Adam Marshall
In what has become known as 'The Nonthaburi Project', the government has taken up the challenge of employing 250 teachers (or thereabouts) and placing them in Thai schools in the Nonthaburi area. A lot of confusion has arisen over certain aspects of the scheme but we are privileged to have Adam Marshall join us for an ajarn.com hot seat, and attempt to put the record straight.

I believe that the authorities in Nonthaburi have vision. At the inauguration ceremony at the civic hall and in the early meetings, it was explained that the authorities here in Nonthaburi wanted to exploit the area's hidden potential and develop the local economy, and they naturally see English as an integral part of that plan. Speaking from personal experience, I believe that prior to this project the calibre of the foreign teaching staff was not as good in Nonthaburi as it was in Bangkok proper. Nonthaburi is not as attractive a proposition as Central Bangkok for many teachers and schools have been forced to offer better salaries as a means of attracting them.

At my school we had two English teachers who were both in the twilight of their careers and who both lacked some of the youthful enthusiasm you need to engage the children and win them over. It is exhausting at times and I don't think they were really willing to see it through. One was a retired teacher from England and the other chap, also English, was a recent career changer...they quit shortly after I arrived. In my opinion, motivating teachers is as key an issue as motivating students: although very good when compared to the salaries of most Thais, qualified foreign teachers are unlikely to be overly impressed by the rewards on offer and it is therefore essential that they enjoy their work and find it rewarding in a 'job satisfaction' sense.

Some of the children can be so apathetic that at times you can feel that it's simply not worth it. Before you can learn you have to be taught how to learn so part of my job is introducing unfamiliar learning styles but both foreign teachers and native students will naturally have different expectations. There is apathy and there is passivity but as we all know if you can inject that little bit of 'sanook' then just maybe .... Some of them would be more than happy to sit through six grades of English and have nothing to show for it, but some of the children are absolutely brilliant and they are the ones that give you the desire to keep going - if one child is capable then all are capable.

I think that by the time the M1 grade has reached M6 we could be looking at a very different picture. The younger students have a fresh outlook, whereas the older grades are already jaded and have capitulated due to a history of negative learning experiences connected with the subject. It takes a great deal of energy and determination but when you do get results and you realise that there is genuine progress being made then it means so much more. Anything that is worth doing in life takes effort and my job is certainly a challenge. Defeatists need not apply!

A wise man once said: 'Education means guiding and promoting persons to progress in learning, thinking, and performing according to their own ability. The ultimate aim should be for each individual to be able to make the best use of his or her potential, to benefit oneself and others in harmony and without conflict or harassment.'

Basically, from what I can gather, they experienced some difficulty recruiting native speakers because of the time of year. The project was launched at short notice and most eligible teachers were already in jobs; the location may also have been a factor in dissuading would-be applicants. On a personal note, I actually very much enjoy living in Nonthaburi as you get to experience a bit of the 'real' Thailand and the locals seem genuinely enthralled at having a foreigner in their midst. The area around my school is pretty and tranquil too, with lots of greenery.


It seems that some people have taken issue with those concerned for employing Filipinos. Of course, as any teacher worth their salt will know, there is debate about what actually constitutes a native speaker in the first place. Although some Filipinos speak English from birth, their 'brand' of English is categorised as NNV (non native variant). Are Filipino teachers of English as valuable to schools as Brits, Americans, Aussies or whoever? That is missing the point somewhat. The definition of a great teacher is not about having more letters after your name nor the received pronunciation of an Oxford Don. It is about aptitude, knowledge of the subject and getting through to the kids; transmitting what you want them to accomplish in a manner that is both comprehensible and engaging.

Furthermore, most of you will be aware that 'World Englishes' and 'International English' do indeed have their place and anyone who disagrees should be obliged to retake their CELTA (why not take a look at the links I have included below and make up your own minds). It amazes me the many times I hear teachers saying that Filipino English is not 'proper' English. Of course, some people do prefer to learn British or American English since the former is seen as more refined whilst the latter tends to predominate because of economics, politics and culture, but there is room for everyone - diversity is the spice of life. It greatly annoys me when people give Filipinos a bad press because everybody needs to make a living and each and everyone of the Filipinos whom I have met have been extremely hard-working. Teachers should be assessed and recruited based on a number of criteria and not purely on their nationality; that Filipino who you find yourself deriding might just, quite conceivably, be smarter or better at teaching than you are.

http://www.askoxford.com/globalenglish/questions/firstlang/?view=uk 
http://www.askoxford.com/globalenglish/worldenglish/interrelationship/?view=uk 
http://www.askoxford.com/globalenglish/worldenglish/future/?view=uk 

The preparatory training we received at Chula was excellent in my opinion and from what I have seen of Ramkhamhaeng's operation it is also excellent. The signs for the future are promising. I personally work with an Aussie guy hired by Ramkhamhaeng, our Thai boss supervises us and we work together on everything. At the end of the day, we all share the same vision and it is my hope that the two universities will eventually collaborate but I don't know if this will be possible in actuality. It is my belief that English language teaching in Thailand would benefit from a greater cohesion. What we really need is synergy and focus, with everybody pulling in the same direction.

Too many private schools put profit above the needs of their students. It is time to dispense with measures that are purely cosmetic in favour of substance, and tangible results. I don't know about 'pots of gold' but I do know that you would never catch me working in a private school, complimentary airfares or no complimentary airfares. Personally, I prefer teaching poor children because there is nothing quite as heartening in this life as teaching a bright child who has got nothing; the child has nothing yet the teacher can clearly see a burgeoning and incisive intelligence, bursting to get out. Choosing to back the underdog is just one aspect of being British.

I think that if you analyse the industry over the last few decades change has been a key feature. The Thais know how vital and worthwhile English is but I don't think there has been quite as much progress as people would have liked. While there are always more jobs than teachers in this country, I think that more and more we are seeing qualified and experienced teachers coming here because of their fondness for the country and because of the obvious scope for interesting work that exists.

The Nonthaburi Schools project began as a pilot project but it goes without saying that if it is successful it will probably expand. Thailand is a progressive and modern state and let's not forget that historically speaking, English has already played a significant role in its development. King Chulalongkorn the Great was a reformer, a modernizer and the first monarch to travel to foreign lands; he was a keen student of both English and ethnography. He is remembered in the Thailand of today as 'the father of modern education' and it was therefore fitting that the project be launched by the very university named in his honour.

Some of the children cannot read or write properly in Thai, let alone in English, so I believe that these children would be better served if they were to devote their time to acquiring the fundamentals of an L1 and leave English alone for a couple of years. That said, I believe that with continued investment the children will prove themselves capable. The important thing is that foreign teachers who are unfamiliar with the Thai cultural context be prepared to make an effort to adapt their own approach to teaching English, while the students themselves need to be willing to change certain attitudes. The children should do it for themselves, they should do it for their parents and they should do it for their King. Thailand is a country with real potential and English language skills can only enhance these prospects.