149 replies to this topic
Posted 2009-04-18 10:34:19
 t.s, on 2009-04-17 13:01:33, said:
i just watched an american on a quiz show who was unaware that Bavaria was in Germany and the that the official language of Australia was English. Poor education is not exclusively Thai.
The grammar in this thread, and indeed this site as a whole, does not do many of our own educational systems much credit.
I partly agree. You are correct about the English standards here. But it is only a forum and if the poster gets his point across, and others understand, then I believe that is more imporatnt than the spelling or grammar.
When talking about a subject such as teaching then you are certainly right, English standards should be higher. Teachers with good English skills would have no problem with that. Other posters have commented on the English skills of some farang teachers. No point my commenting again.
Posted 2009-04-18 10:35:13
Snipped to save space:
"Rote learning has an important role. The USMC has the lowest recruiting standards of any of the US military branches. Recruits with below normal intelligence levels are accepted. Yet, the USMC has the ability to turn these recruits into disciplined functional marines."
That is a good point (not sure who said it). Rote learning is important. Example: When I fly, I want a skilled pilot at the controls. And that pilot must revert to "rot learning" in an emergency........step 1, step 2, step 3, etc.
BUT, if his "rot learned procedures" fail, he must resort to creative thinking......sometimes totally innovative thinking to survive.
There is ample evidence of this......and if you are in the military you no doubt know that sometimes you have to think on your feet to survive an event that is not part of the game plan.
The mistake, I think, is focusing on one form of education (e.g., rot learning/non-questioning) to the exclusion other forms (e.g., creative thinking/questioning).
Posted 2009-04-18 11:05:55
GungaDin, on 2009-04-16 21:53:44, said: Ernest......... Scarey, innit? 
I have a Q too.
Mental arithmetic
If Thais are taught by rote. how come they can't add up, multiply, subtract or divide in their head?
I haven't seen a shop assistant who can do the simplest addition without a Casio.
They're amazed that I can give them an answer before they have finished with their calculator. 
I bought a Powerade and a pack of chewing gum at 7-11 and the girl had to use a calculator to add 18 and 5 baht.
My wife has a degree and works as a manager for an Aussie company but cannot do even the most basic maths without a calculator.
Posted 2009-04-18 11:08:13
CAF. if you are going to post at least get your spelling correct. and the Sun is indeed a dwarf star.
Posted 2009-04-18 11:29:55
GuestHouse, on 2009-04-18 07:37:57, said: Western or Thai education - almost all of it has nothing to do with 'Education'. And in that respect I don't see that the Thai education system is in anyway inferior to that of the west (Certainly the UK).
I wouldn’t say that the thai education is in anyway- “inferior”, however it’s “less/lack of challenging”
A good education should be giving you more skills in reasoning and judgment in solving relevant problems in the future, and generally preparing oneself “intellectually” for mature life.
It is mainly the critical thinking skills, that is what I have found lacking most /or less of ...in the thai teaching system, seriously-
--comparing to the western education - generally speaking of course here
Just me
Posted 2009-04-18 12:03:59
caf, on 2009-04-18 10:04:47, said: ugh!! the sun is not a star. maybe your students saw your gaff but did not want to show you up.
are you an ameican teacher here in thailand?
You bore me. It looks like you belong back in Grade 3.
Quote The Sun is a as a G2V type star, a yellow dwarf and a main sequence star.
Edited by zaphodbeeblebrox, 2009-04-18 12:05:17.
Posted 2009-04-18 12:14:49
caf, on 2009-04-18 12:04:47, said: ugh!! the sun is not a star. maybe your students saw your gaff but did not want to show you up.
ummm... caf, the sun is a star. How could you make that comment? Please tell us what other celestial body it was. Thanks. I hope you did not think it was a gaseous cloud held together by pixie dust. 
As far as shop clerks using calculators... my only comparison is that previously in Japan most of the train platform kiosks were not computerized and I rarely if ever saw any of the old ladies (typical staff) using a calculator to add up the goods or to give the proper change. Also remember that most customers seem to buy 3 items or less and that the ladies had to be quick and accurate as people had trains to catch.
