Why is learning English so difficult for Thais? - Ajarn Forum

AJ · 23rd January 2007, 11:24

Why is it so difficult for Thais, compared to other peoples (Indonesians, Japanese, Laotians, Burmese...), to learn foreign languages? Over the years I've met many Japanese, Malaysians, Indonesians, Filippinos, Chinese etc., who could speak English very or quite well. But I can count the Thais with whom I could have a normal conversation on two hands.

Even many Thai English Teachers at government schools can hardly put a sentence in English together! The same applies to pronunciation. (Typical English class in grade 2: native speaker: "What's your name?" - 8 year-old kid to classmate: "What's your name?", etc. etc.
Then Thai teacher to student: "Puut - What your name...")

What are the reasons?

1.) Xenophobia and antiforeigner sentiment? I came to Thailand for the first time in 1997. Back then Thais seemed to be a friendly bunch. But since Thaksin became prime minister in 2001, plus since petrol prices started rising about 3 years ago there seems to be no end to bickering about foreigners, esp. Caucasians, and calling them names! Even many Thai teachers seem to be antiforeigner these days, negatively affecting the classes of native speakers...

2.) Or are Thais just disinterested and or less intelligent than other peoples in Asia?

Dr dude · 23rd January 2007, 11:40

Oh, good yet another let us bash the Thais without providing a shred of proof of the validity of the claim thread.

One can never spend enough of one's life in Thailand Thai bashing. If some of you spent less time bashing Thais and learning the language and customes, maybe your attitudes would approve. Gotta go, I am off to my Thai class with my teacher who is also a fantastic translator and knows some points of English better than I do.

(If my Thai ever gets to be 50% as good as my teacher's English is I would feel very successful in learning a language)

But I am sure AJ is fluent in at least three or four foreign languages and knows how it is done.

jonny danger · 23rd January 2007, 11:40

I always thought it was because it's so different/complicated. But then there are a number of serious Ss who do very well. Looking at their writing is a window to what Thai is like grammatically. A teacher who knows Thai will see better S results, all other teacher-features being equal, cause he/she'll know the problem areas first hand.

Small classes, half-way motivated Ss, a good teacher .. they're on par with the rest of the Asian World IMO. They're an easily distracted lot. That is probably the number one obstacle.
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Dude: The same boring alkie rant?

ScorpioPower · 23rd January 2007, 11:42

I always put it down to;

A. their language being totally different to English

B. their ability to retain English vs. actively using it

A lot of Thais that have lived overseas can speak pretty good English though.
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr dude

Oh, good yet another let us bash the Thais without providing a shred of proof of the validity of the claim thread.

One can never spend enough of one's life in Thailand Thai bashing. If some of you spent less time bashing Thais and learning the language and customes, maybe your attitudes would approve. Gotta go, I am off to my Thai class with my teacher who is also a fantastic translator and knows some points of English better than I do.

(If my Thai ever gets to be 50% as good as my teacher's English is I would feel very successful in learning a language)

But I am sure AJ is fluent in at least three or four foreign languages and knows how it is done.

Piss off. There's a good 'un.

AJ · 23rd January 2007, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr dude

Oh, good yet another let us bash the Thais without providing a shred of proof of the validity of the claim thread...

I'm just saying that I've met in Thailand many other Asians who always could speak English. Can't say that about the Thais. But then again, I don't live in Bangkok. Maybe there English is spoken everywhere now...

Jellybean · 23rd January 2007, 11:44

I think on the whole Thais in Thailand, have much better English pronunciation that Japanese, in or out of Japan.

AJ · 23rd January 2007, 11:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScorpioPower

I always put it down to;

A. their language being totally different to English...

So are Lao, Indonesian and Japanese...
-----

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr dude

... (If my Thai ever gets to be 50% as good as my teacher's English is I would feel very successful in learning a language)

But I am sure AJ is fluent in at least three or four foreign languages and knows how it is done.

I didn't say that. I don't expect Thais who never left the country to speak two or three foreign languages, just one. I was just mentioning that Thais, when it comes to English proficiency, are the least fluent people I've ever met or taught. But that's just my experience, maybe yours is different.

bet · 23rd January 2007, 11:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnny danger

Small classes, half-way motivated Ss, a good teacher .. they're on par with the rest of the Asian World IMO. They're an easily distracted lot. That is probably the number one obstacle.

Have to agree with johnny danger, here. The differences in the Thai and English languages make a difficult start.

Put the shoe on the other foot, how many foreigners teaching here can claim to be anywhere near fluent in Thai?

Not too many IME.

Covertjay · 23rd January 2007, 12:21

Often if it's not fun, or takes years to master, Thais will give up on it.

I was like that with the violin tho........

zack · 23rd January 2007, 12:25

It's only difficult to the one's that don't take the magic pill.

DirkDiggler · 23rd January 2007, 12:32

how important would it be to speak a foreign language in your home country?
thais dont really find it a priority to speak a foreign language, unless it is objectively.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJ

Why is it so difficult for Thais, compared to other peoples (Indonesians, Japanese, Laotians, Burmese...), to learn foreign languages? Over the years I've met many Japanese, Malaysians, Indonesians, Filippinos, Chinese etc., who could speak English very or quite well. But I can count the Thais with whom I could have a normal conversation on two hands.

Even many Thai English Teachers at government schools can hardly put a sentence in English together! The same applies to pronunciation. (Typical English class in grade 2: native speaker: "What's your name?" - 8 year-old kid to classmate: "What's your name?", etc. etc.
Then Thai teacher to student: "Puut - What your name...")

What are the reasons?

1.) Xenophobia and antiforeigner sentiment? I came to Thailand for the first time in 1997. Back then Thais seemed to be a friendly bunch. But since Thaksin became prime minister in 2001, plus since petrol prices started rising about 3 years ago there seems to be no end to bickering about foreigners, esp. Caucasians, and calling them names! Even many Thai teachers seem to be antiforeigner these days, negatively affecting the classes of native speakers...

2.) Or are Thais just disinterested and or less intelligent than other peoples in Asia?

Cyrille · 23rd January 2007, 12:57

Dude - it can't be ignored that the standard of English in Thailand is lower than in many other areas of the region.

I think the major reasons are:

1) It's so completely different from their first language.
2) Thais are often very self conscious, and prefer to avoid what may be seen as 'drawing attention to themselves' by communicating well in English.
3) People can be really, really withering in a subtle way to those who do 'draw attention to themselves' by communicating well in English.
4) The frequent absence of anything at all even resembling study skills.
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I don't go along with the two reasons put forward by the op! I don't believe there is significantly more xenophobia or less intelligence amongst Thais than you'll find anywhere else in the region.

mig · 23rd January 2007, 13:18

Thais are like the English in that we don’t have a lot of experience in learning languages. So its not easy. We don’t see why we should bother. We don’t want or need to talk to Johnny foreigner. They can jolly well learn to speak our language if they want the privilege of communicating with us.

blackjack · 23rd January 2007, 14:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr dude

Oh, good yet another let us bash the Thais without providing a shred of proof of the validity of the claim thread. One can never spend enough of one's life in Thailand Thai bashing. If some of you spent less time bashing Thais and learning the language and customes, maybe your attitudes would approve. Gotta go, I am off to my Thai class with my teacher who is also a fantastic translator and knows some points of English better than I do.

Judging by the spelling, punctuation and grammar skills displayed in your post that wouldn't be too difficult a feat.

Cyrille · 23rd January 2007, 14:39

^ And he reckons he's a writer!