Educating a 50% child...

**hillbilly** · 01-03-2008, 07:00 PM

No doubt this thread will cause some debate. This thread could have gone in the teacher's thread or even Living in Thailand. But I would rather have this discussion in the pub.

This is the deal. My 8-year old daughter speaks fluent American English and Thai. She can write and spell rather fluently in English. Not so in Thai. BTW, my daughter is being educated in an international school in BKK.

Her mom is upset about the lack of Thai knowledge. So, here comes the Thai school on weekends...

The costs are really minimal. I could give a shit less. Can I read Thai? Well, I do pretty good with a menu, road sign or the newspaper headlines.

Enough about me, the wife is upset that the daughter can not really read or write Thai.

The fun begins.

And what is your situation?

**dirtydog** · 01-03-2008, 07:03 PM

My sons English is shite

**Dalton** · 01-03-2008, 07:09 PM

My son understand all English, but is to fokking lazy to speak it....Partly my fault, cause I've been to busy learning Thai....

**obsidian** · 01-03-2008, 07:12 PM

i feel bad for your kid, hillb. geezuz.

**hillbilly** · 01-03-2008, 07:15 PM

Here is the owner.

The following photos show what the students read while they wait.

Looking at Thai history.

**hillbilly** · 01-03-2008, 07:24 PM

More Thai studies.

I have to watch my thoughts. Because, if I didn't I would scream...

What is the use of learning this monkey language?

BTW, this is the only shot you will see of my soon to be 9-year old daughter that was born on 1 April.

**AntRobertson** · 01-03-2008, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by hillbilly

And what is your situation?

Schooling's still some way off for us. Is something I think about now occasionally though. Kind of depends on our circumstances when they hit schooling age, chances are we will be somewhere other than Thailand at that point so I can't see them learning much Thai other than from their mother.

**obsidian** · 01-03-2008, 07:27 PM

i am inclined to view this as a marital issue rather than a deficit in the education of your child.

i would be inclined to speak harshly and loudly in both english and thai to my wife (i have none and perhps this is why) if i were in your situation.

**dirtydog** · 01-03-2008, 07:27 PM

She doesn't look very excited by it all hillbilly, i think it is worthwhile them learning the language, just keeps the brain exercising, I had to learn French at school and nobody likes them scumbags or goes on holiday there

**Topper** · 01-03-2008, 07:32 PM

My advice,

Understand why your wife is upset...after all, you look on her as your daughter American and your wife looks at your daughter as Thai.

Try this...get your daughter to teach you Thai. Spoken and written. Make it something she feels she wants to do for you so she perhaps be interested in learning something just to show you. Spend a few minutes a few days a week asking her how to spell something in Thai. Get the wife to critise you in front of her about your lack of abilities and make a comment that perhaps you need to go to school with your daughter.

Just my thought....hope it helps.

**hillbilly** · 01-03-2008, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by CSFFan

Try this...get your daughter to teach you Thai. Spoken and written.
Just my thought....hope it helps.

My spoken Thai is okay. My written Thai is shit, much like my daughter. Other than words like dog...

**Topper** · 01-03-2008, 07:52 PM

Then get her to teach you...its a great "bonding" experience and may inspire her to learn more written Thai so she can help you.

A parent or teacher's main task is to inspire the children we are in contact with. In my opinion, this inspirationi starts at HOME. Not in school, but at home. The child needs to see a reason why they WANT to accomplish something rather than it being just a requirement on them. In my opinion, thats the difference between successful students and the other kinds...some sort of inspiration to excell.

But then again, I'm just a hobbit....what the fook do we know.

**slimboyfat** · 01-03-2008, 08:18 PM

My kids, like most Singaporeans, are equally rubbish at both English and Chinese. This is what they call bilingual

**November Rain** · 01-03-2008, 09:29 PM

Hillbilly, where do you envisage your daughter living her adult life? Here or in the West? If in the West, then (IMO) her Thai doesn't need to be as perfect as it would need to be to earn a very good living here. Having said that, I understand how her mum feels, as well.
The weekend school doesn't look as if it's really doing anything more than boring your daughter silly & making her feel less happy about learning Thai. Is there another programme you could register her in in her own school? Or CSFFan's suggestions seemed good to me. IMO the only way that she's going to be more inclined to practice her Thai reading & writing more, is if it's fun for her. How about trying to watch a Thai subtitled kid's DVD (like a Disney one) together with the sound turned down & the one who gets more of the words correct gets a treat? Or is it only writing that's a problem?
Good luck.

