All vocational colleges to open English Program courses over next 5 years

[webfact]

All vocational colleges to open English Program courses over next 5 years

BANGKOK, 3 June 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Education has appointed the Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) to enhance English training among students, aiming to initiate English Program courses in all vocational colleges within 5 years.

Minister of Education, Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan has said regarding the feedback from the International Institute for Management Development’s competitiveness ranking, which puts Thailand at the 28th position, that Thailand still has ranking weaknesses such as the insufficient number of doctors in the population, energy conservation, and English proficiency in education.

The Ministry of Education has appointed OVEC to upgrade English courses at vocational colleges to ensure that all students can use the English language effectively. Students must be able to communicate in English when they finish school.

OVEC Secretary-General, Chaipreuk Sereerak says the office is executing both short-term and long-term plans to improve students' English proficiency. The short term plan will ensure skills in English for communication and professional pursuits prior to graduation, while the long-term plan will be the establishment of language institutes serving vocational colleges to develop a curriculum and improve the teaching skills of staff.

OVEC is also planning to introduce English Program courses in more colleges, with the aim being to have all vocational colleges nationwide have a strong English Program within the next five years.


-- NNT 2016-06-03

[jaltsc]

"The Ministry of Education has appointed OVEC to upgrade English courses at vocational colleges to ensure that all students can use the English language effectively."

That would put them way ahead of the present day English teachers.

So, who are they going to get to teach these courses? Right now, in order of who is best qualified to teach English::

1) Native English speakers

2) Europeans who speak English as a second language

3) Non-Thai Asians

4) Thai Bar Girls

5) Thai English teachers.

Something has to change in the Land That Resists Change For The Sake Of Saving Face..

[Thechook]

Been talking about this for a decade and nothing happened. Weren't they going to stop having native English speaking teachers and have them replaced with more qualified thai speaking English teachers.

[Smiley Face]

"The Ministry of Education has appointed OVEC to upgrade English courses at vocational colleges to ensure that all students can use the English language effectively."

That would put them way ahead of the present day English teachers.

So, who are they going to get to teach these courses? Right now, in order of who is best qualified to teach English::

1) Native English speakers

2) Europeans who speak English as a second language

3) Non-Thai Asians

4) Thai Bar Girls

5) Thai English teachers.

Something has to change in the Land That Resists Change For The Sake Of Saving Face..

Judging by the quality of the grammar and spelling I've seen here on TV I think your idea of "Native English speakers" should be qualified a bit more. Perhaps "Trained, Native English speakers".

[JAG]

My stepson went through vocational college a few years ago. They had a couple of Filipinos, but no one else on the staff spoke English. I am not complaining, it is a Thai college after all, but one wonders how they will manage this upgrade.

[Bluespunk]

Horse. Locked. Stable door. Bolted.

[rkidlad]

"The Ministry of Education has appointed OVEC to upgrade English courses at vocational colleges to ensure that all students can use the English language effectively."

That would put them way ahead of the present day English teachers.

So, who are they going to get to teach these courses? Right now, in order of who is best qualified to teach English::

1) Native English speakers

2) Europeans who speak English as a second language

3) Non-Thai Asians

4) Thai Bar Girls

5) Thai English teachers.

Something has to change in the Land That Resists Change For The Sake Of Saving Face..

Judging by the quality of the grammar and spelling I've seen here on TV I think your idea of "Native English speakers" should be qualified a bit more. Perhaps "Trained, Native English speakers".

At the moment they're really struggling to find native-English speakers to teach. I guess Thailand isn't that appealing when working for 30-35k a month with a 10 month contract.

Trained or qualified native-English speakers for 35k? No chance. It's very simple - if you want qualified teachers, you have to pay. If you're not willing to pay, you make do with what you can get, and you keep blaming everyone else but the people who are responsible. It's called the 'head in the sand' approach.

[NongKhaiKid]

Last year when it was one year to go to the launch of the AEC wasn't it said the necessary English level would be reached or words to that effect.

I'm surprised at a five year plan as usually things here are projected to happen almost overnight.

