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Testing times
A new teaching qualification could help improve the training of Thai English teachers
In what started out as a welcome and worthy idea, the Ministry of Education’s “Project for Developing English Skills and Teaching Effectiveness of Teachers” — the main goal of which was to provide English language improvement training for 15,000 teachers throughout Thailand — only served to demoralise large numbers of teachers whose confidence it was designed to boost. Reports of inadequate preparation, poor directions to facilities, and a wholly inappropriate set of tests were rife. There were even accounts of high scores being awarded to teachers who hadn’t showed up. In the end, it proved only one thing – that the authorities could do better. Nevertheless, the underlying purpose of the project remains valid. Recently, educational testing services revealed that Thais have the second-worst English skills in Southeast Asia, so clearly an urgent review of the situation is needed. Giving teachers a month to change their teaching habits, as demanded by Education Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng, is one thing but school and tertiary administrators are crying out for a streamlined and considered approach to the problem. With meagre salaries and excessive bureaucracy driving away native-speaking teachers, the government has responded by recruiting English teachers from poorer countries who, at least, demonstrate a greater command of the language than their Thai counterparts. But the move is certainly contentious. Would it not be better, some ask, to invest on training up the current band of Thai professionals? This is, in fact, the idea behind “The Project for Developing English Skills and Teaching Effectiveness of Teachers”. However, the project does have its limitations. Firstly, it only reaches a small percentage of the teaching population. Secondly, there is some evidence that, despite the best efforts of all the institutions asked to provide the training, the ministry has not really thought things through. For frustrated administrators, however, there is one possible solution that has recently become available. This month, the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations — the same people behind IELTS (the International English Language Testing System) and BULATS English qualifications (see below) — introduced their Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT) to Thailand. TKT, it is hoped, will provide an additional opportunity for administrators looking to train their staff and could easily be incorporated within the national system if the government so desired. “We want to provide a low-cost, easily accessible, basic qualification for teachers of English that is internationally recognised,” says Clarence Shettlesworth, East Asia’s regional coordinator for University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. “TKT is suitable for Thai English teachers, both new and practicing, who need a refresher course at primary, secondary or tertiary levels.” A suitable test The main thrust of the TKT is on bolstering the core knowledge needed by all teachers of English as a second language. The components focus on two major themes. One is on developing the kind of language used every day in the English-teaching classroom, and the second is on classroom management and effective lesson planning. Importantly, those who take the test will be familiarised beforehand with a wide variety of teaching techniques, moving away from the rote-learning approach and steering teachers more in the direction of a learner-centred style of educating. In many ways, the test is similar to the TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate, although it is aimed more roundly at non-native speakers. Anyone who has attained IELTS level 4 or its equivalent will have enough skills to access the test, although the number of participants may initially be limited as many English teachers in Thailand are not yet at that level. To date, TKT has been available in only a few selected countries and is fairly new to Thailand. Nonetheless, it has undergone a thorough trial process here and the results have been fairly positive so far. Chris Pennington from SG Training — one of the agencies that carried out the trial — says the TKT is particularly practical and applicable in the Thai classroom environment. “The teachers who trialled the TKT material benefited from learning about practical, effective and easily implemented teaching skills, as well as the ideas and theories that generate good teaching practice,” he says. “There is also a lot of potentially daunting EFL vocabulary that is clearly explained and clarified and can therefore be understood in context, with good examples. Pretty soon the teachers were using the new EFL terminology confidently and accurately to analyse teaching methods and theories.” In development While there are many advantages to the TKT, the test is essentially just that: a test. There is no requirement for pre-training as such, since anyone who has studied the TKT textbook can take the examination, although some kind of training on a registered TKT course is highly advised. Even on one of these, however, the practical element of teacher training — often an integral part of any overall training programme — is generally absent. This is something the TKT administrators are aware of, but say that the cost of introducing a practical component could put the price of TKT out of reach for most of its target audience. It is, however, an issue they wish to address in some way. “We are hoping to develop collaboration in the development of a qualifications framework for teachers, which would provide developmental pathways,” says Clarence Shettlesworth. “TKT could be a ‘basic’ qualification that would be the key stepping stone to this. Also, an expanded programme could be built around TKT comprising of, for example, portfolios that are included but not assessed.” Indeed, Clarence hopes to engage the interest of other parties, including the Ministry of Education as well as the involvement of local training providers such as state, private, Rajabhat universities and also the private ELT sector. Rajabhat Udon University has already entered its English teachers for the test this month. The next testing session will be held in November 2005 and in 2006 TKT will be available on demand. With its record in test setting almost a guarantee of quality, perhaps University of Cambridge ESOL may win the ear of education ministry officials. Until then, it’s up to the individual teacher or school administrator to take the initiative and give themselves, and their students, a chance.
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Business English test adds to options
NEIL STONEHAM For non-native speakers, however, learning business English means focusing on the language one is likely to use in a business environment. There is some contention as to whether this undermines the use of conversational English — for which there is a need if you are socialising with clients — but it is generally regarded as a valid option for those who wish to work in an environment where English will be a required to some degree. In the past, problems of standardisation abounded, whereby managers would be faced with English qualifications – sometimes awarded in a foreign country – that meant nothing to them. Today, test scores in examinations like TOEIC and IELTS (both of which are represented in tips-based columns in learning post) have certainly helped, since those tests are recognised globally. There is, however, another less-well-known option suitable for either business managers who want to develop the English skills of their staff, or individuals keen to impress potential bosses. BULATS (Business English Testing Service) is a test in a similar vein to TOEIC and IELTS, but its content is tailored specifically towards the business community. The test — which covers all four language skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening — focuses on situations typically found in the business environment. For example, as well as responding to scenarios that take place in a typical office, BULATS test takers are required to show their expertise in such activities as writing memos or reports. “Different tests are geared towards different competencies,” says Andrew Smith, corporate training manager at BitS (Thailand), one of the Bangkok agencies that administer BULATS courses and tests. “If you are applying to a university, IELTS of TOEFL are the most effective tests of academic English. For some service and work-related English, such as airline staff or people working in hospitality, TOEIC is sufficient. A number of multinational companies now use BULATS as a benchmark for their employees. It is also validated by four major academic institutions — Cambridge ESOL, the Goethe Institute, Alliance Francaise and Universidad de Salamanca — so there should be few problems in having it recognised worldwide, making it an important qualification in today’s global village. |
Much is made these days on the importance of learning “business English” if you want to get ahead in the global marketplace, even though the actual definition of the term is elusive to most native speakers who tend naturally to adapt their language in any given situation.