How to become an xpat- International Teaching

[CheshireTom 1,377]

There will always be a demand for native-speaking EFL teachers in LOS. Thais cannot pronounce certain phonetic sounds and blends which are critical to the proper speaking of English. I am tutoring a very gifted 7 year old bilingual 1/2 Thai-1/2 Taiwanese boy. His English skills are more advanced than his Thai skills. He thinks in English, not in Thai. Still, he has major pronunciation problems which will probably never be overcome.

 

Of all Asian countries, Thailand has the lowest English proficiency. For that reason, the schools must hire native English teachers. I would agree that an ethnic Thai, raised in an English speaking country could teach Thai, but I can also say that the Thais are very reluctant to hire such a person due to image issues. And how many ethnic Thais would want to return to LOS to teach? Not many.

 

Yet, funnily enough, if you head over the border to Siem Reap, six and seven year-olds can speak English really well.

Edited October 13, 2007 by CheshireTom

[BigDUSA 71]

Yet, funnily enough, if you head over the border to Siem Reap, six and seven year-olds can speak really good English.

 

I have a friend whose Japanese married to a Vietnamese women. With their two kids he spoke only Japanese and the mom spoke Vietnamese and their nanny spoke English. The kids are tri-lingual and they speak without an accent.

[nidnoyham 30]

There will always be a demand for native-speaking EFL teachers in LOS. Thais cannot pronounce certain phonetic sounds and blends which are critical to the proper speaking of English.

 

Of all Asian countries, Thailand has the lowest English proficiency. For that reason, the schools must hire native English teachers. I would agree that an ethnic Thai, raised in an English speaking country could teach Thai, but I can also say that the Thais are very reluctant to hire such a person due to image issues. And how many ethnic Thais would want to return to LOS to teach? Not many.

 

The remark about the Thais living in the U.k. teaching in LOS, was flippant, it was having a 'pop' at another thread.

 

I agree my GF may pass on a few mis-pronounciations, but surely a basic grasp of the English language, as spoken by the BG's in Pattaya is better than none ?

 

These kids will not be running a Multi National Company.