My Tears

Trying to perfect the imperfect.
Permalink : http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/system

Friday , September 14 , 2007

The Failure of EP programme

Posted by Dam , Reader : 685 , 00:14:50

Please be understood that here is not to undermine the porgramme but just merely like to express the personal view the failures of EP programme in Thailand Education. As a programme, just do not know whether the MOE has reviewed it or just let it be.The whole aim of EP is good but the implementation is too fast and without fruther considerations. Why the EP programme should get the farangs to teach ? Well, the Thai teachers do not have good English language. But to many surprises, a Thai who graduates from the overseas university cannot be accepted into the classroom to teach because he/she is a Thai. Fine, if the command of English langauge of Thai teachers is not good. Train them. Issue with a directive that only with O level English certificate can teach in the programme. The most important is the teacher training universities--RAJABAHT. The new recruit of trainees should be in batches accepted in the EP training programme and then supply to the pilot project schools. Fine, now come the problem. Without further considerations, thrusting the programme and charge an exorbitant amount 350,000 bahts per semester on average, paying the kru farang 25k-35k per month with air-conditioned classrooms. We cannot get a Thai citizen who can command well in English to teach in EP with the 35k paid pack ? It is all rubbish. A class of 25 kids and 350,000 bahts per semester, how much will you get and it is only one farang teacher. Ok , now where are the monies gone ? So, the farangs come in a year and go, then come and go, the kids are left with different course structures. Are they better taught ? Oh yes, the kids can speak and understand better English than the normal stream. 20 periods of English lesson taught in Social Studies, Maths etc, if the kids cannot understand English with a 20 -hour of listening and speaking per week, the money is dumped in the drain. So in the end, who benefited from the EP programme ? The kru farang. There is no indication what these EP kids are going to sit for the test ? Will have Part Two if time permits.

Please be understood that here is not to undermine the porgramme but just merely like to express the personal view the failures of EP programme in Thailand Education.

As a programme, just do not know whether the MOE has reviewed it or just let it be.The whole aim of EP is good but the implementation is too fast and without fruther considerations.

Why the EP programme should get the farangs to teach ? Well, the Thai teachers do not have good English language.

But to many surprises, a Thai who graduates from the overseas university cannot be accepted into the classroom to teach because he/she is a Thai.

Fine, if the command of English langauge of Thai teachers is not good. Train them. Issue with a directive that only with O level English certificate can teach in the programme.

The most important is the teacher training universities--RAJABAHT. The new recruit of trainees should be in batches accepted in the EP training programme and then supply to the pilot project schools.

Fine, now come the problem. Without further considerations, thrusting the programme and charge an exorbitant amount 350,000 bahts per semester on average, paying the kru farang 25k-35k per month with air-conditioned classrooms.

We cannot get a Thai citizen who can command well in English to teach in EP with the 35k paid pack ? It is all rubbish.

A class of 25 kids and 350,000 bahts per semester, how much will you get and it is only one farang teacher. Ok , now where are the monies gone ?

So, the farangs come in a year and go, then come and go, the kids are left with different course structures.

Are they better taught ? Oh yes, the kids can speak and understand better English than the normal stream. 20 periods of English lesson taught in Social Studies, Maths etc, if the kids cannot understand English with a 20 -hour of listening and speaking per week, the money is dumped in the drain.

So in the end, who benefited from the EP programme ? The kru farang. There is no indication what these EP kids are going to sit for the test ?

Will have Part Two if time permits.

Post comment | send mail to friend

Read comment

comment 3
catch22 date : 19/09/2007 time : 15.26
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/catch22

Maybe one should look to His Majesty for guidance in this issue. Perhaps when His Majesty advocated greater concentration in Thai language he was demonstrating his wisdom once again. Concentrating on Thai language will be a face saver for many families and the extremely poor EP.

comment 2
redandwhitestripes date : 17/09/2007 time : 17.57
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/reallifethailand

You do make some valid points.

The EP is not a total failure, but it is true that students are not progressing fast enough.

I believe there are several reasons for this. Firstly, the EP culture is relatively new. A lot of kids are not exposed to conversation with a farang until they are in Mattayom. This is a drawback, but of course now the EP programme is moving down to the KG levels.

However, there is IMHO still not enough exposure. Thailand still has Thai English teachers who cannot speak English in many cases, un translated or badly translated cartoons, books, etc and a strong partisan mentality that seems to be an impediment to learning English.

There is also a psyche that is not conducive to learning IMHO. In every school I have worked in, the Chinese kids are always top of the class with a couple of the smartest Thais keeping up with them.

And yes, without a shadow of a doubt, the quality of farang teachers is poor. I'm planning to write more about this in future but for now I will just say that schools need to pay more for better teachers and they won't or can't pay. On the other hand, the attitude and standard of some farang teachers is inexcusable.

comment 1
Trirat date : 14/09/2007 time : 06.04
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/trirat

You have made some valid points. My school doesn't have an English Program, but I understand that students from primary school are taught all subjects (except Thai language) in English by a "native speaker." Is that right?

It sounds like a great idea on paper. If a child goes overseas, he or she gets this "full immersion" in the target language and soon learns the language. But in Thailand the child only gets "full immersion", and not even that, only in the classroom. Outside the class and at home nobody talks to him/her in English. I've even heard parents say that their children get nothing out of EP because they can't understand what's being said.

As you implied, I think it would be a good idea to recruit Thai teachers to teach some of the subjects in English.

Comment

"If you are not member, please register to comment.
It take only a few steps."

member sign in | member register

name :
email :
website :
comment :

		back top

<<	September 2007					>>
s	m	t	w	t	f	s
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30