Thai Education Min to launch training to improve English teachers

[oneday]

Blind leading the blind.

[connda]

This never gets old

Wow, an accurate depiction of Thais teaching Thais English. Having taught Thai teachers English and English pronunciation, and then watch them revert right back to their native pronunciation, this is truly funny in an sad, sad way.

[Jackin1960]

The best 50 will train the next group, inspiring stuff but woefully lacking. Having been very much involved in teaching Thai teachers English as part of a government push to use English in the maths and science classes it's doomed to the same end. Who can blame an old teacher who is on cruse control to a pension or a teacher who has no interest in learning a foreign language. Yes they will attend and give every indication that they are trying but at the end of the program they will have gained little to nothing even the ones who try and do want to speak English will simply not use it in class out of fear that they will get it wrong or a student might speak it better.

There is only one way to break the circle and that is to employ good first language English speaking teachers to teach English, Maths, and science in schools until the first generation students start to enter the job market. Then offer these students a bonus to go into teaching using English. Only then will the circle be broken. But this would need a real commitment not just words.

[razer]

The arrogance of the MoE hasn't changed one bit.

I believe his explains a lot.

Two psychologists, Justin KRUGER from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and David DUNNING from Cornell University, published their study named “Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments”

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042814051489

[Confuscious]

Expect to see English teachers like this all over the country next year.

[Confuscious]

To every body it is April the 1st again today

And I was thinking that it is every day April 1st in Thailand.

A Groundhog Day.

[Confuscious]

I was a while ago chatting with a Thai teacher English in Udon Thani.

Her English was so awful that I could not resist to ask her about that.

Her answer was:

"I am graduated in English language and I have a Cambridge certificate.

It is you who don't master English enough to understand what I am writing.

My students are farmers sons and daughters.

They are farmers from father to son and never will leave the village as they are needed to cultivate the land and make an income for the whole family.

Why should I bother to teach them to speak/write perfect English?
My FIRST task is to make good farmers of them and good followers of the Buddhist religion."

The Thai curriculum will graduate these teachers without knowing anything about the English language.

More important is to let them stay 6 weeks in a first class bungalow in some first class park with their family at the tax payer money.

[Surasak]

Not really Thai bashing but Prats Progress comes to mind

[tukkytuktuk]

Our school recently advertised for an English native speaker with a monthly salary of 40,000 baht. A man came for an interview and the next day started work. He did his work so ell it made all us Thai teachers look lazy. In midterm he went on holiday to Phuket, with his young Thai wife and daughter, we went to Isaan to see our mum. He's bought a new motorcycle now. We hate him, but the owners and parents at school love him. We wind him up everyday when the owners go out and spread false rumors about him. It worked, he lost his cool one day when we all wound him up and he walked out of the school in front of the parents. He got sacked and we all celebrated over somtam. Next day the school owners had another farang being interviewed. He won,t last long, will he girls, ha, ha, ha.

[ebonykap]

And the (only) winner is...........(drum roll).................The British Council!!!

[chilli42]

Six weeks training. That should be more than enough to perfect English ... and then go on and train others.

[JAG]

And the (only) winner is...........(drum roll).................The British Council!!!

Indeed, one cannot but wonder as to whether the British Council are aware of what they are getting in to, Perhaps they are blinded by the brilliant glow from the big shiny cheque which they expect to receive...

[djayz]

This never gets old

I love this video!!! It's so good and, unfortunately, so, so true. One generation passing their mistakes on to the next.

Sad really...

[connda]

The best 50 will train the next group, inspiring stuff but woefully lacking. Having been very much involved in teaching Thai teachers English as part of a government push to use English in the maths and science classes it's doomed to the same end. Who can blame an old teacher who is on cruse control to a pension or a teacher who has no interest in learning a foreign language. Yes they will attend and give every indication that they are trying but at the end of the program they will have gained little to nothing even the ones who try and do want to speak English will simply not use it in class out of fear that they will get it wrong or a student might speak it better.

There is only one way to break the circle and that is to employ good first language English speaking teachers to teach English, Maths, and science in schools until the first generation students start to enter the job market. Then offer these students a bonus to go into teaching using English. Only then will the circle be broken. But this would need a real commitment not just words.

