Teaching Thais
51
¡πÿ…¬»“ µ√åª√‘∑√√»πå
Teaching English in Thailand:
An Uphill Battle
Tipa Thep-Ackrapong
The main purpose of this article is to give an overview of English language teaching in Thailand. Firstly, some problems involved in the teaching of English to Thais are discussed, and this is followed by an examination of some of the approaches used here for the teaching of
English. Finally, attempts to tackle problems are presented. Problems
In the first regard, it will be shown that
English and Thai are different at all levels: pronunciation, word, grammar and text.
Moreover, there are different cultural notions between the two.
Pronunciation
In most cases, pronunciation problems result from the loss of muscular plasticity in the mouth of an adult foreign language learner
(Brown, 1987). In other words, it is hard for an adult language learner to pronounce certain sounds that are unfamiliar to them. Some
problems are as follows:
1. English phonemes
1.1 Some sounds are difficult for Thai learners to produce. For example, Thai people are confused by the sounds /l/ and /r/ as in
rice and lice. For example:
Please give me some fried lice (instead of fried rice.)
Other sounds are for example:
/t∫/ and /∫/ as in chop and shop.
I want to chop for something (instead of shop.)
1.2 The English final consonant may be the most difficult part of the word for Thais to pronounce. For example, Thai final stop sounds are all unvoiced. Therefore, it is hard for
Thai students to produce a final voiced consonant such as bed, or bid. The influence of the voiced final consonant /d/ on the preceding vowel /ε/ and /I/ lengthens the sounds of the vowels.
Thus, some Thai students tend to say bate
52
Teaching English in Thailand : An Uphill Battle
instead of bed and beat instead of bid. Moreover, in many cases, final consonant sounds such as /d/
,/s/,/∫//dz/ are changed into an alveolar stop sound such as /t/ as in English
¡πÿ…¬»“ µ√åª√‘∑√√»πå
Teaching English in Thailand:
An Uphill Battle
Tipa Thep-Ackrapong
The main purpose of this article is to give an overview of English language teaching in Thailand. Firstly, some problems involved in the teaching of English to Thais are discussed, and this is followed by an examination of some of the approaches used here for the teaching of
English. Finally, attempts to tackle problems are presented. Problems
In the first regard, it will be shown that
English and Thai are different at all levels: pronunciation, word, grammar and text.
Moreover, there are different cultural notions between the two.
Pronunciation
In most cases, pronunciation problems result from the loss of muscular plasticity in the mouth of an adult foreign language learner
(Brown, 1987). In other words, it is hard for an adult language learner to pronounce certain sounds that are unfamiliar to them. Some
problems are as follows:
1. English phonemes
1.1 Some sounds are difficult for Thai learners to produce. For example, Thai people are confused by the sounds /l/ and /r/ as in
rice and lice. For example:
Please give me some fried lice (instead of fried rice.)
Other sounds are for example:
/t∫/ and /∫/ as in chop and shop.
I want to chop for something (instead of shop.)
1.2 The English final consonant may be the most difficult part of the word for Thais to pronounce. For example, Thai final stop sounds are all unvoiced. Therefore, it is hard for
Thai students to produce a final voiced consonant such as bed, or bid. The influence of the voiced final consonant /d/ on the preceding vowel /ε/ and /I/ lengthens the sounds of the vowels.
Thus, some Thai students tend to say bate
52
Teaching English in Thailand : An Uphill Battle
instead of bed and beat instead of bid. Moreover, in many cases, final consonant sounds such as /d/
,/s/,/∫//dz/ are changed into an alveolar stop sound such as /t/ as in English
References: Brown, H. D. (1987). Principles of language learning and teaching. (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ.: Prentice-Hall. Carrel, P and Eisterhold, J.C. (1988). Schema theory and ESL reading pedagogy. In P. Carrel and J Ellis, R. (2001) Introduction: Investigating form-focused instruction. Language Learning 51, 1-46. Flower, L and Hayes, J. R. (1981). A cognitive process theory of writing. College Composition and Communication Halliday, M.A K. (1973). Explorations in the functions of language. London: Edward Arnold. Hinds, J. (1990). Inductive, deductive, quasi-inductive: Expository writing in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Thai Richards, J. (1997). New interchange I. Cambridge University Press.