Do Thai Students Know How to Think?

[Inspire]

Do Thai Students Know How to Think?

Orlando Barton

 

 

Many expats in Thailand feel the need to pontificate on just about any subject that involves Thai people. It seems the longer one has been fortunate enough to live in this wonderful country, the more one has to say about its native population.

 

We talk about the way they drive, the things they eat, the corruption of their public officials and how intelligent (or not) we think they are. Some of these opinions are based on observation and thoughtful consideration of social variance. Most of them are just people repeating crap they heard.

 

One of the most common piles of steaming misinformation I hear over and over again is that Thai students can’t think their way out of a wet paper bag. Many is the time some bleary eyed barstool sociologist has explained to me, “Ya see, the Thai school system is based on rote learning. They’re just taught to write down what they see on the blackboard and regurgitate it back to the teacher. They don’t have any critical thinking or problem solving skills. They are afraid to voice an opinion for fear of insulting the teacher.” I’ve heard it from literally dozens of crusty old expats who consider themselves experts on all things Thai; Thai kids can’t think.

 

Well boys, I’m here to call bull*$@! on that. Allow me to spew a little of my own rhetoric and illuminate you all on this subject. Yours truly Orlando Barton is a teacher at a major university in Bangkok. I meet bright-eyed Thai students every day and feel eminently more qualified than anyone I’ve met to speak on the subject of Thai kids and their critical thinking skills.

 

Full story: http://www.inspirepattaya.com/lifestyle/thai-students-know-think/

 

 

-- © Copyright Inspire Pattaya 2017-02-26

[whatawonderfulday]

Good of Orlando Barton, as a supposed teacher/lecturer, not to understand that famous and respected saying that "Self praise is no recommendation".  i.e. " feel eminently more qualified than anyone I’ve met to speak on the subject of Thai kids and their critical thinking skills."

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by whatawonderfulday

[petedk]

I think that Thai students are able to think for themselves if prompted.

Often they are too lazy to think and simply agree with whatever is being said.

The biggest problem in my opinion is their lack of world affairs or even general knowledge.

I teach at a fairly big university and I also teach a couple of 10 year olds who study at a top international school.

The 10 year olds read classics and have a far greater knowledge of the world and world affairs than the university students.

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[taichiplanet]

one class of bright students does not a summer make! i have a mate who teaches university level English around SE Asia and Australia and spent many years in thailand (he is also an examiner for IELTS), and his 'general' opinion of Asian and particularly Thai  students is they are not taught critical thinking or ahve general knowledge of world affairs.

Edited February 26, 2017 by taichiplanet

[vadid]

University students. Hardly a fair sample of the whole Thai student cohort. What proportion of those students went schools in the Thai Public Education system, and what proportion to private/international schools?

[DavisH]

They can. They are just not taught HOW to. It's nothing to do with their intellect. It's conditioning.

[Suradit69]

2 hours ago, Inspire said:

Do Thai Students Know How to Think?

At times the same question could be posed about some of the people who post on TV.

[Thunder26]

Generally speaking education in Thailand doesn't encourage critical thinking. Just a few schools in Thailand teach critical thinking and about the world. But those schools are international and way too expensive for average folk.

Edited February 26, 2017 by Thunder26

[recom273]

Yawn. Yet again, Sundays are pretty lame days for the TV email newsletter, promoting this inspire blog ..

 

So the author draws us in with a promising sounding essay, then slams the general readership - continues by insulting us - and his justification, he's a TEFL'r who has squeezed into a uni gig, that gave a class one assignement (after presumably a year of study with him) and they didn't copy each other - Hardly a challenging assignment or a valuable conclusion.

 

I don't know who's worse - the sociologist on the bar stool or the one sitting in the staff room.

Edited February 26, 2017 by recom273

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, Inspire said:

 Most of them are just people repeating crap they heard.

