var textForPages =["FUTURE-READY LEARNERS\u000d\u000aINNOVATION, INCLUSION & IMPACT","","","The arrival of Brighton College Vibhavadi marks far more than the launch of a new school in Bangkok. It represents the next chapter in nearly \u000d\u000atwo centuries of British educational heritage, reimagined for today\u2019s world. With a pupil-first vision that blends academic excellence, holistic \u000d\u000adevelopment and a culture of care rooted in Thai values, the school aims to prepare children not only for success in the classroom, but also \u000d\u000afor life in a rapidly changing global landscape.\u000d\u000aFounded in Brighton, England, in 1845, Brighton College quickly gained a reputation for combining academic rigour with forward-thinking \u000d\u000aideas\u2014introducing science education in the 19th century, becoming one of the first independent schools to welcome girls in 1973, and steadily\u000d\u000aexpanding across Asia and the Middle East. Today, it stands as a symbol of inclusivity and innovation, recognised worldwide for setting high standards \u000d\u000awhile continually adapting to the needs of modern learners.\u000d\u000aIn Thailand, that legacy continues. Brighton College Bangkok has already set an international benchmark, crowned British International School \u000d\u000aof the Year 2024 in recognition of its world-leading results, innovative teaching and commitment to sustainability. Its pupils\u2019 A Level achievements \u000d\u000awere ranked the best worldwide in 2023, while inspections by the Educational Development Trust (EDT) and British Schools Overseas (BSO) awarded \u000d\u000ait the highest possible ratings.\u000d\u000aBrighton College Vibhavadi\u000d\u000aThe new campus combines British academic excellence with Thai values,\u000d\u000aprioritising wellbeing, holistic development and a culture of care.\u000d\u000aLaunches with Pupil-First Vision","encourage artistic exploration. Purpose-built\u000d\u000ascience laboratories, Maker Spaces, Design\u000d\u000aand Technology studios, and a Sixth\u000d\u000aForm Centre modelled on university-style \u000d\u000aindependence ensure pupils are equipped to \u000d\u000apursue passions across every discipline.\u000d\u000a\u201cExcellence is transformational,\u201d Crispian notes. \u201cOnce a pupil sees they are capable \u000d\u000aof excellence, they are never quite the same \u000d\u000aagain.\u201d\u000d\u000aGlobal Pathways & \u000d\u000aCultural Integration\u000d\u000aBrighton College Vibhavadi\u2019s academic \u000d\u000afoundation is global, but its heart is firmly local. \u000d\u000aCrispian stresses the importance of blending \u000d\u000aWestern best practice\u2014creativity, critical \u000d\u000athinking, digital literacy\u2014with the values \u000d\u000aof Thai heritage, including mindfulness, \u000d\u000acommunity and respect.\u000d\u000aThe curriculum therefore balances \u000d\u000ainternational competitiveness with Thai \u000d\u000alanguage, history and traditions, ensuring children \u000d\u000aremain grounded in their cultural identity while \u000d\u000againing the skills to succeed abroad. With an \u000d\u000aacademic network stretching across the UK, \u000d\u000aMiddle East and Asia, pupils benefit from shared \u000d\u000aexpertise, cross-campus collaboration, and \u000d\u000apowerful university pathways.\u000d\u000a\u201cFundamentally, all parents want the \u000d\u000asame thing,\u201d Crispian observes. \u201cThey want \u000d\u000ahurdles\u2014social, emotional or academic\u2014\u000d\u000aremoved, and their children to feel happy \u000d\u000aand valued. A global school like ours ensures \u000d\u000aNow, under the leadership of Founding \u000d\u000aHead Master Crispian Waterman, the newly \u000d\u000aestablished Brighton College Vibhavadi is set to \u000d\u000acarry forward this standard of excellence. With \u000d\u000a26 years of experience across seven schools \u000d\u000ain South Korea, Hong Kong, Switzerland, \u000d\u000aThailand and the UK, Crispian brings together\u000d\u000aacademic expertise and a strong pastoral \u000d\u000abackground, having raised his own family in \u000d\u000aboarding houses.\u000d\u000a\u201cOur vision is to craft a truly exceptional \u000d\u000aeducation for every child in our care,\u201d he says. \u000d\u000a\u201cStarting a new school allows us to take the \u000d\u000avery best practices in teaching and wellbeing, \u000d\u000aand establish strong roots\u2014rooted both in Thai \u000d\u000aculture and in the excellence of British academic\u000d\u000astandards. We want pupils to feel happy,\u000d\u000asecure and inspired, because wellbeing and \u000d\u000aachievement are inseparable.\u201d\u000d\u000aShaping School Culture & Values\u000d\u000aFor Crispian, culture is not something \u000d\u000athat evolves passively\u2014it must be actively \u000d\u000abuilt. Brighton College\u2019s ethos of curiosity, \u000d\u000aconfidence and kindness will be woven into \u000d\u000adaily life at Vibhavadi, ensuring that every pupil \u000d\u000anot only learns well but also grows as a person.\u000d\u000a\u201cSchools are living communities,\u201d he \u000d\u000areflects. \u201cYou cannot leave culture to charts \u000d\u000aon the wall. It is shaped through consistency \u000d\u000ain expectations, modelling behaviour, and \u000d\u000areinforcing values in every interaction.\u201d\u000d\u000aThe approach is practical as well as\u000d\u000aphilosophical. A robust programme of personal, \u000d\u000asocial and health education (PSHE) will be \u000d\u000aembedded in the curriculum, supported by \u000d\u000aco-curricular activities, outdoor education, and \u000d\u000aa strong pastoral system. Teachers, Crispian\u000d\u000aemphasises, must model the behaviour they \u000d\u000awant to see in pupils, while also responding \u000d\u000aconsistently to moments when behaviour falls \u000d\u000ashort.\u000d\u000a\u201cCulture is created when values are lived \u000d\u000aevery day,\u201d he says. \u201cCuriosity, kindness and \u000d\u000aconfidence may sound simple, but their clarity\u000d\u000aand memorability make them powerful. If we \u000d\u000aget those right, we develop not just good \u000d\u000alearners, but good and capable people.\u201d\u000d\u000aAcademic Direction & \u000d\u000aHolistic Development\u000d\u000aBrighton College\u2019s distinction worldwide lies in \u000d\u000aits ability to marry academic rigour with holistic \u000d\u000adevelopment. At Vibhavadi, the curriculum will \u000d\u000abe broad, inclusive and designed to inspire \u000d\u000aevery pupil to reach their potential.\u000d\u000aThe school will offer 21 A Level subjects, \u000d\u000aenabling diverse pathways to suit both Thai \u000d\u000aand international university aspirations. \u000d\u000aInnovative curricular features include The \u000d\u000aStory of Our Land (a combined geography and \u000d\u000ahistory course), dedicated Health classrooms \u000d\u000awhere children learn everything from \u000d\u000asustainable food production to nutrition, and \u000d\u000aintentional development of public speaking \u000d\u000aand communication skills.\u000d\u000aCrispian emphasises the importance of \u000d\u000aliteracy as the gateway to learning. \u201cIf pupils \u000d\u000acannot access texts confidently, they cannot \u000d\u000afully access the curriculum. That is why we \u000d\u000aplace such heavy emphasis on our phonics https://brightoncollege.ac.th/vibhavadi\u000d\u000aCrispian Waterman, Founding Head \u000d\u000aMaster of Brighton College Vibhavadi\u000d\u000aprogramme in the Prep years. Regular \u000d\u000aformative assessment and feedback will \u000d\u000aensure every child is known, supported and \u000d\u000achallenged.\u201d\u000d\u000aHolistic development is equally \u000d\u000aprioritised. \u201cOur goal is to inspire children to \u000d\u000abe the best version of themselves,\u201d Crispian \u000d\u000asays. \u201cThat means recognising their talents\u2014\u000d\u000awhether academic, artistic or athletic\u2014and \u000d\u000acreating opportunities for them to shine.\u201d\u000d\u000aThe facilities reflect this philosophy. The \u000d\u000arooftop 25-metre swimming pool, full-size\u000d\u000aAstroTurf football pitch, and sports hall with \u000d\u000atwo basketball courts provide world-class \u000d\u000asporting opportunities. The Performing Arts \u000d\u000aTheatre seating 370, along with dance studios, \u000d\u000aa black-box drama space and music rooms \u000d\u000aincluding a professional-grade recording studio,\u000d\u000apupils are both outward-looking and deeply \u000d\u000arooted.\u201d\u000d\u000aCommunity & Partnerships\u000d\u000aNo school, Crispian insists, thrives in isolation. \u000d\u000aP a r e n t p a r t n e r s h i p a n d c o m m u n i t y \u000d\u000aengagement are central to his vision for Brighton \u000d\u000aCollege Vibhavadi.