Family opens doors to tourists to help boys learn English

[DM07]

Good idea!

You only learn a language by constantly speaking it!

 

[kcpattaya]

Great Initiative!

 

[colinneil]

7 minutes ago, Yann55 said:

If you and your positive approach stay on this Forum long enough (and I sure hope you will), you'll find out that a large number of comments are negative, conservative, bigoted, xenophobic or downright racist, anti-Thai, angry, bitter and generally pessimistic.

 

There are also some very funny comments, not always in the best taste, but hey, it's always nice to laugh.

 

Then, once in a while, you will find a comment that is intelligent, knowledgeable, profound and pertinent. Those are what made me stay so far.

 

 

 

You not happy about something?

Maybe your wife/gf not being good to you, how can you say such terrible things about TV members?

I am shocked that a person thinks things like that about us crabby/bad tempered old farts.

[brucec64]

1 hour ago, boorsd said:

As it would appear that they are Thai, I don't  think they will need work permits.

 

I can't believe that even with a very good "feel good" story that it is still possible for some posters to turn it into something negative.

The quote under the photo of the foreign person is "Sixth-grader Panapat Liamtrakulpanich chats in English with the guest of his family, a 27-year-old Swiss tourist, as he leads her on a visit to a Phitsanulok market. "

 

So it would appear they are not Thai. 

 

I don't think it is a negative comment to mention work permits. The Thai work permit laws are intentionally vague, and do not require any payment to apply, merely that you are doing a task that a Thai person could do. Since the "guest" is staying at the house for free with the intent to tutor in English, this could easily run afoul of the work permit laws. All it takes is one angry/jealous/revengeful neighbour to file a complaint. It happens all the time here. Just a warning to anyone who intends to barter tutoring for accommodation in Thailand.

 

Remember when the foreign volunteers helping during the Tsunami crisis had work permit issues...

[HHTel]

It was not long ago when Chano-cha-cha-cha told students to "embrace the Thai language as one day it will be the language of the world!".  Being a very intelligent man, I'm sure he's right!!!

[Naroge]

That's the way to do it. Kudos to the kids parents being so open minded and forward looking. A real win-win.

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, simon43 said:

 

 

 

Very true, and in this news report, the kids are getting used to hearing (and hopefully understanding), English spoken with different accents.  An excellent idea.

 

Agree. In regard to different accents, a few years back my Thai granddaughter (then about 8, already speaking advanced English) came home from school and said to me 'grandfather, I have a new English teacher, but it's so difficult to understand what he says, his English is very different to yours'.

 

I replied 'I know what you mean, when I listen to people from Scotland or Ireland and some other countries I know they are speaking correct English but I have to listen very carefully to get the actual words, and I'm sure it's the same for them when they listen to me.'

 

Granddaughter was initially shocked at my response. Then  she said 'oh so you also have the same trouble to understand what words they are saying?'

 

Granddaughter then asked 'but I guess all people should speak English like you', This was my opportunity to explain that there is no perfect English accent or pronunciation, and we all need to accept that there are many different accents for English and for all languages.

 

My further response, 'yes, but you can quickly start to understand your teachers words after you listen for a short while, and you can find this same situation all over the world, sometimes quite different accent in the same country, and it's a good learning opportunity for you.' 

 

Granddaughter now very relieved. Next day after school she shared 'I listened more carefully and I'm quickly understanding his words'.  She also shared that she had explained my comments to the other kids, and most of them now much relieved and quickly starting to understand the new accent. 

Edited June 12, 2017 by scorecard

[phkauf]

It is about time that Thai's started to embrace this as a way to improve English skills. In my trips to Vietnam I am constantly approached by children and adults who simply want to practice their English. There's no "ulterior" motive of trying to sell me something, they just want to practice speaking English. In my experience as a whole the Vietnamese are far ahead of Thais in the English speaking department. If they didn't have an <deleted> up government, Vietnam would be a serious competitive threat to Thailand over the next 10 years.

[Grusa]

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

If only these parents were in Government!  Their recognition of the importance of competence in English qualifies them for a senior post.  Their imaginative and effective solution to a perceived problem makes them PM material.

That is the very last thing the government want....... In any department.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, phkauf said:

It is about time that Thai's started to embrace this as a way to improve English skills. In my trips to Vietnam I am constantly approached by children and adults who simply want to practice their English. There's no "ulterior" motive of trying to sell me something, they just want to practice speaking English. In my experience as a whole the Vietnamese are far ahead of Thais in the English speaking department. If they didn't have an <deleted> up government, Vietnam would be a serious competitive threat to Thailand over the next 10 years.

 

Vietnam's education policies were seriously overhauled a few years back and to some extent they are copying many aspects of education, including teaching and learning methodology, from Singapore.

 

They are already serious competition to many Thai industries.