Let me repeat some of that "crap":

 

Education System in Thailand: A Terrible Failure in S.E. Asia http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-985267

Low ranking for quality despite high spending: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/aec/30214172

Thailand 'Stunned' by Poor Education Ranking: http://investvine.com/thailand-stunned-by-poor-education-ranking/

Thai education system unsatisfactory, admits Deputy Prime Minister: http://www.thephuketnews.com/thai-education-system-unsatisfactory-admits-deputy-prime-minister-55544.php

[01322521959]

Years of teaching here has proved to me that it is very difficult to get a Thai student to give their opinion on something.
When teaching privately though it was very different, we would discuss points.


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[Emster23]

I would say students entering the Thai school system have potential to be critical thinkers as much as anywhere. That said, the system is built on rote learning, questioning is considered bad behavior, just sit there and take. They go to "mental erase" daydreaming etc as means of survival in the mind numbing then mind killing sheer boredom called education.

[DavoTheGun]

I have been Teaching in Thailand some years now, a couple of weeks ago I carried out an experiment, re Geography, I put a large World Map up and asked each of my classes to show me Thailand on the map, they are M4-6 Students, I offered a prize of 50Baht to Each student, providing their was no prompting from others. Out of about 80 Students on the day, not one could show me! I was stunned! I spoke to on of the Thai English Teachers about it and asked her if she could show me, she could not, she laughed!

[realenglish1]

3 hours ago, petedk said:

I think that Thai students are able to think for themselves if prompted.

Often they are too lazy to think and simply agree with whatever is being said.

The biggest problem in my opinion is their lack of world affairs or even general knowledge.

I teach at a fairly big university and I also teach a couple of 10 year olds who study at a top international school.

The 10 year olds read classics and have a far greater knowledge of the world and world affairs than the university students.

Sent from my BLL-L22 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

This is the apex of what the problem is Too lazy and also not valued. The younger ones are taught not to  question the older ones

This does not allow for critical thinking If they do they will be chastised.

The concept of "don't rock the boat" is clearly the way students think So if they do have a better or innovative way whether it be in Math or Science

it is likely to be pushed into the background

Critical thinking is not rewarded in Thailand it is frowned upon. This is why Thailand will never be a leading country   

[12DrinkMore]

16 minutes ago, DavoTheGun said:

Geography, I put a large World Map up and asked each of my classes to show me Thailand on the map

 

Wrong map.

 

Every Thai knows that Thailand is the centre of the universe and that Thai is to become the Universal language.

 

Mr Prayuth told us.

 

[rijb]

37 minutes ago, DavoTheGun said:

I have been Teaching in Thailand some years now, a couple of weeks ago I carried out an experiment, re Geography, I put a large World Map up and asked each of my classes to show me Thailand on the map, they are M4-6 Students, I offered a prize of 50Baht to Each student, providing their was no prompting from others. Out of about 80 Students on the day, not one could show me! I was stunned! I spoke to on of the Thai English Teachers about it and asked her if she could show me, she could not, she laughed!

They could probably find S. Korea, home of K-pop.

[smotherb]

4 hours ago, whatawonderfulday said:

Good of Orlando Barton, as a supposed teacher/lecturer, not to understand that famous and respected saying that "Self praise is no recommendation".  i.e. " feel eminently more qualified than anyone I’ve met to speak on the subject of Thai kids and their critical thinking skills."

 

And, dear Orlando, it may just be the Thai students you see are just smarter than you.

 

However, I do agree with the gist of what you say. I was a university professor for over twenty years and have had students from all over the globe, including Thailand--in fact, during my doctoral studies, two of my best friends were Thai and they were in the same doctoral program as I.  In my opinion, both were especially bright and consummate thinkers. However, as I said about you; perhaps they were only smarter than I.

[slapout]

You might have been the cause of the confusion in the students search as you put the map on display with north located at the top. Map reading does not be a part of their exposure to new material until they enter the military. Going to work on the farm at the crack of dawn does not seem to be done so many have never been exposed to sunup much less that it happens daily while looking eastward.

[pookiki]

The story about how the kindergarten teachers in Surin decided to improve the concentration of 5 year olds says it all!

[petedk]

They could probably find S. Korea, home of K-pop.

Not so sure about that.

