Our members were often treated very badly in Burma, and so for years they didn’t want to learn the ‘language of the oppressor.’ Around 5 years ago our members decided that they didn’t want to be treated in Burma like they are in Thailand, and so asked for Burmese lessons.Ĭhinese is spoken a lot in Burma, and there is a huge influx of Chinese tourists to both Burma and Thailand, therefore, it is almost, if not more in some instances, as useful as learning to speak English. It is the official language of the military and police in Burma, and is useful for avoiding exploitation when they return. They now proudly call themselves Shan and are happy to see others learn their language and perform cultural shows of their traditional costumes and dance.įor the same reasons as learning Thai in Thailand, our members learn Burmese for when they go back to Burma. They would identify themselves as Thai, and speak Thai, for fear of discrimination. Before, most of the children would be shy to say they are Shan. If they go back to Burma, they now have confidence to speak to their relatives in Shan. The success of this program has been huge, as our members now have a sense of pride in their language and Shan culture. Now everyone in the community can read and write it, including several who are not native Shan speakers and are interested in their peers’ culture. So while most of our community members could speak it, none could read and write it. It was illegal until 2015 to teach Shan language in Burma. If students are interested in furthering their studies, we provide one on one or small group tutoring to prepare them to enter a GED program so that they can get secondary school equivalency accreditation and continue to university locally and sometimes abroad. It also allows easier online access, and the possibility to contribute to the wider world, share their story in their own words and access the wealth of information online in English. Tourism is the main economy here, and to get a better job it is necessary to speak English. They also learn the basics of social science and have project based workshops to provide other primary level educational experiences.Įnglish is the language of money here in Thailand.
In the upper level class we teach debating and public speaking to help boost self esteem, problem solving skills and articulation. They can now fill out their own immigration forms instead of paying a Thai official to give what might be incorrect information.īeyond the practical reasons that we understand well, learning Thai helps them to become better members of society, moving with more confidence. Speaking the language can empower them to deal with the police and military in precarious situations, will help them negotiate for themselves at work, and will assist them with any health issues by giving them the confidence to reach out and seek medical advice and support when they are suffering. It is very important for our community members to learn Thai, as they are living in a country where they are not afforded basic human rights and freedom of movement. Most choose 2 or 3 of these classes per week. 50 people attend these classes every day at our on-site learning center.ġ Thai Freedom House offers languages that our community members need to know, and those they would like to know for a variety of reasons.
Our target group is focused on children and adults 8 years old and up that have not had access to formal education They may be completely illiterate or have very basic language skills. To give our students essential life skills through languages that help them to connect to the world around them, access their rights in Thailand, add to their job skills and connect them to their culture. The Thai volunteers are regular and long term, as are the Shan and Burmese, but the English language teachers fluctuate regularly. We have teacher training for them included in their volunteer orientation. Support staff/ volunteer: We rely heavily on volunteers from Thailand, Burma and foreign countries to teach their native languages.