[Winniedapu]

Another day, another high-sounding initiative that will earn the good minister some brownie points and then be forgotten/ignored while he dashes off in search of the next high-sounding sound-bite initiative.

Thailand is xenophobic and considers itself to be leading the world. It isn't going to announce to its own people that the Thai language is inadequate for it to remain as the world leader, and that they have to learn English (or Chinese, or Arabic or anything).

Not going to happen. Thailand will continue to slide into relative obscurity because it has a national bad attitude..

W

Edited June 3, 2016 by Winniedapu

[lostinisaan]

"The Ministry of Education has appointed OVEC to upgrade English courses at vocational colleges to ensure that all students can use the English language effectively."

That would put them way ahead of the present day English teachers.

So, who are they going to get to teach these courses? Right now, in order of who is best qualified to teach English::

1) Native English speakers

2) Europeans who speak English as a second language

3) Non-Thai Asians

4) Thai Bar Girls

5) Thai English teachers.

Something has to change in the Land That Resists Change For The Sake Of Saving Face..

Judging by the quality of the grammar and spelling I've seen here on TV I think your idea of "Native English speakers" should be qualified a bit more. Perhaps "Trained, Native English speakers".

At the moment they're really struggling to find native-English speakers to teach. I guess Thailand isn't that appealing when working for 30-35k a month with a 10 month contract.

Trained or qualified native-English speakers for 35k? No chance. It's very simple - if you want qualified teachers, you have to pay. If you're not willing to pay, you make do with what you can get, and you keep blaming everyone else but the people who are responsible. It's called the 'head in the sand' approach.

Sad is that the fresh graduates aren't really better in English, because they went thru a system of no fail. Lost faces are scattered all around.

Older teachers always had/have the excuse that they didn't have NES teachers when they were young. But all possible and free websites these days to learn English for free aren't often used by Thais, because it's not written in their language.

What about sending all Thais who want to become English teachers to an English speaking country, let them study until they pass their test without copying from others.

And when they come back they do speak English and they don't ran around headless. Aeeh ,they don't lose face anymore.

Why don't they need NES teachers, Asian teachers, or Nigerians to teach English in some European countries, where English isn't the first language?

Neither a tablet per child, nor the amazing hub of education in SEA became true. When Army and Navy generals have to make decisions, it can't get any better.

Does anybody know if foreigners are allowed to become a general, or admiral in this country?

Edited June 2, 2016 by lostinisaan

[fosseway]

"The Ministry of Education has appointed OVEC to upgrade English courses at vocational colleges to ensure that all students can use the English language effectively."

That would put them way ahead of the present day English teachers.

So, who are they going to get to teach these courses? Right now, in order of who is best qualified to teach English::

1) Native English speakers

2) Europeans who speak English as a second language

3) Non-Thai Asians

4) Thai Bar Girls

5) Thai English teachers.

Something has to change in the Land That Resists Change For The Sake Of Saving Face..

Judging by the quality of the grammar and spelling I've seen here on TV I think your idea of "Native English speakers" should be qualified a bit more. Perhaps "Trained, Native English speakers".

How about trained natives.

[z42]

Are the SMART principles even considered in anything the authorities here do I wonder. Being realistic, making the targets (whatever they are) achievable, and actually having some method / means to measure the development should be fundamental. Yet I imagine this is just more hot air.

The exposure to spoken English is still practically non existent because anything and everything is dubbed into Thai; practically nothing is subtitled and delivered in its original form.

Actually trying to adopt approaches that are likely to actively target, and develop the 4 language skill areas together is paramount. Never seems to happen much here.

[greenchair]

I was just prosecuted for teaching 3 year old to speak English. Half of the children learned free one hour per week. 10 kids. The ministry ordered me not to teach children for free as it is not fair to everyone.

They ordered that I can teach 7 kids per day. If I teach 8 I will now go to prison for 1 year. Crazy ministry of education, there is no end to the ways they stop people teaching English ???

[Winniedapu]

I was just prosecuted for teaching 3 year old to speak English. Half of the children learned free one hour per week. 10 kids. The ministry ordered me not to teach children for free as it is not fair to everyone.

