Teaching and Learning English As A Second Language

When we were kids we all learned to speak a language in a very natural way. We listened to our parents who spoke to us with very high voices, saying "oetsiekoetsie" and things like that. After a while we began to use our own voice, making different kind of sounds, and at the age of 1 most of us said their first real word. And then it goes fast! We learned one word after another and at the age of 5 we knew thousands of words and we were able to make sentences, using the right grammar (most of the time...). That all without following classes at such a young age! Isn't that amazing?

I think most of us have encountered that learning a second language is a different and way more difficult process. Remember the vocabulary lists in high school you had to repeat time after time? And when you didn't repeat them for a week you forgot most of the words... The innate ability to learn how to speak a language seems to disappear after the age of 7 years old. The older you are, the harder it gets.

Here at Thai Freedom House the students are learning English and Thai. "Shan" is their native language. You see it's hard for them and I really can imagine that. It took me more than a week just to say "Hello" and "Thank you" in Thai. Every new word I hear in Thai, I have to repeat more than a thousand times, and maybe if I continue to repeat the word again and again, I will remember the word (and the meaning) at the end of the week. But most of the time I fail... One of the first English lessons I did with the young adults group was about clothes. I taught them the names of different kind of clothes. We did some games with the words and the clothes, the students used the words a lot, so I was very disappointed that they didn't remember ANY of the words the week after.  I suppose I learned that they also need to repeat and review the words everyday before they can remember them.

Pronunciation is also very hard for them. When we are practicing pronunciation, I can't keep the smile off my face, it's so funny. For example: short and shirts. They couldn't make the different sounds. They both sounded like "short" and it took them a while to find the right sound. So we sat there making sounds like "oooooooooo" and "iiiiiiiiiiiii". Quite funny, but after a while they found the right sound! Or what about saying the word "scarf", I think that's impossible for them... And the other way around: I'm having a hard time to pronounce their names right. I'm lucky they use nicknames!

And that's just the speaking part... We also want them to learn how to read and write. If they know how to read and write in English, they have more chances to find a better job than now. That's why we do a lot of exercises with  ABC. But just to know how the letter sounds, doesn't make you able to read. That takes much more practice and phonics! Last week I had a new girl in my group, she didn't know anything of the ABC, but she was very eager (and shy), she copied the words I wrote on the whiteboard exactly. When you saw her notebook, you would really believe she could read and write. But when you asked her to read what she wrote, she couldn't.

It's a big challenge to teach them as much as possible and also make it enjoyable and fun to learn.  I'm here for 6 weeks, still 3 to go. That's a very short time to see some progress, but I hope I will!  Either way I am sure another eager volunteer will come along and follow the curriculum and they will all reach their goals!

-Judith

Thai Mother's Day 2009

In Thailand Mother's Day is celebrated on the current Queen's Birthday, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, August 12.  Since Thai culture and tradition is part of the curriculum at Thai Freedom House and the kids really never get to show their appreciation to their mothers for all of their hard work, we decided to have a party.  Part of our mission at Thai Freedom House is to make sure that our students families are stable and have some time to relax together and enjoy each other in their hectic lives, sometimes we take a trip to a waterfall or park or have an event such as this at the school.
We started with a monoprint making workshop so the kids could make some original and beautiful cards for their mothers.  Then the students painted small planters and planted flowers for their mothers and we arranged an evening of snacks, a movie called "Burmese Eyes," filmed in Burma by a local ex-pat Marco Monti and performances by the kids.  This gave a chance for the parents to share their memories of life in Burma with their children by responding to the video and images of current Burma. 
The mothers who could attend were moved to tears when their children presented the cards and homemade gifts to them.  I was also in tears when I received some mothers day cards myself from the students.  It was a very sweet evening and all of the students, families and volunteers enjoyed themselves.

 submitted by Thai Freedom House Director:  Lisa Nesser

Volunteering during the rainy season!

When stepping into Freedom House you cannot help but sense you are in a supportive and caring environment. That is certainly what I felt when I first stepped through this Thai style house, nestled within a cozy part of Chiang Mai’s inner moat area. The house itself has a community spirit, with every inch of the building covered in a piece of artwork created by a Freedom House child.

After much hard work and innovation, Lisa Nesser has managed to transform a once old and lifeless building into a creative art space for children to learn and escape harsh realities for a brief moment. Freedom House has an open door policy and as a volunteer you are overwhelmed by the warmth and friendliness of both Lisa and her employee Nong, who is also a student of the school and extremely keen to learn English.

Spending several weeks at the House gave insight into the operations of a small non-government

organisation (NGO) providing underprivileged minority children, a majority of whom have fled Burma with their parents, an education. A basic human right they are not afforded due to Thai laws and policy on the immigration status of these children.

Several of my own perceptions have been quashed for sure and when undertaking a variety of tasks, I am reminded of the mammoth task it must take one women to keep such a project running. Especially a project which so many families and children within the community are dependent on for basic education.

I have been lucky enough to see the beginnings of the recently established Freedom House Café , Free Bird Cafe that is based on the grounds. A quirky and neat little business run from the house by Lisa and the students, which helps provide some income for the organization, allowing it to be more sustainable.

I have been lucky enough

To try Lisa’s homemade cookies and hummus, as part of her trial run before she finalizes the café food menu, (which I may add is all vegetarian) was a delight. There were certainly no complaints from being the taste testing guinea pig.

Above all, the lasting memory that will stay with me from the entire experience will of course be the children. Amongst the many interesting things I have been doing for the school, I have especially enjoyed teaching English to the kids and young adults, who everyday show me affection and an enduring spirit of hope, despite their uncertain fate ahead.

The children’s lessons were always interesting and certainly kept me busy; devising lesson plans for classes which included the crafting of windmills, learning parts of the human body, shapes and colours as well as the creation of a Shan folk story book (with the view of being published).

Leaving Chiang Mai after spending almost a month in this eclectic city, I am revelling in the fact that an exceptional lady is caring for the children, and I have learnt so much and will miss the friendships I have made. This is an experience I would truly recommend to anyone interested in volunteering in this area of South East Asia.

Thank you, Sofia

Thai Freedom House Blessing and Open House at new location.

In May of 2009 Thai Freedom House moved to a new location, after a lot of rehab on the new house we moved in and celebrated with a traditional house blessing and an open house for the families of the students.  For more information about house blessing ceremonies in Thailand: http://www.thailandlife.com/blessingnewhouse.htm 
On the evening of the party the families of the students attended and the kids got to show off some dancing and singing karaoke for the crowd.  There were also speeches made by some parents expressing their gratitude for the school and all it offers.  It was a lovely evening enjoyed by all.
We are truly lucky to be in such a beautiful, convenient location with wonderful neighbors who are understanding and accepting of our project.