Transcription of English syllables using Lao or Thai script

When I arrived in Vientiane last year in April, I went almost straight to the bookstalls behind Talat Sao and bought

Learning Lao for everybody.

An excellent book originally
written in German by Klaus Werner.
ISBN 3-89416-340-2
Publisher:
Peter Rump Verlags GmbH
Hauptstraße 198
D-33647 Bielefeld
Germany

I taught myself how to transcribe English sounds using Lao script. It became one of my main tools when I was teaching Speaking and Listening at the Candlelight Academy. I had used that tool before when teaching at a technical college in HatYai Nai, Thailand.

Transcribing sounds using a native script is often met with controversy. It shouldn’t be really as it is only a tool, just like using IPA.

Using this tool is a two steps process. First you show your students how to split up a word in syllables using red dots. Then you write the sounds in their native script above them.

Even better … pronounce a given word from the list of new vocabulary very slowly to enable your students to distinguish between the various syllables that make up that particular word. Then you invite a student to split up that word according to the syllables they hear.

You, the teacher concludes by writing the sounds in their native script above the syllables. When complications arise it happens that you will need your students to help you writing the sounds. They will love to help you.

It’s not completely full proof. Some English sounds do not make part of their native language. Hence it becomes an impossible job to transcribe such sounds. The same is equally true for some of the sounds of the students’ native language.

The consonant V for instance causes trouble for local students because Lao and Thai speakers do not use that sound.
So it is for us when we are faced with pronouncing an NG (ງ [Laotian] or ง [Thai]) as the starting consonant. It needs to be practised extensively.

The word goes around that one should only speak English when teaching English. Alternating English with a bit of the respective national language is frowned upon and sometimes even strictly forbidden.
Foreign teachers are hence required to use the language immersion method at all levels and for all age groups.

Please allow me to state my personal opinion on this doctrine imposed on us, the foreign native and near native speakers of English who teach in South East Asia as a gig or as a real vocation.
It is plain wrong! Total immersion only works wonders for children upon the age of about 10 years old — with some exceptions of course because there are always exceptions to any non-mathematical rule ^_^

It does however NOT work for teenagers, adolescents, and adults. Their native language development has already brought them completely outside the sphere of toddlers and young elementary school kids. You can teach them action words by immersion. Sure, you can. They expect and need however a lot more as they have lost the ability to acquire a language by simply being exposed to it.
So, online dictionaries, thesauruses, and teachers who can speak a bit of the local language and understand quite a bit more, are an absolute must.

I hear you disagree and object: “But we have teachers who assist the foreign teacher!”.
Yes, some schools do assign local teachers to help the foreign teacher. Sometimes that works out really well. When the local teacher understands the foreign teacher at a more than basic level and actively participates you will have a team with added value.

Teaching material for Speaking and Listening Classes

Instructions: Read out loud and clear.Use rhythm, stress, and tone changes.

Who were they? Where did they go? What happened?

One autumn¹ evening Charles and Beth went to the theatre²
They attended a play. The play started at 7 pm. Charles and Beth enjoyed going to the theatre.

After the play, Charles and Beth walked together in the park.
They walked beside the lake. The moon was bright. They talked about there future.

When Charles and Beth went home, their children were not asleep.
They waited for Charles and Beth to return. They were excited to hear about the theatre!

Charles told the children about the play. Then Beth put the children to bed.

Charles and Beth were very tired. It had been a good night!

Teacher Walter Songkhla 2017 Vientiane 2023

Teaching material for Speaking and Listening Classes

Instructions: Read out loud and clear. Use rhythm, stress, and tone changes.

It was raining. John looked outside. He felt hungry and thought; “I may cook a meal”. John started peeling three potatoes. Then he washed some vegetables and drained the water off.

John also wanted some meat to go with the potatoes and the veggies. The fridge was however empty. He took his umbrella and went to the butcher. He was the only customer.

The butcher asked: “What will it be for you today, Sir?” John decided on chicken drum sticks. “Anything else, Sir?”, the butcher asked, because he always tried to sell more. ” No, that will be all for now”, John replied.

Business could be better for the butcher when it would not rain. Nobody wished to go outside. Almost everybody stayed inside, at home.

“By the way … How is business?”, John asked the butcher. “Business is not good these days”, the butcher complained. “It just keeps on raining”, and he started looking very sad. “I hardly see any customers these days.”

How about you, John?”; the butcher inquired. The weather did not affect John’ s business, because John was a computer programmer. “I am fine. No worries!”, John replied. A hush fell over the two men.

“Well …” said John. “A life without rain is like the sun without shade. After rain comes sunshine.” “You’ ll be alright,” John said. “Tomorrow you will be okay too.”

And so it was … Just as John had said. The day after, the rain had stopped. It was again a beautiful day. The butcher’s shop was now crowded with people. Customers were queuing up in front. They had found their fridges all empty.

Khao Takieb seaside, Hua Hin

Teacher Walter Songkhla 2017 Vientiane 2023