Language teachers must be upgraded

Post by **admin** » August 16, 2005, 9:14 am

Language teachers must be upgraded (Source - Bangkok Post)

The announcement on Aug 11 by Education Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng is good news. There is widespread recognition of the English-language teaching problem at all levels of the society. Recognition is always the first step. It is easier, much easier, than the solution. It will take at least five years to make a significant difference, and it will require the participation of the entire educational system.

Out here in the provinces, we see the product of poor English education more clearly than one would see in Bangkok. My first-year students say that they have been studying English for up to 12 years, and yet many cannot carry on a rudimentary conversation. Their teachers for the most part have been talking about English in Thai. That is the skill level of the teachers. Add to this the repetition of a few stock phrases, and there you have it. Grammar-centred, rote-learning education. That is what the teachers are qualified to provide.

Regional centres, such as ours, have a critical role to play in delivering a solution.

I teach English at Udon Thani Rajabhat University. I see my students once a week for three hours. We must see them three times a week and they must be required to spend two hours a week in monitored English discussion groups where they speak only English. Changing the scheduling seems like a simple task, but the entire university is based on once-a-week classes for every subject. It will require at least a year to convert to a better scheduling system.

Primary and secondary education teachers in the public schools must be required to upgrade their skills. This army of teachers needs to learn to pronounce English words, they need to learn English communication skills, and they need to learn new classroom methods. As a regional centre, that job will fall on us. The only time to do this is on weekends and in the summer, otherwise they will need to be sent to school full time for one or two semesters.

None of this can happen in one month. However, a plan and a budget can certainly be proposed in a month and approved in a short time.

I can only speak for my own institution. The administration here in Udon is exceptionally qualified and highly competent. They are acutely aware of the problem. All the education minister needs to do is direct qualified, regional centres to set up the needed programmes after he provides the necessary money, and direct the public school teachers to participate. That he can do in a month.

PETER J. C. COVEY
Udon Thani

laphanphon · Post by **laphanphon** » August 16, 2005, 9:41 am

if the actually start paying that minimum wage for farangs, i think 50k a month now, i'm sure they'll have more qualified applicants than just the backpacker on a budget for a semester. although enough to live on, and twice as much as locals are paid, although they get medical and retirement plan, as poor as that is, but 20 k baht a month isn't worth getting out of bed for many farangs. more principle than economics, when they can get a low wage job in america for 6 months and then just vacation here for 6 months. even mcdonalds pays 10 dollars an hour in some areas of the states (memphis suburbs), with flexible hours and medical.

i'm just curious where they get that 96 % literacy rate you see in all the stats for thailand. most in my ex family and village can't or struggle to read. my daughter has or will surpass most people in village with reading and math in couple years, if not some people already, and she is all of 6 yrs old and 1st grade (st marys). last year i saw uncle and aunts try to help her with homework, they were stumped on a couple. unless they pay for higher education, they are well below acceptable skills, thru no fault of their own, just simple economics of the family. i know of one extended family member who put herself thru high school, worked and paid for it herself, and studied. actually can read english faster than me, lol. so if they can apply themselves and get thru high school, there is hope, but so many can't afford it. i've even noticed many a thai reading the bangkok post in hotel, with finger in sentence and in deep thought, struggling to read the morning paper, not a good sign.

laphanphon · Post by **laphanphon** » August 16, 2005, 9:48 am

oh yea, i noticed gov't turned down many times request for higher teacher wages, but have no problem giving themselves a raise, even though they can't balance their own check book. i think running on a deficit means you can't spend more money on yourself, at least that's how it is in my house, can't spend it if you don't have it. somehow gov'ts forget that lesson in economics 101. all the bills should be paid, then what's left over, the politicians can pay themselves, like every other business or household, then they might spend a little wiser or at least earn their salary. if they can't do that, then i guess they don't get paid that year.

laphanphon · Post by **laphanphon** » August 16, 2005, 9:54 am

wow, all wound up and it's still early. maybe i shouldn't of had that large coffee. apparently the caffeine kicks in before the baileys.

