How Thai interfers with learning English - Page 7 - Ajarn Forum

BerryGoose · 21st July 2008, 22:49

At the risk of being too simple here, I don't think the Thai language itself is a problem to learning english. The problem is with students that won't let english be english and try to fit it to Thai. Once they let english stand on it's own they do very well.

Ramalamadingdong · 21st July 2008, 23:05

Rae-ruh!!

On a bit of a more intellectual note, I also think that it is next to impossible for the average Thai student to have the guts to risk being wrong. When they are too afraid of giving a wrong answer, they just freeze up! So I think Thai language, as a component of the overall Thai culture, is (usually) more of a hindrance than a help. You're right, Berry Goose, every once in awhile you're lucky enough to have a Thai student who just forgets all that bullshit and dives in. Those are the ones you enjoy teaching.

MikeS · 23rd July 2008, 12:47

I'm currently teaching classes which mix Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese, Thais, Brazilians, Columbians, Saudi and UAE students. Its interesting that in such a mixed environment the Thais are much more willing to dive in and take risks than they were when my classes were all Thai. Its unscientific, but thats my impression.

emjay · 23rd July 2008, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeS

I'm currently teaching classes which mix Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese, Thais, Brazilians, Columbians, Saudi and UAE students. Its interesting that in such a mixed environment the Thais are much more willing to dive in and take risks than they were when my classes were all Thai. Its unscientific, but thats my impression.

This is the biggest difference between teaching ESL classes in an English-speaking country and teaching EFL to unilingual classes just about anywhere. It can and often does impact learning far more than the "osmosis/immersion learning" (mythical) factor that gets mention once in a while on this board.

It's also the hardest thing about learning to teach EFL when you've done years of the other-- all those great activities and approaches that just don't work any longer.

MikeS · 24th July 2008, 14:14

I might do some research on how speaking Portugese affects learning English as a second language...or not.

Ramalamadingdong · 28th July 2008, 13:32

Earlier in this thread there were some interesting questions raised about someone who is truly bi-lingual. I am one of those farangs who does translation work from English into Thai or from Thai into English. In my situation, my thought (on a conscious level anyway) depends on the situation. For example, if I am at a Thai school, talking with a teacher, and we are brainstorming, I will have my internal or external thought process in Thai. When I am with other English speakers, it's in English. I know a few others like me and they are the same way. I agree with Guy Mandude though, true thought is pre-verbal. Unfortunately, in my experience, it is also subconscious. So how can we know what we are thinking at a subconscious level? It makes for interesting discussion.

jonny danger · 28th July 2008, 15:01

Me be bi-lingual too. It's a real and true advantage to teaching/learning any language. The problems a FL student may have are too many to mention, but I consider these key to knowing what his/her obstacles are: Listen to their English and see where their mistakes are (Thai, the s for plurals, etc). At that point you'll get a window to their language. Ease their fears by giving them an example of just how badly you speak their language. Be a friend to them, even a parent. Remember the core of natural learning; you learned your language from someone who cared for you. Have fun with learning, as you did learning your L1.

Quote:

far more than the "osmosis/immersion learning" (mythical) factor that gets mention once in a while on this board

Full of shit once again. I known plenty of people in about five foreign nations who spoke perfectly well, understood well and had never studied. They learned from movies and music. Immersion is a myth? You mean a FL student living in an English speaking nation would absorb the target language at the same rate as an EP student?

I worked with monolingual Mexicans in America. Some had been there 30 years and knew very little, some for a short period and knew a lot. Need, need. There are Spanish language radio stations, TV, books, anything a Spanish speaker could ask for .. if he wanted to remain as he arrived it's all there. Some have a need to assimilate, some didn't. They say if you want to learn the tongue of your host nation, do it quick. Once you're there for two or three years your need just may drop. Not having any admiration for a people will slow you down too. Not knowing shit about your own language will slow you down as well. It is not a question of osmosis, because that's the passing of fluids through tissue, that's a physical phenomena. We say osmosis because we can't explain language acquisition with a term that isn't at least a sentence long.

So all you exchange students out there .. come back home and tell your parents they wasted their money.

BerryGoose · 28th July 2008, 21:06

So all you exchange students out there .. come back home and tell your parents they wasted their money.[/quote]

Well, that CAN be true. I know teachers that have been here 10 years and can hardly say hello. I've have never figured out how they can use that as a badge of honor, I think you have to try and not speak the language for that to happen. I was married to and was around Thais for more than 12 years before I moved here and didn't learn much at all. I've been here 3 years now and can almost speak the language, plus I'm learning to read and write . It depends on want you want to do.

Storekeeper · 30th October 2008, 11:02

How do you explain these kids, both Thai and half-Thai, who went to international schools or schools in native English speaking countries and then come back to Thailand and regress to pronouncing English words the way Thais do who have only ever uttered English words here in Thailand?

Dan · 30th October 2008, 11:44

It's possibly because (a) they don't want to be seen as show-off knobs (b) social integration is more important than 'correct' pronunciation and (c) if you're talking about loan-words, the words may be of English origin but they don't stay English for ever.

Nick · 30th October 2008, 11:59

I agree with a lot of what JD says. One's attitude and general outlook on life has a large bearing on how successful one is in acquiring the target language.

MikeS · 30th October 2008, 19:42

We're all mimics. They're just copying those around them. Perfectly normal way of learning a language.