\u000d\u000a\u201cParents know their children better than \u000d\u000aanyone, and their feedback is invaluable,\u201d he \u000d\u000asays. \u201cSometimes pupils struggle in silence, \u000d\u000aand communication with parents can be \u000d\u000athe key to unlocking better outcomes. We \u000d\u000aalso want parents to enjoy seeing their \u000d\u000achildren grow here\u2014that joy is part of the \u000d\u000aschool\u2019s culture.\u201d\u000d\u000aThe school also intends to build on \u000d\u000aBrighton College Bangkok\u2019s outreach legacy \u000d\u000aby supporting the provision of weekend \u000d\u000aEnglish language programmes for local children.\u000d\u000aPartnerships with local organisations \u000d\u000aand continued community initiatives will \u000d\u000astrengthen trust and belonging.\u000d\u000a\u201cA school succeeds not just through \u000d\u000aits academic programme but through its \u000d\u000arelationships,\u201d Crispian notes. \u201cBuilding \u000d\u000ameaningful connections with families and the \u000d\u000awider community is essential.\u201d\u000d\u000aFuture-Ready Education\u000d\u000aThe pandemic highlighted the need for \u000d\u000aadaptability in education, accelerating the\u000d\u000aadoption of technology and re-emphasising\u000d\u000athe importance of resilience. Brighton College\u000d\u000aVibhavadi embraces these lessons by \u000d\u000afocusing on future-ready skills: critical thinking, \u000d\u000acollaboration, creativity and digital literacy.\u000d\u000a\u201cPupils today will enter careers that do not \u000d\u000ayet exist,\u201d Crispian reflects. \u201cWe must prepare \u000d\u000athem not just with knowledge, but with the \u000d\u000amindset to adapt, innovate and thrive.\u201d\u000d\u000aT e c h n o l o g y w i l l b e s e a m l e s s l y \u000d\u000aintegrated into teaching, but always with \u000d\u000aa human-centred approach. Wellbeing \u000d\u000aprogrammes and character education will \u000d\u000aunderpin resilience, ensuring pupils leave as \u000d\u000aconfident, compassionate individuals ready \u000d\u000ato navigate life\u2019s complexities.\u000d\u000aClosing Thoughts\u000d\u000aAs the school begins its journey, Crispian \u000d\u000aoffers a message of both reassurance and \u000d\u000ainspiration to families.\u000d\u000a\u201cWe have begun an extraordinary new \u000d\u000achapter with Brighton College Vibhavadi\u2014\u000d\u000awith our new home, new name, and renewed \u000d\u000aambition. We are one campus, one school, \u000d\u000aone community. We are planting a culture of \u000d\u000acuriosity, confidence and kindness, placing\u000d\u000awellbeing at our core, and dedicating ourselves\u000d\u000ato crafting an education of true excellence. \u000d\u000aFrom nursery to university pathways, every \u000d\u000astep of the journey matters.\u000d\u000a\u201cIf you would like to discover what we \u000d\u000acan offer your child, we warmly invite you to \u000d\u000avisit us. We would be delighted to welcome \u000d\u000ayou.\u201d","","","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000aProduced by Creative & Special Publications\u000d\u000aText: Darunee Sukanan I Photographs: Supplied/POST\u000d\u000aDesign: Rawich Werakul I Cover Design: Cheerawath Khruasukhon\u000d\u000aEditor: Simon Kind I Deputy Managing Editor: Ratch Lunchaprasit\u000d\u000aSpecial Publications Advertising\u000d\u000aSenior First Vice President \u2013 Advertising Sales: Nanthana Singkamala\u000d\u000a+66 (0) 2616 4440 \u2022 Fax +66 (0) 2616 4560 \u000d\u000aCONTENTS\u000d\u000aBangkok Post is edited by Soonruth Bunyamanee\u000d\u000afor Bangkok Post Plc, Printer, Publisher and Owner.\u000d\u000aOffice Bangkok Post Building, 136 Sunthorn Kosa Road,\u000d\u000aKlongtoey, Bangkok 10110. Tel +66 (0) 2616 4000\u000d\u000awww.bangkokpost.com \u2022 0925 \u2022\u000d\u000a12\u000d\u000a23\u000d\u000a34\u000d\u000a43\u000d\u000a16\u000d\u000a28\u000d\u000a38\u000d\u000aLet Master Kong\u000d\u000aStaying\u000d\u000aThe young modeller of\u000d\u000aHelping a Thai child adjust to life at an\u000d\u000aGetting back\u000d\u000aMaking \u000d\u000aA bonanza of\u000d\u000aSHOW THE WAY\u000d\u000aREFOCUSED\u000d\u000aOLD BANGKOK\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL \u000d\u000aSCHOOL\u000d\u000aTO BOOKS\u000d\u000aCHATGPT AN ALLY\u000d\u000aCHOICES\u000d\u000aThere is a reason why Chinese students tend to excel in academics \u000d\u000awherever they are. Thailand should do well to learn from the \u000d\u000aConfucian tradition\u000d\u000aAttention spans are shrinking fast, but regaining them may not be all \u000d\u000athat hard\u000d\u000aHow a simple decision at an international school in Bangkok allowed \u000d\u000aan academically struggling student to find his true calling\u000d\u000aAs youngsters spend ever more time online, their reading habits may \u000d\u000asuffer, but there are ways to combat that\u000d\u000aAI tools can be a boon to learning, but their use by students requires \u000d\u000asome new and creative ways of teaching\u000d\u000aThailand has international schools galore. The question for many \u000d\u000aparents is which ones to choose and why","","","","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a12\u000d\u000aMaster Kong once said: \u201cI never refuse instruction \u000d\u000ato anyone who sought it, even if he could afford \u000d\u000ano more than a bundle of dried meat for my fee.\u201d \u000d\u000aImparting knowledge was a lifelong goal for China\u2019s \u000d\u000agreatest sage (known in the West as Confucius), \u000d\u000awho went out of his way to educate people, young and old. He \u000d\u000adid so even when his material rewards for his teaching were very \u000d\u000ameagre indeed, and this despite his near-penurious state for \u000d\u000amuch of his life. \u000d\u000aMany teachers in Thailand do their best daily to educate \u000d\u000ayoung minds as best as they can in a like vein, and do so for \u000d\u000apaltry financial returns since teachers\u2019 wages are notoriously \u000d\u000alow at government-run schools. Yet the fruits of their labours, it \u000d\u000aseems, are not always that great. Take PISA, an international test \u000d\u000athat is administered every four years to assess the knowledge of \u000d\u000a15-year-olds in mathematics, reading and science in addition to \u000d\u000acommunication, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. \u000d\u000aThere is a reason why Chinese students tend to excel \u000d\u000ain academics wherever they are. Thailand should do \u000d\u000awell to learn from the Confucian tradition\u000d\u000aLet Master Kong\u000d\u000aSHOW\u000d\u000aTHE WAY","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a13\u000d\u000aThai pupils have long performed poorly \u000d\u000aon the test and so it came as no surprise \u000d\u000athat they did so again in 2022 when nearly \u000d\u000a700,000 students took the assessment in \u000d\u000a81 countries and territories, among them \u000d\u000anearly 8,500 students in Thailand at 279 \u000d\u000aschools. Globally two-thirds of test takers \u000d\u000ascore somewhere between 400 and 600 \u000d\u000ain each assessed domain. In 2022 Thai \u000d\u000astudents scored 394 in mathematics, down \u000d\u000afrom 419 four years earlier; they scored \u000d\u000a409 in science, down from 426; and they \u000d\u000ascored 379 in reading, down from 393. \u000d\u000aIn other words, their scores from 2018, \u000d\u000aalready below par by global standards, got \u000d\u000aeven worse.\u000d\u000aIn raising the alarm about this poor \u000d\u000ashowing, Sompong Jitradab, an education \u000d\u000aspecialist at the non-profit Equitable \u000d\u000aEducation Fund, laid the blame on outdated \u000d\u000aand outmoded teaching practices at Thai \u000d\u000aschools, and as well he should. \u201cCurrently, \u000d\u000aan emphasis is put mainly on rote learning \u000d\u000awith the primary aim of taking exams and \u000d\u000afurthering one\u2019s education, while PISA \u000d\u000aassesses students\u2019 analytical skills and \u000d\u000apractical applications of knowledge in\u000d\u000aeveryday life,\u201d he told the Bangkok Post. \u000d\u000a\u201cWe need to reform the learning curriculum \u000d\u000aby promoting hands-on learning and \u000d\u000athe ability to apply knowledge to solve \u000d\u000aproblems, analytical and planning skills \u2014 \u000d\u000aa major feature of active learning.\u201d Unless \u000d\u000athere is dramatic course correction, even \u000d\u000aworse educational outcomes will be looming \u000d\u000aon the horizon, warned Sompong, a former \u000d\u000alecturer at Chulalongkorn University\u2019s \u000d\u000aFaculty of Education in Bangkok. \u201cIf Thai \u000d\u000aeducation is allowed to continue like this, \u000d\u000astudents\u2019 performance will fall into a further \u000d\u000adownward spiral.\u201d\u000d\u000aA teacher\u2019s role, \u000d\u000aMaster Kong \u000d\u000afamously argued, \u000d\u000awas to \u201cpoint \u000d\u000aout one corner \u000d\u000aof a square\u201d for \u000d\u000astudents and let \u000d\u000athem find \u201cthe \u000d\u000aother three.","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a14\u000d\u000aBut clearly there is something else \u000d\u000aalso going on because poor educational \u000d\u000aattainment is hardly limited to the Kingdom \u000d\u000aalone. Last year, for instance, white and \u000d\u000ablack students taking their GSCEs in \u000d\u000aEngland did rather poorly in both maths \u000d\u000aand English with just under 64 percent of \u000d\u000awhite pupils and 65 percent of black pupils \u000d\u000aachieving a grade 4 pass or above in both \u000d\u000asubjects. On the other hand, 75 percent of \u000d\u000apupils of Asian descent and a whopping 89 \u000d\u000apercent of those of Chinese descent did \u000d\u000aso. This ethnicity-based disparity should \u000d\u000abe telling. Why should students from some \u000d\u000aethnic backgrounds do so much better \u000d\u000athan their counterparts from others?\u000d\u000aLet us return to those PISA scores \u000d\u000afrom 2022. Topping the list of all nations \u000d\u000aand territories was Singapore with an \u000d\u000aoverall score of 575. The Lion City was \u000d\u000afollowed by Macau with 552, Taiwan with \u000d\u000a547 and Hong Kong with 540. A telling \u000d\u000ahonours board this is, seeing as these are \u000d\u000aall predominantly Chinese places where \u000d\u000aConfucian traditions, which prize erudition \u000d\u000aas an important individual goal and a great \u000d\u000aGood teachers, even with \u000d\u000alimited facilities, can open \u000d\u000aup whole new worlds for \u000d\u000atheir students, worlds that \u000d\u000ayoungsters may not even \u000d\u000aknow exist.","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a15\u000d\u000acommon good, have long reigned supreme. \u000d\u000aInculcated in this mind-set, children often \u000d\u000acome to value education from early on. To \u000d\u000abe sure, parental pressure is a critical factor \u000d\u000aand so are high standards at local schools, \u000d\u000abut these too are the functions of that same \u000d\u000asocially and culturally conditioned drive to \u000d\u000aexcel at learning. \u000d\u000aAlas, Thailand has never been a \u000d\u000aConfucian nation, extensive learning having \u000d\u000abeen the sole preserve of Buddhist monks \u000d\u000auntil the early 20th century. In the country \u000d\u000aeducation, still in fairly rudimentary form, \u000d\u000awas made mandatory with the Compulsory \u000d\u000aPrimary Education Act in 1921 as part of \u000d\u000aan effort to modernise the nation along \u000d\u000aWestern lines. In 1960 the duration of \u000d\u000acompulsory schooling was extended from \u000d\u000afour years to seven and in 2003 to nine. \u000d\u000aYet longer years of study have failed to \u000d\u000atranslate into far more robust educational \u000d\u000aattainment over time. We might want to \u000d\u000ablame teachers, but that would be unfair \u000d\u000agiven that they are also the products of the \u000d\u000asame faltering educational system, which \u000d\u000ahas let them down too when they were \u000d\u000astudents themselves. Overworked and \u000d\u000aunderpaid, many teachers struggle with \u000d\u000alarge class sizes, limited teaching materials \u000d\u000aand even more limited learning resources \u000d\u000afor students.\u000d\u000aEven if a root-and-branch educational \u000d\u000areform were to be finally undertaken \u000d\u000aafter decades of failed promises about \u000d\u000asuch reforms, the systemic remaking of \u000d\u000aunderperforming Thai schools will take \u000d\u000amany years. This is an important reason \u000d\u000awhy international schools in Thailand remain \u000d\u000acritical as alternatives for youngsters whose \u000d\u000aparents can afford to send them there. \u000d\u000aEncouragingly, the national landscape of \u000d\u000ainternational schools is already robust, yet \u000d\u000aeven more are opening their doors, some \u000d\u000aof them in underserved urban locations. \u000d\u000aOne of these new institutions in the \u000d\u000aworks is Highgate School in Chon Buri, \u000d\u000ain partnership with one of the United \u000d\u000aKingdom\u2019s leading independent schools, \u000d\u000awhich is set to open in 2027. \u201cOperating \u000d\u000aunder the English National Curriculum, \u000d\u000aHighgate International School Thailand \u000d\u000aplans to prepare students for IGCSEs and \u000d\u000aA-Levels, facilitating access to leading \u000d\u000auniversities worldwide,\u201d the Bangkok Post\u000d\u000areports. At full capacity the new school will \u000d\u000aaccommodate 1,400 pupils between the \u000d\u000aages of two and 18 with more than half of \u000d\u000athem expected to be Thai. No doubt many \u000d\u000achildren in the seaside province will be \u000d\u000abetter off for it.\u000d\u000aUltimately, however, schools are only \u000d\u000aas good as their teachers. Facilities do \u000d\u000amatter, yes, but facilities are often little more \u000d\u000athan available spaces for certain activities \u000d\u000awith inert objects on hand \u2014 unless, that \u000d\u000ais, they are creatively deployed for the \u000d\u000abenefit of learners. Good teachers, even \u000d\u000awith limited facilities, can open up whole \u000d\u000anew worlds for their students, worlds that \u000d\u000ayoungsters may not even know exist. \u000d\u000aConfucius could attest to that. A\u000d\u000ateacher\u2019s role, Master Kong famously \u000d\u000aargued, was to \u201cpoint out one corner of a \u000d\u000asquare\u201d for students and let them find \u201cthe \u000d\u000aother three,\u201d which is to say setting them \u000d\u000aon a quest for knowledge through the joys \u000d\u000aof discovery. He lived by his own dictum \u000d\u000awell into his twilight years when he had this \u000d\u000ato say: \u201cI am the sort of man who forgets \u000d\u000ato eat when trying to solve a problem, who \u000d\u000ais so joyful that I forget my worries and do \u000d\u000anot become aware of the onset of old age.\u201d \u000d\u000aLearning for learning\u2019s sake is the mark \u000d\u000aof a productive, content and well-rounded \u000d\u000aindividual, this great sage believed, and the \u000d\u000acontinued acquisition of knowledge will \u000d\u000aserve anyone well for the rest of their days. \u000d\u000aBestowing this mind-set on youngsters \u000d\u000ais the greatest gift that teachers at any \u000d\u000aThai schools, be they government-run or \u000d\u000ainternational, can ever give their students.\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of XCL American School of Bangkok","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a16\u000d\u000aAs youngsters spend ever more time online,\u000d\u000atheir reading habits may suffer, but there are ways\u000d\u000ato combat that\u000d\u000aGetting back \u000d\u000aTO BOOKS \u000d\u000aAs ironies go, this among the \u000d\u000asadder ones: never in human \u000d\u000ahistory has so much information \u000d\u000a\u2014 much of it endlessly \u000d\u000afascinating \u2014 been so readily\u000d\u000aavailable to so many people, including\u000d\u000achildren from a very young age. All \u000d\u000ayou need do to access it is to have a \u000d\u000amobile phone, tablet or laptop along with \u000d\u000aan internet connection. And yet across \u000d\u000amuch of the planet, not least in Thailand, \u000d\u000aeducational attainment on average is \u000d\u000astagnating if not outright eroding.