The key to learning Thai
Listening and speaking – it’s that simple!
Get out there and listen and you will hear real Thai. Speak, make mistakes, be embarrassed, humiliated and come out of the process much, much stronger.
Interesting Thailand stuff - October 2016
A selection of hand-picked Thailand blogs and articles
Here's some of the more interesting Thailand-related stuff that I've found on the internet over the past three months. Hopefully there's something for everyone.
My struggles with the Thai language part 3
I've finally reached the dizzy heights of upper-intermediate
I've reached the stage where communicating in Thai gives me so much pleasure. And I think the more you learn and the better your range of expression becomes, so your ‘thirst for knowledge' increases.
Becoming a TEFL 'lifer'
Into my third year as a teacher in Myanmar
What happens in year two and three of an ESL journey is up to you, but it's probably going to include getting more serious about what you do.
A farang mute!
Why I have no intention of studying Thai
We all have our different reasons for being here in Thailand. Yours may be to experience adventure and to embrace different cultures. Mine's just the opposite. I came to be left in peace.
From Thai to English and Back Again
Postbox letter from Ray
When your Thai significant other asks you, "Do you miss me?" (in English) less than five minutes after saying goodbye to you in person and you think, "That's impossible! I just saw you," what they really mean is, "Are you thinking about me?"
My struggles with the Thai language part 2
My past four years of Thai study and how I have motivated myself
Many thanks to all the people who gave me positive feedback on part one of ‘My Struggles with the Thai Language'. It seems that a lot of other Thai learners out there have gone through similar experiences to mine. They hit what I call ‘the ceiling' and realized that it would take a tremendous effort to take their spoken Thai onto the next level.
My struggles with the Thai language part 1
For 15 years, my spoken Thai didn't get any better at all.
For the first five years here, I would say my Thai improved steadily. Both my vocabulary range and my speaking confidence increased and my listening comprehension improved a lot. I never felt the need to take any formal Thai lessons. The Bangkok streets were my classroom
To use Thai or not to use Thai?
Why learning Thai has helped me so much in the classroom
My philosophy on spoken communication has always been that perfect grammar, extensive vocabulary and intimate knowledge of tenses are all totally worthless if the listener cannot understand the words that are coming out of your mouth.
A view from the student’s side of the classroom
Perspectives on becoming a student again
For the most part, I was teaching (in a variety of different capacities) during the years I was also pursuing my graduate studies. Now once again I am alternating between the front and rear of the classroom, and this can be an effective method to help one to keep the student's perspective in mind when the time of the day comes for one to assume the role of teacher.
