Study Material to sit the TCT tests. - Ajarn Forum

Stamp · 14th May 2008, 08:59

When I sat the test from the Teachers' Council in Thailand in December 2007, I hadn't study a thing. I failed three out of four sections. For the April 2008 tests I studied. I don't know the results yet though.

Below you find the curriculum of the Professional Knowledge Test from the Teachers' Council of Thailand.

Quote:

3.1 Language and technology for teachers
Thai language for teachers; English or other foreign languages for teachers; information technology for teachers.

3.2 Curriculum development
Philosophy, concept and theory of education; background and educational administration system in Thailand; vision and development plan for education in Thailand; curriculum theory; curriculum development; curriculum standards and intended levels; curriculum development for educational institutions; problems and trend of curriculum development.

3.3 Learning management
Learning and teaching theories; learning models and instructional model development; design and management of learning experiences; integration of contents for learning groups; integration for group learning; techniques and know-how in learning management; media implementation and production and innovative development for learning; learner-oriented learning management; learning evaluation.

3.4 Psychology for teachers
Basic psychology relating to human development; educational psychology; guidance and counseling psychologies.

3.5 Educational measurement and evaluation
Principles and techniques of educational measurement and evaluation; creation and implementation of educational measurement and evaluation tools; authentic assessment; portfolio assessment; performance assessment; formative and summative evaluations.

3.6 Classroom management
Management theory and principles; educational leadership; systematic thinking; leaming of organizational culture; organizational human relations; organizational communication; classroom management; educational quality assurance; teamwork; academic program preparation; occupational training program; development programs and activities; information system for management; community development education.

3.7 Educational research
Research theory; research model; research design; research process; statistics for research; classroom action research; research training; research presentations; search and study on research for development of learning management process; use of research process for problem solving; project proposals for research.

3.8 Educational innovation and information technology
Educational concept, theory, technology and innovation that promote the learning quality development; technology and information; analysis of problems arising from use of technology and information innovation; learning sources and network; innovation, design, creation, implementation, evaluation and improvement; importance of the teaching profession.

3.9 Teachership
Teachers' roles, duties, workload; development of the teaching profession, characteristics of good teachers; building positive attitude towards the teaching profession; strengthening teachers' potentiality and capability; being learning persons and academic leaders; criteria and standards for the teaching profession; teaching professional ethics; laws governing education.

Source: The Teachers' Council of Thailand, 17th June 2006

The four sections are:

Quote:

Section 1:
- Language and Technology for Teachers
- Educational Innovation
- Information Technology
Section 2:
- Curriculum Development
- Learning Management
- Classroom Management
Section 3:
- Educational Measurement and Evaluation
- Educational Research
Section 4:
- Psychology for Teachers
-Teacher Professionalism

In this thread members who prepared themselves or are preparing themselves to sit the TCT tests can share material to study.

1. National Education Act B.E. 2542 (1999),

http://www.onec.go.th/Act/acteng/acteng.pdf

2. Teachers and Educational Personnel Act B.E. 2546 (2003),

Teach Asia Online - Main - Teachers And Educational Personnel Council Act

3: Statistics for the utterly confused
I uploaded the file here:
Statistics.for.Utterly.Confused-0071350055.pdf
Study chapter 1-6. It's enough to do the tests.

4: Information about test types; reliability, difficulty index, discrimination index, etc.
Professional Testing, Inc : Test Topics

More to come. Good luck students

.

Stamp

Asper · 14th May 2008, 17:26

Are Thai teachers required to jump through this hoop?

Stamp · 14th May 2008, 17:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asper

Are Thai teachers required to jump through this hoop?

Asper, the TCT requirements apply to Thai teachers too. Those who were teaching before a certain date (don't know the date) are grandfathered. Others have to do the tests if they don't hold an education degree or equivalent. At the test venue in BKK in April 2008 were about 400 Thai teachers who sat the tests. Same as for foreign teachers, 9 topics in 4 sections.

4: Educational Psychology

To study this I used the information at this site: Educational psychology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Within this web page are links to Influential educational psychologists and theorists

For the the tests basic knowledge about influential psychologists and their contributions to the field is necessary.

Added to this I downloaded (for free): How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition

and read Part 1-5.

5: History of Thai Education: History of Thai Education

Topper · 14th May 2008, 18:15

Thanks Stamp!

Good job!

