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Thailand

Thailand is another Asian country which comprises of a variety of ethno-linguistic groups. Around 14% of the population come from a minority group where one of Thailands 70 languages are used, it is believed that out of these 70 languages at least 14 are in immediate danger of dying out. One possible reason for this is the government’s unofficial policy of only promoting standard Thai that represents the medium in all public schools. Add to this geographical location issues and maintaining a minority language becomes a tough task. Two minority groups, the Kasong and Samre only have about 10 elderly speakers of each remaining, the Mons in central Thailand are surrounded by standard Thai speakers, and the Chongs live with Thai speaking neighbours along the Cambodian border. Chong, until 2000 was a language with no written script and many of the children in the community would refuse to speak the language outside of school due to the social stigma. Mahidol University addressed this problem and formulated a standard script for the Chongs based on standard Thai, this meant that Chong communities could write their own educational materials, train teachers and record their own history. This kind of language revitalization program has had a great impact on the future of the Chong language, within the community it is now taught three times a week in elementary schools.

The Thai government has started to adopt the view that in minority communities learning through the mother tongue makes minorities more confident in themselves, and more approving of government initiatives. Many tribes around Thailand are now enjoying bilingual education through mother tongue tuition with full government support.

The use of English in Thailand in bilingual education has long been debated and deserves a special mention. Since 1966 the Ministry of Education in Thailand has been accrediting a large number of international and English medium schools as an effort to develop the English language abilities in Thai people. All such schools are also expected to gain accreditation from an internationally recognized accrediting agency within the first six years of establishment. One such school is, Dulwich International College, a leading, prestigious facility in Phuket. In January 2005 the schools founder and CEO, Dr Arthit commented in the Bangkok Post:

“ Dulwich has a British curriculum. The students come from 24 or 25 countries and the teachers come from all over the world. Consequently, at Dulwich, they don’t care so much about the Thai language, Thai history or Thai culture. What they do in those fields in very superficial. It’s not deep-routed. So that’s not the solution for Thai students as a whole”

It would seem that for most international schools like Dulwich the aim is not bilingual education but the maintenance of English in an L2 environment, this kind of schooling is suited to overseas business families and temporary residents who wish to maintain English abilities but not progress as far as learning Thai. It is certainly not the best option for Thai students. The best option for Thai students may be found in Dr Arthit’s most recent development. The Satit Bilingual School of Rangsit University (SBS) is an ultra modern, hi-tech facility aimed at creating true bilinguals who can switch effortlessly from on language and culture to another. SBS has withdrawn from the policy of “you must speak English” which is enforced in many other Thai international schools, at SBS children are free to choose which language they wish to communicate in. It is hoped that in those classes where English is the medium the children will slowly become accustomed to using English, likewise in those classes where Thai is the medium of tuition the children will develop tendencies to speak Thai. This approach is fundamentally similar to the one-parent, one-language approach, which many biracial families adopt in an effort to promote bilingualism within their children. The Rangsit University is also encouraging research into Bilingual education through its new M.Ed Bilingual Education, it is hoped that the (SBS) will become a place in which bilingual education can be observed first hand, the prospectus for the M.Ed course states:

“Gaining fluency and competence in one language is not at the expense of the other. A truly bilingual education is one which both languages are seen as vital to the ability of the learners to reach their potential as members of their own community as well as the larger world community”

It would certainly appear that Thailand is one of the most progressive Asian countries in terms of bilingual education and support for ethnic and linguistic minorities both in terms of English and other minority languages.

The three countries mentioned illustrate the challenges and requirements for governments to seriously address primary issues in the field of bilingual education. Creating inclusive and culturally sensitive policies and plans is fundamental for the education of children in minority communities; with the correct system and support such children have an excellent opportunity to develop their multilingual abilities through bilingual education whilst at the same time building a positive self-image. Those countries which do not recognize mother tongue teaching in minority groups run the risk of isolating a large portion of the population and condemning the children to a bleak future where opportunity ceases to exist, although I am sure the parents of California and Arizona would disagree.

References

Collier, V.P., & Thomas, W.P. (2004). The Astounding Effectiveness of Dual Language Education for All. NABE Journal of Research and Practice, 2:1 Winter 2004.

Cortina, J., Pinto, P., De la Garza, R. (2007). No Entiendo: The Effects of Bilingualism on Hispanic Earnings. Retrieved December 31st 2006 from - Columbia University Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy Web site: http://www.iserp.columbia.edu/research/working_papers/2007_03.html

English Language in Public Schools. Initiative Statute. Proposition 227 - Full Text of the Proposed Law. Retrieved January 10th from - http://primary98.ss.ca.gov/VoterGuide/Propositions/227text.htm

Fredrickson, T. (2005, January 18TH). The Bilingual Alternative. The Bangkok Post. Retrieved January 2nd from - http://bangkokpost.net/education/site2005/cvja1805.htm

Proposition 203: Anti-Bilingual Initiative in Arizona. Received January 10th from -http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jwcrawford/az-unz.htm

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