Please help find an English class for my Bangkok girlfriend.

[Old Fool]

Hi, I am looking for an English class so that my girlfriend can better speak my language. I am going to pay (I already promised). Can anyone help. Thanks

Location: Bangkok

[Thian]

I just noticed an english school in Westgate mall, top floor, called Wallstreet english. I saw them all sitting in a group while following a lesson.

Edited March 27, 2016 by Thian

[Old Fool]

thanks sent them a message.

Anybody else?

[chiang mai]

The British Council is one of the best English corses in Bangkok, run by the Embassy folks.

https://www.britishcouncil.or.th/en/english/schools

[tonray]

Every Mall in BKK has at least 1 English learning center. All you need to do is look.

[AlexRich]

One of the posters referred to the British Council ... I think they would be good. However, if you learn a language alongside other foreigners you tend to pick up the collective groups bad habits. As long as you are also speaking to her in English (slowly, BBC newsreader style) every day she should pick it up fairly quickly. If you speak English with a local dialect, you need to consciously amend it. Good luck.

[freebornjohn]

The British Council is probably the best choice IF your girlfriend already has at least a moderate level of spoken English fluency, is able to read and write in the language, and is planning to attend university in the UK. If she does not fulfill all of those criteria I suggest that you look elsewhere. But you certainly should look elsewhere and not try to teach her yourself, unless you are qualified to do so and are willing to destroy you romantic relationship.

Be careful of the ubiquitous shopping centre establishments, most of which aim (not all that accurately) at providing high-school kids with sufficient rudiments to get through a multiple choice test. I think that it would be better for her to start with one-to-one tuition with a Thai teacher. A Thai teacher could be found by personal recommendation from one of your girlfriend's acquaintances, at a neighbourhood shop-house type language school, or by looking on-line for small-ads - many impoverished Thai university students earn extra pocket-money in this way.

I wish you good luck, but remember that learning English is not easy (despite what Andrew Biggs says). It took you about three years before anyone other than your own mother and father could understand anything that you said..

[Thian]

At www.alluc.ee you can let her watch any tvprogram in english. First click away the advertisings popping up by clicking on the "X"

[chiang mai]

The British Council is probably the best choice IF your girlfriend already has at least a moderate level of spoken English fluency, is able to read and write in the language, and is planning to attend university in the UK. If she does not fulfill all of those criteria I suggest that you look elsewhere. But you certainly should look elsewhere and not try to teach her yourself, unless you are qualified to do so and are willing to destroy you romantic relationship.

Be careful of the ubiquitous shopping centre establishments, most of which aim (not all that accurately) at providing high-school kids with sufficient rudiments to get through a multiple choice test. I think that it would be better for her to start with one-to-one tuition with a Thai teacher. A Thai teacher could be found by personal recommendation from one of your girlfriend's acquaintances, at a neighbourhood shop-house type language school, or by looking on-line for small-ads - many impoverished Thai university students earn extra pocket-money in this way.

I wish you good luck, but remember that learning English is not easy (despite what Andrew Biggs says). It took you about three years before anyone other than your own mother and father could understand anything that you said..

I don't believe that's true at all, I've known people start the Beginers course at the British Council and proceed through Intermediary, starting with absolutely no English language skills whatsoever. The people in question are semi fluent in english today and have never visited the UK.

[avp55]

The British Council is probably the best choice IF your girlfriend already has at least a moderate level of spoken English fluency, is able to read and write in the language, and is planning to attend university in the UK. If she does not fulfill all of those criteria I suggest that you look elsewhere. But you certainly should look elsewhere and not try to teach her yourself, unless you are qualified to do so and are willing to destroy you romantic relationship.

Be careful of the ubiquitous shopping centre establishments, most of which aim (not all that accurately) at providing high-school kids with sufficient rudiments to get through a multiple choice test. I think that it would be better for her to start with one-to-one tuition with a Thai teacher. A Thai teacher could be found by personal recommendation from one of your girlfriend's acquaintances, at a neighbourhood shop-house type language school, or by looking on-line for small-ads - many impoverished Thai university students earn extra pocket-money in this way.

I wish you good luck, but remember that learning English is not easy (despite what Andrew Biggs says). It took you about three years before anyone other than your own mother and father could understand anything that you said..

I don't believe that's true at all, I've known people start the Beginers course at the British Council and proceed through Intermediary, starting with absolutely no English language skills whatsoever. The people in question are semi fluent in english today and have never visited the UK.

How long did it take to them to become fluent?

If you have a partner who speaks the language you want to learn it could be possible. Otherwise it takes a lot of time and effort. I'm still struggling with English and my mother Tongue is way more similar to English than thai (Latin language)

[inbangkok]

It will be cheaper and more effective to hire a private tutor. All of the big English schools are private, for profit businesses where actual learning comes second. It is not unusual to know people who are "intermediate" or "advanced" in these places but can barely hold a simple conversation. Whether or not the students are actually learning does not really matter at these schools. What matters is that you keep paying an exorbitant tuition on a regular bases in order to progress through their program.

Edited March 27, 2016 by inbangkok

[katana]

Fifty free lessons on Youtube

[DogNo1]

You could try out various English classes offered in your area. Google for them. Many will allow a free trial lesson. Private tutoring usually produces meagre results unless the student and tutor establish clear goals and procedures. Also check out AUA for their courses in American English. American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally. Stay clear of teachers with pronounced regional accents.

