Back to school again!
A very enjoyable morning at a school in the heart of old Samut Prakan
Sriwittayapaknam school in Samut Prakan caters for kindergarten up to primary age students. Much of the credit for its successful English program is down to the great Richard Barrow, who has been working at this family-run school for three decades and counting. Richard invited me along to see how the school is run and to chat with many of the students. Wow! I've never come across so many confident English speakers in one place.
Why education reform in Thailand is imminent
The Thai MOE surely has to begin the formal development of rules and regulations.
If the Thai education system was in fact reformed where certifications and teachers qualifications were vetted, then so-called teachers would indeed have to resort to “flipping burgers” in their native countries simply because they have no real qualifications to represent themselves as teachers.
Learning difficulties
Dealing with students that have special needs
If you get the chance to talk to the teacher you’re replacing, ask them if there is anyone to look out for with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in the class. Otherwise, you could be in for a shock.
The future of education in Thailand
Should the serious TEFLers be preparing themselves for change?
If the population of foreign EFL teachers doesn't want to be treated as a cheap commodity by Thailand's education system, the one sure-fire way to stand a chance is first and foremost don't be a cheap commodity.
Think about what students you want to teach!
Are you the serious, lecturer type or do you enjoy clowning around?
New teachers in Thailand often give plenty of thought to where they want to teach and how much money they want to make. But strangely, one question few teachers seem to ask themselves seriously is what kind of students they will be happy with.
A great career but......
Postbox letter from Elisha
The element of autonomy in the teaching world was what appealed to me about teaching compared to other (employee style) careers.
Clock, peanut and frog
The problematic pronunciation of many Thais
I try to have as much empathy for my students as I possibly can and I am becoming rather good at understanding the unintelligible. However, there are limits to everything and I am not a mind-reader. If a person says for example /sa-pye/, I know he or she means “Spy” (the wine-cooler or James Bond, doesn’t matter). But if someone says “kye”, I don’t automatically think of cry.
Why can't Thais speak English?
Some of these students have had over 2,000 hours of English.
Considering that English has been the international language of tourism and commerce for I don't know how many decades now, and there are I don't know how many thousands of English teachers all over the country, why is the general level of English so poor?
Are Thai teachers actually helpful?
Or is the foreign teacher better off without them in the classroom?
Before beginning my experience as a TESOL teacher in Thailand, way back when I was a newbie farang taking my TESOL course on Phuket, I was repeatedly assured by indifferent agencies and instructors not to worry because you will always share classrooms with Thai teachers that are there to help you.
My wishes
Reflecting on what I could have done better for my students
What had I achieved as a teacher, as a class?" "What had I given them? What had my students taught me during the past year?" So many moments of ups and downs, sheer joy and triumphs, but there were things I wish I could have done better.
