills than the average foreign English teacher who has just done a 4-week TEFL course. Kids will learn better if they are taught by someone with good behavior management skills, even if the teacher's knowledge or skills are lacking. However, the proposed 6-week course seems too short. Sending Thai teachers to study abroad for a term or one year would be far better if they signed an agreement to work in schools for x number of years upon their return. Thai universities already offer study-abroad scholarships for their faculty.

(This plan makes good sense as most Thai teachers have better classroom management skills than the average foreign English teacher who has just done a 4-week TEFL course. Kids will learn better if they are taught by someone with good behavior management skills, even if the teacher's knowledge or skills are lacking)

Do you or have you ever worked in a Thai School? As i have been teaching here now for 6 years, and from my experiences most Thai teachers don't know how to manage a class. They just treat the kids as if they are robots and not human beings. And couldn't give 2 hoots about teaching, because once they become a government officer, they think, that's it, i don't need to improve myself, i have a job for life now. As here in Thailand it is extremely extremely difficult to be sack if you are a government officer.

Just a few examples i have witness at my school among the Thai English teachers 1, always late for classes, so if teachers are late why should students be on time. 2, Teachers sat in the corner playing on their iphone / pads and students just messing about . 3, Teachers sleeping in room next to where they should be teaching.

A good teacher must have good man management skills to teach, when he or she is teaching M1/1 (who are the good students who want to learn) He or she must adapt her lesson plan differently for M1/5 (who are the poor or slow learners). But here they all teach the same robotic way. Then once in class, you have teach every individual slightly differently, because as mention before we are human beings we are not robots.

A good teacher has to gain respect from his or her students by setting a good example. Once this is done the students will show respect back, then school and classroom time will be good.

This is what i have found in my experiences of teaching here. But saying this i have come up against 1 slight drawback, and that is, If you are a good teacher, the Thai English teacher sometimes become jealous of you. and try to turn the students against you.

Isn't the standard procedure for the majority of Thai teachers opening the class

"Good morning, sit down, open your books, and shut up "

you are nearly correct

Nearly every Thai English teacher i have see or heard do the following

A: Good morning teacher

B: Good morning students, how are you?

A: I am fine

B: sit down, open your books

The ones at the front do and the ones at the back just carry on playing their ipad/iphones or sleeping etc ignoring the teacher!!

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Thai "logic" once again...

[JAG]

This plan makes good sense as most Thai teachers have better classroom management skills than the average foreign English teacher who has just done a 4-week TEFL course. Kids will learn better if they are taught by someone with good behavior management skills, even if the teacher's knowledge or skills are lacking. However, the proposed 6-week course seems too short. Sending Thai teachers to study abroad for a term or one year would be far better if they signed an agreement to work in schools for x number of years upon their return. Thai universities already offer study-abroad scholarships for their faculty.

(This plan makes good sense as most Thai teachers have better classroom management skills than the average foreign English teacher who has just done a 4-week TEFL course. Kids will learn better if they are taught by someone with good behavior management skills, even if the teacher's knowledge or skills are lacking)

Do you or have you ever worked in a Thai School? As i have been teaching here now for 6 years, and from my experiences most Thai teachers don't know how to manage a class. They just treat the kids as if they are robots and not human beings. And couldn't give 2 hoots about teaching, because once they become a government officer, they think, that's it, i don't need to improve myself, i have a job for life now. As here in Thailand it is extremely extremely difficult to be sack if you are a government officer.

Just a few examples i have witness at my school among the Thai English teachers 1, always late for classes, so if teachers are late why should students be on time. 2, Teachers sat in the corner playing on their iphone / pads and students just messing about . 3, Teachers sleeping in room next to where they should be teaching.

A good teacher must have good man management skills to teach, when he or she is teaching M1/1 (who are the good students who want to learn) He or she must adapt her lesson plan differently for M1/5 (who are the poor or slow learners). But here they all teach the same robotic way. Then once in class, you have teach every individual slightly differently, because as mention before we are human beings we are not robots.

A good teacher has to gain respect from his or her students by setting a good example. Once this is done the students will show respect back, then school and classroom time will be good.

This is what i have found in my experiences of teaching here. But saying this i have come up against 1 slight drawback, and that is, If you are a good teacher, the Thai English teacher sometimes become jealous of you. and try to turn the students against you.

Isn't the standard procedure for the majority of Thai teachers opening the class

"Good morning, sit down, open your books, and shut up "

Often accompanied by wandering around the classroom banging desks ( and maybe children ) with a long stick!

They're not all like that,but a significant number are.

