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I'll be leaving Thailand (but keeping property here as I plan on moving back eventually) in October to finish the education of my wife's three children (18, 14 and 12 years old) in the U.S. and to make sure that our 7 month old son is educated in U.S. Hopefuly, I'll be back within 10 years (by that time, I'll be 65 and ready for retirement).
you can say the same about any Western country. Many state schools in the UK are rubbish, some are good enough and some are excellent. It depends upon many factors.Quote:
Originally Posted by peterpan
Freind of mine that teaches here in Bkk, commented would not go back to UK for fears of receiving a backlash from pupils in UK schools. Apparently nowadays they even vent their anger if given too much homework!!!!!
Homework!
What is the point of challenging the parents!
You are right but its still relative. I went to a school in the U.K which was listed in the top 50 of the league tables every year. In my opinion it was still crap and would not hold up to even a mid level international school. Obviously as it was free it was still fairly good value for money though. In my experience the best government Thai schools are just as good if not better when it comes to subjects like maths and science, most of the students work much harder than students in the U.K and the results are evident if you work with these students. Unfortunately most students here probably won't make it to one of the good schools.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
True enough. You can get through elementary here. But then its only science and math. No world history, no geography, no literature, and not much in the language department either.Quote:
Originally Posted by madjbs
I too may be having to head back.
I'm interested to know more about Thai-Farang couples whose children aren't bilingual.
WTFs the problem there? You'd almost have to make a concerted effort for them to NOT be bilingual.
Comments on Oz are on the ball, my daughter did attend a primary school in Darwin - preps for 3 months, and managed the English very well. A bloody shame the job didn't last - nothing to do with visas, I couldn't get a security clearance.
Anyway, have three interviews back there next month so here's hoping one sticks.
Agree with AO, secondary school is where they fall over here, they concentrate on the pure sciences too much. I lost count of the number of times a Thai asks me where such and such is, they have no idea. My daughter can point out the moon phases, and bigger stars in north and south. Been teaching her since she was three.
Discipline is the one big thing lacking in schools in Australia, that's private and public IMO.
One thing that many have not broached is the need to network by people these days, and the private schools really have this one covered. I have seen a lot of guys with great jobs through no fault of their own, I don't like it, but it's certainly the way things work in many industries now.
My sons college all in all cost about 70k baht per year, it aint one that any moron can pay a fee and join, they actually have to show they are reasonably bright, ie show school sheets, mini diplomas etc, he got in on mini diplomas, one on art where he came second out of most of Thailand, one on Buddhism where he attended for God knows how long each weekend and came first, the Monk lied when he said he would give 500baht to who ever came first and only gave him 300baht, so he learnt a bit more about Thai culture that day :(
What would you like to know?Quote:
Originally Posted by Texpat
My kids are nowhere near bilingual.
My sons English is shite, some parents can speak Thai, they aint all Yank baby eaters :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Texpat
To answer the Loy Toy’s question let’s first look at how international schools operate. Simply put most of them are privately owned and ran as a business. Some of the top British schools like Harrow and Shrewsbury are privately owned. The owners basically say, I want this much money per year and the senior management team can then have the leftovers to put back in the school as they see fit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Loy Toy
Schools like NIST, RIS or ISB basically function as a non-profit school with a board of directors. Regardless, all of these schools are expected to turn a profit in order to continue.
In order to illustrate why these international schools are so expensive, let’s do some Math. I have taken a higher-end teacher salary and a lower-end school fees for one academic school year.
A qualified teacher could easily make B120,000 per month. At then end of the year the total is B1,440,000. :)
A so-so international school might charge 80,000 baht per term. 3 terms for a total of B240,000.
An average classroom should have 24 students. So this brings in an income of B5,760,000. So where does this other B4,320,000 per year go? Keep in mind that this is just for one classroom.
The school will say the extra money is used for resources, facilities, maintenance, support staff, upcoming projects, etc. In reality most of it goes into the owner’s pocket. However, keep in mind some owners can live with a low profit margin while others go for the maximum. Thus the difference in international schools.
An excellent choice!Quote:
Originally Posted by NickA
Without a doubt the international schools here in Thailand are simply run as businesses and there is no way to justify the prices they charge.
I do business with a wealthy Thai guy in Bangkok who sends his kids to Regents and he is in no way pleased with the fees and went so far as to call the owner of the place an asshole.
I totally agree with you Tex. I know a few people who have got worried about their children's English when they were 2 or 3 years old because they thought they weren't progressing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Texpat
My son was fluent in English by his late 3's and he's reading now at 5 years old. Also, at 5 years old he doesn't know a single swear word and doesn't have a scummy accent:)
We're going back to england soon though, so that will all change:england:
So, do you speak Thai to your son?Quote:
Originally Posted by dirtydog
Seems strange if you do. I have two french cousins and now they are in their 20's they are totally pissed off that my aunt spoke french to them and didn't teach them English.:frog:
If the parents speak different languages ...
Wouldn't it be natural, and almost necessary, for the child to learn both?
^Yep, you're wife should teach them English and you can teach 'em redneck:)
You'd think so but it's actually really complex. Grand parents and relatives can have a great influence. Also which language do the 2 parents use to each other. Do the parents stick with one language with child but a different one with each other. What's on TV? What do the childs friends speak?Quote:
Originally Posted by Texpat
I've found that if the mother always talks in her mother tongue to the child i.e. Thai but in English to the father, and the father speaks in English to the child, it'll just about balance out.
This is assuming Mother = primary carer, Father out working.
Delayed linguistic development (see above) should be expected, however. Then around 6-7 it'll all start to fall into place.
One big advantage here is that English and Thai are completely different. All kinds of problems arise with, for example English + Italian - The Romance Languages.
Patience and support are the essential items in helping the kids sort it all out.
Up to the parents to make up the balance, ie. live in Thailand, try to speak more English at home and vice versa.Quote:
Originally Posted by jandajoy
I actually used to speak quite a bit of Thai, but before I took my wife back to England for the first time she asked me only to speak English to give her practice and I've spoken English in the home ever since (that was 4 years ago:))
most research suggests that it is best for each parent to speak their own mother tongue to the child instead of trying to mix and match (ie farang parents do not try and sapeak Thai) in order for the child to distinguish which words and sounds belong to which language.Quote:
Originally Posted by Texpat
But many children will end up with one main language and then basic speaking/writing ability in the other, not truly bilingual.
Absolutely right.Quote:
Originally Posted by kingwilly
Some do achieve parity eventually but that's generally post cognitive and with study.Quote:
Originally Posted by kingwilly
One of the biggest factors, I think, is the socio-linguistic aspect; School, shops, TV, friends, very important factors.
My children were brought up bilingual in a home setting where both parents (neither being completely bilingual) could speak either language comfortably.
It took very little effort. The kids went to English-speaking schools, but watched local television shows and hung out with their local friends. Sliding in and out of either language effortlessly.
If you are lucky enough to live in a non-English speaking country, that's one feather you can put in your child's cap without even breaking a sweat.
The confusion creeps in when one parent is too thick to learn the other's language and the children have to make cognitive speech decisions before communicating. One language ends up trumping the other.
^and yet so many parents worry about it... I have a friend who was putting his son into speech therapy because he wasn't speaking fluently at 2 years:confused:
Not a bad read.....
by Suzanne Barron-Hauwaert
Multilingual Matters, Parents’ and Teachers’ Guides series
By Colleen Laing