Teaching of English to be ramped up
The Nation
Students will be encouraged to speak English every week as part of the English Speaking Year 2012 project.
"At least one day per week, teachers and students must use English in communications through various activities," Education Minister Woravat Auapinyakul said last week.
The project will kick off on December 26 with cooperation from foreign embassies and other institutions, said Sasithara Pichaicharnnarong, permanent secretary of the ministry.
Woravat said the project would prepare Thailand for the advent of the Asean Economic Community in 2015.
The English Speaking Year project would stimulate greater use of the international language by students in all public schools, he said.
"For example, there will be English corner or English village. Or students will be sent to receive training as guides," he said.
The permanent secretary has been assigned to consult with the other agencies to provide training for teachers in organising activities for promoting English speaking.
The teacher training will be provided by the Basic Education Commission, Vocational Education Commission and Private Education Commission.
Practising English speaking would be given priority before studying grammar.
Sasithara said the project would be launched nationwide with the training of teachers so that they could communicate in English.
Teachers would join activities of foreign embassies or foreign institutions as well as receive training from representatives of Englishlanguage institutions and international schools.
The ministry would persuade teachers to participate in the project by surveying schools' readiness and offering rewards for successful schools.
The schools would be classified by colour - blue representing schools not ready, green fairly ready and pink very ready.
Teachers at pink schools might be rewarded with training in other Asean countries or the chance to go on fieldtrips to the countries, she added.
-- The Nation 2011-12-19
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