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Published on December 8, 2007

The Royal Institute will launch Thai-language proficiency tests for teachers next year in a bid to enhance the Thai-language command of both teachers and students across the country.

"There will be tests for those teaching Thai language as well as other subjects," the institute's chairman Chai-anan Samudavanija said at a press conference yesterday.

The event was held to announce the Royal Institute's project to improve Thai-language standards.

"We have a duty to promote the good use of the Thai language, which is our national identity," Chai-anan said.

He said the Royal Institute had prioritised Thai-language command among teachers because they were directly responsible for imparting knowledge of the language.

He said that all teachers had to play a role in showing to students how to use the Thai language correctly.

Chai-anan said National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) director Utumporn Jamornmann would chair the steering committee for the development of Thai-language standards.

Utumporn said the Thai-language standardised test would be used as an experiment among thousands of teachers in February and the results would be used to determine the teachers' average level of Thai-language knowledge.

"We believe the actual tests can take place as early as April," she said.

The Royal Institute has already assigned Thai-language experts to design exam questions and their work was progressing well.

"The tests will feature alternative choices, open-ended questions and sub-tests that determine speaking, reading, writing and listening ability," Utumporn said.

She said the tests would take place monthly and the teachers would receive certificates showing their Thai-language ability.

NIETS test centres across the country will conduct the Thai-language standardised tests. Not all teachers will undergo the same evaluation because the tests for Thai-language teachers will be more difficult than those for teachers of other subjects.

There will be four types of test for different groups of teachers: kindergarten teachers, primary-education teachers, Thai-language teachers in secondary-education classes, and teachers in secondary-education or vocational-education classes.

"Teachers will be encouraged to take the tests on a voluntary basis," Utumporn added.

Although not all teachers will take the Thai-language standardised tests, Utumporn believed the results would reflect weak points that the Education Ministry could tackle.

"We hope to launch similar tests for students in 2009," Utumporn said.

The Nation