\u000d\u000aOn the face of it, this should not be \u000d\u000athe case. On average students attending \u000d\u000aschool, college or university in the United \u000d\u000aKingdom spend five and a half hours a \u000d\u000aday on their smartphone, according to \u000d\u000aFluid Focus, an app designed to reduce \u000d\u000aunproductive screen time. That in itself \u000d\u000ashould not be a cause for concern. What \u000d\u000ais worrying, however, is that rarely do \u000d\u000amany of them spend much of that time on \u000d\u000aeducative pursuits; rather, they spend hour \u000d\u000aafter hour scrolling through social media, \u000d\u000awatching entertaining videos on TikTok \u000d\u000aand the like. \u000d\u000aThe result: ever shorter attention \u000d\u000aspans. Extensive use of social media has \u000d\u000abeen shown to harm attention spans by \u000d\u000a\u201crewiring\u201d brains for the processing not of \u000d\u000aprolonged and absorbing tasks but of fast \u000d\u000aand fragmented information, which is being \u000d\u000aserved up on social media in an endless \u000d\u000astream of algorithms-driven content that \u000d\u000aprovides users with instant gratification \u000d\u000athrough so-called dopamine hits. Over time \u000d\u000athis impairs our ability to stay focused on \u000d\u000atasks that demand our attention for longer \u000d\u000aperiods of time. Children are especially at \u000d\u000arisk of suffering from reduced attention \u000d\u000aspans, impaired working memory and\u000d\u000acognitive fatigue because of their stilldeveloping prefrontal cortex, a brain \u000d\u000aregion responsible for high-level cognitive \u000d\u000afunctions.\u000d\u000aReal-world trends in education are \u000d\u000abearing this out. Over the past decade and a \u000d\u000ahalf, for instance, the number of school-age \u000d\u000aboys studying English A-level in the United \u000d\u000aKingdom has halved, partly as a result of \u000d\u000aceaseless distractions on their smartphones \u000d\u000athat \u201chave put them off reading,\u201d according \u000d\u000ato the London Times. \u201cThis summer, only \u000d\u000a12,000 boys sat A-level English compared \u000d\u000awith 27,000 in 2009. The number of girls \u000d\u000ataking it dropped by more than a quarter \u000d\u000afrom 59,000 to 42,000. At one independent \u000d\u000aboys\u2019 school so few pupils now take \u000d\u000aEnglish A-level that offering the subject was \u000d\u000a\u2018effectively loss-making\u2019 because of its high \u000d\u000ateacher-pupil ratio,\u201d a teacher said.","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a17\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of Amnuay Silpa School","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a18\u000d\u000aReading books, of course, demands \u000d\u000aone\u2019s undivided attention for longer spells \u000d\u000aand nor is there, often, instant gratification \u000d\u000ato be had in doing so. Yet the benefits of \u000d\u000areading regularly are enormously important \u000d\u000afor the healthy development of young \u000d\u000aminds. Immersive engagement with a novel \u000d\u000athrough \u201cdeep reading\u201d boosts a wide \u000d\u000aarray of cognitive skills such as reasoning, \u000d\u000aimagination, creativity and empathy in \u000d\u000ayoung readers. \u201cAt a basic brain level, we \u000d\u000areally do experience the same thing the \u000d\u000acharacters do. We don\u2019t just understand\u000d\u000aa book \u2014 on a neurological level, we live \u000d\u000aImmersive \u000d\u000aengagement \u000d\u000awith a novel \u000d\u000athrough \u201cdeep \u000d\u000areading\u201d boosts \u000d\u000aa wide array of \u000d\u000acognitive skills \u000d\u000asuch as reasoning, \u000d\u000aimagination, \u000d\u000acreativity and \u000d\u000aempathy in young \u000d\u000areaders.\u000d\u000ait,\u201d says Maryanne Wolf, a literacy scholar \u000d\u000aand professor of childhood development. \u000d\u000a\u201cWhen we read fiction, the brain actively \u000d\u000asimulates the consciousness of another \u000d\u000aperson, including those whom we would \u000d\u000anever otherwise even imagine knowing. \u000d\u000aIt allows us to try on, for a few moments, \u000d\u000awhat it truly means to be another person.\u201d\u000d\u000aUNICEF concurs. \u201cChildren\u2019s books \u000d\u000aare a powerful tool for enhancing the brain \u000d\u000adevelopment of a young child, especially \u000d\u000atheir all-important language skills,\u201d says \u000d\u000athe United Nations agency tasked with \u000d\u000aeducation globally. \u201cStories not only bring \u000d\u000ahappiness and enjoyment, but also add \u000d\u000anew words to [children\u2019s] vocabulary, help \u000d\u000athem develop and practice their comprehension, and lay the foundation for them to \u000d\u000aunderstand the concept of reading.\u201d\u000d\u000aYet many young people do not \u000d\u000aread much at all beyond short posts on \u000d\u000asocial media. More time spent online \u000d\u000ainvariably translates into a decline in \u000d\u000areading for pleasure and may be affecting \u000d\u000asubject choice. \u201cOne English teacher, at a\u000d\u000a\u00a350,000-a-year [approximately 2.2 million\u000d\u000abaht] co-educational independent school \u000d\u000awho did not want to be named, said the \u000d\u000aimpact of phones, tablets and the changes \u000d\u000ain children\u2019s viewing habits could not \u000d\u000abe overestimated,\u201d the Times reports. \u000d\u000a\u201cAttention spans, tolerance for boredom \u000d\u000aor challenge, empathy development, \u000d\u000avocabulary, it\u2019s [all] affected. Reading a \u000d\u000anovel is incredibly difficult if you\u2019re used \u000d\u000ato the instant gratification of TikTok or \u000d\u000aYouTube Shorts.\u201d\u000d\u000aAnd so gone are the days when many, \u000d\u000aif not most, schoolchildren relished reading \u000d\u000aWinnie-the-Pooh, Treasure Island and \u000d\u000aDavid Copperfield. Of youngsters between \u000d\u000athe ages of eight and 18, a mere third spend \u000d\u000asome of their free time reading books these \u000d\u000adays, according to a survey conducted this \u000d\u000ayear by the National Literacy Trust in the \u000d\u000aUK. Of boys only a quarter do. \u201cThat dropoff in reading for pleasure naturally leads to \u000d\u000aa lack of desire to study a subject later on,\u201d \u000d\u000aAnna Trethewey, a former English teacher, \u000d\u000atold the Times.\u000d\u000aCertain ingrained teaching methods \u000d\u000aare also to blame for this alarming trend, \u000d\u000aaccording to Geoff Barton, another former \u000d\u000aEnglish teacher who now works for the \u000d\u000aInstitute for Public Policy Research in the \u000d\u000aUK. \u201cThe emphasis on the 19th-century \u000d\u000anovels and a crowded curriculum means \u000d\u000athat inevitably [teachers] go for Dr Jekyll \u000d\u000aand Mr Hyde or A Christmas Carol because \u000d\u000ait\u2019s short,\u201d Barton argues. \u201cI think we\u2019re too \u000d\u000aobsessed with teaching children to analyse \u000d\u000atexts rather than just enjoying the reading of \u000d\u000atext.\u201d\u000d\u000aAnd without the enjoyment gained \u000d\u000afrom discovering new worlds through \u000d\u000awritten words, it is less likely that many \u000d\u000achildren and teens will adopt reading for \u000d\u000apleasure as a habit. ","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a19\u000d\u000aA fast-diminishing habit of reading for \u000d\u000apleasure is not limited to young people, \u000d\u000anor is it limited to the United Kingdom. In \u000d\u000athe United States the proportion of people \u000d\u000awho read for pleasure regularly has been \u000d\u000adropping by around 3 percent every single \u000d\u000ayear, according to research undertaken \u000d\u000aby experts at the University of Florida and \u000d\u000aUniversity College London. In 2004, about \u000d\u000a28 percent of Americans reported reading \u000d\u000afor pleasure; by 2023, that figure had nearly \u000d\u000ahalved to just 16 percent, according to the \u000d\u000aresearchers.\u000d\u000a\u201cWhile people with higher education \u000d\u000alevels and women are still more likely to \u000d\u000aread, even among these groups, we\u2019re \u000d\u000aseeing shifts,\u201d says Jessica Bone, a \u000d\u000asenior research fellow in statistics and \u000d\u000aepidemiology at University College London \u000d\u000awho was an author of the study. \u201cAnd \u000d\u000aamong those who do read, the time spent \u000d\u000areading has increased slightly, which may \u000d\u000asuggest a polarisation, where some people \u000d\u000aare reading more while many have stopped \u000d\u000areading altogether.\u201d\u000d\u000aUnsurprisingly, the researchers deem \u000d\u000athis trend \u201cdeeply concerning,\u201d not least \u000d\u000abecause people who do not read regularly \u000d\u000aare not only less likely to be well informed \u000d\u000aas lifelong learners but also destined to \u000d\u000amiss out on the mentally helpful benefits \u000d\u000aof reading for pleasure. \u201cReading has \u000d\u000ahistorically been a low-barrier, high-impact \u000d\u000away to engage creatively and improve \u000d\u000aquality of life,\u201d notes Jill Sonke, a scientist \u000d\u000aat the University of Florida. \u201cWhen we lose \u000d\u000aone of the simplest tools in our public health \u000d\u000atoolkit, it\u2019s a serious loss.\u201d \u000d\u000aWhat provides some reason for hope \u000d\u000ais that the rate of parents reading with \u000d\u000aand for their children stayed fairly constant \u000d\u000abetween 2003 and 2023, although that \u000d\u000arate was not as robust as it should have \u000d\u000abeen in the first place. Early introduction \u000d\u000ato books at home is often tied to early \u000d\u000aliteracy and a love of books for life. The \u000d\u000asame goes for schools and communities \u000d\u000ain general, which too can make a world \u000d\u000aof difference in inculcating reading habits \u000d\u000aamong youngsters belonging to various \u000d\u000aage groups. \u201cIdeally, we\u2019d make local \u000d\u000alibraries more accessible and attractive, \u000d\u000aencourage book groups, and make reading \u000d\u000aa more social and supported activity \u2014 not \u000d\u000ajust something done in isolation,\u201d Bone \u000d\u000asuggests.\u000d\u000aThis should be especially useful in \u000d\u000aThailand where the situation is, if anything, \u000d\u000aeven worse than in the US and the UK. \u201cA \u000d\u000a\u2018reading culture,\u2019 as defined by Professor \u000d\u000aAurasri Ngamwittayaphong [of Thammasat \u000d\u000aUniversity], is the behaviour of continuous \u000d\u000areading until it becomes a personal habit \u000d\u000athat guides one\u2019s way of life, such that the \u000d\u000areader sees the benefits of reading and \u000d\u000apromotes it to others. In Thailand, such a \u000d\u000aculture has not been fostered,\u201d writes Tayo \u000d\u000aTunyathon Koonprasert, an avid Thai reader \u000d\u000awho is a graduate of Harvard University\u2019s \u000d\u000aJohn F. Kennedy School of Government. \u000d\u000a\u201cThis is not to say that Thais don\u2019t \u000d\u000aread. Thais have an adult literacy rate of \u000d\u000a93 percent,\u201d Tayo goes on. \u201cHowever, their \u000d\u000areading is often limited to lecture notes, \u000d\u000acomics, Pantip forums, social media posts, \u000d\u000aand the occasional news article. A study by \u000d\u000athe Publishers and Booksellers\u2019 Association \u000d\u000aof Thailand found that 88 percent of the \u000d\u000apopulation spends only 28 minutes a day \u000d\u000areading. Forty percent doesn\u2019t read books \u000d\u000aat all.\u201d\u000d\u000aAdmittedly, a reason for low rates of \u000d\u000ahabitual reading in Thailand and elsewhere \u000d\u000ais socioeconomic. That said, even many \u000d\u000abetter-off Thais tend not to be habitual \u000d\u000areaders, judging from all the available \u000d\u000aevidence. This can be changed, however, \u000d\u000apartly through habit-forming activities.\u000d\u000aacross the \u000d\u000aboard\u000d\u000aLess\u000d\u000areading for \u000d\u000apleasure","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a20\u000d\u000aParents and educators have a great \u000d\u000aresponsibility to nurture reading habits in\u000d\u000achildren as early as possible. There are \u000d\u000aseveral tried-and-tested methods for doing \u000d\u000aso. These include leading by example as \u000d\u000ahabitual readers; reading aloud to children \u000d\u000afrom books they are likely to enjoy; selecting \u000d\u000aage-appropriate novels for them from the \u000d\u000agreat library of world literature; and setting \u000d\u000aaside dedicated reading time every day, \u000d\u000aeven if only for half an hour.\u000d\u000a\u201cReading with children is one of the \u000d\u000amost promising avenues,\u201d says Daisy \u000d\u000aFancourt, a professor of psychology and \u000d\u000aepidemiology at University College London. \u000d\u000a\u201cIt supports not only language and literacy \u000d\u000abut empathy, social bonding, emotional \u000d\u000adevelopment and school readiness.\u201d \u000d\u000aImportantly, there needs to be a fun \u000d\u000aelement to it all. \u201cEstablish a daily routine of \u000d\u000abedtime reading. Reading aloud to children \u000d\u000anot only fosters the bond between parent \u000d\u000aand child and relaxes children before \u000d\u000asleep, it is also known to aid the brain in \u000d\u000amastery of a language by developing a \u000d\u000afaster processing of sound and word \u000d\u000arelationships,\u201d the British Council \u000d\u000aadvises. \u000d\u000a\u201cTo develop a reading habit, it must be \u000d\u000aenjoyable. Don\u2019t question your child \u000d\u000aon the grammar or the meanings of \u000d\u000awords. Let them enjoy it for its own \u000d\u000asake. You can help by making suitable \u000d\u000areading material easily accessible to them \u000d\u000aand ensuring it\u2019s not too difficult for them,\u201d \u000d\u000ait adds.\u000d\u000aThis presupposes, of course, that \u000d\u000aparents take active roles in their children\u2019s \u000d\u000aeducation and character-forming activities, \u000d\u000awhich is critical \u2014 especially during those \u000d\u000afirst few formative years of the young ones\u2019 \u000d\u000alives. And yet, according to some observers \u000d\u000aand social commentators, parents\u2019 own \u000d\u000ahabitual smartphone use may too have \u000d\u000aadverse effects on their children\u2019s own \u000d\u000ahabits and intellectual development without \u000d\u000abeing aware of it.\u000d\u000aThe role of \u000d\u000aparents and \u000d\u000ateachers in\u000d\u000afostering \u000d\u000aa reading \u000d\u000aculture\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of D-PREP International School","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a21\u000d\u000a\u201cPeople worry a lot about screen \u000d\u000atime and the effect of phones on children. \u000d\u000aBut what about the effect of phones on \u000d\u000amothers? I say \u2018mothers\u2019, rather than \u000d\u000a\u2018parents\u2019, because in those first years, \u000d\u000awhen brain development depends on eye \u000d\u000acontact, tone of voice and interaction, \u000d\u000ait\u2019s overwhelmingly mothers who shape \u000d\u000aa child\u2019s world,\u201d explains Rosie Wilson, a \u000d\u000aBritish author. \u201cAnd the plain truth is that \u000d\u000asome mothers are present in body, but \u000d\u000amentally checked out. Scroll-hypnotised \u000d\u000aon TikTok, responding to WhatsApp \u000d\u000amessages mid-feed, taking endless videos \u000d\u000aof their toddlers dancing to trending songs \u000d\u000a\u2014 but not actually speaking to them,\u201d she \u000d\u000aadds.\u000d\u000aFar better then to put the phone down, \u000d\u000astop taking those videos endlessly and \u000d\u000aread instead to the children from very early \u000d\u000aon. That way the youngsters will not only \u000d\u000acome to appreciate well-crafted stories \u000d\u000adelivered in dulcet tones from the pages of \u000d\u000aa book but will also bond with their parents \u000d\u000aeven more. As for schoolteachers, they \u000d\u000acan take it from there and foster a reading \u000d\u000aculture in classrooms by having plenty of \u000d\u000abooks around for students to grab. They \u000d\u000acan also start book clubs and incorporate \u000d\u000abooks into in-class discussions on a variety \u000d\u000aof topics. \u000d\u000aIn the case of older pupils teachers \u000d\u000acan get even more creative and, say, assign \u000d\u000atheir pupils to read a novel and watch a \u000d\u000amovie based on it to see which they liked \u000d\u000amore and which they liked less and why. \u000d\u000aThis can promote not only reading skills \u000d\u000abut analytical thinking, critical thinking and \u000d\u000aindependent thinking skills as well. \u000d\u000aMost importantly, youngsters of various \u000d\u000aages should learn that reading in class and \u000d\u000aoutside it can and should be not a chore \u000d\u000abut a choice. This will allow them to pursue \u000d\u000atheir individual interests in their choices of \u000d\u000areading materials, setting themselves up for \u000d\u000abeing lifelong readers with all the intellectual \u000d\u000aand emotional benefits of that. \u201cOur \u000d\u000aresearch shows that pupils seek autonomy \u000d\u000ain their reading choices, searching for ideas \u000d\u000athat inspire their interests and reflect their \u000d\u000aown reality,\u201d the UK\u2019s National Literacy \u000d\u000aTrust stresses. \u000d\u000aOther lines of research support this key \u000d\u000ainsight. Saloni Krishnan, a developmental \u000d\u000acognitive neuroscientist at University \u000d\u000aCollege London, and her colleagues recently \u000d\u000aconducted an experiment wherein adult \u000d\u000aparticipants were asked to read well-written \u000d\u000aand engaging excerpts from books \u000d\u000athey could either select themselves or had\u000d\u000aselected for them by computers. \u000d\u000a\u201cThe