Primary School English Language Teachers

The majority of primary school English language teachers in Thailand have not been trained to teach English and hold qualifications in other disciplines such as Thai language, physical education and home economics.

The result is that students do not know how to use English and the English that they do learn is not used in any true life context. Teachers in the past have relied on teaching grammar as they can rely on a safe set of proven rules in which to hide behind, to cover up their own admitted English language deficiencies. Most English lessons are conducted in Thai with about 10% of the lesson in English. This is not a criticism of the teachers, the majority of whom are vastly overworked and underpaid; it is more an indictment of the education system which has failed the primary school teachers as much as the students in the past. The 1999 Education Act has informed the education community that they are to move away from a teacher-centred to a learner-centred method of English language teaching. This, with a communicative approach to language learning has been deemed the way ahead for Thailand.

For this to take effect, teachers need to be trained to use these new approaches and rather than offer the customary two week course and sending them on their way, it is proposed to conduct training that will enable teachers to learn the new methodologies and then to become mentors and to help their colleagues by conducting workshops and monitoring their colleagues as well as their own progress.

This will involve a certain amount of “scaffolding” as teachers will need to be supported until they feel sure that they are confident to do it on their own. Materials in line with the curriculum will be provided and these materials will be used in their classrooms and adapted to the requirements of their students.

The pictures show Thai teachers of English demonstrating how easy it is to use new methodologies and materials during a teacher training event organised by Udon Thani Rajabhat University. 

More details are available at:

http://www.steves-english-zone.com/images/Papers/proposed-teacher-training-for-primary-school-teachers-of-english-in-thailand.pdf

Bantatprachanukoon School have their own webpage, see what they are doing at:

http://www.steves-english-zone.com/bantatprachanukoon-school.html

Bantatprachanukoon School has agreed to pilot the first teacher training course being offered by the Language Center at Udon Thani Rajabhat University. This has been made possible by the courage and conviction of the director of the school, as well as the teachers who have volunteered to take part. More details about this project will appear on this webpage in due course.

Updates are available in Thai at: http://www.udon4.go.th/

Check out pictures of Bantatprachanukoon School in the Steve's English Zone photo gallery. 

Teacher training at Education Service Area 4 took place on 28th July 2011.

View the slideshow below to see how they got on: 

Teacher training demonstration for teachers of Wat Muankwak School took place on 30th July 2010.

View the slideshow and video below to see how they got on: 

Teacher training for teachers of Udon Thani Educational Service Area 4 took place on 23rd-25th July 2010.

View their slideshow below: 

Teacher training for teachers of Wat Muangkwak School, Amphur Muang, Lamphun took place on 31st May 2010. 

View their slideshow below:

Teacher training for teachers of Namsom and Nayung districts, Udon Thani Educational Service Area 4 took place on 7th and 8th September 2009. 

View their slideshow below: