Summary
The Foundation for Applied Linguistics (FAL) supports the educational development of ethnic children in Thailand. They work with schools in remote villages in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces where minority children face huge difficulties due to a language gap between their local language and the Thai language used at school. FAL offers a specifically designed language programme targeted to improve the language skills of ethnic children. The ultimate goal is that these students will understand lessons in Thai and preserve their ethnic identity.
This project supports these programmes at four schools – two in Chiang Rai province, and two in Chiang Mai province – by providing a topup to the small salaries for the 19+ local teachers, and the costs for effective monitoring and support for 2 of the schools. The cost for monitoring and support for other 2 schools is funded by FAL.
The ultimate aim of the programme is to have the Local Teachers funded by the Ministry of Education. In the last 2 years significant progress has been made with an Act of Parliament to tackle issues that obstruct the success of the programme.
Background
Schools in Thailand’s border regions have many students from several ethnic groups, such as Karen, Hmong, Mien, Akha, Lahu, Mon, Khmer and Malay. These children grow up speaking their local or ethnic language in their families and communities but then go to Thai schools where the instructional language is in Thai. This puts them at a disadvantage and many fall behind their peers at a young age.
The language barrier creates differences in educational outcomes, and thus, impacts the futures of so many ethnic minority students.
This is where FAL comes in. Both the teachers in the Thai schools, and the staff at FAL, recognised that the ethnic minority students were motivated and able to learn, but only needed a programme that appreciated the challenges of the language gap and the importance of their local language and culture. Their programme responds to this dual need.
When these students begin their education, FAL provides an assistant instructor from the local community who can provide lessons in their local language, while also helping teach them Thai. This helps bridge the language gap and keeps a diverse group of students progressing in at the same level. Gradually and over time, the need of the assistant local teacher’s decreases, and the ethnic students will have maintained their local language, built a solid educational foundation and will be able to continue their education in the Thai language without the need for assistance.
Goals and Results
With this project we strive to support the education of disadvantaged children from ethnic minority groups in Thailand, to preserve, respect and develop the local language and culture and to develop speaking, reading and writing skills in Thai.
Sponsors
What's Been Happening Recently
𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗡𝗡𝗩𝗔𝗥𝗔, 𝗪𝗘’𝗩𝗘 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗦.
Dutch broadcasting company BNNVARA has been supporting preschools in Cambodia since 2021. This year, we received another 1 mei-gift (Labour Day gift 🎁) from BNNVARA for the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education programme (MTB-MLE).
This programme offers a curriculum that encompasses both the children’s native language and Thai. We’ve bolstered local education for around 560 children by funding the salaries of 19 dedicated teachers across four schools which BNNVARA came in to support this year.
Without this support, the ethnic children would not be able to understand their teachers, a language divide which would leave them vulnerable to labour exploitation later in life.
Thanks to BNNVARA for supporting these two projects and to our friend and donor Wim van Klaveren for proposing this project to BNNVARA this year.
We’re still seeking funding for other aspects of this project. If you're interested in being a part of brightening these children's future, please feel free to contact us!
More about this programme >>> philanthropyconnections.org/project/multi-lingual-education-programme
#MTBMLE #FAL #BNNVARA #TeacherSalary
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𝗣𝗖𝗙'𝗦 𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗔𝗡 𝗦𝗢𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗡 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟: 𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖 𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗘𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
PCF visited Ban Soblan School in Chiang Mai Province on 19-20 June 2023 with long-time friends and sponsors Paul Overdijk, Tony Mann and Tony's partner Pupay, and Pim Van Melick, to observe the school's success under the Mother Tongue Based - Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) programme at this remote school.
Ban Soblan School is one of four schools supported by PCF with local teachers' salaries since 2017. Currently, PCF supports 19 local teachers for Preschool 2 - Primary Grade 3 and 5, benefiting 561 ethnic minority students. Having local teachers who speak their native language significantly enhances the students’ education.
We were delighted to see the local teachers in action - the students’ high level of engagement and literacy skills were impressive.
More information about this programme: philanthropyconnections.org/project/multi-lingual-education-programme
#FAL #MTBMLE #Sponsors
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Thank you sis, for joining us on this trip!!
Thank you my brother for tag me and Tony
Anthony Mann, วรากร มัฆะเนมี, Paul Overdijk, Pim Van Melick
"𝗜𝗙 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗪𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗪𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦"
The multilingual programme teachers or “local teachers” are crucial to the Multilingual Education Programme - they speak the children's mother tongue and help them develop their Thai language skills so they can progress in Thai schools.
Currently, we support 19 local teachers in 4 schools teaching almost 600 children from underserved ethnic groups in northern Thailand. They are working hard to preserve, respect and develop the local language and culture; and to develop the children's speaking, reading and writing skills in Thai.
We were heartened to hear the value the local teachers attach to this programme, a programme we're delighted to have been supporting since 2017.
Here is more detail about this programme: philanthropyconnections.org/project/multi-lingual-education-programme
#FAL #MTBMLE
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