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INTERNATIONAL
EDUCATION
2013
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CONTENTSInternational Education: An overview 6
Looking Throug the Number: A fad or a promising future 12
AEC: Why it matters 16
Building International Character: Learning stages 24
Making a Choice: 30
• InternationalSchools 32
• EnglishProgrammeorBilingualSchools 36
International Curriculums: 38• BritishSystem 39
• AmericanSystem 41
• InternationalBaccalaureateSystem 42
College: 46• DomesticInternationalCollegeProgrammes 47
• AmericanCollegeSystem 51
• BritishCollegeSystem 54
Standardised Tests: TOEFL,IELTS,SAT,GMAT,GRE 56
InternatIonal educatIonal
P bCreative+SpecialPublications
text PostPhotograPhs Post/Supplied
desIgn & layout Arthit Kannikar Project ManagerSangsoamBunyasakdi
edItorSimonKinddePuty ManagIng edItorRatchadapornLunchaprasit
sPecIal PuBlIcatIons adVertIsIngTel+66(0)22403700Ext1464Fax+66(0)22403649
<[email protected]>VIce PresIdent, sPecIal PuBlIcatIons sales J aruda J antraporndIsPlay adVertIsIng & sPecIal PuBlIcatIons sVPVoravadhanaJulajitvachara
ProductIonAlliedPrinters
Bangkok Post iseditedbyPattnapongChantranontwong
forThePostPublishingPublicCompanyLimited,Printer,PublisherandOwner
http//www.bangkokpost.co.th
offIceBangkokPostBuilding136NaRanongRoad,KlongToey,Bangkok10110
Tel+66(0)22403700nFax+66(0)22403666
n 0213n
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International Education:
The world is getting smaller… that adage has never been closer to the
truth than what we are witnessing right before our eyes — especially for
Thailand and neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, where this notion
is about to unfold its full effect when AEC takes effect in late 2015.
The way of the old days when people could still achieve much of what
they had set out to do in their individual endeavours with simple sets of tools,
academically and socially, will inevitably become inadequate for any person tothrive in this changing world.
The world today is all about globalisation and its drive for change is
overwhelming. Every country whose economy depends heavily on global
trade has adopted the nascent ideology of global community as the driving
force behind their public policy.
Theworldisnotliterallygettingsmallerbut,inagurativesense,itdoes
become a whole lot easier to communicate across the globe. It has become,
moreorless,thenormtondtransnationalcompaniessettingupbusinesses
in countries other than their own to gain competitive edge over competitors,
bothfornancialreasonsand,ofcourse,skilledworkforcewhereavailable.
What transpires after the fact that leading global conglomerates are
crisscrossing the world, looking for accommodating places for new business
opportunities and sustainable investments, is the need for a better-equipped,
internationally oriented workforce.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the most obvious indicator to
assess human resource development is education. Not for the sheer academic
adequacy but how well the education system prepares the entering workforce
– and by how well it implies being internationally competitive.
Education plays the most important role in preparing an individual for
being a productive member of society, and language is one of the more
prominent features education is assigned with. Humans learn their primary
language through family and interactive parenting. Yet the actual linguistic
competency can only be obtained through formal education channels.
Beinguentinanylanguagedoesrequiremorethanjustgoodspeaking
and understanding: it requires the ability to linguistically contemplate such
language with ease and to a certain level of complexity. Knowing that language
is the crux of the whole idea of being adequately equipped in this changingworld, the sooner a child is placed in accommodating surroundings the better
chanceheorshewilldevelopamoreinternationallyadjustedpersonalityand
thinking pattern.
English is arguably the most important language if you wish to succeed in
any business endeavour. That is quite a claim, especially when there has been
a growing argument for learning Chinese in recent years due to the economic
inuenceChinahasovertheworld.
An overview
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Let’s look at the statistics, shall we? Respectively, there are 1.05 billion
Chinese speakers with 873 million native speakers, 510 million English
speakers with 340 million native speakers, 490 million Hindi speakers with
370 million native speakers, and 420 million Spanish speakers with 350
millions native speakers. According to these numbers, Chinese is the most
widely spoken language with English a distant second. Be that as it may,English is the most published and adopted as formal language in the world.
Understandably, English also has the greatest number of non-native speakers,
250 million to 350 million non-native speakers.
Pragmatically, given the staggeringly higher number of native Chinese
speakers, the prospect of being competitive with Chinese language does not
look very promising. Evidently, when most parents make their decision which
language should be the primary track for their child, English always pre-empts
the decision-making process. Anyhow, it is undoubtedly also a good idea to
help your child take up a second language like Chinese or Spanish if possible
(and if your child is willing, of course), as shown in the aforementioned
statistics.
It bears repeating that the cost of getting a child into international school
issignicantlyhigherthanplacingachildinthetraditionalsystem.Iamvery
much aware of the notion that you cannot put a price on education. Yes. But for that to be true, it would require all international curriculums to be inherently a
better academic track by and in itself. Except in reality, like most of everything
in life, there is no guarantee whether the international programme or institution
thatyouchoosetoentrustyourchild’seducationwithisdenitelythebetter
choice than placing your child in a traditional school.
According to the survey, the average expenditure for placing a child
in an international curriculum is 4-5 times higher than traditional Thai
language programmes. When comparing average cost between three school
groups (from elementary to high school), categorised by offered academic
curriculums, currently available in Thailand, the numbers show that average
costs for each group are: 50,000–600,000 baht for Traditional Thai language
school, 1.8-3.0 million baht for English language programme and 7-9 million
baht for international school.
With those exorbitantly high tuition fees that parents will have to bear,asidefromwealthyparentswhosenancialwellbeingcancomfortablycope
with higher cost, it is not hard to imagine that most parents will have to resort
tomorethanjustthenotionthatyoucannotputapriceoneducation.
Still, even putting a child through the best International school in the
country does not guarantee your child a life of success and prosperity. There
will always be other variables outside of education. The question most parents
have in the back of their mind, even when they are not saying it, is ‘Is this a
worthy investment?’ It sounds somewhat out of place mixing investment with
education. But when that much money is involved, it is inevitable.
Given the cost of international education, this is not a decision to be taken
lightly. We will be examining the process and variety of international education.
How should one go about deciding what is best for their child’s international
education? Due to the varied global educational standards, each international
education curriculum has its own merits and limitations. Educating yourself
with a basic understanding of the system could prove to be critical when
makingthenaldecision.
Do not invest your thoughts purely in the language
prociencyaspect.Giveequalconsiderationtothe
character building development of your child as
well, as international education should also
be about building mindset and vision.
Accordingto the survey, the
average expenditurefor placing a child
in an internationalcurriculum is
4-5 times higherthan traditional
Thai languageprogrammes.