results were striking. People \u000d\u000aconsistently enjoyed extracts more when \u000d\u000athey had chosen them, and they were \u000d\u000awilling to spend more money on those \u000d\u000abooks. Critically, the books themselves \u000d\u000aweren\u2019t \u2018better \u2014 we carefully balanced the \u000d\u000aoptions across participants. What mattered \u000d\u000awas the act of choosing,\u201d Krishnan reports \u000d\u000ain Psychology Today. \u000d\u000a\u201cThis echoes what we know about \u000d\u000adecision-making more broadly. Autonomy \u000d\u000ahas been shown to shape how much \u000d\u000apeople enjoy everyday activities, whether \u000d\u000ait\u2019s selecting what to eat for dinner, deciding \u000d\u000awhich film to watch, or planning where to \u000d\u000ago on holiday. Reading appears to follow \u000d\u000athe same pattern,\u201d the researcher explains. ","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a22\u000d\u000a\u201cThe implications for education are \u000d\u000asignificant,\u201d Krishnan continues. \u201cDecades \u000d\u000aof psychological research demonstrate that \u000d\u000aautonomy is a basic psychological need \u000d\u000athat supports intrinsic motivation \u2014 the \u000d\u000akind of motivation that sustains long-term \u000d\u000ahabits. This suggests that when readers, \u000d\u000aparticularly children, are given the chance \u000d\u000ato select their own books \u2014 even from a \u000d\u000asmall, curated set like in our study \u2014 they \u000d\u000aare more likely to feel engaged, motivated, \u000d\u000aand enthusiastic about reading.\u201d\u000d\u000aThis should come as no surprise one \u000d\u000awhit, the scientist notes. \u201cNeuroscientists \u000d\u000asuggest choice provides \u2018agency\u2019: the \u000d\u000afeeling of being in control. Such agency \u000d\u000amakes experiences more rewarding \u2014 for \u000d\u000aexample, neuroscience research shows \u000d\u000athat actively chosen rewards spark stronger \u000d\u000aresponses in the brain\u2019s reward circuits than \u000d\u000aBooks give \u000d\u000aus bite-sized \u000d\u000agoals, finish \u000d\u000athe chapter, \u000d\u000aget to the next \u000d\u000atwist, and the \u000d\u000abrain rewards \u000d\u000athat with \u000d\u000aa chemical \u000d\u000aboost.\u000d\u000arewards received passively. Our findings \u000d\u000aindicate that this agency effect extends \u000d\u000ato reading. Choice doesn\u2019t just reflect \u000d\u000aour preferences; it can enhance them,\u201d \u000d\u000aKrishnan writes. \u000d\u000aOnce reading becomes a habit, it will \u000d\u000abe its own reward thanks to the wonders \u000d\u000aof biochemistry. Or so experts posit. \u000d\u000a\u201cReading gives us structured, achievable \u000d\u000agoals, like finishing a page or chapter, that \u000d\u000athe brain recognises as progress,\u201d says \u000d\u000aneuroscientist Farah Qureshi, of the Johns \u000d\u000aHopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health \u000d\u000ain Baltimore. \u201cThis activates the dopamine \u000d\u000asystem, creating a small but satisfying rush. \u000d\u000aThat\u2019s why people say they get \u2018hooked\u2019 \u000d\u000aon a book; it\u2019s literally rewarding to keep \u000d\u000agoing.\u201d\u000d\u000aDopamine, a neurotransmitter involved \u000d\u000ain the brain\u2019s reward system, \u201cis linked to \u000d\u000agoal completion,\u201d she explains. \u201cBooks give \u000d\u000aus bite-sized goals, finish the chapter, get \u000d\u000ato the next twist, and the brain rewards that \u000d\u000awith a chemical boost. That\u2019s what keeps \u000d\u000aus coming back. Moreover, immersion in \u000d\u000aa book we enjoy reading transports us to \u000d\u000aa different world, and not just figuratively. \u000d\u000a\u201cWhen we\u2019re immersed in a story, the \u000d\u000abrain quiets down external distractions \u000d\u000aand enters a focused, restorative state,\u201d \u000d\u000athe scientist says. \u201cThat\u2019s great for mental \u000d\u000ahealth, and gives the dopamine system \u000d\u000aspace to work properly.\u201d\u000d\u000aThen, with their curiosity whetted, their \u000d\u000ainterest sparked and their brains \u201crewired\u201d \u000d\u000afor reading more, young people will \u000d\u000ahopefully spend less time with their eyes \u000d\u000ariveted on smartphone screens and more \u000d\u000atime with their noses buried in books. They \u000d\u000awill profit greatly from this change; there is \u000d\u000ano doubt about that.","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a23\u000d\u000aContinued on page 26\u000d\u000aAttention spans are shrinking fast, but regaining them may not be all that hard\u000d\u000aStaying \u000d\u000aREFOCUSED\u000d\u000aWe\u2019ve all been there: at hand is a task that demands our \u000d\u000aundivided attention, but we just can\u2019t stay focused \u000d\u000aon it. Nowadays with distractions everywhere, not \u000d\u000aleast on our phones, this can even be harder, a truly \u000d\u000aSisyphean undertaking. Troublingly, young children \u000d\u000aare also affected and increasingly so. In a survey conducted not that \u000d\u000along ago of over 500 primary and early years teachers in the UK, \u000d\u000amore than four in five educators said that they had noticed a marked \u000d\u000adecline in the attention spans of the children under their care. The \u000d\u000ateachers sought to cope with this unwelcome development by \u000d\u000ataking more frequent \u201cbrain breaks\u201d in class to allow children to relax \u000d\u000amentally and by imparting content in bite-sized bits.","","","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a26\u000d\u000aOver in Australia the same trend \u000d\u000ais taking place, unsurprisingly, and the\u000d\u000aconsequences of this can be dire for \u000d\u000achildren\u2019s development down under and\u000d\u000aelsewhere. \u201cThe dramatic decline in attention\u000d\u000aspans documented by researchers does \u000d\u000anot just represent an interesting data \u000d\u000apoint \u2014 it has very real and concerning \u000d\u000aconsequences for student learning and \u000d\u000awellbeing,\u201d stresses Santa Maria College, a \u000d\u000aCatholic boarding school for girls in Perth. \u000d\u000a\u201cFirst and foremost, the inability to focus \u000d\u000afor sustained periods makes it incredibly \u000d\u000adifficult for students to engage deeply with \u000d\u000aacademic content. Whether it is following \u000d\u000aalong in a lecture, reading \u000d\u000acomplex textbooks, or working through \u000d\u000achallenging problem sets, the constant\u000d\u000amental switching and fragmentation erodes\u000d\u000atheir capacity for deep, meaningful learning,\u000d\u000a\u201d Santa Maria College elucidates.\u000d\u000aEven worse is that mental fatigue from \u000d\u000aconstant digital distractions can harm children\u2019s wellbeing and mental health outside \u000d\u000aschool too, triggering anxiety, depression \u000d\u000aand insomnia. \u201cThe repercussions only \u000d\u000acompound over time as young people\u2019s \u000d\u000abrains become accustomed to the instant \u000d\u000agratification and rapid context-switching \u000d\u000aof modern technology; they can lose the \u000d\u000aability to tolerate boredom, delay gratification, and engage in deep work skills that \u000d\u000aare essential for long-term success, both in \u000d\u000aschool and in their future careers,\u201d the girls \u000d\u000aschool says.\u000d\u000aTo tackle this crisis of shrinking attention\u000d\u000aspans, experts recommend that teachers \u000d\u000amake instruction more child-friendly in \u000d\u000aclassrooms. The techniques employed can \u000d\u000ainclude using educational videos, gamified \u000d\u000acourse content and hands-on activities \u000d\u000athat engage students in entertaining ways. \u000d\u000aOnce accustomed to spending more \u000d\u000aattention to these, the kiddos can then be \u000d\u000agradually introduced to \u201cdeep dives\u201d to \u000d\u000abolster their conceptual understanding of \u000d\u000asubjects. Needless to say, this works with \u000d\u000aolder students as well.\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of Amnuay Silpa School\u000d\u000aContinued from page 23","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a27\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of D-PREP International School\u000d\u000aEqually important for mental wellbeing \u000d\u000aand increased attention are healthy \u000d\u000alifestyles with plenty of exercise, diets low in \u000d\u000aultra-processed foods and enough restful \u000d\u000asleep. \u201cWhen you exercise, you increase \u000d\u000athe availability of brain chemicals that \u000d\u000apromote new brain connections, reduce \u000d\u000astress, and improve sleep. And when we \u000d\u000asleep, we reduce stress hormones that \u000d\u000acan be harmful to the brain, and we clear \u000d\u000aout proteins that injure it,\u201d explains Harvard \u000d\u000aHealth, a division of the Harvard Medical \u000d\u000aSchool in the United States. \u201cAim for seven \u000d\u000ato eight hours of sleep each night, and 150 \u000d\u000aminutes per week of aerobic exercise, such \u000d\u000aas brisk walking.