secrets for better english

SECRETS

FOR

BETTER

ENGLISH

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Secrets for Better English

4

Senior Vice President: Nutvara SaengwarinVice President: Wichittra SirivarakulProject Manager: Wanwisa Junlasaneechorn Jaruwan WorrabantoonEditor: Pimpimol KongkreingkraiSub Editor: Robert McBlainWriter: Sirintip SeelpesuchkulGraphic Designer: Tanat Supichayangkun

Table of Contents

SECRETS

FOR

BETTER

ENGLISH

Channel Your English Energy 6Revealing the Secrets 14 Micheal Kenneth Wong 14 Somsri Thammasarnsophon “Kru Somsri” 15 Arisara Tanapakit “Kru Nan” 16 Pawaree Xuto 17 Kaneearch Dandumrongsuk “Art” 18 Dr. Netpreeya Choomchaiyo “Kru Kate” 19The Spelling Bee Buzz 20Regional Heats 21National Grand Final 22MC Advice 23Former Contestant 24An Advisor’s Strategy 25Lucky Advisor 26The Challenge 27The Lesson 28

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Wouldn’t it be great if you could access information other people couldn’t, talk to interesting people others couldn’t communicate with and impress people around you whenever you started a conversation? Here are some tips on how to make giant leaps in your social life and leave others miles behind. Leading English tutors also reveal their secrets for better English. But, before we reach this point, let’s look through the basic problems first.

6

reasons we’re

not strong in

English

• We translate Thai to E

nglish “word by word

”

• We focus too much on gra

mmar

• We are sometimes too lazy

to practise English

• We sometimes lack self-confidenc

e

• We think English is too

difficult to learn

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Channel Your English Energy

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Often, when we have to write an essay or speak to foreigners, we think of words in Thai then translate directly into English, which can lead to misunderstanding.

Look on the bright side: direct translation from Thai to English is not

always a millstone, because you can make other people laugh. If you’ve ever seen the Thai comedy movie ‘E Tim Tray Nave’ you might have noticed the actress say “Potatoesss” when she was making love with her foreign boyfriend. That’s a little joke to make you smile, but it may not be that funny if you use it in the real world!

One drawback of translating word by word however, is that some people may not understand what you are trying to say or, even worse, get the wrong idea. Therefore, if you want to communicate clearly in English, you have to start to think in English too.

We translate Thai to English

“word by word”

What?? I can speak

english Snake Snake Fish

Fish

1

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One common problem for Thai people learning English is the way we emphasise grammar in real life conversations. Yes, grammar is extremely important but it’s not practical to worry about grammar all the time, or it could lead to another problem: a lack of self-confidence.

As a result, grammar can be an obstacle when you want to say something but you don’t know whether it is grammatically correct or not, so you end up taking a back seat and keeping quiet instead.

Therefore, if you want to speak English, just speak; don’t worry too much about grammar because foreigners understand that English is not your mother tongue and they will try to catch the message you are trying to convey.

We focus too much on

grammar2

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We are sometimes too lazy to

practise English 3• Are you too lazy to open a dictionary to find the meanings of new words?• Are you too lazy to read a long passage?• Are you too lazy to practise writing?• Are you always finding excuses to avoid

practising English?

Laziness can be addressed in all of us; it’s not easy to keep studying all the time. Fortunately, we are not suggesting jotting down and memorising lesson notes as the solution: we recommend ‘Formula 21’.

It is believed that by doing the same thing at the same time every day for 21 days, it will become a habit.

There is nothing stopping you from learning and improving your English every day using this method. Using the ‘Formula 21’ method, simply study or use English at a certain time of day for 21 days, and see the results! Remember the saying, ‘Practice makes

perfect.’

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Your legs are shaking,your hands are sweating,your heart is beating fast,and here they come … foreigners!

Have you ever felt nervous like this when faced with talking to a foreigner? If the answer is “Yes” then you simply have to change your attitude immediately. English learners who believe in themselves will benefit more than those who lack confidence. Besides, talking to foreigners helps both your speaking and listening skills.

You could start by attending an international conference like the Asian Youth Forum (AYF), which is an exciting network of young Asian people dedicated to international understanding and exchange. They use English as the common language of communication. For more information see www.asianyouthforum.org.

If you are too shy to talk to English speakers, your English will never improve. Be yourself and don’t be shy, because you’ll never know what you’ve missed.

We sometimes lack

self-confidence4

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Most new English learners fail to learn English well because they are too anxious about their ability.

Dr. Peter John Wanner, from the Department of Language Education at Tohoku University in Japan, studied the effect of stress on learning. “High stress limits the ability to index, store, and access information, especially in the mental lexicon. If a learner is in a state of fear, it will reduce their cognitive abilities,” he says.