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11INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
โรงเรยนสองภาษาลาดพราว
โรงเรยนสองภาษาลาดพราวตระหนักถงความส�าคัญของการจัดการศกษาท มคณภาพซ งจะสงผลใหเดกไทยเปนทรัพยากรท มคณคาและเปนก�าลังส�าคัญในการพัฒนาประเทศในวันขางหนา ประกอบกับการตระหนักถงความตองการของผ ปกครองท ม งหวังใหบตรเตบโตอยางมคณภาพ มความพรอมทั งดานรางกาย อารมณ จตใจ สังคม สตปญญา และวัฒนธรรม
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จงไดรเร มการเรยนการสอนในหลักสตรสองภาษา (BilingualThai-English) ข น โดยเปดท�าการสอนตั งแตระดับเดก
เลก อนบาล จนถงระดับประถมศกษาปท 6
โรงเรยนสองภาษาลาดพราว โรงเรยนระบบสองภาษา(ไทย-อังกฤษ) ท ดท สดแหงหน งในประเทศไทย
หลักสตรเนนการเตรยมความพรอมดานภาษาอังกฤษโดยไดประยกตเอานวัตกรรมการสอนภาษาไทยและอังกฤษแบบธรรมชาต (Whole Language) เขามาใช โดยเปนการสอนท ใหเดกซมซับจากสภาพแวดลอมรอบตัว โดยใชภาษาอังกฤษเปนส อในการเรยนร ภายใตการดแลของครตางชาตเจาของภาษา นอกจากน ยังมการ
จัดการเรยนการสอนแบบโครงการซ ง เน นความสนใจของผ เ รยนเปนส�าคัญ โดยเปดโอกาสใหเดกเปนผ ลงมอปฏบัตกจกรรมตางๆดวยตนเอง ซ งจะท�าใหเดกๆ ไดเรยนร ผานการเลนอยางสนกสนานเพลดเพลน สงผลใหเกดประสทธผลในการเรยนมากข น
โรงเรยนสองภาษาลาดพราว401 ซ.ลาดพราว 126 ถ.ลาดพราว เขตวังทองหลาง กรงเทพฯ 10310 โทร: 0-2530-3030
www.lbs.ac.th
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Looking Through the Numbers:
Going back just 10 or 20 years ago, the thought of international
education, or to be more precise, international schools, was almost
exclusivelylimitedtothosewithincertainsocialcircleswithnancial
status to back it up. Most parents didn’t give it serious consideration because
of limited availability and information.Fast-forward to today and it is a whole different ballgame. International
education has become the veryrst thought parents have inmindalmost
the very second their kids begin to read the alphabet. One question persists,
though:isthisjustafadthatcomeswiththeboomingeconomyThailandhas
been seeing for the last decade or is international education actually a better
academic route in the global culture dominated world?
As stated earlier, even though international education has become
unprecedentedly more visible in Thailand’s education system, it still requires
majornancialcommitmentanditcouldpotentiallybecomeparents’nightmare
if not planned elaborately.
Many parents have second thoughts whether international education is
fortheirchildandisitworththenancialrisktheyaretakingon.Onecould
go on to explain how international education can be an optional necessity by
listingalltheprosandconsbut,tobehonest,itisstilljustabstractpromising
words and persuasion.
To get down to what matters, what paints the image of how international
education gives a leg up to those who have gone through it, we have to look at
the statistics and numbers that illustrate the advantage international education
can provide over the traditional system.
First, let’s say you want to send your kids to college abroad. We all know
getting into college abroad means that your kids have to prove themselves
more than native students. This is especially true for those students who study
in their native language curriculum since all the academic credentials need to
be re-evaluated and more standardised tests need to be taken.
This is where international education provides easier stepping-stones for
higher education abroad. According to a survey by The New York Times in
2012, of all the international applications submitted to 12 leading Americancolleges in 2012, 54% were admitted. Of the 54% international applications
that were admitted, only 14.1% were applicants who graduated from local
schools with a curriculum taught in the native language. That is where the
difference starts taking shape. The statistics simply tell us that, on average,
of all international applicants who are admitted into leading colleges in the
United States, students who graduated from international curriculum schools
A fad ora promising future
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13INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
2 Silom Road, #1801 Silom Center Tel: 02-632-8880
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make upalmost 86%. See the picture here?At 54% admission rate, just
getting admitted is already hard enough for international students. But when
you throw in the fact that only 14% of students graduated from local schoolswith native language curriculum make the cut, you have to feel the need for
some advantage. And that is why international education is essentially the
smoother academic pathway for students or parents who are looking for more
opportunities, both academically and professionally, in the future.
Now, what about the career aspect? How does international education
play a role even after the schooling years have ended and students have to
make it in the real world? A survey by The Human Capacity Building Institute
(HCBI)andSripatumUniversityclaimsthattheaveragerst10yearssalary
for an employee with a bachelor degree in private sector is 35,000 baht.
Referring to the numbers in the overview section, this means that to recoup
the money you spend on your kid’s education takes 1-2 years for Traditional
Thai School, 5-10 years for English language programme and roughly 18-20
years for international school. This is without taking college education into
account. Another interesting survey was conducted by the Faculty of Commerce
and Accountancy, Thammasat University. The study collected data on
employmentofclassof2009graduates.ItndsthatwhilegraduatefromThai
language programme schools have median starting salaries of 17,835.11 baht,
graduate from English programme has the median starting salary of 22,012.07
baht. That roughly translates into a 20 percent difference. Also, the survey
nds that23.82% of graduates from traditional Thai languageprogramme
schoolshavetroubleapplyingforajobbecauseofalackofEnglishlanguage
skills. So a study from renowned domestic institution shows that there are
differences between traditional and international curriculums.
Still, some might make the case that this study’s sampling is too
homogeneous. The difference between the two programmes is marginal at
best considering the tuition fee per semester (29,000 baht for Thai language
programme and 149,000 baht for English programme.) And more importantly,withthedifferencethatissomewhatnotverysignicantandthemuchhigher
cost of international education, is it still a better academic path? Well, if we
werestrictlytalkingfromnancialpointofview,Iwouldsayitisnotthesafest
betyoucouldplaceforyourchild.However,jumpingtothatconclusionstraight
from comparing the numbers is a rather short-sighted approach.
At 54 per centadmission rate,
just gettingadmitted is
already hard
enough forinternational
students.
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Let’s have a look at another set of data. This comes from a survey on
Thailand Market Salaries as of January 2013, conducted by Gemini Personnel,
aConsultant rm based inHongKong.This survey shows the differenceinsalariesbetweeneachlevelofEnglishProciencyforeachjobcategory,
andthe differenceis highly signicant. Iwillpick justone jobcategory for
comparison. For example, for engineers, the starting salary without English
prociencyis22,500bahtwhilethestartingsalaryforengineerswithuent
English is 50,000 baht: the difference is more than 100%! Imagine how this
difference will play out throughout the entire career for those with uent
English?
Evidently, this argument relies heavily on the employment opportunities
aftertheacademicyears,andittakesquitealongjourneyforinternational
education to actually pay off, but, at the very least, the numbers to support
parents’ decisions to go for it are there. And when you have the number
tofallon,claiminginternationaleducationisjustaparentingfadisablind
assumption at best. International education could be your kid’s key to future
success in life, both academically and professionally.
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AEC:
We mentioned in the preceding section the importance of the upcoming
AEC, or ASEAN Economic Community, which will take effect in late
2015. AEC is a proposed free trade economic zone comprising of the
following 10 ASEAN countries: Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia,
Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines and Indonesia.
Similar to the EU, or European Union, what will happen once the AEC
takes effect is that it will turn these 10 ASEAN countries into a free trade zone
where trades between these member countries are conducted without the red
tape of the usual government tax policy and regulations such as import tariffs
and immigration controls. The AEC agreement is supposed to create more
weight for ASEAN countries to negotiate in global trade since the total GDPof AEC members even outweighs the EU. Coupled with the fact that AEC
member countries, all together, will represent the third largest population in the
world, this makes AEC an even better economic boost for the region.
Why it matters
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Why should Thailand’s becoming an AEC member concern parents
considering international education? Well, to put things into perspective,
whenwetalkaboutfreetradezones,justliketheEU,itisnotjustabouttrade
ingoodsthatwillenjoyfreemovementwithinthefreetradezone.Thisfree
trade zone will also create free movement of the labour force. This means
that the working population will no longer be stagnant: it will become moremobile since new human resources can be more easily sourced within the
region. There will be less unfavourable regulations concerning cross-national
labour issues between AEC members. The labour market should therefore
become more eclectic and considerably more competitive, since the talent
pool will signicantly expand. Employers can choose to hire from other
member countries if they deem that the local labour market cannot fully drive
their business growth. Likewise, local labour markets need to be on their toes
and keep adapting to the needs of businesses, in order to be competitive with
other AEC countries’ market. It’s all related.
Nowthinkabouthowtheinuxofnewlabourmovingtoworkbetween
these member countries’ markets and the new business opportunities that
will arise once the AEC becomes the norm. There will be huge changes in
the business environment and, of course, human resources. This is where
international education comes in as a preparation for this close-to-homechanging world.
When people from many nations come to work together, as they will with
theAEC,theveryrstissuethatneedstobeaddressedislanguage.Andwhat
languagewouldbemostwidelyused?DenitelyEnglish.Itisexpectedthat
Englishprociencywillbecomemoreofanecessitythanaqualicationinthe
future AEC labour market and everyone who keeps their eyes peeled should
see why.
Why does it matter to prepare for AEC? Shouldn’t this be adequately
addressed by the government sector alone? Well, let’s see how well prepared
Thailand is for becoming an AEC member, and one of its leading nations, in
termsofEnglishprociency.
When people from
many nations come
to work together,
as they will with the
AEC, the very first
issue that needs
to be addressed is
language. And whatlanguage would be
most widely used?
Definitely English.
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English Proficiency Index (EPI):
Not a very promising pictureEducation First (EF), a British company specialised in language training,
hasbeenconductinganannualsurveyregardingEnglishProciencyofNon-
English speaking countries and the results of its 2012 survey are not very
encouraging for Thailand, to say the least. The survey is on a voluntary basis,
so not every country opts to be included in it. Of the total 54 countries included
inthe survey, ve arefromtheproposedAECmembers, and they all are
leading member nations, including Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam
and Malaysia. Those countries that opt out are Laos, Cambodia, Brunei,
Myanmar and Philippines.
Let’s have a look at the result
Of all AEC member countries that participate in the survey, Singapore
ranked the highest at 12th, follow closely by Malaysia at 13th. Both are in
theHighProciencygroup.IndonesiaandVietnamrankedinthesameLow
Prociencytierat27th and31strespectively.AndThailand?Well,it’s53rd.
Yes, Thailand ranks almost dead last at 53rd. This does not even include the
Philippines which traditionally is known to have a relatively strong English
Thailand israted as having
a very lowproficiency
when it comesto conducting
business inEnglish.
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prociencyamongASEANcountries.By being ranked at53rd,Thailand is
ratedashavingaverylowprociencywhenitcomestoconductingbusiness
in English.
A very low prociency. Let that sink in for aminute. Even China, a
country that spent half a century defying all Westernisation, ranks higher than
Thailand, at 36th. This survey shows that despite the clamour and facade
of being a modernized country, when it comes to things that count for being
internationally savvy like English, Thailand is greatly lacking.
Toaddinsulttoinjury,in2011,theThaigovernmentmadea decision
NOTto developEnglishasanofcialsecond languageprogramme in the
government-run school system. The Ministry of Education said that Thailand
has neverbeen subjected toothernations’ hegemonyand todevelop an
English language programme would suggest otherwise. Well, that pretty much
explains why Thailand is 53rd in the rankings.There is a reason why so many international corporations have their
Asian base set up in Singapore: Singapore ranked the highest on the EF EPI
at 12th. Now think about what could become the norm once AEC takes effect.
WhatifinternationalcompaniescometoThailandtoenjoyourcheaplabour,
butinsteadof llingtheiradministrativeandexecutivejobsbyhiringlocally,
theyopttohirefromotherAECnationswithbetterEnglishprociency.That
would be an opportunity lost, no question. Any third world country can provide
cheap labour but no country can economically and socially progress by being
the cheap hire alone. We need well-educated, internationally adept personnel
to compete in a changing global economy. Logically, international education is
the most direct answer to that challenge.
Also, according to the AEC agreement, once in effect, education,
especially international education, will potentially be facing a new test. Since
the Thai government refused to develop its own English language programme,
and the availability of international schools in Thailand is still playing catch
up, there is a good chance that schools from other member countries with
betterEnglishprociencysuchasSingaporeandMalaysiawillbecomingto
Thailand. This could open up more opportunity and afford greater numbers
of parents an admission into the international education system. On the
other hand, more students from other AEC member countries could come
to Thailand for their international education, this can result in strengthening
the international education system in Thailand or making international school
availability even more scarce.
Tokeepupwiththispotentialinuxofnewgroupofstudents,international
schools in Thailand need to adapt their curricula to be even more internationally
oriented in order to compete with international schools from within AEC. But
since the Ministry of Education still enforces the regulations on Thai study,for any international school to develop their curricula to attract more students
from other AEC countries is somewhat uncertain.
Moreover, teaching personnel issues also need to be addressed.
Currently, foreigners who apply for teaching positions in international schools
need to go through Thai language and culture training in order to get their
teaching license; which is a major obstacle for recruiting new, qualied
teaching personnel in response to the expected increased demand for
international education after AEC takes effect. This needs to be looked over
byThaiGovernment’seducationagenciestoseeifanyadjustmentcouldbe
madetoaccommodatequaliedforeignerswhowanttoteachinThailand.
Singaporeranked thehighest onthe EF EPI
at 12th.
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Building International Character:
When it comes to international education, there is no rule of thumb that
will guarantee success for your kids’ future. For a start, you need to
look back at how the whole international education system got off the
ground. It is generally known that international education got off the ground
because of expatriates who needed to raise their children in the surroundings
of their native traditional traits and values.
What does this historical fact have to do with anything? Basically, to
understand the international school environment in its entirety, you have to
accept the fact that not every international school was created the same. A
couple of decades ago, there were only a few established international schoolsoperating in Bangkok, let alone the whole country. International Schools back
in those days were functioning purely on the fact that most, if not all, students
attending would end up back in their home country eventually. Simply put,
they had no obligation to instil local culture and values into their adopted
curriculums. With this set of facts in mind, there are strong vestigial elements
from that past present in most reputable international schools in Thailand.
Learning stages
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The difference, however, is now that international education has gained
its fair share of popularity in mainstream education. You now have international
schools popping up all over Bangkok and many well-known provincialexpatriate communities like Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. The fact of the
matter is that each international school has its own way of operation, and
selectinganinternationalschoolforyourchildshouldbemorethanjustabout
how strong the English courses are. The pickings are certainly not slim and
choicesvarybothnanciallyandacademically.
Say that after much deliberation you come to the conclusion that
international education is the right choice for your kid’s future. Now comes the
veryrstdecisionthatmostparentshaveanincrediblydifculttimemaking:
when is the right time to put their kid in the international education system?
This may come off as easy as deciding what age your kid should start
school but it could be trickier than you might think.
First off, there is the issue of early childhood to think about.
Some parents have a very tough time dealing with their kids being in
international school while keeping them attached to Thai culture. Thetrick is to strike the perfect balance between international surroundings
at school and Thai values at home.
This is not as cut and dried as it sounds There are things to
consider. For this reason, we have to go over some of the basics
of early childhood development during formative years. So, as
parents, you will know when or how you could help your kid
develop a balanced international character while absorbing
Thai culture.
Say thatafter much
deliberationyou come to theconclusion that
internationaleducation is theright choice for
your kid’s future.
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KindergartenThere is not much academically parents can do at this level since the
concentration on a child’s development is not on education but rather on physical
and emotional development. Still, parents can always provide developmental
aidsandsupportforthechildtocreateabetter-ttingenvironmentthatwill
provide linear, undisrupted development.
The international education system for this stage varies according to
each system. The British system calls this “Early Years or Key stage 0” at the
age of 3-5. The American system uses the title “Pre School or Kindergarten” at
the age of 4-6. The International Baccalaureate system labels it “Primary Year
Programme (PYP)” at ages ranging from 3-12 years old.
In the early childhood stage, basic development (physical/social/
emotional/intellectual/language) is of the most importance and requires the
undivided attention of parents. Observing your child’s behavioural development
closely would help guide you on how to interact with your child and what your
child’s natural interest tendencies seem like.
Theoretically, a child’s development can be systematically represented
and observed according to age period. Nevertheless, it is also imperative
to note that all the suggested activities and resulting achievements, whichare grouped by time specic periods, presented here, represent average
children from observed data. Not all children have to strictly follow the same
development pattern.
ElementaryIt has been academically proven that elementary years are the most
important period in shaping your child’s characteristic traits and thought
processes. Thus, having your child placed in international education
surroundings should help develop behavioural traits and values. These
schools maintain their curricular following the international systems accepted
worldwide; British System, American System or International Baccalaureate.