Post by **businessman** » August 16, 2005, 10:24 am

My daughters English teacher is French and lessons include reciting the names of US presidents.Trouble is no choice for very young children in Nong Khai.

Post by **JimboPSM** » August 17, 2005, 2:38 am

You shouldn

Post by **businessman** » August 17, 2005, 10:55 am

They can raise the funds for schools but who is going to get them to stop the rote system.They focus almost entirely on grammar and no chance to engage in a conversation.

Post by **AussieBoy** » August 17, 2005, 9:44 pm

As a volunteer english teacher, comming to udon and teaching at the Thessaban Schools every 6 months, (one day I will retire here) with a certificate in Tesol and spending about 150,000B in teaching aids and training over 2 years, I was wondering if I could get a PAID job at the schools, maybe getting 500B a day.
The schools head masters all ask how much I want to get paid, there seems to be a shortage of English teachers, So I say FREE, Usually 2 class morning and after noon for 4 weeks.
Last trip I meet the Mayor and the woman boss for the schools, who invited me to the English Camp at Kalasin with 120 students, Local business paid the kids 200B for being the best in the class of all 9 Theassaban schools. They actually offered me 2000B for the 3 day camp, it was to hot to lean over to get the money and put it in my wallet, so I said keep it.

But then you can not buy the love the kids give you and their friendly smiles, the teachers were just all so friendly, and the drawings the kiddies gave me as thankyou are priceless, far better than teaching in Australia, they have such a simple way of life here. My 50,000B a week job in Aussie more than covers my budget of 150,000B for a month in Udon all expenses paid return airfares. Maybe I should charge the schools something? for my time. Any offers for paid work I will be back in Udon on the 25th Dec 2005 for another 4 weeks. Thessaban 2 offers free lunch, best offer so far, as with all other Thessaban schools

I would rather be a lampost in Udon that a dog pisses on, than a millionair in Bangkok
Kally Boy

Post by **Paul** » August 17, 2005, 11:37 pm

I too was offered a job in a Tessabaan school and this was paid, contracted employment, however this fell through at the work permit stage. And yes volunteer work is work whether or not you get paid for it - it states in your passport 'Employment prohibited' - if you are caught you will be deported instantly !.
Now 500 baht a day is aproximately or almost double what they would pay to a Thai teacher of English, with a degree and several years experience. With the best will in the world, where will they possibly get enough money to pay one foreigner that, when they could have two Thai teachers for the same amount ?
I know that it is invaluable to have a native English Teacher, and I know it is invaluable to find one 'willing' to work for so little, however Thai society dictates that they will educate the children in the cheapest way possible and that means employing Thai teachers who can barely hold a conversation in English.
At the end of the day its the children who suffer and I too would love to help out those kids who 'almost' have the opportunity to converse with a real English speaker - rather than being fantastic at written grammar and lousy at holding a conversation. Thai beaurocracy prevails unfortunately and if you can come here and voluntarily teach for nothing more than a free lunch every day - then I admire you and wish you well.

The future of Thailand is in education - the sooner they wake up to that fact the better. And just a minor point, the minimum wage for foreigners which was announced last year and is in the region of 50,000 baht per month for westerners, oddly enough doesn't include teachers.

Theres a long long way to go yet

Post by **admin** » August 18, 2005, 9:27 am

There is a new English Language School opening if anyone is interested. The name of the school is MTT Student Services and they have branches in Australia, Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai and soon Udon Thani. They are looking for qualified English teachers for their Udon Thani Branch, their telephone number is 01 8716565, web address www.mtted.com If you do call please mention that you heard via udonmap.com because they are thinking of becoming a sponsor, thanks

They will be located on Udon's ringroad.

Post by **businessman** » August 23, 2005, 1:14 pm

I do not see Nong Khai getting a school anywhere near decent in the near future so it looks like i will have to pack the kids of to Udon when a little bigger.

There was some talk of an international school in Nong Khai on the road to Udon by the Honda showroom.Nothing heard recently though.

Language teachers must be upgraded

Language teachers must be upgraded

What's it worth to teach