Edward's Blog

I always vistis a Blog maintained by a Thailand girl called Alitta.She is a English presser and gruaduated from a famous colledge in Thailand.In her blog I found the article below:

English with Thai people

In Thailand, English language is a compulsory course since in a primary level, meaning Thai kids know how to say A,B,C….blah blah blah since they are around 10 years old. When they are 15 years old, they know how to greet their teacher when he/she comes in a classroom;
Students : Good morning/afternoon, teacher. How are you?
A teacher : I’m fine thank you, and you?
Students : I’m fine, thank you.
A teacher : Sit down.
Students : Thank you teacher.
THAT’S ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The way we greet our teachers is really a pattern and inflexible, once they say something else, we are mute. This is so true, my friends and I have made fun of ourselves about this pattern of greeting so far. When they are 20 years old or even older than that, most of them can only repeat that pattern!!!!!! What’s wrong with Thai people? I’ve tried to figure out the reason why Thai people don’t really speak English even if they are so good at English grammar.

1. They daren’t speak English as they are scared of making a mistake. I think they might feel embarrassed if they say something wrong.
2. They are afraid of a foreigner to whom they talk will laugh at them if they make any mistakes. (My advice is you need to be thick-skinned)
3. They hardly do their speaking in school, most of the time they learn grammar.
4. They just don’t care even though they can’t speak English as long as a gesture is still common among human.
5. They love being a listener than a speaker.
6. Thailand was never colonized by any English-speaking countries.

It’s not only in Thailand but also in countrys such as China,Korea.I my opinion,It’s due to the tend of globalization and the goverment policy that people in these country must learn English, but the context in these concutrys are not fullfilled. Olny in espacial situation,such as in famaous colledge or foreign company,people read and speak English frequently. But to learn English well,we must parctice and parctice! That’s my opinion in English learning in such Asian countrys.

Edward