In the British system, levels start at the Primary or Key Stage 1 and 2. The
prior one falls into Year 1-2 at the age of 5-7 years old. The latter one falls into
Year 3-6 from the age of 7-11 years old. The American system is equivalent to
Elementary school or Grade 1-5, at age 6-11 years old.
For the IB system, the course starts from Kindergarten under the Primary
Year Programme (PYP) at the age of 3-12 Years. The PYP focuses on the
development of the whole child in the classroom but also in the world outside
through other environments where children learn. It offers a framework thatmeets children’s several needs: academic/social/physical/emotional and
cultural. The good news is that, at this stage there is little difference between
each international curriculum. Therefore, no matter which curriculum your
school adopts, it is unlikely to cause any disruption in your kids’ academic
development down the line.
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High SchoolAt this stage, it is crucial to make your decision on which academic
track you deem most appropriate to the student’s academic contingency.
After all, these are the formative years of building academic stepping stones
towards international education for your child in the truest sense. How well
the student will do in their college education depends heavily on these high
school years. Whether the student is choosing the right international education
curriculum will have an enormous effect on their college application. Thus,
parents’ involvement is encouraged but should never be the decisive factor.
Most students in international school continue their college education abroad,
sochoosing the rightinternationalhigh-school curriculumthat benets the
planned college system takes the highest priority. Comparatively, international
high school programme is equivalent to Matthayom 4-6 in the Thai education
system, Key Stage 4-5 (Year 10–13) in the British system and High School
(Grade 9-12) in the American system. The appropriate age for this stage falls
between 14-18 years old.
Understanding the basics of how the international education system works would be resourceful in making the
choiceofinternationalschoolandthettingcurriculumsthatmatchtheeducationalpathforyourchild.Theseinternational
schoolshavebeencontinuouslyadjustinganddevelopingtheircurriculumstobeacceptedbothinternationallyand
domestically and they are accredited by Thailand’s Ministry of Education. These international programmes are aiming
at giving students the opportunity to earn their high school diploma in an international environment that will also
afford students academic credentials for university admission abroad. It is an attempt to standardise the process of
continuing study for both international and local institutions in our rapidly changing world.
These international
schools have been
continuously adjusting
and developing
their curriculums
to be accepted both
internationally and
domestically and they
are accredited by
Thailand’s Ministry
of Education.
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Making a Choice
So you have made the decision that international education is the best
academic path for your kid’s future. Now comes the step where you
have to make another crucial decision: which school is the right one for
you, as parents, and your kid, for their academic success? Given the growing
availability of international programmes being offered from both international
schools and Thai Schools with English language programmes, there will
certainly be a long check list to go through. Before we go on to making the
decision on what type of school you should place your kid in, let’s have a
rundownofthissimplechecklistrst.
1. your k id’s age. how old are te? Because sometimes, like statedin the previous section, a student too young could be confused when
placed too early in a multiple-language environment. At the early age of
1-4 years old, a child is still developing their own identity and it could
potentially cause a disruption in the child’s development if they are to be
confused by the different languages spoken at school and home. Thus, if
you would like to place your kid in international surroundings early, a more
ttingoptionwouldbeprogramsthatofferasmoothertransitionwhere
English is used primarily in the learning process with Thai as a secondary
common usage.
2.Yournancialability.Howmuchdoexpecttospendonyour
kid’s tuition and fees? International education – whether English
programmes or international schools – is signicantly more expensive
than traditional Thai schools. The cost of these programmes should be
proportionate to your family income, so that it will not incur too muchburden on you as a parent. The good news is that there are plenty more
optionsforinternationalprogrammesnancewisenowthanbefore.Don’t
giveupyourhopeiftherstschoolyoundisnanciallyunviable.Keep
looking. However, this cannot be stressed enough: don’t put too much
nancialstrainonyourincome.Yourkid’seducationisalongrunning
process; you can always opt for the more expensive choice when you are
ready.
Which schoolis the right
one for you, asparents, and
your kid,for their
academicsuccess?
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3.Gatheringinformation, here is where most parents make the veritable
mistake: they don’t do it. You would be surprised how many parents
choosingtheirkid’sschooljustbytakingwordsoutoftheirfriends’mouthsor their friends’ suggestions. It seems good enough since many parents
claim this school or that school is best, so it should be good enough for your
kid, right? Wrong. The bottom-line is that the school that is right for other
people’s kid isn’t necessarily perfect for your kid too. If your kid has to get
up at 4 in the morning and be on the road for 2 hours for school everyday,
I don’t care how people say that school’s international programmes can
turn an ordinary kid into a genius, it is not right for my kid. What if your
wanting your kid to be able to stay in close contact with their Thai roots
is as important as developing their English? What if you want your kid to
grow up and learn in natural surroundings? What if you want your kid to
study in the most technologically advanced school possible? What is the
percentage of Thai students to international students ratio? What does
the school serve for lunch most frequently? Does the school offer summer
programs. If it does, is it domestic or abroad? Most importantly, whichinternational curriculum does the school adopt? Yes, every aspect of the
school should be considered. Never take anything for granted or because
people claim the school is good enough.
4.Wementioned thisoneinpassingon therstchecklist: do
you want your kid to keep their Thai identity? This last checklist is the
mostimportanttothemajorityofThaiparents.Whiletheywanttheirkidto
have the best international education they can afford, most parents hate
seeing their kid abandon their Thai identity. This is a tough nut to crack
as parents. This is why we have the third checklist: because not every
parent wants their Thai kid to grow up to be a foreigner in their homeland,
do they? While some of the most prestigious international schools, whose
programmes are deemed the best in the region, are offering the best
academic opportunity for your kids, how might their academic philosophy
and culture cause your kid to lose their Thai identity? Does it come withthe territory? Thus, as parents, these seemingly best international schools
may not be the best for you if your priority is to keep your kid grounded in
Thai culture and values.
Assuming you have gone over the checklist and you
aresettomakethenalcallofschoolchoice,nowweare
going to look at the type of schools that offer international
education and what are the differences between them.
Generally speaking, schools that offer international
curricula can be cast into two categories: international
schools and English programme offering schools. What
differentiates these two main providers of international
education are mainly how they operate and their academic
philosophy.
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International Schools
According to International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT), there are
currently 133 international schools in Thailand. The number has grown from
about 40 in 1992. Approximately, 40,000-50,000 students are studying in
theinternationalschoolsystematthemoment.Also,the latestguresfrom
theOfceofPrivateEducationCommissionshowthatthenumberofprivate
schools with English Programme (EP) increased from 144 in 2008 to 162 in
2012, while the number of EP students rose from 35,800 in 2008 to 54,800
in 2012. Altogether, 400 state and private run schools across the country
are offering EP and Mini-EP to hundreds of thousands of students. Ten
percent of those students are foreigners. Also, according to research done
by the International School Consultancy, global international education has
increased dramatically and will keep growing. The total number of English-
medium international schools in the world is more than 6,400 with more
than 3.2 million students. By 2022, it is expected that there will be 11,300international schools and 6.2 million students.
Generally, international schools in Thailand can be categorized into two
different subcategories as follows:
•Non-ProfitBoardGovernedInternationalSchools
These schools represent the image of international school from the early
days. Some of the schools in this faction have been operating in Thailand
continuously for longer than 50 years. That is an achievement in itself by
any standard. Schools in this subcategory were developed in response to
the demand of high standard education for English speaking students whose
parents were those of government employees from overseas and business
expatriates during the halcyon days of globalisation. Some were even founded
with partial funding from foreign governments or organisations. Therefore,theseschools’operationhasnotbeenaboutmakingprotfromthebeginning.
These schools operate under school board of trustees which typically
consisted of elected parents and representatives from funding governments
or related organisations.
