The Effectiveness of Thailand Bilingual
Education through English for Integrated Studies (EIS)
Surapong Ngamsom
EIS Association
Thailand President
January, 14, 2012
1. How did EIS get started? Let’s look at its history.
English for Integrated Studies, known as EIS,
came into being at Sunthonphu Pittaya Secondary School at the beginning of
academic year 2004. We started the
program because we saw that students could learn English easily. Because that
we have been background and experienced Thailand English Program (EP) more than
6 academic years. With the EP programs most
students could learn English quite well, but there was not a level of
consistency and quality for all the foreign teachers. They would then leave and
the English was not supported. Also, EIS
is available to all students from all income levels, not just for the students
who could afford the EP programs. EIS
has grown dramatically in the past few years with EIS, now in use in over 100
schools.
2. What is the basic theory and concept of EIS?
EIS is an educational program that teaches core
courses in English for the two levels of secondary education, and has a few
pilot programs for primary education. Courses in science, computer technology,
mathematics, and English are taught by Thai teachers, using English. The
teachers are trained to become skilled in English to transfer knowledge in both
English and their subject matters.
Developing the skill of learning through the observing knowledge (OK)
process, increases the ability to master English.
3. Why should EIS be implemented ?
In other school programs teaching English in
Thailand, the students learn English separately and their other courses in
Thai. Many do not retain their English
skills because they do not use them in other studies. With EIS, English is
integrated into the entire learning process allowing for greater ease of use of
English for all academic pursuits.
4. Let’s discuss how EIS it working in the
schools.
EIS has been fully endorsed by the Ministry of Education
and the Office of Basic Education as it follows the core Sufficiency Economics
Philosophy (SEP) concept, adopting the principles of Reasonableness,
Moderation, and Self-Immunity.
Students are responding to the Thai Master
Teachers instructing in English with understanding and greater willingness to
use English.
5. Here are some indications of the effectiveness of EIS.
Students in the EIS programs are scoring in
national tests, such as the NT score and (O-Net score), for data from 2006-2008
at levels equal to Thai renowned schools. This applies to all subjects taught
including Mathematics, Science, English, Thai and social subjects. EIS also outperformed other bilingual programs
with higher readiness.
6. How has EIS grown in Thailand?
Let’s discuss how the
network has grown.
EIS
started in academic year 2004 in the Rayong Province. It grew slowly from 2006-2008,
supported by Rayong Provincial Administrative Organization, but with steady improvements. In 2009 there were 25 secondary schools using
EIS; it 2010 it grew to a strong 120 schools!
Many of you are here today! We
expect to have 500 schools in the academic year 2011!
7.
Why does EIS serve as an effective
policy strategy to improve educational quality for both students and teachers?
EIS has a proven 6-year
track record because it works on the English SSF model, “Short, Simple, and
Familiar”. The key is integrating English into the entire curriculum, developing
the OK model skills of observing, comparing, classifying, transferring, and
inferring through instructing Science-Math subject matters. As the instructors use English, it enables
both students and teachers to “think in English.” Students grow in confidence
in both Thai and English and are better prepared for the changing world where
English is an important element for Thai society as it prepares for the ASEAN
summit over the next five years.
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