Any staff working in a small shop, after a reasonable period of time, should be able to mentally add 2 or 3 goods and give the proper change without a calculator. I think it is more of a sign of laziness than anything else.
Posted 2009-04-18 12:26:38
A topic particularly close to my heart. My eldest son is now 5 and goes to our local private school, which is believed to be the best in town. My impressions from his first couple of years is that the school is very good for younger children and gives them a general sense of "learning" and "education".
However, I have two daughters aged 14 and 18 and the education they receive at the same school is nothing short of shocking! No history, no geography, no biology etc. etc.
It is my firm belief that Thai schools are set up just to turn Thai children into Thai adults..!! As long as they are teaching acceptable levels of Thai traditions, customs and general behaviour then all is OK.
If you want to find a decent education here then you need to look at a certain level of private tutoring and then college / university.
For example, my eldest girl is studying tourism and has been for 4 years now. The biggest project for her last term was to create a breakfast that would acceptable to Thai tourists, not foreigners. Put a map of Thailand in front of her and ask her where to find Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai etc. and she's completely lost. Shocking!
I firmly believe that her class is just being used as slave labour in hotel restaurants during school holidays and when they go out into the "real world" they are no longer the responsibility of the school.
Luckily, I work within the tourism industry myself and have many contacts who can help with on-the-job training once she leaves school, but I'm one of the lucky ones to be able to do this.
As always there is two ways to do things here: the Thai way, or the wrong way!!!
Example, go to a Thai restaurant anywhere in the world and your meal will be created by a Thai chef. Same with Indian, Chinese etc. etc.
Go to a French, Chinese, Italian, European retaurant here in Thailand, who is making your food..??
T.I.T
Posted 2009-04-18 12:42:41
So did the thai authorities actually give you a work permit to work within the tourism industry? Thats funny
Posted 2009-04-18 13:30:59
fanta rood, on 2009-04-18 12:42:41, said: So did the thai authorities actually give you a work permit to work within the tourism industry? Thats funny
I think you'll find that hotel management, chefs etc can work legally in Thailand.
Posted 2009-04-18 13:48:32
GuestHouse, on 2009-04-18 07:37:57, said: I wish I could jest on this, but it's not warranted.
Here's an observation on the perceived idea of 'Education'.
I'm betting (one of those bets that can't be proved, but let the reader ask the question of them selves) that the older members posting here went to schools that taught them the three R's and then added onto that 'Craft Studies' - Woodwork, Metal Work, Design and Technology (probably restricted to the boys) while the girls learned Shorthand, Typing and of course Cooking and Needlework.
History and Geography will have been taught as facts to be remembered. (The very much older members will absolutely have been taught by rote)
Younger members might have had some of these craft studies but it is more likely that these were replaced by IT studies, learning how to use computers and various methods of using software packages - perhaps some software languages and maybe some electronics. Boys and girls no longer segregated.
History and geography are likely to have changed to more social and environmental focussed studies.
The point is, while you may regard your 'Western Education' as superior - it is in truth not much about education and a great deal about training people for the needs of industry and commerce. Very little free thinking and a great deal of 'we need factory workers - let's teach 'em the skills they need for a factory' - we need IT workers, let's teach them the skills they need to use a computer.
Most people in the western education system have been 'schooled' not educated - add the garbage of school league tables to this and it becomes little more than turning out a standardized product as close as possible to the specification.
Don't believe me - take a look at the curriculum of the very best Public (Private) schools - No lessons in turning out factory/commerce fodder - a great deal of emphasis on independent thought and absolutely no government testing for league tables.
---
Now there is another lesson to be learned here: We've had in the past old western guys complaining about the educational standards of young western people - [Griping voice going on about how young people these days don't know their 29 times table... or some such complaint.]
The point they miss is, the specification has changed - The 29 times table is no longer the required product. IT Skills are.
They old guy and the young guy have simply had different schooling.
Western or Thai education - almost all of it has nothing to do with 'Education'. And in that respect I don't see that the Thai education system is in anyway inferior to that of the west (Certainly the UK).
There are many reasons that the Thai education is seen as inferior to the Western education system.
- Severe lack of funding
- Schools are run as a business rather than an institution of education
- Corruption
- Non standardized tests
- Out dated curriculums
These are just some of them. I've taught here now for a number of years, and it's frustrating. The students want to learn, but are let down again and again by the government and administrations.
The original point about the level of English taught by Thai teachers is a fair comment. The level of English taught by these teachers is simply not good enough. The reason for this, again, is lack of funding. Older experienced teachers are moved on, and less experienced teachers are brought in on miniscule wages. Some of the government approved text books are shocking, and more and more students are packed into the classroom, 55 or 60 is not unusual. The students are taught parrot fashion, the teaching in the Thai school system is almost completely teacher centered learning as opposed to student centered learning in the West.
I know the schooling system in the West, and certainly UK, is far from perfect - but to believe that Thai students are afforded the same level of education as Western students - that's sadly not the case.
Posted 2009-04-18 14:24:08
teacup, on 2009-04-18 11:29:55, said: GuestHouse, on 2009-04-18 07:37:57, said: Western or Thai education - almost all of it has nothing to do with 'Education'. And in that respect I don't see that the Thai education system is in anyway inferior to that of the west (Certainly the UK).
I wouldn't say that the thai education is in anyway- "inferior", however it's "less/lack of challenging"
A good education should be giving you more skills in reasoning and judgment in solving relevant problems in the future, and generally preparing oneself "intellectually" for mature life.
It is mainly the critical thinking skills, that is what I have found lacking most /or less of ...in the thai teaching system, seriously-
--comparing to the western education - generally speaking of course here
Just me
That's an excellent point. A side product of the almost absolute reliance within the Thai education environment for teacher centred learning methodologies.
#88
yabaaaa
Posted 2009-04-18 14:34:34
CockneyGit, on 2009-04-18 12:26:38, said: A topic particularly close to my heart. My eldest son is now 5 and goes to our local private school, which is believed to be the best in town. My impressions from his first couple of years is that the school is very good for younger children and gives them a general sense of "learning" and "education".
However, I have two daughters aged 14 and 18 and the education they receive at the same school is nothing short of shocking! No history, no geography, no biology etc. etc.
It is my firm belief that Thai schools are set up just to turn Thai children into Thai adults..!! As long as they are teaching acceptable levels of Thai traditions, customs and general behaviour then all is OK.
If you want to find a decent education here then you need to look at a certain level of private tutoring and then college / university.
For example, my eldest girl is studying tourism and has been for 4 years now. The biggest project for her last term was to create a breakfast that would acceptable to Thai tourists, not foreigners. Put a map of Thailand in front of her and ask her where to find Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai etc. and she's completely lost. Shocking!
I firmly believe that her class is just being used as slave labour in hotel restaurants during school holidays and when they go out into the "real world" they are no longer the responsibility of the school.
Luckily, I work within the tourism industry myself and have many contacts who can help with on-the-job training once she leaves school, but I'm one of the lucky ones to be able to do this.
As always there is two ways to do things here: the Thai way, or the wrong way!!!
Example, go to a Thai restaurant anywhere in the world and your meal will be created by a Thai chef. Same with Indian, Chinese etc. etc.
Go to a French, Chinese, Italian, European retaurant here in Thailand, who is making your food..??
T.I.T
This is an interesting topic. my wife has a degree in "marketing" but when w e started our business she hadnt a clue how to find customers, where would be the best places to advertise, how we should present the business, what services we could offer that others in this field didnt etc etc. I did the lot she simply hasn't a clue. Great once I had dont it first then she knewhow but unable to think anything new up herself.
Posted 2009-04-18 14:40:55
yabaaaa, on 2009-04-18 14:34:34, said: This is an interesting topic. my wife has a degree in "marketing" but when w e started our business she hadnt a clue how to find customers, where would be the best places to advertise, how we should present the business, what services we could offer that others in this field didnt etc etc. I did the lot she simply hasn't a clue. Great once I had dont it first then she knewhow but unable to think anything new up herself.
Well exactly what kind of subjects do they study to earn a degree in marketing? This is baffling 
Edited by midas, 2009-04-18 14:41:34.
#90
yabaaaa
Posted 2009-04-18 14:42:40
midas, on 2009-04-18 14:40:55, said: yabaaaa, on 2009-04-18 14:34:34, said: This is an interesting topic. my wife has a degree in "marketing" but when w e started our business she hadnt a clue how to find customers, where would be the best places to advertise, how we should present the business, what services we could offer that others in this field didnt etc etc. I did the lot she simply hasn't a clue. Great once I had dont it first then she knewhow but unable to think anything new up herself.
Well exactly what kind of subjects do they study to earn a degree in marketing? This is baffling
Midas I wish I knew???????????
Maybe its about going to "markets" now she's an expert there alright!!
Edited by yabaaaa, 2009-04-18 14:43:45.
Posted 2009-04-18 14:58:14
Honestly I think the culture tends to hold back many bright minds in Thailand. The teachers in public school system seem to have very little if any training, especially in villages where I'm guessing that many of the positions are filled through bribes or given to family members.
"
I remember reading a thread where an expat English teacher in a Bangkok private school complained that the Thai teachers were telling the students that "whales lay the largest eggs" and "don't sleep under a tree at night or you will suffocate". he was told to keep his mouth shut because correcting the students would cause a loss of face to the Thai teachers.
My Thai sister-in-law was taught in a small village school, she learned to speak excellent English and can also speak fluent Italian (Italian husband). She faced many hurdles in school but was very lucky to have a Thai teacher that studied in the USA. He encouraged his students and had a high number of them graduate university so there are gems out there just not enogh to help most students.
I met a family at Jumi Car in Bangkok, the children were under ten years old and spoke perfect English. Their mother was obviously trying to impress me and she did. After speaking to her she told me that in the family home the children were forbidden to speak Thai. She said they received enough Thai at school and with their friends, her methodology seems to have worked.
Posted 2009-04-18 15:35:30
Sakeopete, on 2009-04-18 14:58:14, said: Honestly I think the culture tends to hold back many bright minds in Thailand. The teachers in public school system seem to have very little if any training, especially in villages where I'm guessing that many of the positions are filled through bribes or given to family members.
"
I remember reading a thread where an expat English teacher in a Bangkok private school complained that the Thai teachers were telling the students that "whales lay the largest eggs" and "don't sleep under a tree at night or you will suffocate". he was told to keep his mouth shut because correcting the students would cause a loss of face to the Thai teachers.
My Thai sister-in-law was taught in a small village school, she learned to speak excellent English and can also speak fluent Italian (Italian husband). She faced many hurdles in school but was very lucky to have a Thai teacher that studied in the USA. He encouraged his students and had a high number of them graduate university so there are gems out there just not enogh to help most students.
I met a family at Jumi Car in Bangkok, the children were under ten years old and spoke perfect English. Their mother was obviously trying to impress me and she did. After speaking to her she told me that in the family home the children were forbidden to speak Thai. She said they received enough Thai at school and with their friends, her methodology seems to have worked.
One culturally-ingrained impediment is the concept that young kids are stupid and must be treated like children.
I think some kids are very smart and if challenged can perform way beyond expectations.
Teachers need to get away from the "they can't possibly do that" mentality.
When I was young a very smart woman told me something that impacted my life: You can do anything you want to do.
I believed her and refused to accept culturally-imposed limitations.
Posted 2009-04-18 15:49:50
caf, on 2009-04-18 10:04:47, said: zaphodbeeblebrox, on 2009-04-17 10:06:39, said:
I was preparing the top students at my school (M3 level, 14 year olds) for a general knowledge quiz, and asked them, "What is the name of the star that is closest to the earth?" None of them could answer. (It's the sun, obviously). The only things the Thai children are taught is Thai language, culture and history, and some math. For the most part, in all other school subjects, they complete their education at a primary school level by western standards.
ugh!! the sun is not a star. maybe your students saw your gaff but did not want to show you up.
are you an ameican teacher here in thailand?