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•BusinessOwnedFor-ProfitInternational
Schools
IfBoardGovernedNon-ProtInternationalSchoolsrepresent
globalisationinitshalcyondays,thesefor-protschoolsrepresent
globalisation at its veritable apex. The waves of these international
schoolsowingintoThailand’seducationsystematthemoment
are unprecedented. Only during these past two decades have
international schools of this pedigree made their presence felt. The
signicantcharacteristicforthesefor-protschoolsisobvious:they
operate as business organisations. Some of these schools are
branches of reputed institutions overseas, some are of the most
prestigious ones from Europe, and some are locally run as family
businesses. The cost of getting your kid into these schools is also
in the highest bracket but that comes with the territory. It is worth
notingthat,recentlytherearemoreBritishafliateinternational
schoolsopeningupinThailandthananyotherafliations.
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International schools in both categories offer international academic
curricula allied to their country of afliation i.e. Advance Placement for
the American system, A Level for the British system and InternationalBaccalaureate (IB) for the international educational system. Which curriculum
is offered at school could be a factor in your kid’s college education. Parents
should take time to consider the advantages of each curriculum.
If you are expecting the most authentic sense of international education,
this is probably as close as it can get. Since the schools operate on the basis
that it does not necessarily need to integrate local culture into their curriculum.
TheschoolsthatcanjustgetbyincludeThaiStudyCoursesasmandatedby
the Ministry of Education. Also, at least half of school board members must
be Thai nationals, due to the regulations pertaining to foreign investment in
education. English is, of course, the primary language used both in academic
settings and social surroundings. Some schools may have introduced a third
language, like Chinese, into their curricula due to growing popularity. These
schools generally are the most costly of all international education alternatives.
Academic settings in these schools are closer to international standard,whether evaluation, class setting, teaching method or extra curricula activities.
Forexample,unliketraditionalThaischoolswherestudentsaregivenxed
course schedules and elective programmes, these international schools let
students choose their own academic courses using a credit system. This helps
when students go onto college level since it better prepares them to be more
responsible for their academic decisions.
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Some schoolsmay have
introduced a
third language,like Chinese,
into theircurricula due
to growingpopularity.
Also, in order for these international schools to maintain their international
school status, they have to maintain the international-to-local-students ratio at
a certain number, according to a predetermined admissions policy. As you
might expect, this admissions policy caters more to international students.
Hence,gettingyourkidintotheseschoolscouldtakemorethanjustadequate
fnanceandgoodplanning.
Lastly, there are internationally accepted accreditations for internationalschools you should get familiar with. Here are some of the more widely known:
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), The New England
Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), AdvancED – for American
organisations. The Council of International Schools (CIS): The European
Council of International Schools (ECIS), The International School Award
(ISA) – for European and British organisations: The International Schools
Association of Thailand (ISAT) – domestically accreditation: And, International
Baccalaureate World School (IB World) – operated in tandem with International
Baccalaureate Program. These accreditations should provide the baseline for
making your decision.
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English Programme (EP) or Bilingual
Schools
Due to the increasing demand for English teaching schools while
the supply for international schools is still catching up rather slowly, these
English programme schools serve exactly those spilled over demands. Aswe discussed in the last section, international schools need to maintain their
local-to-international-student ratio, thus, as fast as the growth of international
schools in Thailand seems, it is still far outmatched by demands.
English Programme School or Bilingual School means a Thai school run
and operated by a local owner or, in some cases, the state, that offers optional
English language programme as an academic alternative for students whose
parents are willing to carry additional cost. The curriculum in these
school is an MOE approved Thai curriculum which in some cases
may have been slightlyadjusted but isstill within the allowed
context.CoursesaretaughtinEnglishonlyforcertainsubjects
and the rest are in Thai. All the extra curricula activities
are in accordance with the Thai curriculum without any
adjustment.Someschoolsmayevenofferprogrammes
that are designed in cooperation with reputableschools from abroad in order to obtain some
form of international credential. For example,
some schools offer tailored programmes or
jointprogrammeswithinternationallyknown
schools from English speaking countries
like Canada or Australia. This seems
to be the trend for English programme
schools at the moment.
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Mostly Thai teachers make up the teaching faculty with adequate
numbers of English speaking teaching staff in charge of courses that are
taught in English. The strength of English programme schools is the variety.
Youdon’tneedtolimityourchoicetoafewinternationalschoolsthattyour
criteria. Think how many Thai schools are highly competitive academically?
The good news is that today most of those schools offer English language
programmes. Language aspect of the programme may not be as intense
as those offered in international schools but when it comes to academic
excellence, you will have far more choices and maybe even higher quality. In
sciencesandmathematics,Thaischoolsaredoinganejobproducinghigh
qualitygraduatesintermsofacademicprociency.Also,itgoeswithoutsaying
thatthecostoftheseschoolsissignicantlylowerthanfull-edgeinternational
schools. English programmes in Thai schools may not sound like the most
ideal international environment but for academic excellence, they are as good
as any international school in the country.
Thai schoolsare doing a fine job producing
high qualitygraduates
in terms of academic
proficiency.
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Programmesoffered in
internationalschools are
set up toafford students
credentialsfor college
applicationabroad.
International
Curriculums
Understanding the difference between international curriculums would
betherststepintherightdirectioninchoosingtherightschooland
likelywillbenetyourkid’scollegeeducationinthefuture.Respectively,
international education programmes are equivalent to Matthayom 4-6 in the
Thai education system, Key Stage 4-5 (Year 10–13) in the British system and
High School (Grade 9-12) in the American system. The appropriate ages fall
between 14-18 years old. Each international curriculum is designed in regard to its afliated
education system, i.e. British System, American System and International
Baccalaureate System. It is strongly advised that students and parents should
plan their course of study in advance before picking one curriculum over
another. Because choosing the right curriculum for the prospective higher
education system can provide a student with a better chance with their college
application and a smoother transition if the student continues their college
abroad.Presently,mostinternationalschoolscontinuallyadjustanddevelop
their curriculums, to varying degrees, to be accepted both internationally and
domestically.
All international schools in Thailand, in order to obtain their license, have
tobeofciallyaccreditedbyThailand’sMinistryofEducation.Programmes
offered in international schools are set up to afford students credentials for
college application abroad, depending on the school’s adopted curriculum.This is an attempt to expedite the students’ continuing onto college education,
for both international and domestic institutions. Therefore, parents can make
their decision, on which curriculum is suitable for their kid’s college plan, based
on which curriculum is accredited by colleges in the country. At present, there
are three international education systems adopted by international schools
worldwide i.e. the British System (IGCSE and A level), American System (AP),
and International Baccalaureate (IB.)
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British System
British System is separated into 2 levels of academic evaluations for differenteducational purposes – IGCSE/GCSE/GCE ‘O’ Level and A Level.
IGCSE/GCSE/GCE ‘O’ Level: These are standardised courses for
students in their Key Stage 4, or Year 10-11, under the age of 14-16 years old.
IGCSE(InternationalGeneralCerticateofSecondaryEducational)curriculum
is an international programme designed to develop and prepare students for
higher education through different areas of academic interest. Student can
choosebetweenthecorecoursesreectingthestudents’academicinterests.
Byfocusingontheoverallknowledgeofthesubjects,studentswouldbegraded
from C to G. Moreover, students will have to take the extended examination,
which includes core courses with additional content. Students will be graded
fromAtoC.Coursesaredividedintovegroups:Language,Humanitiesand
Social Science, Science, Mathematics and Creative, Technical and Vocational.
Studentscanchoosetheirowncoursesofstudythatttheiracademicinterestand capability. The following are samples of the courses offered: Accounting,
Art and Design, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Religious Studies, Sociology,
Travel and Tourism, Geography, Literature, First Language from Chinese/
French/German/Japanese etc.
GCE(GeneralCerticateofEducation)andGCSE(GeneralCerticate
of Secondary Educational) are the same academic evaluation. The only
difference is the location of the courses being offered. GCSE or British
GCSE is for students studying in the UK, while GCE is for overseas students
taking courses under the British curriculum. GCE is recognised as a British
qualicationexamination.Theprogrammeisseparatedintotwolevels:GCE
‘O’ Level is to be taken in the upper secondary level or at the age of 16. GCE
‘A’Levelistobetakeninthekeystage5orattheageof18.Subjectsarealso
placed into 5 groups, namely – Language, Humanities and Social Science,
Science, Mathematics and Creative, Technical and Vocational – albeit to asignicantlylessercoursevarietythanthoseofferedinIGCSE.