[johnatong]

You could try out various English classes offered in your area. Google for them. Many will allow a free trial lesson. Private tutoring usually produces meagre results unless the student and tutor establish clear goals and procedures. Also check out AUA for their courses in American English. American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally. Stay clear of teachers with pronounced regional accents.

Is there evidence which supports that weird claim that "American English" is understood better than English English internationally ?

Which 'version" of American English would you recommend ? The deep Southern red neck variety ?

[chiang mai]

You could try out various English classes offered in your area. Google for them. Many will allow a free trial lesson. Private tutoring usually produces meagre results unless the student and tutor establish clear goals and procedures. Also check out AUA for their courses in American English. American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally. Stay clear of teachers with pronounced regional accents.

"American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally".

Really, I'm curious to know how the Thai's would know that, did AUA tell them!

[dlgarno]

AUA is very good. All the teachers are native english speakers. They get to the level of writing essays. My wife went to AUA in Pattaya but Bangkok also has one. My actually enjoyed her classes. Not excessive in cost. Check it out on the internet for location or whatever.

[brewsterbudgen]

If she is near one of their branches, I can recommend King's College Thailand.

http://www.kingsthailand.com/

[inbangkok]

You could try out various English classes offered in your area. Google for them. Many will allow a free trial lesson. Private tutoring usually produces meagre results unless the student and tutor establish clear goals and procedures. Also check out AUA for their courses in American English. American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally. Stay clear of teachers with pronounced regional accents.

"American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally".

Really, I'm curious to know how the Thai's would know that, did AUA tell them!

The vast majority of Thais seem to agree that the American accent if far easier to understand than others. This may be one reason.

[theoldgit]

The British Council is one of the best English corses in Bangkok, run by the Embassy folks.

https://www.britishcouncil.or.th/en/english/schools

The British Council classes aren't actually run by the Embassy folks, the BC is a commercial organisation and, whilst there may be some links to the British Embassy, the tutors are all employed by the BC and not the Embassy.

Some years ago my partner did a course there, she told me that the classes were very big and the tutors had little if any time for individual pupils.

[brewsterbudgen]

The British Council is one of the best English corses in Bangkok, run by the Embassy folks.

https://www.britishcouncil.or.th/en/english/schools

The British Council classes aren't actually run by the Embassy folks, the BC is a commercial organisation and, whilst there may be some links to the British Embassy, the tutors are all employed by the BC and not the Embassy.

Some years ago my partner did a course there, she told me that the classes were very big and the tutors had little if any time for individual pupils.

The BC tend to focus on the more lucrative 'young learner' classes too.

[asiaexpat]

There are many commercial schools as well as universities in Bangkok that teach english. They are in many locations such as malls as well as office buildings. Find several that are convenient for your girl friend and let her set a trail class at each to find the one she feels comfortable with. I found Language Express acceptable as well as AUA.

[Scouse Twoccer]

Fifty free lessons on Youtube

You're not seriously recommending that someone who cannot say or write one of the simplest words in the English language should be allowed to teach English to a non-English speaker?

What does "yea" mean in the context of the lesson? Nothing. The word is "yes". Yea is pronounced "Yay" and doesn't mean a conversational "yes".

[Scouse Twoccer]

You could try out various English classes offered in your area. Google for them. Many will allow a free trial lesson. Private tutoring usually produces meagre results unless the student and tutor establish clear goals and procedures. Also check out AUA for their courses in American English. American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally. Stay clear of teachers with pronounced regional accents.

"American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally".

Really, I'm curious to know how the Thai's would know that, did AUA tell them!

The vast majority of Thais seem to agree that the American accent if far easier to understand than others. This may be one reason.

Says who? Certainly not "the vast majority of Thais" as you obviously, nor anyone else, would have been able to survey the vast majority of Thais.

Anyway, your response is not a reason, it is simply your repeating someone else's ridiculous claim.

[inbangkok]

You could try out various English classes offered in your area. Google for them. Many will allow a free trial lesson. Private tutoring usually produces meagre results unless the student and tutor establish clear goals and procedures. Also check out AUA for their courses in American English. American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally. Stay clear of teachers with pronounced regional accents.

"American English is generally preferred by Thais because it is more easily understood internationally".

Really, I'm curious to know how the Thai's would know that, did AUA tell them!

The vast majority of Thais seem to agree that the American accent if far easier to understand than others. This may be one reason.

Says who? Certainly not "the vast majority of Thais" as you obviously, nor anyone else, would have been able to survey the vast majority of Thais.

Anyway, your response is not a reason, it is simply your repeating someone else's ridiculous claim.

Calm down little boy. Seriously, get your panties out of a bunch.

My statement was not meant to be of a 100 percent, universally unchallenged claim about God and the universe. How about this..... "The vast majority of Thais that I Have personally spoken to seem to agree that an American accent is easier to understand". There, feel better little man?

And me repeating the claim of Thais who think American English is easier to understand is only a ridiculous claim in your tiny, little brain. It's not ridiculous for the Thais who feel that way.

[katana]

Fifty free lessons on Youtube

You're not seriously recommending that someone who cannot say or write one of the simplest words in the English language should be allowed to teach English to a non-English speaker?

What does "yea" mean in the context of the lesson? Nothing. The word is "yes". Yea is pronounced "Yay" and doesn't mean a conversational "yes".

You're complaining about her English and you speak scouse?