 

In fact several major Thai companies have large operations already in Vietnam. I've had many Vietnamese senior / junior managers from Thai companies in MBA classes, taught in English, in HCMC, Hanoi and more. They are impressive people, intuitive about serious management processes all my students speak perfect English, very keen to listen and learn. no hesitation to join discussions in the class and speak openly about their ideas, always very polite, great classroom discussions.

 

A while back I had one senior Thai manager make a 1 hour presentation to one MBA class, he mentioned that the Thai company had some 25 operations across Vietnam, all highly successful and 99% of these companies had no Thai managerial or specialist staff on site. 'no need'.

 

 

[chainarong]

I notice with my Thai crew that when I leave they go back to Thai , then when the walking ATM returns I find  their English is shocking and my Thai useless , like all languages , you need to be tuned in all the time..................................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[binjalin]

It's against the law actually to do this even as a volunteer (which is crazy I know)

[cruisemonkey]

1 hour ago, hobobo said:

Just make sure that you don't let your kids learn English from Russian tourists!

 

Could be worse... what if all the guests were Scots? 

[scorecard]

43 minutes ago, brucec64 said:

The quote under the photo of the foreign person is "Sixth-grader Panapat Liamtrakulpanich chats in English with the guest of his family, a 27-year-old Swiss tourist, as he leads her on a visit to a Phitsanulok market. "

 

So it would appear they are not Thai. 

 

I don't think it is a negative comment to mention work permits. The Thai work permit laws are intentionally vague, and do not require any payment to apply, merely that you are doing a task that a Thai person could do. Since the "guest" is staying at the house for free with the intent to tutor in English, this could easily run afoul of the work permit laws. All it takes is one angry/jealous/revengeful neighbour to file a complaint. It happens all the time here. Just a warning to anyone who intends to barter tutoring for accommodation in Thailand.

 

Remember when the foreign volunteers helping during the Tsunami crisis had work permit issues...

 

"...

The quote under the photo of the foreign person is "Sixth-grader Panapat Liamtrakulpanich chats in English with the guest of his family, a 27-year-old Swiss tourist, as he leads her on a visit to a Phitsanulok market. "

 

So it would appear they are not Thai. ..."

 

I'm lost.

 

Is this thread about the details and laws etc., for Thai work permits? 

Edited June 12, 2017 by scorecard

[TEFLKrabi]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

Great idea if the circumstances allows it as far as letting a complete

stranger live in your house, when I'm asked what the best way to

learn English I suggest to them to watch English programing on tv

just to get used to the sounds of the words and how are they spoken...

It's a very popular idea but when you're learning it's an almost impossible task to understand what's going on or pick up the language apart from the odd word. Conversation for basic learners is a much better option. Well done to this family. 

[brucec64]

2 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

"...

The quote under the photo of the foreign person is "Sixth-grader Panapat Liamtrakulpanich chats in English with the guest of his family, a 27-year-old Swiss tourist, as he leads her on a visit to a Phitsanulok market. "

 

So it would appear they are not Thai. ..."

 

I'm lost.

I was replying to the previous poster who stated:

 

  "  1 hour ago, boorsd said:

As it would appear that they are Thai, I don't  think they will need work permits.

 

I can't believe that even with a very good "feel good" story that it is still possible for some posters to turn it into something negative."

 

I pointed out that the tutors were not thai, and would be subject to work permit laws.

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, mok199 said:

thai is an extremely hard language to write ..its sad to see children struggle with such a limited ,primmitve language...if they spent half as much time on English..but this is Thailand...keep them dumb and under the thumb....im ready and waiting for the backlash...

After more than a decade i haven't even tried to read Thai language..

I wonder why the Thai don't stop with it and continue with the western alphabet only. They can also write Thai in our alphabet.

 

For me it would be much easyier to learn Thai if they used our alphabet and for new generations it would be much easyier to learn english.

[DekDaeng]

4 hours ago, Ebony19 said:

I believe mr PM and his military are observing!! I smell work permit enforcement

Interesting to see that the 'Thainese' don't have the hangups of the 'locals' re learning / speaking English - or at least not to the same extent -

 

Time for some guv policy to change re English, too, if Thailand wants to move forward. Many Thais just cannot comprehend the problems facing the planet - as they throw their rubbish on the road, into the creek, into the river -

[DekDaeng]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

Great idea if the circumstances allows it as far as letting a complete

stranger live in your house, when I'm asked what the best way to

learn English I suggest to them to watch English programing on tv

just to get used to the sounds of the words and how are they spoken...

or listen to the Beeb -

[overherebc]

3 hours ago, Muggi1968 said:

And teachers certificate that require a 20 week training...

But beside this it is great.

Personally I many times say no to help families with learning English because I want to stay out of trouble with the local school who is very protective.