The other day the racket from the classroom next to the one I was teaching in became louder and louder. Thai classrooms are often noisy, but this was silly, so I poked my head around the door. A University student (4 year B Ed undergraduate, male, on teaching practice ) was standing in front of the class, shrieking at them and repeatedly bashing the desks with a stick. This P4 class can be naughty - I teach them - but if you keep them engaged and interested they are fine,

I considered saying something - but I'm only a TEFLer,, he was a 4 year undergraduate. I doubt anyone would listen. I hope that one of the ( better ) senior Thai teachers is passing next time, and takes the trouble to point out to him where he is going wrong.

Edited November 15, 2015 by JAG

[Genericnic]

So who cares

Try going to France and flapping your gums in English

see the reaction you get, maybe they will forget about

learning English, and focus on learning a new language

lets say like Kazakhstan ? hey good idea, no.

Was just in France (Paris no less) a few months ago. I don't speak any French beyond hello, goodbye, thank you, etc. Managed to survive with nothing but English and never had a bad reaction. If you got a bad reaction doing that, maybe it wasn't the language they had a problem with.

David

[Wilsonandson]

So who cares

Try going to France and flapping your gums in English

see the reaction you get, maybe they will forget about

learning English, and focus on learning a new language

lets say like Kazakhstan ? hey good idea, no.

Was just in France (Paris no less) a few months ago. I don't speak any French beyond hello, goodbye, thank you, etc. Managed to survive with nothing but English and never had a bad reaction. If you got a bad reaction doing that, maybe it wasn't the language they had a problem with.

David

I went back packing in France during my Uni days and they couldn't speak a word of English back then. Must be the multi-cultural diversity that has improved their English skills.

[fey]

i made my own language books and substituted real english words with bad stuff about the government

[GeckosDiving]

After the first couple of months being in Thailand I wanted to learn how to speak Thai. I wanted to know how to ask for things and what they were saying to me or about me, I didn't want to learn how to read & write Thai at that time just talk Thai. So I went to a person that would help me speak Thai, now was that a teacher or a speaker? What I'm trying to say is when I went to school I already new how to speak English everyone did. We were there to learn how to read and write and to learn and understand science, math, social studies and all the other subjects. The teacher didn't teach me how to speak English I already knew how, they helped with grammar and all that stuff but they didn't teach me how to speak English. To me I don't think a regular teacher can properly teach someone to learn how to start speaking English from scratch to someone who's never heard a word of English before !! . Let's be honest only a few of these kids are going to get a job or career where their going to have to know how to read and write English. The one's that will need to read & write will learn how to because they will have chosen a field that requires it. So then they can go to an English teacher who will teach them properly and that student will want to learn English. Like me after I learnt how to speak Thai a few years later I went and found a good Thai teacher to teach me how to read & write, but I didn't go back to the person who help me learn to speak Thai it was a different set of skills ! Thailand schools should just focus on how to speak English from a person who knows how to properly teach someone how to speak English for the first time. Thai teachers don't teach kids how to start speaking Thai they teach them how to read & write and to understand and learn all the other subjects in Thai. They already knew how to speak Thai from their parents, teach them how to speak English and then let them decide if they want to learn to read & write it. Thailand has good English teachers but way to many dodgy teachers that don't really give a shit about teaching but just want to hang out in the bars and pick up the bar girls. How do I know this I own a bar and have a lot of teachers come in to drink I see this all the time, but hey I'm not going to complain they spend money in my bar I just wouldn't have them teach my kids anything.

[Johnniey]

I was in US Peace Corps in the '70's in Colombia. We had a 3 month intensive Spanish course, mornings and afternoons, took place in Bogota. The teachers were quite good and all native Colombians. Did I feel qualified to teach Spanish to others at the end? Heck no.

This plan (as pointed out) is poor on so many levels. If want intensive 6 week course, it should be held in an English speaking country. Students would have to learn and use the language to survive. Of course have native speakers. Do Thais know enough idioms to "step up to the plate". I doubt they could "knock this one out of the ballpark" when they can't even find "home plate".

These ministers who make decisions suffer from disconnect from reality. They need to "wake up and smell the coffee".

My old pal who worked in the CIA spent 6 months learning Russian and it was fluent enough to go on a mission and not be suspected of not being Russian.

[Genericnic]

I was in US Peace Corps in the '70's in Colombia. We had a 3 month intensive Spanish course, mornings and afternoons, took place in Bogota. The teachers were quite good and all native Colombians. Did I feel qualified to teach Spanish to others at the end? Heck no.

This plan (as pointed out) is poor on so many levels. If want intensive 6 week course, it should be held in an English speaking country. Students would have to learn and use the language to survive. Of course have native speakers. Do Thais know enough idioms to "step up to the plate". I doubt they could "knock this one out of the ballpark" when they can't even find "home plate".

These ministers who make decisions suffer from disconnect from reality. They need to "wake up and smell the coffee".

My old pal who worked in the CIA spent 6 months learning Russian and it was fluent enough to go on a mission and not be suspected of not being Russian.

Most likely he did total immersion where you do Russian 24/7 for 6 months. That really is the most effective way to learn a language.

David