\u201d\u000d\u000aBest of all is to do some of those walks\u000d\u000ain natural environments: forested areas, \u000d\u000afields, parks. There is growing evidence \u000d\u000athat walking in nature benefits our attention \u000d\u000aspans, although it remains a bit of a mystery \u000d\u000aas to why this should be the case. Amy \u000d\u000aMcDonnell, a postdoctoral research fellow \u000d\u000aat the University of Utah in the US, ran an \u000d\u000aexperiment last year to find out the reasons \u000d\u000afor it by asking participants to walk the \u000d\u000asame distance through a local arboretum \u000d\u000aor else an urban campus. \u000d\u000a\u201cWalking in both settings improved \u000d\u000apeople\u2019s cognitive abilities compared to \u000d\u000atheir pre-walk scores,\u201d the New York Times \u000d\u000areports. \u201cBut when Dr. McDonnell looked \u000d\u000aat their brain waves using EEG, those who\u000d\u000awere in nature had less brain activity \u000d\u000aimmediately after the walk, followed by \u000d\u000abigger spikes while they were performing \u000d\u000athe attention task the second time.\u201d This \u000d\u000aresult seems to indicate that people\u2019s \u000d\u000abrain rested during nature walks \u201cand then\u000d\u000acame back online more efficient and stronger\u000d\u000athan ever after exposure to nature, compared\u000d\u000ato an urban environment,\u201d according to\u000d\u000aMcDonnell, who theorises that a combination of exercising in fresh air while being \u000d\u000aalone, away from distractions, is what may \u000d\u000abe making the difference.\u000d\u000aPerhaps we are wired by our biology to \u000d\u000arespond well to natural surroundings, which \u000d\u000atrigger positive physiological responses. If \u000d\u000aso, this tallies with age-old Taoist ideas \u000d\u000aabout the restorative power of nature on \u000d\u000aus. That is to say the attention-boosting \u000d\u000abenefits of spending time in nature, in \u000d\u000aaddition to its many other health benefits, \u000d\u000ahave long been known, but now science is \u000d\u000aonly now catching up with ancient insights \u000d\u000aas test after test demonstrates similar \u000d\u000aresults. \u000d\u000a\u201cIn 2008, 38 students at the University \u000d\u000aof Michigan set out on a walk. Half of them \u000d\u000awound their way through the trees in Ann \u000d\u000aArbor\u2019s Nichols Arboretum for 2.8 miles, \u000d\u000awhile the other half navigated the same \u000d\u000adistance on the busy streets of downtown. \u000d\u000aA week later, the two groups swapped \u000d\u000aroutes,\u201d the New York Times reports. \u000d\u000a\u201cBoth times before they set out, the \u000d\u000astudents took a test that challenged their \u000d\u000aattention and working memory, where they \u000d\u000awere given progressively longer sequences \u000d\u000aof numbers that they had to repeat back \u000d\u000ain reverse order. When they returned to \u000d\u000acampus, the students took the test again. \u000d\u000aWalking through town improved their \u000d\u000aperformance slightly, but walking in nature \u000d\u000aboosted scores by nearly 20 percent,\u201d it \u000d\u000aexplains.\u000d\u000aAll this bodes well for young people \u000d\u000abecause this means that regaining their \u000d\u000aattention spans \u2014 and all the advantages that\u000d\u000acome with that \u2014 requires nothing more \u000d\u000athan embracing the way we are all supposed \u000d\u000ato live according to our evolutionary design: \u000d\u000aeat well, sleep well, do some physical \u000d\u000aexercise and spend time in nature. And of \u000d\u000acourse, putting phones down for longer \u000d\u000aspells each day by resisting the urge to \u000d\u000akeep checking them constantly will help a \u000d\u000agreat deal as well.\u000d\u000aMental fatigue from constant digital \u000d\u000adistractions can harm children\u2019s \u000d\u000awellbeing and mental health outside \u000d\u000aschool too, triggering anxiety, \u000d\u000adepression and insomnia.","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a28\u000d\u000aAI tools can be a boon to learning, but their use \u000d\u000aby students requires some new and creative \u000d\u000aways of teaching\u000d\u000aMaking \u000d\u000aCHATGPT\u000d\u000aAN ALLY\u000d\u000aF\u000d\u000aor centuries many a work-shy \u000d\u000astudent fantasised about having \u000d\u000aan ever-obliging assistant on standby \u2014 a genie or a gremlin or a fairy\u000d\u000aperhaps \u2014 to do all their homework. \u000d\u000aNowadays that is no longer a fantasy and \u000d\u000athis assistant comes in the form not of \u000d\u000amagical beings but of AI-powered chatbots \u000d\u000alike ChatGPT. And so it is no surprise to \u000d\u000alearn that a study has found that nine out \u000d\u000aof 10 college students in the United States \u000d\u000ause ChatGPT to help them research and \u000d\u000awrite their assignments. A similar study in \u000d\u000athe United Kingdom found the same ratio \u000d\u000aof students, meaning nearly all of them, \u000d\u000ause AI for their homework with half of them \u000d\u000aadmitting to incorporating AI-generated text\u000d\u000adirectly into their assignments and passing \u000d\u000ait off as their own work. You can call this \u000d\u000aplagiarism from AI. \u000d\u000aConsidering that tools like ChatGPT \u000d\u000ahave been operational only for a couple \u000d\u000aof years, this is quite a prominent uptake \u000d\u000aof these technologies among college \u000d\u000astudents. \u201cStudents are the canaries in the \u000d\u000aAI coalmine. They see its potential to make \u000d\u000atheir studies less strenuous, to analyse \u000d\u000aand parse dense texts, and to elevate their\u000d\u000awriting to honours-degree standard,\u201d explains\u000d\u000aJeremy Ettinghausen, a writer for the \u000d\u000aGuardian. \u201cAnd, once ChatGPT has proven\u000d\u000ahelpful in one aspect of life, it quickly \u000d\u000abecomes a go-to for other needs and \u000d\u000achallenges. As countless students have\u000d\u000adiscovered \u2014 and as intended by the \u000d\u000amakers of these AI assistants \u2014 one \u000d\u000aprompt leads to another and another and \u000d\u000aanother...\u201d\u000d\u000aEttinghausen knows this because \u000d\u000ahe has asked three students for their \u000d\u000apermission to have unrestricted access to \u000d\u000atheir chat logs, which he then perused at \u000d\u000agreat length. \u201cI thought their chat log would \u000d\u000acontain a lot of academic research and bits \u000d\u000aand pieces of more random searches and \u000d\u000aqueries,\u201d he reports. \u201cI didn\u2019t expect to find \u000d\u000anearly 12,000 prompts and responses over \u000d\u000aan 18-month period, covering everything \u000d\u000afrom the planning, structuring and \u000d\u000asometimes writing of academic essays, to \u000d\u000acareer counselling, mental health advice, ","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a29\u000d\u000afancy dress inspiration and an instruction \u000d\u000ato write a letter from Santa. There\u2019s nothing \u000d\u000athe boys won\u2019t hand over to ChatGPT.\u201d\u000d\u000aBut perhaps what may come as the \u000d\u000abiggest surprise to a casual observer was \u000d\u000ajust how much time the students spent \u000d\u000aon plying the AI chatbot with the same \u000d\u000asort of questions. \u201cA query that started \u000d\u000awith Joshua (one of the students) asking \u000d\u000aChatGPT to fill in the marked gaps in a \u000d\u000aparagraph in an essay finished 103 prompts \u000d\u000aand 58,000 words later with \u2018Chat\u2019 not only \u000d\u000asupplying the introduction and conclusion, \u000d\u000aand sourcing and compiling references, but \u000d\u000aalso assessing the finished essay against \u000d\u000asupplied university marking criteria,\u201d the \u000d\u000ajournalist notes. ","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a30\u000d\u000a\u201cThroughout the operation,\u201d Ettinghausen goes on, \u201cJoshua flips tones between prompts, switching from the politely \u000d\u000adirectional (\u2018Shorter and clearer, please\u2019) to \u000d\u000ainformal complicity (\u2018Yeah, can you weave \u000d\u000ait into my paragraph, but I\u2019m over the word \u000d\u000acount already so just do a bit\u2019) to curt brevity (\u2018Try again\u2019) to approval-seeking neediness (\u2018Is this a good conclusion?