Therefore, revise your thinking and keep your mind wide open. It’s never too late to learn.

We think English is too

difficult to learn5

“I feel that English is too hard for me because it’s not my native language.”

I can’t do it!

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Michael Kenneth Wong, VJ from Channel V and English teacher at Wall Street Institute, speaks English fluently. He always encourages his students to, “Never give up. Practise whenever you can. Once you stop practising, you’ll lose it.”

We call English the ‘universal language’. It seems that all the people in the world have agreed to use English to talk to each other. After identifying common problems in studying English, here are some suggestions from some of our favourite celebrities on how to be successful in English.

Michael

Kenneth

Wong

Revealing the Secrets

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“Life is a classroom and love is the primary lesson,” says Somsri “Kru Somsri” Thammasarnsophon, director of Kru Somsri’s English School. “Love is the mother of success in learning English. Attention is the father of fluency for language competence. Recitation and practice are sisters and brothers to fortify our confidence and enjoyment in expressing English. English is a skill: the more you practise, the more fluent you will become,” she adds.

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Somsri Thammasarnsophon

“Kru Somsri”

Secret for Better English

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“How can we improve our English? Look around you; English is everywhere, even on the labels of snack packets,” says Arisara “Kru Nan” Tanapakit, the curriculum developer of Enconcept E-Academy, pointing out how we can learn from the everyday things around us.

“Learn the language, l ive the language,” are her simple worlds of advice on how you can learn and use your English at the same time. Kru Nan recommends English-language TV programmes, music, websites and magazines. “You don’t just have to learn from textbooks,” she advises. Kru nan also believes that using English is especially important because it increases your desire to learn.

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Arisara Tanapakit

“Kru Nan”


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Pawaree Xuto is a newscaster on the English-language news programme on Modern 9 TV. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. They are part of the learning process,” she recommends. “Don’t focus too much on grammar.

Pawaree Xuto

Let English come to you naturally; it will if you relax and enjoy yourself,” she adds.

Pawaree believes talking about the news is a great way to improve your English. She recommends watching international television news networks such as CNN and BBC, as you can not only learn new words, but also imitate the pronunciation of the announcers.

“Listen to good quality English on the radio, TV, in movies and also from any native English speakers you may meet. Trust in yourself and your natural ability to learn English,” she advises. “Also, read whatever you can, but make sure to read

a lot. You can even learn from comic books, as long as they are in English” she adds with a smile.

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DJ Kaneearch “Art” Dandumrongsuk, hosts a variety of radio shows on 106 FM. He is also the lead singer of the band ‘Vacation’. Art is a firm believer in the power of reading: “Read what you like and like what

you read. If news magazines like Time and Newsweek, or n ew s p a p e r s l i k e t h e International Herald Tribune are too difficult for you then try something more fun like NJ. Enjoyment is the main thing,” he says

Kaneearch

Dandumrongsuk

“Art”

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English is not only useful, it also gives you a lot of satisfaction; making progress feels great. Most of us will never forget the moment we discovered we can speak with foreigners or enjoy English-language TV programmes.

Dr. Netpreeya “Kru Kate” Choomchaiyo, Director of International Business Consulting Centre (IBCC) believes that every hour y o u s p e n d improving your

English, gets you one step nearer to perfection. “Everyone gets their gifts

from God, but success depends on how we use our ability. Some people keep improving to the end, but others just keep dreaming. Which group do you want to be in?” she asks. “If you want to be one who can m a x i m i s e y o u r

competence, you have to start n o w , ” s h e adds.

Dr. Netpreeya Choomchaiyo

“Kru Kate”


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What: NJ Spelling Bee ‘Champ of the Year’ When: Around August-November Number of participants: Around 3,000Finalists: 100Grade: High school students

Prizes: A trophy from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Charkri Sirindhorn, a one-month scholarship to study English at ELTHAM College, Melbourne, Australia, pocket money from our sponsors.

For more information: NJ magazine, www.247friend.net

For more than a decade, the NJ Spelling Bee has given Thai students from all over the country the chance to wrestle with words in pursuit of excellence. The best students from each region of Thailand battle it out to prove their English potential and win splendid prizes such as a trophy from Her Royal Highness, Princess Maha Charkri Sirindhorn, a one-month scholarship to study English at ELTHAM College, Melbourne, Australia, as well as many other great prizes from our generous sponsors.

BUZZ

Fast Facts:

The Spelling Bee

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The NJ Spelling Bee is organised by NJ, part of Nation Multimedia Group, in cooperation with the Thai Ministry of Education. The competition offers students the opportunity to showcase their talent and ability, with the national winner having the chance to truly open up his or her world by studying abroad. The event also serves to promote the bond between students and teachers.

