peelieorion

Scorpio is completely right. the ABC song everyone learns is no real use. Get someone to help you write the letters for the Thai phonic alphabet, its a 5 minute job. Its hard work but if you keep practising it they begin to see that letters have sounds and sounds make words ie sit pig fat dog etc. test them all individually and keep track on who knows what. you can make simple grids to test letter names and sounds. until thais can read they have no hope of learning english through memory, aren't enough signs or reading materials or Ferrang to practise. its hard work but in one term i have 16 kids out of 30 in P2 and 85 in P3 and P4 who can read simple books i have written. primaryresources.co.uk is an excellent freebie site. have a look, every teacher in england uses it. good luck.
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Markg, you are so wrong. Speaking thai in the classroom is a must. Imagine yourself trying to learn thai where you couldn't read it anywhere, where every word from your teacher is in Thai. impossible. Learning a foreign language back home we can read words at home and learn outside the classroom. thais are not taught to read English, they may have learnt only poor pronounciation from thai teachers. Thais beginning to learn English must have a balance. your example of an English teacher speaking bad thai. Parents complain so what? better to try than have 80% of people understand you than 1% understand the English. I also think it helps you to communicate with thais outside the classroom. they feel less threatened and in later life will be able to understand Thai speaking ferrangs better. Its hard enough trying to learn English given the ridiculous curriculum so give thais a break.