Students who take IGCSE and GCE ‘O’ level will be equivalently
recognised as British GCSE, and will be accepted in most British vocational
schools. However, admission to British universities/colleges requires three
additionalGCE‘A’Levelsubjects,inadditiontoveIGCSEpasses.These
requirements vary in each university/college, so it is a MUST to check the
admission requirements of the prospective university/college in advance for
subjectselectionpertainingtocollegeadmission.
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InThailand,IGCSEandGCE‘O’LevelcerticationsareaccreditedbyThe
Ministry of Education as High School equivalency (Matthayom 6) and students
will be accepted by most Thai Universities, under the following conditions:• IGCSE, student have toachieve gradeC or better, in total ve IGCSE
subjects
• GCE ‘O’ Level studentshaveto achieve gradeC orbetter intotal ve
subjects,or
• acombinationofbothIGCSEandGCE‘O’LevelwithgradeCorbetterin
totalvesubjects
A-Level: A-Level (Advanced Level General Certicate of Secondary
Educational)curriculumisdevelopedforstudentswhoarespecicallylooking
to continue their education in college or university in the British System.
Thisprogrammeoffersa varietyofsubjectsforstudentstobuildthecourse
combination that respond to their academic interests. Students usually enter
the programme at Key Stage 5, known as Year 12-13 under the age of 16-18
years old.
Thecourseissetupintwoacademicyears;therstyearingrade12,knownas
“AS level” and the second year in grade 13, known as “A2 level”. Whilst each
year covers approximately the same amount of materials, the conceptually
moredifcultcourseswillalmostalwayspresentinthesecond“A2”year.A
student on this two-year course should choose up to four ‘AS’ courses in the
rstyearandthenconvertthreeoftheminto‘A2’examinationsthefollowing
year.CoursesaredividedintovegroupsofLanguage,HumanitiesandSocial
Science, Science, Mathematics and Creative, Technical and Vocational. The
curriculum comprises up to 50 varieties of courses but often selects 2-3
relevant courses from each group for the examination. Student would achieve
level 5 grading from A-E and all grades are accepted as pass.
As mentioned earlier, any grade range from A-E is accepted as a pass for
graduation requirements. Nevertheless, some British universities have their
owndistinctrequirementforadmission.Somemightacceptjust‘C’gradingfor
admission but some might only accept higher grades. Therefore, it is highly
recommended to check those requirements early on in planning for college
education. Incidentally, Thai universities normally require a minimum of three
A-Levelsubjectsat“pass”gradestobesuccessfullyaccepted.
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American System
Due to the size of the country and its multi-level, state and federal government,
theUnitedStateshasaratherexibleacademiccurriculum.Eachof50states
has its own education board that oversees its education system. Therefore,
thereisnonationalcurriculum,onlytherequiredcoresubjectsthatareroughly
outlined by federal mandates, mainly foundation courses that are taught inschools throughout the country, e.g. mathematics, science, language (reading,
grammar, writing), social studies (including history, geography, economics) and
information technology etc. In addition to required core courses, schools are
offering elective courses that students can individually pick to meet their own
interests and expertise, such as performing arts, advanced math, science or
technology and foreign languages. Other than the highly customisable course
content, in the matter of critical thinking, the American system, arguably, is
better than other curriculum in encouraging critical thinking in students. High
school years in the American system start from Grade 9-12, at age 14-18
years old. The American system does not require any specic course of
study to achieve an academic credential. It offers a standardised version of
its own federal government sanctioned curriculum as a designated academic
model called AP, or Advance Placement. This programme is widely known
as American Curriculum. Albeit not being a requirement to complete a high
school diploma, it can prove to be useful in college education: Especially to
those who prefer to pursue undergraduate studies in the United States.
AP, or Advanced Placement, is an academic programme administered by
The College Board of New York. It has gained popularity among international
schools all over the world. This programme enables students to take the
advanced courses that are transferable for college credits or placement while
still in high school. Since these advance courses are generally more challenging
and stimulating academically, compared to typical high school courses, it does
require the student’s commitment, motivation, involvement and hard work to
complete the coursework. AP exams take place annually in May under the
College Board’s supervision. Students who do not take AP courses in their high
school still have the chance to take the examination and gain credits towards
theAPcredential.Therearemorethan30APsubjectsavailableforstudentsto
choose from, including: Art History, Studio Art, Biology, Chemistry, Computer
Science, Economics (Microeconomics, Macroeconomics), English (Language
and Composition, Literature and Composition), Environmental Science,
French (Language, Literature), German (Language), Government and Politics
(Comparative, U.S.), History, Latin (Virgil, Literature), Mathematics (Calculus
AB, Calculus BC), Statistics, Music Theory, Physics (B, C: Mechanics, C:
Electricity & Magnetism), Psychology, and Spanish (Language, Literature) etc.
Evaluation scores range from 1 (no recommendation) to 5 (extremely
qualied).Individualcollegedeterminesthescorestobeacceptedforcredit
towards bachelor degree completion, but most consider a minimum score
of three to be eligible for transferable credit. Some colleges may award
three, and sometimes six, hours of credit per test. Students should contact
the prospective colleges to nd out about the policy regarding this. The
obvious advantage for students taking the AP programme is the preparationprocess one must take on prior to college. Most American colleges take a
more favourable view of students who have passed AP courses. However,
American colleges/universities require other standardised tests, like SAT or
ACT, to be submitted as a requirement for admission as well. In Thailand, the
AP programme is still building its popularity, but some universities are offering
degree programmes that accept applicants with AP scores, together with other
standardised tests, as an admission requirement.
The American
system doesnot requireany specific
course of studyto achieve
an academiccredential.
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International Baccalaureate System (IB) TheInternationalBaccalaureateisundeniablytheleaderintheeldof
internationaleducation.Itisanon-protfoundationthatoffersthreecoordinated
and challenging programmes for students from 3-19 years of age. This system
has been most adopted and accredited in over 120 countries around the world.
The Primary Years Program (PYP) is designed for students from the age of
3-12 years old, focusing mainly on children’s overall development. The Middle
Years Program (MYP) is for students with age ranging from 11-16 years old,
focusing on academic and social skills integration. Lastly, the IB Diploma
Program is for students from age 16-19 years. It is a two-year curriculum,
and probably the most comprehensive programme available, regarding
preparation for college education. The curriculum is also the most recognised
by leading universities around the world. The curriculum uniquely provides
balanced academic preparation and global perspective. There are six groups
ofsubjectsthatstudentshavetotakeathigherlevel(coursesrepresenting
240 teaching hours) or standard level (courses representing 150 teachinghours):
1. Language A
2. Language B
3. Individuals and Societies (Philosophy, Economics, Business and Management)
4. Experimental Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
5. Mathematics
6. Arts and Electives (Visual Arts, Film, Music, Dance and Theatre Arts)
There are three further elements providing additional academic
specialisation, as well as interests outside the classroom. These elements are:
• Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a course designed to encourage each
studenttoreectonthenatureofknowledgebycriticallyexaminingdifferent
ways of knowing (perception, emotion, language and reason) and differentkinds ofknowledge(scientic,artistic,mathematicalandhistorical).This
should be taken not less than 100 hours and written essay not less than
1,200 – 1,600 words.
• The Extended Essay (EE) is a requirement for students to engage in
independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to
oneofthesubjectstheyarestudying.Requiredwrittenessaynotlessthan
4,000 words.
• Creativity,Action,Service(CAS)requiresthatstudentsactivelylearnfrom
the experience of doing real tasks beyond the classroom. Students can
combine all three components or do activities related to each one of them
separately.
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ToobtainanIBdiploma,studentsmustchooseonesubjecteachfrom
groups 1 to 5. Thus, ensuring equal academic ability in languages, social
studies,theexperimentalsciencesandmathematics.Thesixthsubjectmaybearts,chosen fromgroup6, orthe studentmay opt for another subject
fromgroups1to5.Atleastthreesubjectshavetobetakenatthehighlevel
examination, with the rest can be taken at the standard level. Grading ranges
from1to7.Maximumcombinedscorefromsixsubjectswillbe42points.
