Thai officials to slash number of foreign English teachers

[oldsailor35]

I very much doubt if there are any Thai's capable of teaching English. What fools.

[Lupatria]

What is NOT said above, but I have read elsewhere, is that 43,000 Thai teachers of English were tested and only SIX reached the required level of proficiency in English.

What standard are the other 42, 994? And what percentage of fluency is that? Only 0.01395% of Thai teachers tested in English were reasonably fluent.

It boggles the mind that the cretins in the Ministry could even contemplate such lunacy.

We all know the outcome if a Thai teacher is teaching English language to Thais. If the six reasonable fluent speakers take the job to train 500 morons, they will be busy for the next 10 years. They may as well hire bar girls as assistant teachers.

However, the worst thing about this news is the Air Asia Syndrome: Now everyone can be a minister.

[tonypace02]

What's the big deal? It only applies to government schools where thirty to fifty students in each class get to hear two hours of English once a week (if there are no holidays or alternative activities that week) from a ninety day wonder (store-front TEFL trained teacher) who speaks barely any Thai at all and who would likely never be certified to teach English in his/her homeland. If the Thai students are going to "not learn" English, why can't they "not learn" it at less expense to the Thai taxpayer. Students can be just as proficient at "not learning" English from a Thai teacher as they can from a native English speaking teacher.

[Mudcrab]

Country nearly closed.

At least, the inhabitants of this country will not be able to communicate with the other persons living on the planet. Thus, they'll not be touched by "bad ideas".

Yes, Facebook will be their roll model and I was a teacher here for 3 years. There is a saying in the USA; " A brain is a terrible thing to waste".

Oh dear another one.

[MRDave]

Fair enough. If the current bunch of farang rejects scraping a living on the English teaching circuit were any good, Thailand wouldn't score so poorly for English speaking. Let the locals have a go.

That's because all the 30.000 baht teachers that are here, are here for the LIFESTYLE, and the few who are not will do the minimal possible for that 30.000 baht.

If you pay people peanuts you get monkeys. If you want motivated highly qualified individuals you have to pay then the same rate they can get in China and South Korea just to name two decent paying countries.

[welshissan]

Another reason why people should be pressuring the Junta to make the reforms then get out.

Instead all I see in the Thai media are whining commentaries nit-picking all the detail of what the Junta did today - which, incidentally, they never did when the dirty cronies were about their business.

Everybody should be supporting and pushing the reform process to get it over with and have some elected, accountable people in office. I shudder to think how incompetent some of these current ministers are.

I've noticed Thai culture produces a lot of people who have trouble seeing beyond what is in front of their face.

John,

Beginning to like some of your posts, but unfortunately you seem to bring up past governments too often.

Be a good chap and stick to the current subject and not deviate into the past ALL the time!

[ldiablo]

My girlfriend of 3 years could barely speak English when we met. Now her English speaking is excellent, her Grammar is improving, but not overly important. We can talk very easily to each other. She wanted to learn and I wanted to teach her. The problem is not necessarily the teachers themselves but more their no student left behind policy. I know many students that do horrible in their Thai subjects as well but in the end they also know they will inevitably pass at the end of the year.

So instead of slashing the number of foreign English teachers they should be getting rid of their stupid no fail policy.

[Mbaki]

More Mandarin language teachers, makes more sense to me. The country has been sold to the Chinese, in case anyone has noticed.

China owns half the world in case you haven't noticed

[Mudcrab]

Common guys give them a break...

We all understand:

. Dezmorley

. Suhpain

. Massaaaaat

. Nooden

And thank an English teacher for that.

[oncearugge]

Last week I met a young "English teacher" from England .

I was told he was "qualified" with a TEFL obtained on line at a cost of £195.

This man spoke with a broad regional accent which many English speakers would have difficulty understanding.

This pretend "teacher" was, allegedly, employed by a private school catering for children up to 11-12 years of age.

If the Thais are now in the process of removing "teachers" such as the one I describe no harm will result.

[ggt]

The Thai English teachers can handle teaching the basics: "Welcome", "You handsome man". "Buy me Drink", "Pay Bar Fine", "Short time or all night",

[phycokiller]

actually makes perfect sense. you dont have to worry so much about censoring the internet or Thais finding out whats going on in their country(or the rest of the world) if they cant read English. Im surprised it hasnt happened earlier.

[SlyAnimal]

I have never met a Thai who would get through a CELTA course.

I didn't do CELTA, so don't know the level at which they'd need to be at, but I've met a few Thai teachers who have English accuracy that was similar/better than your average immigrant who had been living in a western country for 5+ years (An immigrant's fluency is generally better, but some of the Thai teachers have much better accuracy & vocabulary).

Although actually while looking online for some information regarding CEFR test results for the Thai teachers (I couldn't find any), I found this page:

https://www.britishcouncil.or.th/en/teach/our-work/cefr-thailand

Which suggests that the British Council will be teaching the teachers using CEFR & that this is what will then be passed onto the students. So it's not CELTA, but it should still be a good course if the British Council is running it and only teachers who already have good English are invited (I'd imagine that they'd have all scored C1+ on their tests).

[Muhendis]

Never seen so many posters interested in such a mundane issue.

I'll bet a lot of foreign teachers are worried that they will have to use their skills back home soon

[timber]

Interesting I guess if you have a problem going for the top maybe easier to go to the bottom.

[Mbaki]

The Thai English teachers can handle teaching the basics: "Welcome", "You handsome man". "Buy me Drink", "Pay Bar Fine", "Short time or all night",

Obviously you only frequent the places that is all that is needed.

[laobali]

I'm glad the source of this article was Coconuts, it has eased the Mind-Blown experience at least a little bit.............

