Royal Institue to organise Thai language test for teachers
source: The Nation

The Royal Institute will launch Thai-language proficiency tests for teachers next year in a bid to enhance the Thailanguage command of both teachers and students across the country.

"There will be tests for those teaching Thai language as well as other subjects," the institute's chairman Chai Anan Samudavanija said at a press conference Friday.

The event was held to announce the Royal Institute's project to improve Thailanguage standards.

"We have a duty to promote the good use of the Thai language, which is our national identity," Chaianan said.

He said the Royal Institute had prioritised Thailanguage command anong teachers' because they were directly responsible for imparting knowledge of the language.

He said that all teachers had to play a role in showing to students how to use the Thai language correctly.

Chaianan said National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) director Utumporn Jamornmann would chair the steering committee for the development of Thailanguage standards.

Utumporn said the Thailanguage standardised test would be used as an experiment among thousands of teachers in February and the results would be used to determine the teachers' average level of Thailanguage knowledge.

"We believe the actual tests can take place as early as April," she said.

The Royal Institute has already assigned Thailanguage experts to design exam questions and their work was progressing well.

"The tests will feature alternative choices, openended questions and subtests that determine speaking, reading, writing and listening ability," Utumporn said.

She said the tests would take place monthly and the teachers would receive certificates showing their Thailanguage ability.

According to her, NIETS test centres across the country will hold the Thailanguage standardised tests. Not all teachers will undergo the same evaluation because the tests for Thai language teachers will be more difficult than those for teachers of other subjects.

There will be four types of test for different groups of teachers: kindergarten teachers, primaryeducation teachers, Thailanguage teachers in secondaryeducation classes, and teachers in secondaryeducation or vocationaleducation classes.

"Teachers will be encouraged to take the tests on a voluntary basis," Utumporn added.

Why voluntary ? If it is voluntary how many will take the chance to show how little they know? Big loss of face if they fail. Will he possibility of getting a certificate be enough inentive to take the chance? If they had to pass a test before hey graduated from Univ they would not need to pass one now.

Although not all teachers will take the Thailanguage standardised tests, Utunporn believed the results would reflect weak points that the Education Ministry could tackle.

"We hope to launch similar tests for students in 2009," Utumporn said.

What about the different dialects in the Thai language, for example in Isarn they teach both Thai and Lao

Are these tests really necessary, you would expect that if they are Thai Language Teachers then they would already be proficient in Thai through their previous education. If they weren't proficient, then previous tests should have highlighted this

Yes In my purple colored comment i did say that if they were required to pass a test when they graduated from University then they would not have to pass one now. The problem is the no fail policy or should we say the very difficult to fail policy in universities. I have been informed that some people do not pass even though the person telling me this graduated with a D average or a 1 point average. If i remember correctly we needed at least a 2 point to graduate. Also i read that passing on an exam is only 51 %. Teachers that could only get 51% correct on their University exams would not be very qualified In my opinion.