The additional three courses (TOK/EE/CAS) reward another three points.
The highest score being awarded is 45 points, and the minimum requirement
to pass is 24 points. International schools that teach this curriculum hold
IB Examination twice yearly, and they administer the examination for their
students independently.
The IB diploma is, guratively-speaking, a universal passport to
international higher education. Universities around the world welcome the
unique characteristics of IB graduates. IB students routinely gain admission
to some of the world-renowned universities. Most leading universities have
established strong recognition for IB diploma, and those, expectedly, includeleading universities in Thailand.
Established in 1870’s, Southland Girls’ andSouthland Boys’ are the oldest schools in theSouthland province.Our learning environments provide a warm,friendly, caring community for students aged 10to 18 years, where a high standard of academic
Welcome to Southland Boys’ High School and Southland Girls’ High School
Contact
Southland Girls’ High School Yvonne Browning Principal
yvonne.browning@southlandgirls.school.nzwww.southlandgirls.school.nz
Contact
Southland Boys’ High SchoolIan Baldwin Rector
Contact Details:REX CAPIL EDUCATION [email protected] www.learn.southlandnz.com
S TUDY IN SOUTHLAND NEW ZEALAND
excellence and personal conduct by all students is expected.Both schools have proud academic records. Our NCEA exam resultsare consistently well above the national average.Our schools offer a choice of accommodation; a well supervisedboarding house, or carefully selected homestay. Your child’s learning is regularly monitored by qualified teachers.Each school has an International Director who is responsible for the
students’ day-to-day care. There are many opportunities for students to pursue their sporting,musical and artistic talents. SGHS and SBHS are schools that focuson excellence for all.
One of the attractions of living in Southland is the lifestyle. Residents are
typically involved in a range of sporting, arts, cultural and recreational
activities. International students who come to Southland to study realise
they receive an educational experience that encompasses internationally
recognised qualifications with an enjoyable, safe and exciting lifestyle.
Our Southland schools approach to education nurtures individuality and
fresh thinking. Southland’s dynamic but relaxed environment brings together
a unique set of conditions perfect for personal growth and learning. From
top quality educational instruction to Southland’s recreational paradise –
you will grow as an individual and become a dynamic young global citizen.
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College
Understandably,internationaleducationimposesasignicantburdenon
parents’nancialresponsibility. However,unlikeprecedingeducation
levels, College Education is something students should be largely left to
makethatnaldecisionaboutontheirown.Because,thebottom-lineisthat
your child will be the one who puts in the actual hard work by going to school
and studying while you provide support and guidance. The fact that your kid
has made it to this point is already an achievement on the parents’ part. As
parents, the next step should be letting your kid take a more leading role in
making the decision on their higher education.
There are two viable routes to higher education for international degrees:
domestic and going abroad. For domestic options there are two types of
international college degree programmes, Joint Degree Programme and
International Degree Programme. Going abroad for college education was
once the only connotation of international education at college level for Thai students. The good news is that unlike the government’s decision on
secondary education, during the last decade, the Ministry of University Affairs
(MUA), the regulative agency overlooking policy covering most degree granting
institutions in Thailand (both public and private,) has placed an emphasis on
internationalisation and regionalisation of Thailand’s tertiary education. As a
result, Thailand’s higher education system has been seeing a healthy increase
in international programmes at college level in recent years. The availability
of international college degrees has become normalised to the point that,
today, going abroad to continue international education at college level has
substantially become less of a necessity.
Basically, we are looking at three college platforms, namely, Domestic,
American and British alternatives. This does not imply that these are the
only college tracks available, it merely shows the possibility of what type of
admission process and requirements you will be dealing with once you aresettled on the college decision. For example, some countries like Australia and
Canadaadoptamoreexiblemethodincollegeadmissionforstudentsfrom
overseas. Their admission process and requirements for international students
are often interchangeable between American and British standardised tests. It
does not make for a better understanding to have a strict descriptive label for
any country’s college system.
For domesticoptions
there aretwo types of
internationalcollege degreeprogrammes.
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Domestic International College
ProgrammesOf all the possible options, the domestic international programme
represents the least strenuous process students have to take on. For one
thing, students are able to stay at home while taking their college courses.
That advantage alone should attract a considerable amount of interest from
concerned parents. Domestic international programmes in Thailand have
grownbothinnumbersofavailablemajorsandpopularityinrecentyears.It
used to be taking a domestic international programme was only considered
when nancially necessitated and courses of studywere limited to a few
viablecollegemajors.Thisisnolongerthecase.Accordingtothereportby
TheOfceoftheHigherEducationCommission(OHEC,)itshowsthatthe
number of international programmes offered at university level from 2005
- 2010 increased by almost 90%. In 2010, both the Thai public and private
universities offered a total of 981 English Language Programmes, of which699 programmes were offered by public institutions and 282 programmes by
private institutions. Of all the programmes offered, 342 are undergraduate
programmes, 389 are master’s degree programmes, 225 doctoral degree
programmes, and the others 25 programmes are non-degree granting.
At present, there are two options for students who want to pursue their
higher education in Thailand: International Degree Programme and Joint
Degree Program, or Collaborated Degree Programme, as some universities
choose to call it.
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“ Launching Careers For Over 30 Years ”
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•InternationalDegreeProgramme
International Degree Programme is a degree granting English programme
where each capable university or higher education institution develops the
programme and content of the degrees offered on its own. Most universities
offer international programmes through individual faculty admission. However,
in some leading universities, international programmes are offered directly by
their international college established for that purpose.
•InternationalJoint-DegreeProgramme
There could be some confusion with the “joint degree” programme
title. There are Thai language joint degree programs that combine two
degree-majorsinoneprogrammewhichusuallytakesjustoneyearlonger
than typical degree programmes. There are also the “International Joint
Degree Programme.” Here we are talking about the latter. On the surface,
International Joint Degree Programme is similar to International Degree
Programme. The most obvious difference is that while the typical InternationalDegree Programme is a degree programme designed and developed solely
by Thai universities and institutions, International Joint Degree Programme
is exclusively meant for programmes that are developed in collaboration or
in tandem between a Thai university or institution and another leading higher
education institution from another country (typically from North America,
Europe or Australia).
International college programs in Thailand have advanced in such a
way that some of the programmes being offered from leading institutions
areasqualiedasthosebeingtaughtabroador,insomecases,evenmore
internationally accredited. Quality of teaching personnel, of course, plays a
catalyzing role in achieving fast progress. Moreover, students who take college
studydomesticallybenetfromhavinglocalconnections,whichpossiblycould
become useful later in their career.
Most colleges and universities in Thailand accept all accreditedinternational curriculum graduates i.e. IB, ‘A’ or ‘O’ Level (IGCSE and GCE)
or Advance Placement. The only additional standardised test students have
to take for admission is TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). The
required score depends on the individual college’s policy but usually a score
of 500 should satisfy most undergraduate admission.
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American College System
The United States is generally the more popular choice for studentsgoing abroad for their higher education, especially for those students with the
Advance Placement credential. In saying that, it does not mean graduating
from American system international schools limits your college choice to only
US based institutions. There are other countries where Advance Placement
graduatescanenjoysimilarbenets.ThereareplentyofCollegesinother
countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and most English
utilising colleges that honour Advance Placement. Some colleges may limit
certainbenetsstudentscouldotherwisebegrantediftheywereapplyingto
anAmericancollege.Forinstance,speciccreditsstudentsgaininAdvance
Placement curriculum sometimes can be transferred directly to college degree
credits given that the course content is equivalent.
Most American colleges and universities also recognise IB and IGCSE
diplomas but the transferable credit policy is not applied. If you decide to go to
an American college, there are also additional standardised tests you need to
take before you can submit your application.
It goes without saying that unless you are an American student or you
graduated from international school in an English native speaking country,
TOEFListhetestyouhavetotake.Ascoreof550shouldsufceallAmerican
colleges’ requirements for admission. In some highly selective institutions
TOEFL scores of 600+ are recommended.
SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is the standardised test both foreign
and American students have to take prior to being successfully accepted to
their prospective college. Maximum score for SAT is 2,400 which comprises
of three parts (writing, math and critical thinking), 800 points for each part.
Required score for SAT varies according to each college, students are advised
to check with the college they are applying to what is the minimum required
SAT score. Usually a SAT Score of around 1,600 is considered acceptableby most colleges but for certain prestigious colleges, a score of 2,100 is
recommended. However, the SAT score also needs to be coordinated with
applicants’ GPA. ACT (American College Testing) is a standardised test widely
used in western states. Most of the time a SAT score is interchangeable.
ConsiderthelocalavailabilityofSATstudentsmayjusttaketheSATforthe
application process. There are also tests for specialised college degrees like
law school, which requires LSAT, or Law School Admission Test. GRE and
GMAT are both purposely for graduate school admissions but in some rare
cases these tests are required. It is best to check with the college you are
applying for to get the pertinent details.
Most Americancolleges anduniversities
also recogniseIBandIGCSE
diplomas butthe transferable
credit policy isnot applied.
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For overseas applicants, scholarships will
include a monthly allowance and airfare.
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British College System
British College system includes colleges within the United Kingdom and
colleges in those countries that adopt the British system like Australia and
Canada. While American colleges admission is, quite frankly, straight forward.
IntheUKsystem,therearesubtleissuesthatneedtobesatisedbeforeyouare admitted into a college. It takes less time for students graduated from
IGCSE or GCSE ‘A’ Level programs to complete their college degree, due
tothemoreexibletransfercreditpolicyoftheBritishcollegesystem.While
American colleges require four years as a standard timeframe to complete an
undergraduatedegree,intheUKcollegessystemitispossibletonishan
undergraduate degree within three years. Due to the fact that courses in the
‘A’ Level programs are considered college level, credits can be transferred
directly toward degree credits. As mentioned in the High School section, for ‘O’
Level graduates to apply for college in the UK system, an additional three ‘A’
level courses with “pass” grades are required prior to admission. UK colleges
and university also recognize IB and Advance Placement diploma.
To apply for colleges in the British system, students with an international
education diploma also need to take standardised language tests. IELTS
(International Language Testing System) is a requirement for entry intohigher education courses in the UK. There are four test modules:
Listening, Speaking, General Training and Academic Reading and
Writing. Usually, students take the same Listening and Speaking
modules and for academic purposes, Academic Reading and
Writing module is recommended whereas General Training
module is recommended for non-academic training. The most
common score is 6.5 but for more competitive colleges, a score
of 7.5 or higher is expected. IELTS score can also be applied
for colleges and universities in Australia, New Zealand and
Canada. Apart from a good IELTS score, universities also
expect a good GPA from students. In some cases, TOEFL
scores can be substituted for IELTS scores, more commonly
for colleges and universities in Australia and Canada. There
are also standardised tests that are required by specicinstitutions and programmes. For example, History Aptitude Test
(HAT) is a standardised test required for the admissions process
to Oxford University, LNAT or National Admission Test for Law is an
aptitude test for applicants who apply to eight adopted University Law
Schools. BMAT (Biomedical Admission Test) is an aptitude test required for
admission to university medical programmes.
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55INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Programs of study: (International programs)
Undergraduate programs
Disciplines Degree granted
Business Administration B.B.A Business Administration(Chinese Program) B.B.A English B.A.Mass Communication Technology B.A.
Graduate programs
Disciplines Degree granted
Educational Administration M.Ed., Ph.D.Communicative English M.A.Mass Communication M.A.Business Administration M.B.A., Ph.D.Business Administration(Chinese Program) M.B.A.Political Science M.A., Ph.D.Law LL.D.
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In order to accurately evaluate millions of international students applying for
colleges from around the world, and the variance in standard of international
schools, there are tests, in the form of statistical quotient tests, designed
specicallytoevaluatestudents’academiccompetencyindifferentacademic
settings. These tests are called Standardised Tests. There are a handful
of standardised tests that are administered globally. These tests are both
designedtotestEnglishprociency(i.e.,theuseofEnglishinacademicsetting)
and other academic skills (mathematical and analytical.) Because a diploma
from an international school does not successfully guarantee that a student
hastheEnglishlanguageprociencyequivalenttothosewhograduatefrom
schools in native English speaking countries: Also, academic competencystill needs to be evaluated with the same standards for both international and
native English speaking students. The following are standardised tests that
are most often required for college admission.
1.TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is the most
acceptedEnglishprociencytest,acceptedbyover6,000collegesand
universitiesin110countries.ThetestmeasurestheEnglishprociency
of non-English speaking students on a statistical ranking scale. Students
applying for overseas educational institutions in English speaking countries
are required to take the test. That amount triples the number of any other
English-languageprociencytest.There arecurrentlythreeTOEFLtest
formats: PBT (paper-based test), CBT (computer-based test) and iBT
(internet-based test). Which format of the test taken depends on the test
centre location. The TOEFL test consists of four distinct modules: listening,
structure (grammar), reading and writing. PBT and CBT test sections are inlistening, structure (grammar), reading and writing with total scores of 677
and 300 respectively. In 2005, iBT was introduced as a completed English
prociencytestwithanadditionalmoduleonspeaking,withatotalscoreof
120. The TOEFL score is valid for two years. For more information please
contact AES (Thailand) or Institute of International Education — Southeast
Asia (IIE).
2. IELTS(InternationalEnglishLanguageTestingSystem) is widely
acceptedastheEnglishprociencytestforinternationalstudentsfurthering
their academic programmes in the UK. This test has been designed to
measure students’ all-round English language ability (i.e. listening, reading,
writing and speaking). IELTS consists of four distinct modules in which all
applicants must take the same listening and speaking modules. But they
haveanoptiontotakeeitherjusttheacademicreadingandwritingmodules
or the general training reading and writing modules which is recommended
for students planning to undertake non-academic training. The three
modules of listening, reading and writing must be completed in one day,
whereas the speaking module may be taken at the discretion of the test
centre within a period of seven days before or after the other modules. For
more information please contact British Council or IDP Education Pty Ltd.
(Thailand).
Standardised
Tests
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3. SAT(ScholasticAptitudeTest/SAT-I) is a prerequisite Reasoning
Test conducted for admissions to undergraduate programmes in the
UnitedStates.Itisathree-hourtestthatdeterminestheprociencyofthestudents in verbal, mathematical and reasoning skills. The SAT score is
required to evaluate the skills needed to complete the academic courses
successfully. Many universities also require SAT-II test scores along with a
SAT-Iscoreforadmission.ManycollegesanduniversitiesndSATtobea
more credible test for predicting students’ competence. The test scores are
validuptoveyearsofthetestdate.
4.GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a computer
based standardised test that assesses the aptitude abilities in a person for
accomplishing academically a business curriculum. This test is recognised
as part of admissions in more than 4,000 graduate programmes in 1,800
schools around the world. The GMAT test consists of three distinct modules
that determine fundamental verbal, mathematical and analytical writing
skills. The maximum score for GMAT is 800. The mean score in 2005-06 is
533. The test score is valid for 5 years.
5.GRE General Test is normally an important criterion for admission
required by many graduate programmes and professional schools in the
US, especially for scientic leaning graduate programmes, both social
sciences and applied sciences. This test is conducted to measure the
verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical
writing skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and are
notrelatedtoanyspeciceldofstudy.GREisacomputer-adaptivetest,
which means your performance on previous questions determines which
questionyouwillbeaskednext.TheGREscoreistechnicallyvalidforve
yearswithtotalscorerangeforthetestof400-1600.Forspecicelds
ofstudy,thereareGRESubjectTestsdesignedspecicallytotesteach
unique academic skills set required for specialised degrees, for example,
Mathematics, Biological Sciences, English Literature, Computer Science,Chemistry and Psychology. For more information please contact Institute
of International Education - Southeast Asia (IIE).
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