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Home » Reader question » Reader question: What is the best way for my girlfriend to learn English?
Dear readers,
My girlfriend lives in Loei-Thailand and has not had primary school, so she even has a little trouble reading Thai (not fluently), now I have been teaching her two words of English every day for about 6 months but I would like to that I can communicate with her a little more to get to know her even better than I already do.
I have now bought her an iPad and set up several apps related to the English language, so-called speech translation programs in the hope that this would make it easier for her to learn a little more than I can teach her.
My question now is whether I am doing the right thing by doing it this way, or if there are readers out there who know another better way….?
Thanks in advance.
Coen
Apart from a course, I wouldn't teach her 2 words, but no less than 20 a day.
This also with rehearsals after 200 words (all words).
The words that are still difficult to learn separately in 4 days to complete 2 weeks.
If it's a lot of words that she doesn't know yet out of those 200 words, you can smuggle.
I've noticed myself that you remember some words much easier than others.
You should therefore keep the words that are difficult for her to remember so that you can rehearse them a few times later.
Start by using familiar words of things she does or sees every day.
That sticks much better and provides a basis for later words.
If she has trouble with her native language, wouldn't it be better to deal with that first? Surely there is a (retired) teacher in your area? And then you tackle English or have it tackled by a teacher who masters both languages.
I have easy talking, live near a big city. But if you live far out, English may be a problem.
Your girlfriend is in fact illiterate.
Cannot read and write the mother tongue and now suddenly has to learn another language.
Whatever method of learning English you use now, it will not work. Words without context and sentence structure have no meaning. Or you must like it when she keeps calling “Cat” and laughs every time such a beast crosses.
She will have to follow a literacy program. In other words, learn to read and write from scratch. That should actually be in Thai for her, after all she will one day have to manage with Thai punctuation marks and letters in Thailand (Thai are not, as in the Netherlands, inclined to provide a foreign translation for all official documents).
There are more illiterates in Thailand and there are permanent programs for adults – also in Thailand – to learn to read and write.
Start with Thai and let English follow.
Knowing words is important, of course, but I don't think you learn a language just by learning words. In 2009 I met my current wife. She hardly spoke any English. I made a whole series of simple lessons for her in English and Dutch at the same time. From easy to gradually more difficult. Example: “I go to school — I am going to school. I go to the market — I'm going to the market…”
I recorded the speech of each lesson so that she could listen to it very often and say along. Which she actually did.
After three months she could speak English and Dutch reasonably well.
Hello Coen,
I'd say good choice. Would you like to tell us more about her family?
Good luck,
You don't have much to learn words. Talking is communicating with each other and you do that with (simple) sentences that can be used daily. I have taught Dutch as a second language for years and I wish I had left out Writing and Reading. Listening and Speaking: that's the ticket!
Success.
In the past I have taught several Thai newcomers in - Belgium - English and Dutch.
Involved children, 10 to 12 years, and adults.
Primary school books were used with the children, which seemed childish, but were quite instructive.
For the adults there was 'Nederlands voor Thai' from publisher Laai Sue Thai. A wide range of textbooks was available in English, and there are also online courses.
On the one hand, it has to be said that the children got the hang of it quite quickly. There was a nice little boy with serious learning difficulties, but that also turned out quite well. Pay enough attention and keep it fun.
Furthermore, it is generally known that children are capable of learning languages. adults have more difficulty with this.
Now, the adults with limited (language) abilities, they eventually did English through the children's books. That worked, and there was some laughter. The most important thing was to get them to overcome their hesitation and to approach it positively when mistakes were made.
After a year of teaching 2 times a week, and with help in the sense of daily exercises at home, even the illiterates succeeded quite well. Writing less, but definitely speaking. They became more self-confident, became more assertive, which benefited the relationship and their social status.
I especially want to say that it is certainly doable, also for the illiterate. It is important that one is self-motivated, first of all those who want to learn the language, and then those who learn it.
Good luck, and hopefully concrete tips will follow.
Coen,
If there is a chance that the girlfriend will come to the Netherlands in the future, do not learn English but Dutch. An integration course is then most suitable.
There is a training institute in Khon Kaen.
The problem with Thai ladies who come to the Netherlands is that once they master the English language, they start expressing themselves in English in the Netherlands.
I myself have highly educated Thai, Philippine and Indian colleagues in the Netherlands who do not know a word of Dutch, but who have a better command of the English language than I do.
My wife speaks good English, but after 32 years in the Netherlands and 5 years of Dutch lessons, the Dutch remains poor.
I myself am not in favor of learning the Dutch language, because you can't do much with it except get your integration and talk to the neighbor about the weather.
It is of course useful to be able to express yourself in your surroundings, but in the Netherlands almost everyone speaks a little English.
Hi here's a tip see what you do with it.
Why are you teaching her English, she's coming to the Netherlands anyway? Then teach her Dutch because she also has to take a Dutch test at the embassy if she wants to go to the Netherlands. Once she speaks English you keep doing it. I see it with so many friends success.
Greetings Martin
Editors: Capitalized, added punctuation and removed double spaces.
Speaking is the most important. And the best thing is to immerse yourself in that language as much as possible, by watching English TV and movies, eg children's movies or DVD. A good friend of mine settled in Phuket in 1978 and was about the only foreigner there. He spoke Thai quickly (albeit in dialect: his children went to the Negels school and still make jokes about his dialect) and has no problems with staff or over the telephone. But yes, he had to for someone to understand him.
My daughter watched German TV all day in the late 70s (there was no Dutch TV during the day yet) and was 4 years old convinced that she could speak German. That was certainly not flawless, but German acquaintances could understand her well.
This is especially true if you have some sense of language. But exposing them to the language as much as possible is very important: that is how they learn the pronunciation and sound of the language
let them first learn to read and write in their own language, then it is easier to learn another language then they can also just use a dictionary english thai, thai english that learns much faster otherwise it takes a long time and difficult, they understand it's not good, as illiterate, there is always a school somewhere, doesn't cost much, but have to go to school every day
Hello.
@ Coen.
It is very important that your girlfriend understands you for your relationship to work… my first one here in Pattaya fell apart because my girlfriend just didn't understand me, nor was she interested in teaching Angel… and then you stare at each other all day…
My current girlfriend, who will be my wife in less than a month, speaks decent English, and has taught herself…she has dozens of notebooks of English words and phrases, each of which she looked up the Thai meaning in a dictionary, and when she sees something on TV , an animal for example, she will always ask me: how do you call that in English,
And even we still have regular discussions, because she just doesn't understand what I mean, also has a lot to do with her culture…
But she's perfectly capable of conversing with me, and that's really the only way to survive your relationship with a Thai, believe me. and my girlfriend also had difficulty going to school until she was 14, but speaks and reads Thai and Isaan fluently…
Good advice, that's how I do it too, she will tell you, “you talk to much” but talk to her in English a lot, and if necessary explain the meaning with hands and feet… “doing” is the best learning experience! Because as I see it, with all due respect, don't get me wrong, I also live with a Thai, I don't understand much about the apps on an IPad…
I wish you good luck, and also in your relationship!
Mvg… Rudy…