Union Language School: First Quarter
Posted by Stuart at 01:20 PM on July 23, 2006Last week, one reader asked how my intensive Thai Language lessons at Union Language school were going. Yesterday was Day 30 of the 120 day program, and I have to say that the first quarter was really outstanding.
I think that I already knew 80% of the vocabulary that has been taught so far, but only about 20% of the grammar. A great example can be seen in one of my personal triumphs last week. I figured out how to say, "Bob and Sue put their bottle of water in the same refrigerator." I more or less knew all of the words to this sentence, but not the grammar, which goes something like, Mr. Bob and Ms. Sue put water one bottle of they put in cabinet cold same.
Tones are another big area that this intensive class is helping me improve. I have always struggled with whether or not a word is "high tone" or "rising tone" (for example). But in this class, there is a lot of review and a lot of repeating ourselves over and over again, with a lot of teacher corrections. This can be extremely tedious at times, but it really helps the material stick to my teflon brain.
I also really do like the textbook that Union uses. It was developed 30+ years ago (the pages still say copyright 1973) but it has been very well thought out. We learn "just enough" new material each day that builds on the "just enough" material from the day before.
However, the downside is the fact that the class starts at 8 AM every day. I hated the occasional 8 AM class when I was a university student, so I guess not much has changed since then. Four hours a day is a bit much for me too. As I said, the repetition is very helpful, but maybe a small reduction might be in order.
I recently found out that there are two other Thai language schools in Bangkok that use the exact same text book. These schools were founded by ex-Union teachers who didn't like the strictness that comes along with working for a school run by Christian Missionaries. So they "borrowed" the class content on their way out the door and started their own schools. (At least that's the story I heard.)
The good thing about these schools is that they have afternoon classes, and one of them even has a two-hour and three-hour per day version of the courses. I'll have to check them out this week and make a decision where to study "Module 3" that starts in two weeks. All I know is that two- or three-hour afternoon lessons sound a lot better than four hours in the early morning!
What? You knew Tata Young's father in the US? You do know that she is a superstar singer here in Thailand, right? She has gone the same route as Britney -- started young, cute and innocent, then tried to become a sex symbol as an adult. Maybe a kid is on the way for her soon!
Yes, I can say I knew Tata's father in the U.S. Zanesville, Ohio to be exact. When my girls and I went there last year we met up with him. He gave them t-shirts, cds and pix of Tata. He said she had just signed with Sony in the U.S. but we have not seen her break out here. Tim Young has lived in BKK since he was around 21 years old! He said his wife, Tata's mother, recently died of throat cancer.
Hey Stuart,
I've been following your Union School progress ever since I came across your blog while looking for a good school to attend in Bangkok. Now, just as I'm ready to take the plunge you tease me with the allure of afternoon classes. Would you be so kind as to let me know the names of those alternate schools? Much like yourself I was never much for early morning classes.
Thanks So Much!
Larry
Hi Stuart,
I'm also looking for a good school to learn thai in Bangkok. Would you be so kind to tell me the address of Union Language School and the names & addresses of those alternate schools?
Many thanks!!
Candy
Larry and Candy: Here is the information I have for Thai Language Schools in Bangkok:
Union Language School is in the Church of Christ Building near Ratchatewi BTS Station.
I also took classes (and can recommend):
Thai Language Achievement
http://www.tlaschool.com
PhayaThai Plaza next to PhayaThai BTS Station.
Two others that I don't know anything about, but appear to use the same curriculum as Union and TLA above:
Unity Thai Language School
http://www.utl-school.com/english/home.php
Advanced Alliance Academy
http://www.aaathai.com/
And... soon there will be an Thai Language e-learning website soon too. Check out http://www.its4thai.com
Hope that helps. Good luck!
This web site is the old one but if you interest in this school please mail back to union_lang@yahoo.com the principle will give you the informations and class. Now the website will be in process and I will tell you again soon.
Do you have details of the similar but reduced and more flexible hours of the teachers who left Union because of its rigidity please?
Thanks,
Martin
I admire your tenacity! Fantastic - a falang speaking Thai! Did I ever tell you that a guy I knew in Zanesville Ohio moved to Bangkok after the war in the late 60's and married a Thai gal and they had a daughter named Tata Young? I saw him when I was there. Interesting!