News and Opportunities
Sample English classes promote ELICOS in Thailand
18 Jul 2012
More than 200 students participated in English classes with four Australian ELICOS providers in June, in the second year of a program to raise awareness in Thailand of the quality of Australian English language teaching.
Australia Future Unlimited: Free Sample English Classes 2012 was hosted by Austrade for the second year in a row to raise awareness of the quality of Australian ELICOS teaching. Around 240 students participated in eight classes delivered by four leading ELICOS providers: TAFE NSW Hunter Institute, UOW College, RMIT English Worldwide and Curtin University.
The aim of the Free Sample English Classes is to offer Thai students an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of a real Australian classroom with quality ELICOS teaching by professional ELICOS providers. It is a unique way to present Australia as the preferred destination of ELICOS study. Furthermore, this ELICOS-specific event leverages the profiles of the participating ELICOS institutions and also serves as a long-term approach to boost student recruitments from Thailand in the next couple of years.
As with the first Free Sample English Class initiative last year, Austrade again obtained an overwhelmingly positive response to the initiative, held on 23–24 June at Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok.
There were around 240 participants, ranging from high school students to business people, who participated in classes during the two days.
This year there were courses delivered by four ELICOS institutions:
- High school preparation English and general English by TAFE NSW Hunter Institute
- IELTS preparation by UOW College
- English for academic purposes by RMIT English Worldwide
- Academic writing by Curtin University.
There was a high rate of satisfaction expressed by attendees who requested Austrade run this activity annually and extend the teaching duration to be more than three hours per session. In addition, they would be interested in pursuing English study in Australia in the next two years.
Austrade aims to continue this event as an annual activity and hopefully expand the outreach into regional provinces.
For further details, please contact Ms Pattarin Wirojchocohut, Education Manager, Austrade Bangkok.
Mark Wood (right), Trade Commissioner Bangkok, joins teachers attending the opening ceremony of the Free Sample English Classes 2012 at Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok.