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Home » Reader question » Reader question: MVV integration course, who knows an address in Ratchaburi?
Dear readers,
My wife lives in Ban Pong, Ratchaburi. She is supposed to come and live in the Netherlands in March/April next year. So you will have to study for the MVV.
The question is who knows a good address in (the province of) Ratchaburi to learn the integration course. I can't find anything on the internet.
I did find two addresses in Bangkok. ITL and ELC Are there more schools in Bangkok? Because that should become the alternative if we can't find anything in Ratchaburi.
Many thanks and regards,
adje
Dear Adje,
My experience with ITL is not so good. My girlfriend first had lessons here and later switched to ELC. The experiences with this school are much better. I'd like to personally explain why, but I don't think it's very neat to put this on a public site.
I advise you to be well informed about what is best for your wife.
Good luck,
René
Hi Renee, I had sent ITL an email and I have been in contact by phone. My first impression was not good. But would still like to know more. Can you email me your experience? My email address is: [email protected]. Thank you in advance.
Hello Addie,
My wife did the course in Nakhonratchasima (Korat).
A Dutch person who gives the course and it is internal.
This is his website: http://www.thaidutch4u.com/
Good luck, Gert
Hi Geert. I also found this address. Seemed pretty good to me but is still a bit too far from her place of residence. But maybe other bloggers can benefit from it.
My wife learned everything with self-study, from various websites and 3 months in the Netherlands (we were together again and for the same price, as the various “schools” charge). Seems like a nice alternative and a nice prospect.
From the start of learning up to and including MVV approval, it took us 10 months. Based on that, March/April could be a noble goal. Also depends a bit on whether your wife is a good student?
Here also through self-study. More than a year before the application we started playfully with some simple vocabulary (well, we had already taught each other the first words and sentences such as “I love you”, “yes”, “no”, “hello” and some naughty and crazy words in Thai and Dutch) and some material. My girlfriend worked more than full time during that period, an average of 48-50 hours excluding travel time. So the actual study time was limited to a few hours a week. The material consisted of online material and exercises. In particular what I found on the Foreign Partner Foundation, and the website(s) and Test Spoken Dutch study booklet by Ad Appel plus his 18 TGN practice exams.
I also called the TGN computer myself, there is a free number for that (without rating). This is reported on eg inburgeren.nl. That site is about integration in the Netherlands after arrival at A2 level or higher, but the TGN part is just the same as at the embassy: http://www.inburgeren.nl/nw/inburgeraar/examen/oefenen_met_examens/oefenen_met_examens.asp
See also http://www.ikwilnaarnederland.nl for info/tips about the exam at the embassy.
I have not used the official textbook promoted by the government, too expensive and apparently not really efficient (outdated methods?).
Self-study is of course a must, you have to have the time for it and you do need some guidance (so you can hear your girlfriend yourself via Skype, practice and simply learn about each other's language and culture in a playful way).
Depending on the personal situation, self-study can therefore be a good and cheap way, but a course in Thailand (or in the Netherlands if your partner is allowed to come here for a short stay) may be faster / more efficient.
I would also like to mention that I think the integration exam abroad is nonsense. The KNS (100 questions) is to cry. All stereotypes, clichés, information that is of little use (does a migrant really have to know that the king of Spain at the time of the 80 years war was Catholic?…). The TGN is no good because it tests whether someone can parrot instead of testing speaking skills, the GBL is also tough, it just takes a lot of extra time and money. Time that one could spend much better in the Netherlands, because once immersed in the language and culture of the Netherlands itself after arrival, someone with motivation picks it up much faster than "from a book". If you want to learn Thai/Chinese/Japanese yourself, where better to do it? From the Netherlands or locally? Right-em/frustration mode off.
Correction: the official government site about the exam at the embassy (WIB, Civic Integration Abroad Act) is http://www.naarnederland.nl/ .Apologies. The earlier address I mentioned is from a school.
For the sake of completeness, here are the links to the two other sites I mentioned:
- http://www.buitenlandsepartner.nl (a lot of info about all facets of immigration BPs)
- http://www.adappel.nl (also the person behind the following sites)
— http://toetskns.nl/
— http://www.toetsgesprokennederlands.nl/
— http://www.geletterdheidbegrijpendlezen.nl/
Hello Ad, I have been living in Bangpong for 4 years together with 2 other Dutch people. I have never seen you before. Would you like to contact me? Joop
Hi Joe. Nice to hear that more Dutch people live in Ban Pong. I have just been back in the Netherlands for a few weeks. I'm going to Thailand again in January. Always nice to make contact and exchange experiences. my email address is: [email protected]
Dear Adje,
I have a very good experience with ITL in Bangkok.
Sincerely,
Jan van Dissel
hello, my fiancé is currently studying at the ELC (easy learning Center) in Bangkok; At least we really have! personal guidance and good training at ELC. Around the corner, close to the school, there are a few apartment complexes where, in one of them, my fiancee stays in a room for 5000 bath/month to sleep and study. The Dutch (originally from Rotterdam) teacher Robert Barendsen and his Thai girlfriend Tew … (who not only speaks Thai, but also very good English and Dutch) are simply very pleasant and are not only positive 'business wise, but also very positive personally. We were first at ETL, but the owner/teacher is Belgian there, so my fiance had to unlearn the Belgian accent after the switch :-(. The price is also lower at ELC than at ITL. And a very strong additional advantage is that at ELC the price is not increased after 6 months of study, unlike ITL Elc can be reached from the Netherlands via a Dutch telephone number: 010-7446106.
Finally, I would like to say that we are not the only ones who have switched from ITL to ELC.
Sincerely,
Dick V
Dear Dick, I want to completely agree with your words. My girlfriend started her integration at ITL in 2009 at the age of 19. When she was going to take her exam after 3 months, our Belgian Bruno just announced that it would not work because she had to be 21 years old, so we were not properly informed. Disappointed but still a strong relationship, almost 2 years later we decided to work with ITL again to let my girlfriend take her exam when she turned 21. We then lived together for 3 months in an apartment at ITL around the corner. At that time, the owner of ITL Bruno was on holiday in Belgium with his wife. I walked to the school every day with my girlfriend and met Rob Barendse, who was a Dutch teacher there who struck me as a good Dutch teacher and who could deal with his students much better than the Belgian Bruno. I also knew when Bruno would return from his 8 month holiday from Belgium that Rob's days as a teacher were numbered. I also advised him to start a SCHOOL for himself. Whatever he has done, it now appears that with ECL he currently has the most Dutch students in Bangkok. (PS my girlfriend has been in the Netherlands since July 2011, and we will have coffee with Rob Barendse on October 6) Good luck ELC
Hello My girlfriend has completed her course in Bangkok, and certainly with satisfaction,
a lot of attention is paid to personal difficulties, in connection with statements.
The address is: 3 sukhumvit soi 54
Bangkok Thailand 10260
Sukhumvit road
Phone nr. 0066- 840197787
Wishing you lots of success, on behalf of Flip & Tukta.
We have very good experiences with learning Dutch in Bangkok. at Richard's.
http://www.nederlandslerenbangkok.com.
Good lessons with verbal lessons 6 weeks and high success rate (98%)
He also mediates in apartments for the periods in Bangkok.
Dear Adje,
I visited the schools in Bangkok and I chose the NLB language school in Sukhumvit soi 54, the teacher's name is Richard van der Kieft. I was kept well informed and my girlfriend was very pleased with his teaching style.
I chose this school because computers are not used during the lessons, so Richard really teaches and that is my preference.
Good luck.
Greetings,
John Hoekstra
My girlfriend Nam followed the Dutch course at NLB language school.
The experience with NLB language school is very good.
The first time we had an interview at NLB language school with the owner and teacher Richard to see what Nam's learning level was. During the intake interview, it was clearly explained what needs to be learned for the exam and how the exam works in terms of points that must be achieved.
During the course I was kept well informed about Nam's progress.
The course lasts 6 weeks and I can definitely recommend it. Richard is a good teacher.
Nam has now passed the civic integration exam thanks to NLB language school.
I myself chose the NLB language school in bangkok from the Netherlands.
why, because I saw and read that many girls succeeded there.
I don't regret it, because she started school in March and she passed with flying colors (after 6 weeks of lessons) even though she couldn't speak a word of Dutch, and now she's already in the Netherlands.
this teacher also has several apartments for rent, with air conditioning, for few cents.