Just finished talking to five students and I raised the issue of the murder of Kim Jong-bam and believe it or not, three of them didn't know anything about it.

Makes teaching difficult sometimes.

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[Krataiboy]

Hands up all those students of life who are surprised to be told that there bright, brainy kids at Thai universities. What should one expect from the pick of the crop, a fortunate minority almost exclusively the progeny of the privileged class?

 

But the general harvest from the less salubrious academic institutions of woefully less impressive. Up to half of kids from rural areas and a third in towns and cities are "functionally illiterate" when they leave school, according to a World Bank survey of 2015,

 

Not only that, but Thai children generally have lower IQ scores than their counterparts across the region - and levels continue to fall. Government officials blame everything - a lack of iodine in their diet, for example - other than the real causes, which include poorly equipped and maintained schools, an antiquated curriculum (which encourages conformity rather than curiosity and creativity) and incompetent teachers.

 

This should be totally unacceptable when one considers that the Thai education budget is far larger than that of neighbouring countries with a much better reputation.

 

Unfortunately, the vast majority of Thais  take a hands-off attitude to their children's education, a posture encouraged by the heads of State schools - none of which, so far as I am aware, even has a parent-teacher association.

 

Hopefully, by the time they have offspring of their own the smart university kids highlighted by Mr Barton will repay their good fortune by demanding a better education for ALL Thai children.

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by Krataiboy
error

[Belzybob]

Putting "students" in that question is superfluous.

[lgking]

And for those Thai's who do end up attending university, the desire is not for greater knowledge...but for a piece of paper.

[vivasamui]

 Why does that Thai student have curly hair and a white face? ??

[abab]

One guy, whoever he is, knows better than all expat who are living and have experienced Thai for years !

 

RIDICULOUS !

 

More than people complaining about Thai I find ridiculous expat who pretend to know better than others...

 

He called us " old-fart expat-expert ", exactly what HE IS !

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by abab

[Gonefortea]

Are the writers of stupid articles like these able to think.

[abab]

19 minutes ago, petedk said:

 

Not so sure about that.

Just finished talking to five students and I raised the issue of the murder of Kim Jong-bam and believe it or not, three of them didn't know anything about it.

Makes teaching difficult sometimes.

Sent from my BLL-L22 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

 

 

 

Staff almost never know anything that has been said in news for weeks !

 

One even didn't know that Yinluck was Thaksin sister and believed it was his daughter !

 

10 years listening to ridiculous people, now I just talk to them to tell them what to do, I fear that my brain stop working if I interact with them too much !

 

 

 

 

[abab]

Just now, Gonefortea said:

Are the writers of stupid articles like these able to think.

 

This is what I am also wondering !

 

 

[connda]

I've taught high-school aged kids here in the Land of Smiles.

 

First, simply from a generational stand-point, I don't particularly see the last couple of generations really cultivating critical thinking skill, although that acutally may be changing with Gen Xers. 

However....Thai kids.  One of the biggest problems with Thais in general, and students in particular are they are terrified of making a mistake, therefore the art of learning though trail and error is completely foreign to them.  And because they aren't willing to engage in risk, they also do not develop critical thinking skill, because risk taking, learning through experience, and the development of critical thinking go hand in hand.  Did Edison develop the light bulb the first time around?  Nope.  Not even close.  A 'Thai Edison" would never attempt the experiments for fear of losing face. 
Are there bright, risk-taking, critical thinking Thais in the Thai population?   Of course there are - but they are a small minority who have probably been exposed to other cultures other than their own. 

Edited February 26, 2017 by connda

[hawker9000]

6 hours ago, whatawonderfulday said:

Good of Orlando Barton, as a supposed teacher/lecturer, not to understand that famous and respected saying that "Self praise is no recommendation".  i.e. " feel eminently more qualified than anyone I’ve met to speak on the subject of Thai kids and their critical thinking skills."

 

Yeah, just what we need.  Another "expert" pontificating from academia and reminding us how fortunate we are to have the benefit of their ineluctable genius.   Laughable, in a pathetic sort o' way.  But hey, "lame" IS the new "comedy".