LOL! CAF, Bad enough you show how badly your own personal education was you then go on to criticise the poster and try to infer that his "american" education was bad..... this should be in the dictionary as an example of the word fool.
Posted 2009-04-18 16:06:13
Reading through most of the posts on this thread, i find many very interesting thoughts.
I agree that most of us learned a different system than is taught today.
However, Google is going to certainly change the way today's kids learn.
So, schools should be teaching logic, creative thinking, and problem solving among things to give the students a desire to learn.
As to the bad grammar, spelling, bad abbreviations, I'm afraid to say, i think it's going to get worse before it gets better because of the internet.
Now, a little story: A friend of my Thai wife's was visiting and told me I was lucky to be a farang as i could easily make more money.
I said, but I have my own business (I sell clothes online) and she could do the same. (I've made my mistakes and learned through Google and trial and error and some friends who have helped me along the way)
After some discussion, she mentioned that she even had a degree from a Thai university. I said, "oh, well then, draw me a map of Asia and show me where China is in relation to Thailand". She said she could not as they don't learn that.
I said, ok, tell me who Napolean was and as i thought, she had never heard of him.
I then asked what her major was and she said accounting. So, I said: "Oh, then what is 13 times 3. She said: "I wouldn't know that without a calculator"
Then I asked her where the Beatles come from and sure enough ( I had been warned about this one) she said Bangkok.
I didn't need to ask anything else. Then and there I decided that my kid was never going to go to Thai school.
He is now in (expensive) Montessori school and I am teaching him the computer at home.
Posted 2009-04-18 17:39:58
fiddlehead, on 2009-04-18 16:06:13, said: Reading through most of the posts on this thread, i find many very interesting thoughts.
I agree that most of us learned a different system than is taught today.
However, Google is going to certainly change the way today's kids learn.
So, schools should be teaching logic, creative thinking, and problem solving among things to give the students a desire to learn.
As to the bad grammar, spelling, bad abbreviations, I'm afraid to say, i think it's going to get worse before it gets better because of the internet.
Now, a little story: A friend of my Thai wife's was visiting and told me I was lucky to be a farang as i could easily make more money.
I said, but I have my own business (I sell clothes online) and she could do the same. (I've made my mistakes and learned through Google and trial and error and some friends who have helped me along the way)
After some discussion, she mentioned that she even had a degree from a Thai university. I said, "oh, well then, draw me a map of Asia and show me where China is in relation to Thailand". She said she could not as they don't learn that.
I said, ok, tell me who Napolean was and as i thought, she had never heard of him.
I then asked what her major was and she said accounting. So, I said: "Oh, then what is 13 times 3. She said: "I wouldn't know that without a calculator"
Then I asked her where the Beatles come from and sure enough ( I had been warned about this one) she said Bangkok.
I didn't need to ask anything else. Then and there I decided that my kid was never going to go to Thai school.
He is now in (expensive) Montessori school and I am teaching him the computer at home.
What I'm reading here is shocking! This is incredibly sad and worrying
for what was a tiger Asian economy. I've never had much enthusiasm for the Philippines
but I believe even their poor would be more aware of the answer to these questions than your
Thai lady with a degree 
Posted 2009-04-18 17:53:19
i agree, thais really suck in english. probably one reason why more filipinos can get jobs outside of their country because they got the upperhand languagewise? i see many working filipinos in europe in comparison with thais
Posted 2009-04-18 20:20:08
If more were spent on a country's budget for education than defence then the right people would be attracted to the teaching jobs, and the country's future prosperity and international standing would be assured.
Peanuts and monkeys, and the status quo.
edit defense to BE 
Edited by mahtin, 2009-04-18 20:21:15.
Posted 2009-04-18 20:41:14
My comment is about school administration staff.
My 17 year son wanted to improve his already quite good English.
I went with him to a famous US based English language school. The students have to stand outside in the heat and the admin. staff open a small sliding window to talk.
It became very plain very quickly that the Thai admin. lady:
- Was annoyed because she had been disturbed from talkng with her friends.
