In the last decade, Thailand’s education system has experienced a chaotic shuffling of administrators. This article examines the details at Thailand’s Ministry of Education (MOE) and showcases one of the cutting edge players in educational reforms.(more…)
Starting his career as an educator in Thailand over forty years ago, Terry Fredrickson cuts to the edge of English skill development with his sharp use of newspapers. As the founder of the Learning Post section of the Bangkok Post, he has opened many doors for local education. This article looks at the rise of the EFL industry and the role that newspapers play in language development — special links to free teaching material are provided. (more…)
A nomadic, seafaring, minority group in Thailand, known as the Moken or Chao Ley, struggle to adjust to formal education and stationary learning. (more…)
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is bringing thousands of Japanese youth into the global limelight with its volunteer-based development projects. This article explores the complications of Japanese graduates struggling to use toold such as English in a global environment.(more…)
This article is based on a detailed interview with Dave Sperling - a ground-breaking player in the global EFL industry. His website has found thousands of jobs for English teachers since 1995. Read on to learn the origins of this popular website.(more…)
This article tracks down the surprisingly short but chaotic history of international schools in Thailand. Even though there are over 100 international schools surviving in Thailand today, the early times were filled with restrictive politics relating to the employment of foreign teachers, western-oriented curriculum, and the promotion of English in Thai classrooms. This article was considered too controversial for the Education section of the Bangkok Post. Instead, a draft was printed in a special catalog for international schools.
This article takes a raw and honest looks at fake university degrees in Thailand, which have existed in Thailand as far back as the 1970s. This article was originally considered too controversial for the Education section of the Bangkok Post; however, a different version did make it to print in a special catalog for international schools.
Teaching certificates saturate the EFL industry. This article looks at the humble history of certificate programs, and how one company has mutated internationally into 25 centers in 17 countries.(more…)
This article studies one organization’s attempt to bring foreign and Thai educators together to share ideas and promote professional development.(more…)
This article studies the strange world of a Swedish encyclopedia writer and his 20 year pursuit to find rare material about Chinese-Western relations.(more…)
Vocabulary development is perhaps the most underestimated language skill. Students usually prepare for English examinations by focusing exclusively on listening, reading, writing and speaking; and for this reason, class lessons are designed to emphasize grammar rules. However, vocabulary is possibly even more important when it comes to the practical use of English.
As Hungary passes a referendum that will stop new tuition fees from being introduced into state colleges, three Hungarian educators discuss their experiences with English teaching before and after the fall of the Communist regime
The English Language Institute, established in 2007 by the Ministry of Education, is spearheading a number of progressive teacher training programs and language development projects
This lengthy article is a comprehensive and inquisitive look at the history of Thai education and the role that English played in various reform movements. Everything that need to know about the evolution of Thai education can be found in this article. Read on!
This article was published on Christmas Day, so I decided to really create something playful and fun. It looks at how the story of Santa Claus can lead to unexpected educational insights.
This article was written for the sixth anniversary of Learning Post (the “original” education section of the Bangkok Post). Beginning with English lessons sent by fax and learning activities tucked inside the classified pages, the Learning Post was officially founded by Ajarn Terry L. Fredrickson on December 11, 2001.(more…)
This article examines the Kiwi connection in Thailand’s education reforms. Although few would know it, New Zealand played an influential role in the drafting of Thailand’s National Education Act (1999), which mandated setting up national education standards.
This articles tells the story of Thai education through the life of a simple school — from its humble origins as a wooden school without walls, for a small community of Laotian war captives, to its royal patronage by HRH Princess MahaChakri Sirindhorn.
Hundreds of students and professionals hone their English oratory skills every week in a cordial, no-pressure setting. This article studies Toastmasters International and how it came to Thailand to encourage better speech-making.
If you want to learn Thai, there is a smorgasbord of schools, teaching methods, and prices to choose from. This article compares different schools of thought on how foreigners can develop their Thai skills best.
The Rotary Center at Chulalongkorn University brings world citizens together with a new Peace Studies program. This article explores their cutting-edge teaching methods and risky fieldwork in war-torn areas. Ultimately, the article seeks to understand what motivates these students to work towards peace.
It is said that lightning never strikes twice. Thailand’s history, on the other hand, may repeat itself to a surprising degree. Five decades ago, during one of Thailand’s many military coups, a number of university students gathered illegally to demand a voice in government affairs. One of their first topics was improving education.