I taught a 30 hour "Teach the Teachers" course to Pratom teachers in Isaan. I had one major success. Probably half the students in Nakhon Ratchasima province now know how to do The Chicken Dance. They are probably all still pronouncing Rs as Ls, and Ls and Ns, but da*m, they can do The Chicken Dance.

If you don't know The Chicken Dance, crawl out from under your rock and check this link:

https://youtu.be/4xmV5uHWNag

And the Hokey Pokey was more popular that attempting to aspirate Ts, Ks, Ps, and Gs at the end of words, no less understand when to use an S or Z sound for plural nouns and third-person plurals.

If you don't know The Hokey Pokey, crawl out from under your rock again and check this link:

https://youtu.be/4EnaAFyrcQM

Now like Thai Pratom teachers, you can ignore the English lessons and do naught but play. TIT My take on Thai teaching philosophy is that children shouldn't be burdened with learning, but allowed to do nothing but play.

Edited November 18, 2015 by connda

[ggt]

While we can admire the plan...to improve English teachers proficiency...one must wonder if it will go the way of purging Thailand of corruption...not going to happen...IMHO

[TPI]

Another project destined for failure: The Blind Leading The Blind. Propagating broken English ad-infinitum for generations to come. As always, the 50 'best' teachers will be selected based on status, family-standing, and money.

Here's a better idea. Require native Thai teachers with their Masters Degree in English or Education to take two full years of English language training from qualified Native English Speakers, or require them to attend 'immersion' English language courses in English speaking countries. No exceptions. Hell, that makes way too much sense, now doesn't it.

The ministry's idea may get off the ground, but will have a Hindenburg ending.

hith-hindenburg--E.jpeg

I know this sounds crazy but, why not have an English speaking radio station and an English speaking TV station, you know, like they had a couple of years ago! Listening to the BBC is no help at all, the presenters speak way too fast! Believe it or not CNN has a much better set of presenters!

[icare999]

good luck with that

[TPI]

The best 50 will train the next group, inspiring stuff but woefully lacking. Having been very much involved in teaching Thai teachers English as part of a government push to use English in the maths and science classes it's doomed to the same end. Who can blame an old teacher who is on cruse control to a pension or a teacher who has no interest in learning a foreign language. Yes they will attend and give every indication that they are trying but at the end of the program they will have gained little to nothing even the ones who try and do want to speak English will simply not use it in class out of fear that they will get it wrong or a student might speak it better.

There is only one way to break the circle and that is to employ good first language English speaking teachers to teach English, Maths, and science in schools until the first generation students start to enter the job market. Then offer these students a bonus to go into teaching using English. Only then will the circle be broken. But this would need a real commitment not just words.

I taught a 30 hour "Teach the Teachers" course to Pratom teachers in Isaan. I had one major success. Probably half the students in Nakhon Ratchasima province now know how to do The Chicken Dance. They are probably all still pronouncing Rs as Ls, and Ls and Ns, but da*m, they can do The Chicken Dance.

If you don't know The Chicken Dance, crawl out from under your rock and check this link:

https://youtu.be/4xmV5uHWNag

And the Hokey Pokey was more popular that attempting to aspirate Ts, Ks, Ps, and Gs at the end of words, no less understand when to use an S or Z sound for plural nouns and third-person plurals.

If you don't know The Hokey Pokey, crawl out from under your rock again and check this link:

https://youtu.be/4EnaAFyrcQM

Now like Thai Pratom teachers, you can ignore the English lessons and do naught but play. TIT My take on Thai teaching philosophy is that children shouldn't be burdened with learning, but allowed to do nothing but play.

Having done the same sort of course here in Phrae, only with Mathiyom, I'm a little confused about the part that singing and dance play in teaching English? While children like to sing and dance where does it fit for teachers to do it in a "train the trainer" course? Money for jam eh!!

[bangon04]

The phrase - "An exercise in futility" comes to mind.

but not for the British Council, it seems. They will make money out of it, again.

[Goldieinkathu]

"The 50 best-performing teachers will train the next group of participants."

Talking about dilution... lol

Kind of like a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy.

When I was in the Army, we tried this once as some sort of training, where the same message got passed around to 20 people, one by one by word of mouth.