D​ont want to rain on your parade its headlines in the Unmentionable other English language paper

Still its utter madness!

Both articles make it pretty clear it's a long-term plan and it is something that should be aimed for. Of course it is better to use well-trained local teachers than rely on foreign teachers forever. The headline that Coconuts uses is typical of the sensationalism of gutter rags.

Why ?. It will always be better to have a native speaker doing the teaching. When I went to school, the French teachers were always French. That way you get the correct pronunciation and inflexion as well.

I've yet to meet a Thai who understands future tense.

The future of English in Thailand gets tenser by the day.

[spambot]

It is interesting to see this announcement today since it coincides with the end of the long availability of the double (and also the triple) tourist visas .

Thailand is essentially replacing them with the METV that now forces foreigners to leave and return to their own country in order to get one.

If this report is correct foreigners under 50, not married to a Thai, but looking to work in Thailand even less Visas will be issued and the net result is less foreigners staying long term in Thailand.

Its not clear if this is just part of a longer term political trend or just coincidental and is really a money saving scheme.

If its political then which of the other Visas will be next to have changes limiting the time or opportunity for foreigners to remain here over the longer term.

[zoroastra999]

Native speakers fail just as badly as the worst Thai teachers.

Why?

Because it's impossible to teach anybody anything that they don't want to learn. We overlook this simple fact at our peril.

Those who need to communicate with foreigners on a daily basis do remarkably well - such as those who: have a foreign partner; live overseas; do business overseas; perform services for tourists etc.

They don't need teachers. They don't need lessons. They DO NEED to use English and think in English with some enthusiasm.

It's that simple.

[brewsterbudgen]

It is interesting to see this announcement today since it coincides with the end of the long availability of the double (and also the triple) tourist visas .

Thailand is essentially replacing them with the METV that now forces foreigners to leave and return to their own country in order to get one.

If this report is correct foreigners under 50, not married to a Thai, but looking to work in Thailand even less Visas will be issued and the net result is less foreigners staying long term in Thailand.

Its not clear if this is just part of a longer term political trend or just coincidental and is really a money saving scheme.

If its political then which of the other Visas will be next to have changes limiting the time or opportunity for foreigners to remain here over the longer term.

If they get a job, they just need to go over to Laos and get a Non-Imm B visa.

[teacherpaul]

Country nearly closed.

At least, the inhabitants of this country will not be able to communicate with the other persons living on the planet. Thus, they'll not be touched by "bad ideas".

Nor "touched" by dodgy foreign English teachers either.....

We seem to have touched a nerve here.

Pretentious? Moi?

[Shawn0001]

Lunacy

The British Council is going to train teachers to be teacher trainers and you think that is lunacy? About time I say! Perhaps the sensational headline through you off, there is not actually any mention of any cuts, just a desire to be able to make those cuts in the future, cuts that would be very good for the schools if only they had a suitable replacement. The problem with Thai English education is the methodology being used by Thai teachers, many teachers are using old grammar translation techniques, proven ineffectual techniques and they are failing as we would expect them to. We need Thai teachers to learn how to teach English and no one knows that better than the British Council.

[namatjira]

Oh we'll never mind old chaps, onward and upward.....looks like Thainess is here to stay.......they really missed out by not being colonized, I remember Yingluck saying Thailand will catch up with Singapore within the next 50 years, this plainly never ever going to happen.....however they are well on their way to being a truly unique country.....

[tukkytuktuk]

Well done British Embassy, I'll be seeing you on Monday to arrange a visa for my wife and children to settle in the U.K. Thanks Mark Kent for ruining my life, as for the British Council I'll be looking for a council house and child support when I return.

[ThaiTony2]

Haha!

This move by the Thai government shows how ignorant this decision is. They would much rather spend money on less important things.

Train the trainer!

Thai's do not know how to pronounce many words in English. Very ignorant move and shameful to the 10th degree.

[GaryAdriaenssens]

I really wonder here if the Thai students are going to be more INTERESTED in learning English. Where I used to teach (several schools) most pupils didn't care if it was a Thai or foreign teacher who was in front of the class, they just weren't motivated at all and still DON'T care! That's why they are at the bottom of the infamous EP Index. But it's of course another initiative of the hotshots from the Ministry. Wish them good luck.

[brewsterbudgen]

Maybe their targets are unrealistic, but it is good to see them accepting input from The British Council and recognising that something needs to be done to improve the standard of English teaching in public schools.

[Muhendis]

10 pages of posts and rapidly rising, but are these so called English teaching foreigners interested in teaching or are they more interested in getting an easy visa?

Looking at the posts, I think the latter.......

[Kirbicus]

Some months ago I recall the good general's wife talking about making it easier for foreign teachers to teach in Thailand something about a possible two year teaching visa.

I then read some time after that a Thai delegate visited the Philippines and discussed the possibilities of some 4000 Filipino teachers to come to Thailand.

Then I see this interesting news item.

I read Thai Visa a lot and all the above are news articles on Thai Visa.

My Thai daughter (grade 11) goes to a fairly prominent private high school in the north. When she comes home and says " I am so boozy." "Huh?" boozy is actually busy.

Sometimes she would even talk about sighrupp when I help her with her science homework. Sighrupp is actually syrup.

I'd ask her where she gets her mispronunciation problems from and she would tell me from my Filipino teachers and Thai teachers.

I teach her all the four English skills regularly hoping that this will deter any issues/problems that occur at school.

[KKr]

I reckon that a lot of people that think they have English as a mother tongue have horrible accents, are not understandable, and should learn the Queen's before trying to impose their dialect on school children.