They ordered that I can teach 7 kids per day. If I teach 8 I will now go to prison for 1 year. Crazy ministry of education, there is no end to the ways they stop people teaching English ???

The exercise is not to achieve anything except to cause inconvenience or worse to the very people that could help them drag themselves out of a quicksand of their own making. As your experience appears to show,

Let them stew in their own juice is my feeling. Let them discover just how much Thailand leads the world and how much the people that greng-jai insists they hold up as divinities actually help them and how much they actually rape the nation and steal it's wealth.

Not feeling veryt charitable about Thais lately. I used to cgive a damn, but that was leeched out of me by their persistently bad behaviour.

W

[selftaopath]

"The Ministry of Education has appointed OVEC to upgrade English courses at vocational colleges to ensure that all students can use the English language effectively."

That would put them way ahead of the present day English teachers.

So, who are they going to get to teach these courses? Right now, in order of who is best qualified to teach English::

1) Native English speakers

2) Europeans who speak English as a second language

3) Non-Thai Asians

4) Thai Bar Girls

5) Thai English teachers.

Something has to change in the Land That Resists Change For The Sake Of Saving Face..

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh good ol' "face" i.e. wanting to APPEAR different than reality/truth/fact.

[selftaopath]

Been talking about this for a decade and nothing happened. Weren't they going to stop having native English speaking teachers and have them replaced with more qualified thai speaking English teachers.

Yea,,,, "going TO" "planning TO" are part of Thainess.

Doing/completing/accomplishing/improving lol part of western initiatives.

[NongKhaiKid]

Been talking about this for a decade and nothing happened. Weren't they going to stop having native English speaking teachers and have them replaced with more qualified thai speaking English teachers.

Yea,,,, "going TO" "planning TO" are part of Thainess.

Doing/completing/accomplishing/improving lol part of western initiatives.

Great defensive posture get the headlines announcing what's going to be done or is planned and then don't do anything thinking all the BS will have been believed and trusting the average citizen doesn't care anyway.

[thesetat2013]

"The Ministry of Education has appointed OVEC to upgrade English courses at vocational colleges to ensure that all students can use the English language effectively."

That would put them way ahead of the present day English teachers.

So, who are they going to get to teach these courses? Right now, in order of who is best qualified to teach English::

1) Native English speakers

2) Europeans who speak English as a second language

3) Non-Thai Asians

4) Thai Bar Girls

5) Thai English teachers.

Something has to change in the Land That Resists Change For The Sake Of Saving Face..

If you remember they have already chosen who will teach English more in Thailand. Numbers 3 and 5 stand out because it's cheaper and they don't care if Thais can't speak it properly just as long as they pass the tests and can say "my name is" ! Anyone who has taught in Thailand knows they will all pass their tests and as for the speaking, hehee

[Sawan Chan 7]

Been talking about this for a decade and nothing happened. Weren't they going to stop having native English speaking teachers and have them replaced with more qualified thai speaking English teachers.

Yea,,,, "going TO" "planning TO" are part of Thainess.

Doing/completing/accomplishing/improving lol part of western initiatives.

What a racist post.

Can I ask why you live here?

I hope you never married any of these types. Or is yours different

Edited June 3, 2016 by Sawan Chan 7

[NongKhaiKid]

Been talking about this for a decade and nothing happened. Weren't they going to stop having native English speaking teachers and have them replaced with more qualified thai speaking English teachers.

Yea,,,, "going TO" "planning TO" are part of Thainess.

Doing/completing/accomplishing/improving lol part of western initiatives.

What a racist post.

Can I ask why you live here?

I hope you never married any of these types. Or is yours different

Not racist in the least just a statement of fact.

[futsukayoi]

Been talking about this for a decade and nothing happened. Weren't they going to stop having native English speaking teachers and have them replaced with more qualified thai speaking English teachers.

Yea,,,, "going TO" "planning TO" are part of Thainess.

Doing/completing/accomplishing/improving lol part of western initiatives.

What a racist post.

