Decentralisation needed for better Thai outcomes

“Learner autonomy” empowers each and every motivated student to use IT digital tools to take charge of, get actively involved in and share responsibility for his own learning, directly related to lifelong skills development. The essence of intelligence is skilful know-how to extract meaning from everyday, routine experiences. Moving from passive, boring theory to interesting, active classroom options requires hands-on practice, practice and more practice. The aim is to transform foreign language methodology into state-of-the-art IT approaches that focus on individually determined, preferred learning styles and language acquisition-chosen modes. 

Greater emphasis is placed on raising and answering why, which and how questions than on traditional who, what, where and when fact-based recall, rote and regurgitation. Characteristics related to learner autonomy that encourage success include natural curiosity, knowledgeable resourcefulness, common-sense savvy, tenacious persistence, operational reasoning, strategic logic and creative innovation. Let’s stop short-changing upcountry rural schools and students deprived of equal opportunities to develop their own unique talents and strengths. Comprehensive educational reform must be monitored by respected, independent, outside experts such as Chaub Leechaw and a team of quality-assurance professionals to ensure credibility and engender trust.

Charles Frederickson

Bangkok