**Dalton** · 01-03-2008, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

I had to learn French at school

Errrr....What kind of French are we talking about here DD....

There are some variations.....

**GooMaiRoo** · 01-03-2008, 09:57 PM

My daughter will be in the same situation in a few years. Being literate in Thai will open up an entire world of professional opportunities for your daughter as an adult, especially in fields such as international business or law. I wouldn't press her too hard, but perhaps she could learn by the time she finishes high school. By the time she's an adult, the Thai economy may provide better opportunities for her than your native country. How many people can actually read and write both Thai and English and speak both fluently? She'll be in a very elite group. Besides, kids learn languages quickly and its not as daunting as it appears to us older guys.

**NickA** · 01-03-2008, 11:01 PM

Don't send her to that place HB. I don't rate the owner very highly and the only thing the students are paying for is more hairspay for her. She owns the big place on the corner of soi 25 with another small school attached. I'm pretty sure it's the type of place where Thai teachers get their students to go to make sure they pass their tests.

I do think it's worth her learning to read and write Thai though, as you never know what the future will bring.

**beenaroundawhile01** · 01-03-2008, 11:06 PM

Please tell me you ment that comment sarcastically floorpotato

**Texpat** · 01-03-2008, 11:20 PM

I wouldn't refer to her as a 50% child, either.

I refer to mine as double, rather than half.

**peterpan** · 02-03-2008, 05:22 AM

I have to say after my misgivings about sending my daughters to a school in Thailand I am pleasantly surprised how well their learning has developed, after one year in school my eldest can read and write Thai to the level of writing short sentences and of course can read / write the Thai alphabet.
Both speak quite fluently in Thai and normal, for that age, English as well as reading and writing the English alphabet. They can read write simple words in English but that is mainly because of home schooling they get from myself.
They are going to a better RC all girls school for next year, hopefully progress will be at least as good.
My only gripe is the amount of time spent in useless rituals like the morning talk from the head Nun and the days dedicated to Fathers day, Mothers day, teachers day, a pox on all Farangs, day etc.

**GooMaiRoo** · 02-03-2008, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by beenaroundawhile01

Please tell me you meant that comment sarcastically floorpotato

Nope, I wasn't being sarcastic. I wasn't suggesting that the little girl be subjected to that so-called school. I suggested that she be put on a long-range plan to read and write Thai in order to have more chances in life. I was also making a general comment about the importance of being multi-lingual in a globalized business environment. Wouldn't your world open up a bit if you had that sort of fluency, or do you also think that Thai is a "monkey language"?

**benbaaa** · 02-03-2008, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by Texpat

I wouldn't refer to her as a 50% child, either. I refer to mine as double, rather than half.

Brilliant idea. Luk Double instead of Luk Krung.

Or Luk Dubben, I suppose in Thai.

**kingwilly** · 02-03-2008, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by floorpotato

Nope, I wasn't being sarcastic. I wasn't suggesting that the little girl be subjected to that so-called school. I suggested that she be put on a long-range plan to read and write Thai in order to have more chances in life. I was also making a general comment about the importance of being multi-lingual in a globalized business environment. Wouldn't your world open up a bit if you had that sort of fluency, or do you also think that Thai is a "monkey language"?

I dont think that fluency in thai is all that critical to anyone in the global world. nothing to do with being a monkey language.

Actually, IME even the kids that do read/write/speak thai (e.g. IB language level) quite well, still believe/ tell me that the thai business contacts are still closed to them due to insufficient fluency.

**obsidian** · 02-03-2008, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by Texpat

I wouldn't refer to her as a 50% child, either.

I refer to mine as double, rather than half.

at first read, i fully expected hillbilly to talk about his disabled kid.

bi-racial
bi-cultural
luk krung
all better, imo.

**NickA** · 02-03-2008, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by kingwilly

I dont think that fluency in thai is all that critical to anyone in the global world.

Oh shit, are we in a global world now.. I didn't know

Yes, but it might be quite useful in Thailand though.

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