- Answered every question from my son with 'read the brochures'. In fact they were good questions in regard to his specific situation and he needed answers to make further decisions.
When I tried to ask the same questions she closed the window and sat down with her back to us.
My son tells me his university is even worse.
Posted 2009-04-18 21:19:21
mahtin, on 2009-04-18 20:20:08, said: If more were spent on a country's budget for education than defence then the right people would be attracted to the teaching jobs, and the country's future prosperity and international standing would be assured.
Peanuts and monkeys, and the status quo.
edit defense to BE
As the bumper sticker in the US says, wouldn't it be great if schools got all the funding they needed, and the air force had to have bake sales to pay for its bombers. I think every country wrestles with their own budget demons, and far too often it is the education budget that suffers.
As a kid, I used to watch 'The G.E. College Bowl' where bright students from major universities were pitted against one another for some sort of scholarship money, I think, and of course bragging rights. About every three weeks, they'd ask the question, which star is closest to the Earth? And invariably, the team that buzzed in would say something like Sirius, when of course it is the Sun. So, it's everywhere - even in the US.
Posted 2009-04-18 21:37:01
fiddlehead, on 2009-04-18 16:06:13, said: Reading through most of the posts on this thread, i find many very interesting thoughts. I agree that most of us learned a different system than is taught today. However, Google is going to certainly change the way today's kids learn.
So, schools should be teaching logic, creative thinking, and problem solving among things to give the students a desire to learn. As to the bad grammar, spelling, bad abbreviations, I'm afraid to say, i think it's going to get worse before it gets better because of the internet.
Now, a little story: A friend of my Thai wife's was visiting and told me I was lucky to be a farang as i could easily make more money.
I said, but I have my own business (I sell clothes online) and she could do the same. (I've made my mistakes and learned through Google and trial and error and some friends who have helped me along the way)
After some discussion, she mentioned that she even had a degree from a Thai university. I said, "oh, well then, draw me a map of Asia and show me where China is in relation to Thailand". She said she could not as they don't learn that.
I said, ok, tell me who Napolean was and as i thought, she had never heard of him.
I then asked what her major was and she said accounting. So, I said: "Oh, then what is 13 times 3. She said: "I wouldn't know that without a calculator"
Then I asked her where the Beatles come from and sure enough ( I had been warned about this one) she said Bangkok. I didn't need to ask anything else. Then and there I decided that my kid was never going to go to Thai school. He is now in (expensive) Montessori school and I am teaching him the computer at home. You make some excellent points fiddlehead. The main flaw in the Thai educational system is that students are not taught critical thinking, problem solving and logic skills. Moreover, there is no way these skills can be taught, because the Thai teachers cannot teach these skills, as the Thai teachers lack the skills themselves.
My school hires foreign teachers to not only be English instructors, but also to teach these skills. I don't see how secondary students can learn these skills, having not been even exposed to them before age 10, and spending two 50-minute periods in a 40 student classroom with a foreign teacher, who must also teach English conversation. I teach in an EP program, and even with teaching two 100-minute periods in a 25 student classroom, student acquisition of these skills is slow and uneven. BTW - all of my 100 M2-M3 students know the Beatles are from Liverpool, because teaching western culture is part of the national curriculum for English, and I use music to teach English grammar and culture.
Sabum, on 2009-04-18 15:49:50, said: LOL! CAF, Bad enough you show how badly your own personal education was you then go on to criticise the poster and try to infer that his "american" education was bad..... this should be in the dictionary as an example of the word fool.
I did not take offense, and I am not ashamed of my educational/professional background. I have a B.A. in political science (4 year university degree) and a J.D.(3 year law school degree). I have two published legal journal articles, and just had a M6 reading comprehension/writing skills book published here in Thailand. I am currently working on another reading comprehension/writing skills book which will be published by McGraw-Hill. I worked as a restaurant manager for 5 years, a lawyer (admitted to 3 state bars) for 15 years, and now a teacher for 3 years.