Bold As Love · 14th May 2008, 18:18

Stamp,

Great thread, I am very interested in this. Can you share some experiences on the format of the tests? Are they multiple choice, etc.? Is the English intelligible on the exam? What is the passing level? Will you have to retake all sections, or only ones you failed in the past? So many questions ....

Stamp · 14th May 2008, 18:21

6: Counseling Psychology

At both the December 2007 and April 2008 tests were several questions about counseling psychology. I couldn't find much on the internet. I found one website that explains what is.

Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and Professional Licensure

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bold As Love

Are they multiple choice, etc.?

Multiple choice with 5 choices. Not always easy because they also use "answer 4 = answer 3 and 1"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bold As Love

Is the English intelligible on the exam?

Psychology for Teachers and Teacher Professionalism were tests written by Thais. Often difficult to understand the questions, let alone the answers. The others were IMHO "borrowed" from AUS, UK, CAN or USA tests.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bold As Love

What is the passing level?

150 questions per section, 150 minutes. Passing level is 50%

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bold As Love

Will you have to retake all sections, or only ones you failed in the past?

Signing up for the tests goes by internet. You can choose which of the four sections you want to do.

7: Team Teaching

There were at lot of questions about Team Teaching in the December 2007 tests but a few in the April 2008 tests. The papers at the links below covers basic knowledge.

Goetz - Team Teaching
Team Teaching: Education for the Future

8: Brain-based Learning
Teach Asia Online - Main - Brain-based Learning

kempos · 15th May 2008, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stamp

150 questions per section, 150 minutes. Passing level is 50%

Geez, 600-mins test = 10 hours

All done in one day?

Thanks John for all the info and links.

Cheers,

Cawphad Guy · 15th May 2008, 18:13

I thought doing a PGCE was hard work, seems like a walk in the park compared to this crap.

peelieorion · 15th May 2008, 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cawphad Guy

I thought doing a PGCE was hard work, seems like a walk in the park compared to this crap.

Yeh but Cawp, you could put the theory into action with a PGCE and see it in practise. I don't care how many courses you do if you walk into most schools here, the whole idea of stimulating displays, differentiated work, treating the student as a individual goes out the window when the Thai teachers continue with their preaching, fill in the blanks, memorising teaching strategies. This course sounds like a whole load of theory. Far more use is if a few principal would open their eyes and apply it to their schools. Blank walls, libraries that are usually shut and teachers who can't teach outside the textbook. and they wonder why the average grade in the P6 O.net for Thai was 33%. I would say top anyone here, stop taking Thai qualifications to do with teaching. Instead read a good book (Teaching Skills by Kyriacou) and volunteer for a couple of weeks at a good school. See the theory in practise. These courses don't atack the real issues. How to teach reading, speaking and writing from scratch.

Cawphad Guy · 15th May 2008, 19:06

^^ I agree. I tried to read the 'journal' on team-teaching, although had to stop when I read Quinn and Kanter (1984) define team teaching as "simply team work between two qualified instructors who, together, make presentations to an audience."

I know it was 1984, but teaching as a presentation! Could explain why Thai teachers (IME) teach the way they do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by peelieorion

you could put the theory into action with a PGCE and see it in practise.

Yes, this is true, my faith is restored.

elc · 16th May 2008, 08:53

I couldn't get any responce from the 'statistics for the utterly confused' site. Anybody else had the same problem??

ScienceGuy · 17th May 2008, 22:16

I've notice most of the Thai regulations are just copied from the US. I would just study for the US teacher licensure exams and you'll blow the test out of the water. If you fail, just go take the US tests and get your license from them. It should be transferable.

As for the Thai-specific sections, I recommend hanging out with a Thai family for a few weeks. Possibly a home-stay or volunteer camp type thing. Once you know the real culture you can move on to the superficial culture presented to the world at large through the teacher tests. I'd bet the test is mostly lip-service to cover up the truth.

rogerman · 17th May 2008, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stamp

Asper, the TCT requirements apply to Thai teachers too.

My wife has been a teacher for 16 years in a Govt. school. No mention of her having to do a test.

Maybe because she's the Govt officer for the school which happens to belong to the prince.

Obviously reflects on her

huge salary....Geez the course is nearly a months wages for her.

teacherfinder · 17th May 2008, 23:44

Wow, Stamp, that is VERY helpful stuff! You obviously know your stuff. Thank you!