Each regional heat kicks off with the ‘Multiple Mind Benders’ round, where contestants have to choose the correctly-spelt option from a list of 50 words. The 100 smartest students then go through to the first ‘Sudden Death’ round; 25 take the stage for the second ‘Sudden Death’ round; and the final five students battle against the clock in the tricky ‘Last Minute’ round.

Regional Heats

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The Top 25 contestants from each region (North, Northeast, South and Central) are invited to Bangkok for the National Grand Final. The Top 100 spellers in Thailand will compete over four challenging rounds, with an additional tricky categories-based written spelling test called ‘Cool ‘Cats’ thrown in for good measure. As with the regional heats, the final five students will test their oral spelling skills in a nerve-wracking 60 seconds against the clock called ‘Last Minute’.

National

Grand Final

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NJ Spelling Bee MC Supajon “Tae” Klinsuwan was actually once a contestant but he admits he never made it past the first round. This hasn’t stopped him from building an exciting career on TV hosting English-language news and entertainment programmes.Tae is impressed by the standard of the students competing in this event. “I had no idea that upcountry students had such incredible potential until I took part in this competition. The NJ Spelling Bee is a great opportunity for everyone to show their ability,” he says.As a former contestant, he has some words of advice for future contestants. “Preparedness is the key to success, not only in this competition but also in real life,” he says. “Aim for your goal, plan and prepare to do your best.”

MC Advice

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Former

Contestant

Another famous alumni of the NJ Spelling Bee is Amelia “Amy” Jacobs.Amy remembers the fun she had, even though she was up against many talented students who, she says, were much smarter than her. “It’s enjoyable and it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, just come and try. Don’t be afraid if you see someone who’s better than you,” she says.

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Behind every victorious NJ Spelling Bee ‘Champ of the Year’ is a quiet, but dedicated advisor. Wirat Pimpa, a teacher at Khonkaenwittayayon School, whose students make it to the National Grand Final every year, gave us a few tips on how to inspire students: “Be friendly and they will open their heart and listen to you. Our school holds an annual Spelling Bee using the same rules as the NJ Spelling Bee,” he adds, which explains why his students do so well every year.

When asked how he prepares his students, he says, “My students and I collect vocabulary from back issues of NJ, and boost our knowledge with content from websites.”

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An A

dviso

r’s

Strategy


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Vinyuvadee “Kru Yu” Gujral was the advisor to NJ Spelling Bee ‘Champ of the Year’ 2007 -- Wasinee “Wan” Pornnarit from The Prince Royal’s College in Chiang Mai. She explains the role teamwork plays. “Wan worked very hard to get ready, studying vocabulary every day during her lunch break. There is a Spelling Bee course at our school, and we select students for the NJ Spelling bee who are interested in English, diligent and believe in teamwork,” she says.

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Lucky Advisor


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It’s not only the NJ Spelling Bee ‘Champ of the Year’ 2007 who benefited from the Spelling Bee course at her school, her whole team all gained knowledge. Wan revealed her secrets for conquering her stage fright: “Putting pressure on yourself can cause failure, so I didn’t think about the result, I just stayed focused on what I was doing,” she says.After the competiton Wan went to Australia where she studied for one

The Challenge

month at ELTHAM College, while living with a host family. “That was my first time away from home; I had to adapt a lot,” she says. This trip not only gave Wan the chance to study English, but also gave her the opportunity to socialise with other people from different cultures. Wan has recently been accepted to the Faculty of Economics at Chiang Mai University. She is soon going to BEE a freshman.

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The saying, “Everyone deserves a second chance,” describes how NJ Spelling Bee ‘Champ of the Year’ 2006, Sirasit “M” Thangtongyok feels when he looks back on that year’s competition. The clever Bangkok Christian College student won at his second attempt.Asked what he learnt from the experience he says, “You have to understand what your weakness is, then get rid of it.” M’s first time in the competition was ruined by stage fright. The second time around he prepared himself by studying more vocabulary, memorising lists of words until the big day came along.“What is most rewarding is to see the excitement in people -- the energy they have when they meet each other on stage. It takes a lot of courage for them to do that,” he says. As a result of his efforts, opportunity knocked on his door in the form of a trip to Australia. “I learnt how to use

‘real’ English, which is totally different from what we learn in the classroom,” he says. “M” claims he learns most English outside the classroom: chatting with friends, doing outside activities, living with other people. “When I was in Thailand, I studied English from a textbook, but this is different,” he said. He is now using the same technique, studying hard in the Faculty of Dentistry at Chulalongkorn University.

The Lesson

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