Recommended Reading..

[swissie]

Look at Thailand News sub forum: "Thai Officials to slash number of foreign english teachers". At first glance: Madness at it's best. But there is another side to it:

- Possibly "Thai Officials" and schools have discovered, giving preference to "Native English speakers" can do more harm than good.

Because a good part of the "English-Teachers" community insists on teaching English in their dialect/slang. So far removed from "classical English-English", that I am no more able to understand the so called "Native English Speakers."

To force Thai's to learn any sort of dialect/slang- English, that is useless on the international English Dance Floor, was a mistake in the first place and "Thai-Officials" have realized that in the meantime.

A new dawn for non "Native English Speakers" from Europe? They may bring in a slightly different pronunciation component, but since they all learn classical English-English at school.

one can actually understand what they are saying, as opposed to....................

Cheers.

[Loaded]

They are attempting to supplement foreign teachers with EFL trained Thai EFL teachers. It won't begin to happen until they can find Thai teachers who can speak English fluently (IELTS band 7.5+). That's a long way off. Plus, parents want foreign teachers to teach their kids English and they are prepared to pay for it.

[Suradit69]

Because a good part of the "English-Teachers" community insists on teaching English in their dialect/slang. So far removed from "classical English-English", that I am no more able to understand the so called "Native English Speakers."

Most native English speakers, at least the quality that pitches up in Thailand, are probably deaf to their own accents and slang, so to say they insist on teaching that way assumes they could do otherwise. Judging from some of the things that are written in the teaching forum on TV, cobbling together a coherent sentence free of spelling and grammar errors is a bridge too far for many as well.

I don't think I've ever heard a Thai speak anything like "classical English-English" or express any interest in doing so. Most Europeans speak English with both a heavy accent and a mixture of what I suppose you could call slang as some of their own home language gets in the mix.

I know of one school that took on several Irish English teachers and both students & parents were up in arms. No one could understand them and the parents didn't want their children to end up with an Irish accent.

[DogNo1]

You must be talking about what the British Council calls "Received English." What you call the variety of English heard on American TV? American TV and movies are watched by a huge number of people the world over.

[mikebell]

How is it managed in Vietnam? Just back from a 4-centre holiday and everywhere we met Vietnamese with good English. We were also impressed with the level of service and attention to detail - I'm not talking just in hotels but even out in the sticks.

[Mencken]

Giving preference to SOME native speakers might very well do more harm than good.

If you have a clear North American accent or a lovely British accent and you have a degree and a year or two experience my hunch is you'll always have work if you are fit and energetic.

Most Thai teachers at my school speak poor English but are perhaps OK with vocab and grammar rules. Two young teachers can't speak English and work in the English Dept.

I think a huge mistake has been and is currently being made allowing people with strong or eccentric accents teach, including Europe.

Further while EU can speak and write well, its not good enough for teaching imo. I've picked up work from two EU teachers riddled with issues and errors. Perhaps I'd raise TOEIC.

Trouble is Thailand doesn't pay, so really, what can they expect?

Edited November 14, 2015 by Mencken

[lostinisaan]

Because a good part of the "English-Teachers" community insists on teaching English in their dialect/slang. So far removed from "classical English-English", that I am no more able to understand the so called "Native English Speakers."

Most native English speakers, at least the quality that pitches up in Thailand, are probably deaf to their own accents and slang, so to say they insist on teaching that way assumes they could do otherwise. Judging from some of the things that are written in the teaching forum on TV, cobbling together a coherent sentence free of spelling and grammar errors is a bridge too far for many as well.

I don't think I've ever heard a Thai speak anything like "classical English-English" or express any interest in doing so. Most Europeans speak English with both a heavy accent and a mixture of what I suppose you could call slang as some of their own home language gets in the mix.

I know of one school that took on several Irish English teachers and both students & parents were up in arms. No one could understand them and the parents didn't want their children to end up with an Irish accent.

No idea what you're talking about.

Is minic a gheibhean beal oscailt diog dunta !! ( An open mouth often catches a closed fist.)