The final message was NOWHERE NEAR the original.

Send reinforcements, we are going to advance.

Send three and fourpence we are going to a dance!

[Artisi]

Well I would really like to see the 6 week program and what it entails. If it has anything that resembles previous attempts of grammar, grammar and more grammar, then it is doomed before it starts.

I never taught English in Thailand, just maintenance training to the RTA. I truly do pity any English teachers, if their experiences were anything like mine.

I gave it up a few years back, after being involved with the RTA off & on for over 10 years.

My last contract was 9 months long. I finished the contract because I said I would, though I was almost ready to go find a tall building with a low balcony.

Never again.

That would be tall building with low balcony railing -correct?

[Artisi]

................Around 500 teachers with high levels of English proficiency .........................

To be a teacher of any subject, surely one must have a high level of proficiency in that subject?

You you really live in Thailand?

[DavidBonnie]

As a member of the 'council' I feel that this training will be a drop in the proverbial.

I am assured that the trainers are well qualified but if they are only teaching the first wave I see all the problems appearing as mentioned.

Frankly, Thai teachers can teach English Grammar but not conversation and that is what is needed for young Thais to progress.

Sadly, the oblique system of education management from the ministry down to the school managers themselves and senior teachers makes it almost impossible for foreigns with a more, shall we say, joined up approach to education to make much impact. The nepotism, croneyism and corrupt thinking gets in the way to such a degree that it seems intentional?

Thai people can learn English and speak very well and many studens are a delight, a real delight to teach and interact with but they are those who have the skill, finances and support to succeed.

The plan with this scheme is to improve teaching in the regions which means the poorer regions. Any help there will be an improvement I guess?

[Artisi]

"The 50 best-performing teachers will train the next group of participants."

Talking about dilution... lol

Kind of like a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy.

When I was in the Army, we tried this once as some sort of training, where the same message got passed around to 20 people, one by one by word of mouth.

The final message was NOWHERE NEAR the original.

Like the one I heard way way back about a verbal message passed from the front lines to the rear during the WW1, "send reinforcements, were are going to advance" - that ended up "send 3 and 4 pence we are gong to a dance"

[Artisi]

Another project destined for failure: The Blind Leading The Blind. Propagating broken English ad-infinitum for generations to come. As always, the 50 'best' teachers will be selected based on status, family-standing, and money.

Here's a better idea. Require native Thai teachers with their Masters Degree in English or Education to take two full years of English language training from qualified Native English Speakers, or require them to attend 'immersion' English language courses in English speaking countries. No exceptions. Hell, that makes way too much sense, now doesn't it.

The ministry's idea may get off the ground, but will have a Hindenburg ending.

hith-hindenburg--E.jpeg

A similar ending without the drama.

[Jim walker]

By the sounds of these comments on TVF must be a lot of disgruntled teachers on here that dont trust the soldier boys to improve up the Thai language classes at school even after they know that Thais always know better because its in their genes to be smarter than all other nations English speaking or otherwise.

[Robbie Dye]

Not a hope in Hades springs to mind!

[djayz]

Another project destined for failure: The Blind Leading The Blind. Propagating broken English ad-infinitum for generations to come. As always, the 50 'best' teachers will be selected based on status, family-standing, and money.

Here's a better idea. Require native Thai teachers with their Masters Degree in English or Education to take two full years of English language training from qualified Native English Speakers, or require them to attend 'immersion' English language courses in English speaking countries. No exceptions. Hell, that makes way too much sense, now doesn't it.

The ministry's idea may get off the ground, but will have a Hindenburg ending.

hith-hindenburg--E.jpeg

I know this sounds crazy but, why not have an English speaking radio station and an English speaking TV station, you know, like they had a couple of years ago! Listening to the BBC is no help at all, the presenters speak way too fast! Believe it or not CNN has a much better set of presenters!

But CNN is crap... so we're back to square one again.

[z42]

I get the feeling this hasn't been thought through, it certainly looks like another textbook case of style over substance. A shame

[naboo]

Many bar girls in 1 year can speak better English than the 5 years teachers at uni.

There is motivation there though....

And constant exposure to foreigners, regular repetition and differnet environments making up the classroom.