English as a Second Language for Thai Speakers

[bruce_nyc]

Hi, Everyone. :notworthy:

Does anyone know the best "English as a Second Language for Thai Speakers" audio courses that exist?

I'd like to practice English with someone daily via skype....

[joe552]

Bruce, I always thought English was your first language? I used a site called livemocha.com to learn Portugese for a trip to Brazil that never happened. Might be useful for you, as you get to interact with native speakers who want to improve their English while teaching their language.

[bruce_nyc]

I apologize. My post was ambiguously worded.

English is my first language. I want to teach my new Thai boyfriend English as quickly as possible. I want to practice English with him every day via skype... and I thought a great audio course, like Pimsleur or something, would be a great structure for our little daily tutor sessions ( he and me on skype ).

Unfortunately, although I love Pimsleur, they don't seem to have "English as a Second Language for Thai Speakers". They have one for every other language speaker under the sun.... but not Thai speakers. I wish they just had a 100% English one that was generic enough for anyone to learn English.

Any suggestions for the best audio course? ( a web site or software would not work as well, since he and I plan to do it together via skype call. )

[joe552]

You weren't ambiguous, I was being a smart ass. sorry. Can't help with what you're looking for.

[francois]

Many denizens of certain sections of New York City may need a course in English as a second language.

Hi, I working in a AIDS CENTER here in Thailand / and when i have Time some Children here
come and ask me to teach them English....what i do i go with them to the Computer - Room and tell them to learn from this Website > http://www.loecsen.com/ANGLAIS-ENGLISCH ... hp?lang=en (http://www.loecsen.com/ANGLAIS-ENGLISCH-ENGLESE.php?lang=en)

They have fun with this maybe it will HELP your request here :hello2:

I recommend you start with basic English phrases such as Excuse me.

[Liamog]

... and I thought a great audio course, like Pimsleur or something, would be a great structure for our little daily tutor sessions.

Why not just use the Pimsleur structure, phrases etc. Write down the lessons they use to teach Thai and speak them to your bf in English. You can play him the Thai from the course if he doesn't understand what any phrase means.

[Sooty]

I recommend you start with basic English phrases such as Excuse me.You're a naughty boy, BrisbaneGuy.

[bruce_nyc]

Why not just use the Pimsleur structure, phrases etc. Write down the lessons they use to teach Thai and speak them to your bf in English. You can play him the Thai from the course if he doesn't understand what any phrase means.

That is a brilliant idea. It's so simple. Why didn't I think of that!? Thanks.

( As a nice side effect, I might actually learn some Thai in the process too. )

Or if your one of those religious nuts you could try "In my fathers house are many mansions".

[bruce_nyc]

If that's a joke, I don't get it. :8(

[Sooty]

Oh c'mon all those serious seriously boring posters who keep wittering on about learning Thai so they can discuss with their "boyfriend" Darwin's Theory of Evolution vs. Creationism or whatever they want to learn Thai for, but are so totally blinkered about the difficulties Thais face in learning English. As my ethnically Thai teacher of Thai told her class (and I gave up after Lesson #3) few (or maybe no) Thai syllable ends in an "s" sound, so Thais learning English struggle with words like "house" that ends in the "s" sound and worse where a word has two "s" sounding syllables like "excuse" or, sometimes, mansions.

My guess is that most posters here are so bound up with their own view of the world that if they've thought about it at all they just think it's "cute" that Thai boys talk about "my how" when they mean "my house". So to Bruce I'd say forget all the advice you've been given about sources of teaching English to a Thai and get back to first principles, which means learning about why Thais in particular might struggle with English. I'm also in admiration of the teacher of English at a prestigious Thai school who simply refuses to learn Thai and has been a very successful English teacher for 10+ years because he relies completely on "immersion" teaching. His pupils - I've had a few - are all fluent English speakers (and their oral skills aren't too shabby either).

[bruce_nyc]

Ahhh. :happy7: Now I understand.

Yes, I agree with you about the advantages of total immersion. Berlitz teaches English no other way.

I also agree with emphasizing skills related to the unique challenges of a Thai speaker.

I am not one to just think it's cute if he pronounces house, how. I will correct him relentlessly -- with his advance permission -- until his pronunciation and grammar are perfect. I went to Catholic schools, so maybe I have a little inner nun. :violent1:

We'll see how much he really wants to learn English... because that is the most important factor, of course.

As for me learning Thai, I'm really not interested. There are several other languages I'd rather learn. But I wouldn't mind learning just a few basic words and phrases .... just for fun.

[Sooty]

As for me learning Thai, I'm really not interested. There are several other languages I'd rather learn. But I wouldn't mind learning just a few basic words and phrases .... just for fun.Them's fightin' words, Bruce. People get lynched here for holding such heretical views.

[bruce_nyc]

Ha ha! To each his own...

We don't all have the same interests and desires....

( Thank God! )

:leb:

As for me learning Thai, I'm really not interested. There are several other languages I'd rather learn. But I wouldn't mind learning just a few basic words and phrases .... just for fun............. Them's fightin' words, Bruce. People get lynched here for holding such heretical views.

Perhaps more important than learning the Thai language is learning about the Thai world view/psychology/culture, i.e., whatever it is that makes them think and behave the way they do. Of course what's true for one Thai is not necessarily true for another, but I've found that the relationship problems that do occur are often the result of conflict of cultures rather than conflict of linguistic elements.

[cdnmatt]

but are so totally blinkered about the difficulties Thais face in learning English. As my ethnically Thai teacher of Thai told her class (and I gave up after Lesson #3) few (or maybe no) Thai syllable ends in an "s" sound, so Thais learning English struggle with words like "house" that ends in the "s" sound

It's no different than a farang learning Thai. There's several sounds in both languages that don't exist in the other. For example, no words in Thai end with "s" or "f" sounds, and Thai doesn't have "v", "z" or "x" in it. Whereas for example, no English words start with a "ng" sound. Or another tough one (for me at least) is р╕Х (dt), and I still can't pronounce it properly. Then again, haven't practiced as much as I should have.

Not sure if I have a point to any of this, but yeah...

Yeah but English is the universal language of business look at the European Union their all jabbering away in English even if their [racial slur removed] and really Thai is just a sideshow why bother?

[bruce_nyc]

Perhaps more important than learning the Thai language is learning about the Thai world view/psychology/culture, i.e., whatever it is that makes them think and behave the way they do. Of course what's true for one Thai is not necessarily true for another, but I've found that the relationship problems that do occur are often the result of conflict of cultures rather than conflict of linguistic elements.

This is very insightful... How does one go about learning that though... Just by talking with your Thai bf about all things... and learning more about how HE looks at the world..... Right?

[cdnmatt]

Yeah but English is the universal language of business look at the European Union their all jabbering away in English even if their [racial slur removed] and really Thai is just a sideshow why bother?

All depends. I've been here for a few years now, and will probably be in Thailand for many more. I've checked out a good amount of the world, and I like it here. So if you're actually going to live here, and don't want to be quarantined to the tourist areas, or have to pay some prostitute to be your tour guide all the time, then you should probably learn Thai.

[anonone]

As bobsaigon mentioned, I agree that culture and perspective play a big part in making relationship work. Most true conflicts that I have been in with BF are culture based. Some things that are really important to him didn't register as such with me, and the same in reverse. We can always find a way to communicate...translate software or a friend with better language skills....something. It takes patience. I am much slower to become upset now as I am learning most things are not about bad intent, just not understanding how the other half feels.

And Bruce, you are on the right track to talk about all manner of things with BF and learn from that. But some outside reading can help put things in perspective and clarify some things that you are noticing. Most of the material is written for business use, but it is helpful with personal relationships as well as cultural overviews.

I would also mention that it does go both ways. Being open with BF, finding a way to explain your background, and so one. It is just as important that he learn about your thoughts and such. He will be learning about you and what is important in your mind, how you look at the world while you are learning about hism

One "trick" that I have picked up is to ask BF questions about how "Thai people" view something, instead of asking how he feels. Takes some of the pressure off, so to speak, as it is not just about how he acts on things. He usually then further explains how he either is the same, or somewhat different....so it can be illuminating. It also reinforces the idea that although the cultural influences are common, each Thai person will be unique in how they interpret and act....just like everywhere.

Have fun....and good luck.

[bruce_nyc]

@anonone Those are some Excellent tips. Thanks!

[Liamog]

Yeah but English is the universal language of business look at the European Union their all jabbering away in English ......

Is that such a surprise? Last time I looked English was a European language. N'est-ce pas?

Yeah right I always ask the prostitues in Australia for their deep personal insights about Australian culture their just so typical representatives of the country wouldnt you do the same in America Bruce?

[bruce_nyc]

Yes I would.

Prostitutes are some of the most interesting people I know.

If you hold such disdain for them, you should stay away from them.

Yeah mate thats what I said.

[peeseua]

Yes I would. Prostitutes are some of the most interesting people I know. If you hold such disdain for them, you should stay away from them.

I agree, Bruce. Some people would be surprised what they could learn from prostitutes. Apart from the naughty tricks of the trade (like how to replicate Cleopatra's girdle with a part of the male anatomy), the lives they've led make them far from milk-and-water personalities. Some are a little thorny but that's usually because they've had a lifetime of emotional hurt, but with a little effort, they usually thaw out.