Students working together during task-based activities

It's not just about sex

Does learning English pose the same problems as sex education?

Same same, but different

Chulalongkorn's new curriculum employs the student-centered approach and provides training and materials for teachers. The picture accompanying the article showed students overcoming their shyness by learning how to properly use condoms.

Whether there is a natural shyness to discuss sex or a reluctance to actually speak English, both can be overcome by students taking a more active part in the learning process.

This teaching technique is called the communicative approach or task-based learning. Students are actively involved in the learning process. They learn by doing.

An inquiring mind

Teacher-centered education classes do not stimulate the students to discuss topics that they deem more important than others. This results in students not thinking critically and not using their minds to solve problems.

The same can be said for education concerning the English language. Teacher-centered presentations in Thai do not excite students to learning and use English, resulting in years and years of wasted language training. Teaching "by the book" is a safe way for teachers to earn wages; but that method does not encourage students t o "think outside the box."

Parents also have a part to play. For various reasons, some parents are reluctant to talk about sex with their children and believe that schools have the responsibility to teach the subject to their children. This can also be said about English language education. Parents may not have the relevant English language skills, so English is never used at home and students only get the opportunity to use it in classrooms.

Teacher training

Many teachers believe that they need specialist training to conduct sex education at their schools. They believe they lack the skills to give advice on issues outside the syllabus. Likewise, this can be said about English language teachers, especially those who teach at Prathom level who do not hold degrees in English or English language instruction.

Teachers need training in order to fulfill their job requirements to their best ability. Whether the subject is sex education or English language, standardized practices in education, including the training of teachers, will result in better performances by the students.

Being shy and reserved

Matters related to sex are shrouded in mystery that leads to a lack of understanding. If these matters are brought out into the open in a constructive way, it would lead to more openness and the chances of real meaningful discussions. Students and teachers would therefore not be so "shy" when discussing sexual matters.

The shyness attributed to sex education is mirrored, though for different reasons, when it comes to English language education. A reluctance to experiment with English for fear of making a mistake hinders the progress of Thai students of English. If students were more relaxed and cared less about making a few mistakes when they speak English, they would perform better in the classroom. In my opinion, this is an area where teachers can do more to help students overcome their shyness.

There is still a big problem outside the classroom as there are not many opportunities for students to practice English. One chemistry student told me that he and his friends would speak English outside the classroom when they met after hours. This is an exception, as most students don't even have the opportunity to watch films on TV in English. I understand the difficulties experienced by parents, especially those who left school at 12 years of age.

I believe that there are many similarities between sex education and English language learning in Thailand. Both areas can improve by giving training to teachers to be more student-centered and helping students to overcome shyness by being supportive in in class. In my opinion, this can be done by teaching with task-based communicative approaches and keeping an open mind.

Steve Graham is an English language teacher at the Language Center, Udon Thani Rajabhat University in northeast Thailand. If there are any comments or areas for debate that you would like to discuss, you can contact Steve at: shed_chelsea@hotmail.co.uk .