Can I ask why you live here?

I hope you never married any of these types. Or is yours different

Not racist in the least just a statement of fact.

Of course it is racist and also non-factual.

Doing/completing/accomplishing/improving are things which most Singaporeans, Koreans, Japanese and Hong Kong etc seem able to accomplish at least as well as most western countries.

[Sawan Chan 7]

Been talking about this for a decade and nothing happened. Weren't they going to stop having native English speaking teachers and have them replaced with more qualified thai speaking English teachers.

Yea,,,, "going TO" "planning TO" are part of Thainess.

Doing/completing/accomplishing/improving lol part of western initiatives.

What a racist post.

Can I ask why you live here?

I hope you never married any of these types. Or is yours different

Not racist in the least just a statement of fact.

It is very racist, judgmental and ignorant of what true Thainess actually is.

[DavisH]

I don't see much point in vocational students being proficient in english as the will have little use for that skill in Thailand. How about focusing on Thais who actually NEED to speak english - such as university graduate that have significant contact with foreigners, such as doctors, nurses, tout operators, etc. Once that is achieved, they other groups can develop language skills. As it turns out now, most university graduates have very limited english skills.

[Emster23]

I'm a retired US teacher. I would love to teach part time, maybe 10 hours a week, at a local school for free. I would imagine there are many others who would like to volunteer also. No can do: all the barriers for WP, folks hassled for informal teachings per above, and near certainty local administrator would get paid under table for my free services.

[northernboy]

If you expect to speak English as a nation, it would have to seriously start earlier than with 18-year-olds.

Maybe the government wants vocationally trained people to help the economy by working overseas to send hard currencies back like they did for generations from the North East. or to be employed in foreign-owned and managed factories in BOI zones.

[northernboy]

I'm a retired US teacher. I would love to teach part time, maybe 10 hours a week, at a local school for free. I would imagine there are many others who would like to volunteer also. No can do: all the barriers for WP, folks hassled for informal teachings per above, and near certainty local administrator would get paid under table for my free services.

Ageism and nothing more. You would have to change visas and then they would make you work more hours to qualify.

[greenchair]

And quite frankly, if the children have reached vocational college without a reasonable profiency in basic English, they don't have a hope in hell.

They should be drenching these kids in English by native speakers at kindergarten and prathom level. Then bring in the Philippinoes and Thai English teachers for grammar at vocational level. They are starting at the asewhole, when they should be starting at the mouth.

[nottocus]

Two problems here.

1. They won't be able to get proper teachers.

2. The students will have little interest in learning.

[Caveat Emptor]

Post #22

Aahh Thainess and it's great escape clause, foreigners don't understand.

[chainarong]

"The Ministry of Education has appointed OVEC to upgrade English courses at vocational colleges to ensure that all students can use the English language effectively."

That would put them way ahead of the present day English teachers.

So, who are they going to get to teach these courses? Right now, in order of who is best qualified to teach English::

1) Native English speakers

2) Europeans who speak English as a second language

3) Non-Thai Asians

4) Thai Bar Girls

5) Thai English teachers.

Something has to change in the Land That Resists Change For The Sake Of Saving Face..

Judging by the quality of the grammar and spelling I've seen here on TV I think your idea of "Native English speakers" should be qualified a bit more. Perhaps "Trained, Native English speakers".

At the moment they're really struggling to find native-English speakers to teach. I guess Thailand isn't that appealing when working for 30-35k a month with a 10 month contract.

Trained or qualified native-English speakers for 35k? No chance. It's very simple - if you want qualified teachers, you have to pay. If you're not willing to pay, you make do with what you can get, and you keep blaming everyone else but the people who are responsible. It's called the 'head in the sand' approach.

To be a teacher of English in Australia you need a degree in English literature ,the going salary for a high school English teacher is around 160 grand a year , H.K. Taiwan Sth Korea Japan, pay about 15 grand USD a month, In Malaysia they used to only lecture in english at Uni , I don't know if that is still on, that was the former PM baby.as he said, it is no use having a degree if you cannot use it in a English speaking country , that's where the money is.