Kitsch22, on 2009-04-18 01:13:04, said: Thank you very much indeed for your comprehensive and informative answers.
My main question (in terms of personal interest) was no. 1 in relation to which I have the impression that there may be an element of linguistic misunderstanding (notwithstanding that your class was held in English). I am not sure (and cannot tell from my dictionaries) whether the Thai daow or duang dow ("star") technically includes pra arthit ("the Sun"). Do you know enough Thai to answer that question? (No criticism implied if your answer is negative). I take my hat off to your Thai student who answered "Alpha Centauri" even though you consider that he was wrong.
So far as question no.2 is concerned, I see two issues. Firstly, what would you say to someone who answered "The Moon, obviously"? Secondly, what would you say to someone who answered "I cannot answer that question unless first you tell me the date"? Again it is impressive that your students were able to name the fifth planet. Your bunch really must have been the cream of the crop. I would be extremely surprised if one were to achieve a 10% success rate in a cohort of average children in the UK in the same age group.
No. 3. I am amused to see that your remark tends to suggest that at least one other contributor to this thread does not know what he is talking about.
No 4. As mentioned above, this may well be a language issue. A few hours ago I attempted to engage in conversation on this particular subject with my 14-year-old (Thai) niece (who definitely does not consider the Sun to be a star in her native language) but was rapidly brought to my knees by the realisation that my Thai vocabulary does not extend sufficiently to translate "gravity constrained hydrogen fusion plasma"
No. 5. But it seems to me that the student who answered "Alpha Centauri" (and who obviously had knowledge more than sufficient to have given your correct answer) probably did regard it as a trick question and my suspicion is that thinking in his own mother tongue he might be right in that perception.
It seems to me that the establishment at which you teach must be pretty high flying. Are you able and willing to give an indication as to the level of fees there for a 14-year-old per annum?
With regard to #1, you need to understand that these students are in an EP program. All of their classes, except for Thai culture/history, are taught in English. The students in this particular class have completed almost 3 years of science and math instruction in an English-only setting at the secondary school level. Moreover, they have been taking English classes for at least 10 years.
As to #2, I am preparing them for a general knowledge quiz. The questions are written by Thai English teachers and the answers are judged by Thai English teachers. There's only one simple answer to any question (Thai teachers don't believe there can be more than one answer to a question). So, the moon is a satellite, and not a star. As for a date, the date is now, present tense. "What is the closest star to the earth?" That's answered in the question itself. As I said, I don;t know about the UK education system, but the solar system (planets, stars and moons) is taught in the primary school system in the U.S. in grades 3-4.
#3: I'm not sure to whom you are referring.
#4: Again, my EP students are bilingual. They are being taught in English, because they are bound for top universities, where all of their work and studies will be conducted in English. A term like "gravity constrained hydrogen fusion plasma" probably has no Thai equivalent. That's one of the reasons science and physics are taught in English at the university level in Thailand. Try looking up computer terms in Thai. The Thais use English. Their language has not developed equivalents for new technological terms.
#5: No, the student reads a lot of sci-fi and was just guessing. All of these students are excellent science students (admission to the EP program is based on 4 criteria: math, science, English testing, and an English interview to test speaking, listening and identification skills). They fully understood their error, and each of them was blushing afterwards. BTW - their M3 science final exam had a section on identifying constellations, something I never learned, although one of my general knowledge questions asked them the name of the "north star", which one student could answer correctly.
As to star and sun in Thai, I am no expert, but this might be helpful:
sun=duang dta'-wan
ดวง
duang * classifier for circular objects
* disk/disc ; sphere ; orb ; circle ; dot ; spot ; speckle
ตะวัน
dtà-wan * sun ; light of day
star=duang daao
ดวง
duang * classifier for circular objects
* disk/disc ; sphere ; orb ; circle ; dot ; spot ; speckle
ดาว
daao * star ;
* five-pointed star ;
"duang" seems to be a common term in the two words, so that leads me to believe the Thais should even have a leg up on us English speakers when it comes to determining if the sun is a star.
Edited by zaphodbeeblebrox, 2009-04-18 21:41:16.
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