New test for English teachers & students

Will a new test proposed by the Education Ministry really lift the quality of teaching & learning in Thailand?

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION

New test for English teachers & students

26/09/2016
Surasak Glahan & Dumrongkiat Mala

The Education Ministry has a new plan for an English language test to lift the quality of teaching and learning in Thailand.

FRAMEWORK FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING

For the Education Ministry, underperforming Thai students and unqualified foreign teachers are the key problems that need to be tackled.

The ministry will therefore introduce new guidelines and a test, called CEFR-T, adapted from the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) into the Thai context (read more about the technicalities here).

This language-learning framework can be a wonderful tool for teachers (the author has it on his tablet) with lists of bits of language and skills that should be mastered by students at different levels. The framework can be downloaded for free here with some explanation, see here, here & here.

The method will gauge students' level of competency, aiming to improve their skills within five years.

The plan is that foreigners, especially backpackers, seeking easy work will be screened out if they fail the test.

It is unclear how the ministry thinks a new assessment method (or test) can help improve student learning as it does not mention any new plan to address the root causes of the failure of English language education in Thailand.

HUGE CLASSES & NO EXPOSURE TO ENGLISH OUTSIDE OF CLASS BIG PROBLEMS

Farang teachers who do not hold education degrees are not the main contributor to the reason why Thai English skills, especially pronunciation, are far behind our Asian neighbours and most of the world.

Several studies, such as research by the Canadian Centre for Science and Education in 2013, pointed out many factors that contribute to English language education failure in Thailand

These factors include: overly large classes, rare opportunities for student exposure to English outside of class time, unqualified Thai teachers & poorly - motivated students. 

PROBLEMS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION

English pronunciation is the most difficult part for many Thais and the best solution is exposure to English-speaking environments.

These English-speaking environments might include: 1. immersive English language studies overseas in the US, UK, Canada Australia or the Philippines for 6-months or a year, 2. working in the tourism industry and talking to a lot for foreign tourists, 3. regular participation in informal speaking classes at local English language schools such as the British Council, AUA or ECC, or 4. some other community activity done together with English speakers such as volunteering or church/wat activities.  

The traditional Thai classroom itself may have something to do with the failure. Modern language learning classrooms are usually small and stress face-to-face communication. Students need to be encouraged and motivated to speak English and express their opinions freely, gaining fluency while making the language mistakes that, though inevitable, students will eventually overcome.

'BACKPACKERS' (YOUNG ENGLISH-SPEAKERS RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE) MAKE PERFECT TEACHERS

As Surasak Glahan, the author of today's op-ed piece on the new testing policy observes:

"When I was in college and chose English as a major, my second language skills started to improve. But I still struggled to better my pronunciation. My best language coaches (in addition to some of my lectures) were in fact backpackers ! ...exposure to global learning was  through socialisation with these backpackers. I ended up finding out that mingling with them helped improve my English, even though the majority of those backpackers did not hold degrees [at least in teaching]."

YET ANOTHER TEST, THE RIGHT SOLUTION?

Screening for qualified foreign teachers could be a good thing.

Or, it could create a teacher shortage.

If qualified foreign teachers could make a lot more money in Korea, for instance, and not have to worry about a test there either.

GETTING THAI STUDENTS SPEAKING & EXPRESSING THEMSELVES

If an English speaker can get Thai students speaking and expressing themselves, the degrees they have and tests they take may be irrelevant. 

Stimulating students to speak and express themselves in conversation classes is probably the most important thing.

In fact, that is the way it works in South Korea where workers and students attend English language schools after work or school to get practical speaking experience.

More importantly, why do we need to invest in a Thai test for English, which is at risk of being designed by those who have kept our education lagging, when there are several internationally certified tests already?

STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING

The education ministry, deserves praise for making an effort to improve English learning such as providing courses for Thai teachers.

But much needs to be done to improve it and a simple goal is to make English language learning more fun and relevant to students, putting them at the centre of the class.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1094953/english-plan-at-risk-before-it-even-begins

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1093725/new-test-for-english-teachers-students

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