But that is the way Thai law want  it... 

I do think it's a good idea, learning by listening and repeating. If my memory serves me right that was the way I learned from my parents. They didn't start teaching grammar first and that seems to be the preferred way for many here.

The only possible negative I can see is 'the tourist helping the kids' slowly changing to 'the long term tourist' becoming a full time tutor living in with the family.  That's when the evil WP question will rear it's ugly head.

[Brunolem]

A very nice and kind family indeed, even if one can doubt there will be any significant results in the medium to long term, because this is what matters...learning a language is an investment, it requires time, a lot, before being rewarded.

It requires even more time for populations who don't share the same alphabet and are not used to a complicated grammar.

Yet, once the people living in the concerned area will get used to having farangs constantly around, it is likely that their interest for learning will decline...as I have experienced firsthand in my wife's village and tambon where, despite being the only farang around, students never ask for my help with their English studies (maybe it's me...).

[Morch]

2 hours ago, whatawonderfulday said:

Admiral approach but English would really be best taught by a native English Language speaker

 

Aye aye, captain

[DekDaeng]

8 minutes ago, DekDaeng said:

or listen to the Beeb -

for a few hours a day will help 'get your ear in' so that then learning it will be considerably easier.

 

[jeab1980]

  2 hours ago, whatawonderfulday said:

Admiral approach but English would really be best taught by a native English Language speaker.

 

So if your Swiss/German/French in fact any country who does not speak english as there first laungage. But have studied and have a degree in English and English Laungage you would bar these from teaching English. 

Words fail me they really do.

[jeab1980]

22 minutes ago, DekDaeng said:

or listen to the Beeb -

Problem there is they would talk in a biased  BBC accent then

Edited June 12, 2017 by jeab1980

[DekDaeng]

Just now, jeab1980 said:

Problem there is they would talk in  a BBC biased accent then

Beeb is very multi these days. 

 

And free

[jeab1980]

Just now, DekDaeng said:

Beeb is very multi these days. 

 

And free

[maewang99]

yeah, it's called talking. the student. talking as well as listening.

imagine that.... and...

that that's supposed to happen in the classroom as well... not all day, but....
 

a little example. it's what a lesson plan is for... making sure that day's activities include a high student talking time to ajarn talking time.  yet almost without exception.... if you just walk past a Thai pubic classroom.... the ajarn is talking... and generally so... the ajarn is pretty much just talking to themselves... only.... as well.

but here lesson plans are something you print off of the web, put in a colorful plastic covered ringed binder.... with a picture of a farlang on the cover... and show it to parents when they visit the school. and that's it.  that's what I only ever saw.... in 5 years... at 3 different schools and universities..... in 3 different provinces.. in the North. 

 

and yeah.. that involves classroom sizes.... and 'Thailand is a poor country'... and 'Thai students are shy'.... and more fingerprint machines? not just for 8AM and 4 PM ? and..... blah blah blah blah blah.... 

 

Edited June 12, 2017 by maewang99

[EnlightenedAtheist]

6 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Great to see these people so eager to learn English.

With some of the Westerners I know (myself included), it would be difficult to understand some of the accents and dialects !

 If they only had a phonemic system, there would not be so many dialectal accents, but, hey, no one seems to care. They get by. It is a pain for foreigners. No one seems to care. They get by. Did I repeat myself? It is expensive to teach in Commonwealth countries, if the leaders do use the taxes: Canada VS US.

 

This is a smart move. English must be learned by speaking FIRST.

[EnlightenedAtheist]

9 minutes ago, maewang99 said:

yeah, it's called talking.

and it's what supposed to happen in a classroom as well.

a little example. it's what a lesson plan are for... making sure that day's activities include a high student talking time to ajarn talking time.  yet almost without exception.... if you just walk past a Thai pubic classroom.... the ajarn is talking... and generally speaking... the ajarn is talking to only to themselves, as well . 

 

It is hardly a perfect solution if all the students are screwing up the exchange, but, hey, it is better than the teacher babbling in some loose English for one hour, I agree. The other extreme is just as bad. Why do I know. I am a bona fide teacher that taught it properly or as well as the circumstances allowed. One thing is sure, it is not likely that the Commonwealth and their people are going to fix their backward spelling system. They haven't done it in 250 years.

 

And, some have the guts to tell other nations and their people how to run things.  Where is that eye-rolling emoticon when you need it?And it is clear that they don't care as emails are not being written to whatever organization to fix this. Oh! Ya! The organization has not really being created yet, although ... http://www.spellingsociety.org/.

 

At this time, it is sink or swim and usually swimming for the wealthiest who can afford tutoring or private schools. This is kind of changing the way, but I suspect the average Thai will be very shy letting people in their place, as there will  be a language barrier. But, it could be made to work, if someone were to set it up.