Respect teachers if standards are ever to improveBy The Nation 2011-04-06Rather than throw money at foreign teachers, we should make conditions tolerable for talented Thai educatorsThe Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) may think the fastest way to address the problem of low-quality English teachers in Thailand is to spend a massive amount to attract native-speakers to teach English at schools here. The proposed salary of Bt83,000 per month is the centre of debate as the proposed salary is almost ten times higher than that of many Thai teachers.
Of course, native-speaking teachers would be a desirable asset, but the more serious question to address is whether the proposed budget would be money efficiently spent.
Parachuting in native speakers alone will not provide a magic solution to the problem of poor English standards in this country. An effective learning experience is made up of various elements including the learning environment, curriculum and the amount of attention that teachers can give to each student.
We can imagine native-speaking teachers having to stand in front of the same old classroom of more than 50 students, doling out a rote lesson that fails to address students' needs. What will happen to slower students who are sitting at the back of the classroom?
English is an essential element in the school curriculum because it is a universal language. People with low English proficiency obviously miss out on the opportunity to obtain certain Web-based information, as a majority of this is available only in English or, increasingly, Chinese.
But learning a second language also serves other purposes such as promoting multi-dimensional skills. Students should be given the opportunity to be able to communicate thoughts effectively and systematically - verbally or written - in a new language. In addition, through a new language, they can also learn how to be good citizens in an interconnected world of cultural diversity.
In fact, other countries including China, have similar programmes under which they plan to recruit more native speakers to teach at their schools, because they realise this is a necessity. But Obec should be aiming to find a sustainable solution to fix the overall inadequate quality of teachers in Thai schools.
Still, Obec's initiative is welcome as it shows recognition of the urgency of the problem. The need for English teachers has been identified first because Thai students fail miserably in the Switzerland-based Education First's global index in English proficiency. Thailand is ranked 42nd in terms of English proficiency out of 44 selected countries.
But just bringing in native-speaking teachers on short-term contracts will not provide a quick fix for Thai students, unless other aspects of learning are addressed. For instance, how can students sufficiently practice their English skills when classes are overflowing? How can the curriculum be improved to motivate Thai students to learn English, especially underprivileged children? In addition, how can schools give students real knowledge or wisdom from studying a new language.
While this debate about investment goes on, Obec should also look at other options to infuse new motivation into Thai teachers. First of all, teacher recruitment should be more flexible to open opportunities for other qualified people to teach. The current system is too rigid and the very low pay does not attract quality people to the classroom. This problem is not only limited to Thai public schools. In the US, for example, the non-profit programme Teach for America had to be set up to provide a channel for top-notch graduates to gain work experience by teaching in public schools. At present, outsiders find it hard to break into a system in which incumbents fiercely guard their turf and interests.
The nationality of teachers is not the sole determining factor in contributing to successful English learning; the quality of teachers is more important. Many Thai lecturers who teach English in recognised Thai universities have proven to be effective English teachers. Many have studied abroad, and they have a good commitment to their students. These teachers invite discussion and debate and spend time nurturing their students, patiently hoping to see them improve in the long term.
There are already talented prospective teachers in this country who may need only half the proposed Bt83,000 salary for native speakers. With the right training and morale-boosting incentives, it may not be that hard to find them.
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