My Indian partner had to take the basic exam in anticipation of the MVV application.
In India I could not find a course for this and I oriented myself for it in Thailand.
I have had email exchanges from the Netherlands and telephone conversations with Richard from NLB in Bangkok.
My partner came to Bangkok to take the course and so did I.
There was regular consultation with Richard during the 6-week course.
The atmosphere in the class was good and my partner remained motivated to attend class every day.
The guidance towards the exam has also proved to be personal.
My partner passed the civic integration examination abroad very shortly after completing the course.
Bye Adje
I sent my wife to school in Bangkok, which is highly recommended, she passed first time, just like the entire class. You can also find the school on Facebook as Nederlandslerenbangkok NLB
Good luck with everything
Dear Adje,
As mentioned by the two previous writers.
The very best option is to go to Richard van der Kieft's Dutch school in Bangkok.
My friend Fin passed her integration exam here within 6 weeks, and she was immediately exempted from two parts of the next exam because of the high marks.
Richard's school is not only very good, the atmosphere is very nice and Richard is very involved.
Fin took his exam at this time last year. has been living here in NL since September 2 and she is still in regular contact with all other exam candidates (including Richard himself).
If you need temporary accommodation, Richard has (also very affordable) solutions for that.
Absolutely recommended!
View on: http://www.nederlandslerenbangkok.com
Sincerely,
Ben
In addition to the above information about the Easy Learning Center (ELC), I can also mention that the ELC is also fully certified for the necessary and / or desired translations of documents related to (marital) relationships between a Thai national and a foreign partner. At the ELC there is both practice with computers and lessons are given by both teachers/owners. As described at the NLB language school, if necessary, Robert and Tew provide support outside the study with housing or other social problems/questions …..
For more detailed information I would simply advise you to approach this education center and also the other recommended center and then weigh up the benefits….
Sincerely,
Thick
My wife first had lessons at ITL and we were both not very satisfied with that. My wife in particular did not learn the pronunciation well because someone from Belgium was teaching and that is simply different from Dutch. After a few weeks we switched to ELC and my wife immediately felt much more at ease there. Really noticed improvement very quickly because they give much better guidance there
Sincerely
Johan
Everyone has their own experiences, but my wife did it in Bangkok with Richard from learning Dutch in Bangkok.
The best thing for me was that my wife was not distracted by her familiar surroundings! The two months in Bangkok flew by and for the 6000 Baht p / m that is not too bad.
Richard is good and his classes are not too big. We are still in contact with all my wife's classmates. That is a sign that Richard is uniting it. My wife also enjoyed practicing with the other students in the building almost every evening.
For me it is certain that learning Dutch in Bangkok is a very good school with a motivated teacher who speaks Dutch well and clearly.
Success!
Dear readers,
I return to my previous opinion.
It is incomprehensible that the Dutch language is being taught
without understanding any of the text.
This is real poverty.
The lessons should be more about understanding the language.
I'd like to hear the opinion of others.
Yours faithfully,
Jan van Dissel
Dear Jan,
I/We totally agree with you.
When my wife started her studies (in Sakaew) she already knew a little bit of Dutch. But during the lessons it is not about understanding the language, but about recognizing your question/photo. If the student recognizes the question/photo, he or she often knows the answer and that's what it's all about to pass as quickly as possible.
If they have passed and then arrive in NL, the real understanding and talking will only begin. My wife has benefited much more from the lessons in NL (integration course) than the lessons behind the PC in Thailand.
Of course, the real learning to speak and understand the language only really starts when they start working.
You only learn to really integrate and learn the language in the Netherlands because then you learn the language at school and in your daily environment (look at the supermarket, perhaps with a part-time job or volunteer work, etc.). But with the exam since sometime in 2011, you have to take exams on 3 parts at A1 level. Part 1, the KNS is simply learning the answers by heart, part 2 with the TGN you can get very far with parroting the sentences (repealing counts very heavily), but with the third part, the GBL you must be able to read with comprehension . You really have to understand some vocabulary otherwise you can answer the questions. You must be able to complete sentences, answer questions about stories, etc. Then a basic vocabulary of about a few hundred (600-1000) words and very basic grammar is required (the conjugations of some verbs and the most commonly used forms of “to be” , “go” etc.).