\u2019; \u2018What do \u000d\u000ayou think of it?\u2019).\u201d \u000d\u000aHad the student spent the same \u000d\u000aamount of time and effort on doing the\u000d\u000aassignment himself, one assumes, he might \u000d\u000awell have produced a very serviceable \u000d\u000apiece of homework on his own. Therein lies \u000d\u000athe danger of overmuch \u000d\u000adependency on AI tools: \u000d\u000anot only do they do the \u000d\u000awork for you, robbing you \u000d\u000aof the chance to learn \u000d\u000aby doing, but they also \u000d\u000aconsume a great deal of \u000d\u000atime \u2014 time that could \u000d\u000ahave been far better spent \u000d\u000aon doing something far \u000d\u000amore worthwhile such as \u000d\u000alearning to write an essay \u000d\u000awell.\u000d\u000aJust as concerning is an \u000d\u000aapparent tendency among \u000d\u000astudents to delegate their entire thinking \u000d\u000aprocess and knowledge acquisition to AI \u000d\u000atools like ChatGPT, DeepSeek and Claude. \u000d\u000aThis deprives them of the chance to \u000d\u000apractice critical thinking, for instance, which \u000d\u000ais all the more regrettable given that these \u000d\u000abots are hardly infallible, at least for now, as \u000d\u000aanyone who has used them while doublechecking answers on Google will no doubt \u000d\u000ahave noticed.\u000d\u000aEducators are doing their best to clamp \u000d\u000adown on the widespread use of ChatGPT \u000d\u000awith varying degrees of success. \u201cOur AI \u000d\u000astrategy had assumed that encouraging \u000d\u000aengaged uses of AI, telling students \u000d\u000athey could use software like ChatGPT to \u000d\u000agenerate practice tests to quiz themselves, \u000d\u000aexplore new ideas or solicit feedback, \u000d\u000awould persuade students to forgo the lazy \u000d\u000auses. It did not,\u201d Clay Shirky, a vice provost \u000d\u000aat New York University, writes in the New \u000d\u000aYork Times. \u000d\u000a\u201cWe cannot simply redesign our \u000d\u000aassignments to prevent lazy AI use. (We`ve \u000d\u000atried.) If you ask students to use AI but \u000d\u000acritique what it spits out, they can generate \u000d\u000athe critique with AI. If you give them AI tutors \u000d\u000atrained only to guide them, they can still use \u000d\u000atools that just supply the answers,\u201d Shirky \u000d\u000aexpounds. A solution, he argues, lies in ","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a31\u000d\u000a\u201cmoving away from take-home assignments \u000d\u000aand essays and toward in-class blue book \u000d\u000aessays, oral examinations, required office \u000d\u000ahours and other assessments that call on \u000d\u000astudents demonstrate knowledge in real \u000d\u000atime.\u201d\u000d\u000aBack to basics, in other words. \u000d\u000a\u201cFaculty members can engage students \u000d\u000ain conversation, via Socratic dialogue or \u000d\u000asimple Q&A. They can cold-call students or \u000d\u000aget students to ask one another questions. \u000d\u000aThis may require device-free classrooms as \u000d\u000amany faculty members also report students \u000d\u000ausing ChatGPT in class to generate \u000d\u000aanswers to questions posed in class.\u201d\u000d\u000aUndoubtedly, many students have AI \u000d\u000abots write their assignments not because \u000d\u000athey are lazy but because they feel their \u000d\u000awork could never measure up to something \u000d\u000aproduced by ChatGPT. That misses the\u000d\u000apoint of the entire learning process, of\u000d\u000acourse. Homework is assigned not to\u000d\u000atorment students with exacting tasks \u000d\u000a(although it may often feel like that to the\u000d\u000astudents themselves) but to get them \u000d\u000ato demonstrate their mastery of a newly \u000d\u000alearned subject. Having ChatGPT do the \u000d\u000awork rather defeats that purpose entirely. \u000d\u000a\u201cA student who cuts and pastes a history \u000d\u000apaper is enrolled in a cutting and pasting \u000d\u000aclass, not a history class,\u201d Shirky observes \u000d\u000awryly.\u000d\u000aOther experts argue against banning AI \u000d\u000abots from classrooms. Doing so would be \u000d\u000anot only counterproductive but unfeasible \u000d\u000atoo. Rather, teachers should find ways \u000d\u000afor their students to leverage these new \u000d\u000atechnologies for their studies. \u201cBanning \u000d\u000aChatGPT is like prohibiting students from \u000d\u000ausing Wikipedia or spell-checkers. Even if \u000d\u000ait were the \u2018right\u2019 thing to do in principle, it \u000d\u000ais impossible in practice. Students will find \u000d\u000aways around the ban, which of course will \u000d\u000anecessitate a further defensive response \u000d\u000afrom teachers and administrators, and so \u000d\u000aon. It\u2019s hard to believe that an escalating \u000d\u000aarms race between digitally fluent \u000d\u000ateenagers and their educators will end in a \u000d\u000adecisive victory for the latter,\u201d argue Angela \u000d\u000aDuckworth, a professor of psychology, \u000d\u000aand Lyle Ungar, a professor of computer \u000d\u000ascience, both working at the University of \u000d\u000aPennsylvania.\u000d\u000aImportantly, chatbots can liberate \u000d\u000astudents from the burdens of rote learning, \u000d\u000aMany students have AI bots write \u000d\u000atheir assignments not because \u000d\u000athey are lazy but because they \u000d\u000afeel their work could never \u000d\u000ameasure up to something \u000d\u000aproduced by ChatGPT.\u000d\u000awhich is a particularly entrenched practice \u000d\u000ain Thailand, with the AI tools regurgitating \u000d\u000afacts for them on demand. Instead, they can \u000d\u000afacilitate students in practicing their critical \u000d\u000athinking skills. Or so posit the two experts. \u000d\u000a\u201cTechnology has for quite a while been \u000d\u000amaking rote knowledge less important. \u000d\u000aWhy memorise what the 14th element in the \u000d\u000aperiodic table is, or the 10 longest rivers in \u000d\u000athe world, or Einstein\u2019s birthday, when you \u000d\u000acan just Google it?\u201d they write in an op-ed \u000d\u000afor the Los Angeles Times. ","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a32\u000d\u000a\u201cChatbots may well accelerate the\u000d\u000atrend toward valuing critical thinking. In \u000d\u000aa world where computers can fluently (if\u000d\u000aoften incorrectly) answer any question, \u000d\u000astudents (and the rest of us) need to get \u000d\u000amuch better at deciding what questions to \u000d\u000aask and how to fact-check the answers the \u000d\u000aprogram generates,\u201d Duckworth and Ungar \u000d\u000aelucidate. \u000d\u000a\u201cTeachers, of course, will still want \u000d\u000ato proctor old-fashioned, in-person, nochatbot-allowed exams,\u201d they concede. \u000d\u000a\u201cBut we must also figure out how to do \u000d\u000asomething new: How to use tools like \u000d\u000aGPT to catalyse, not cannibalise, deeper \u000d\u000athinking. Just like a Google search, GPT \u000d\u000aoften generates text that is fluent and \u000d\u000aplausible \u2014 but wrong.\u201d \u000d\u000aThis means that students will have to \u000d\u000aengage in \u201cthe same cognitive heavy lifting \u000d\u000athat writing does: deciding what questions \u000d\u000ato ask, formulating a thesis, asking more \u000d\u000aquestions, generating an outline, picking \u000d\u000awhich points to elaborate and which to\u000d\u000adrop, looking for facts to support the \u000d\u000aarguments, finding appropriate references \u000d\u000ato back them up and polishing the text.\u201d\u000d\u000aNo one can write well without thinking \u000d\u000awell, Duckworth and Ungar point out, and \u000d\u000aChatGPT provides only a simulacrum of \u000d\u000agood writing, not the real deal. The onus \u000d\u000ais on teachers to figure out ways to let \u000d\u000astudents use ChatGPT but do so critically \u000d\u000aand in a way that ultimately benefits their \u000d\u000amental development by allowing them to \u000d\u000apractice crucial mental skills. \u000d\u000a\u201cOne approach is to focus on the \u000d\u000aprocess as much as the end result,\u201d the \u000d\u000aexperts propose. \u201cFor instance, teachers \u000d\u000amight require \u2014 and assess \u2014 four drafts \u000d\u000aof an essay, as the writer John McPhee has \u000d\u000asuggested. After all, as McPhee said, \u2018the \u000d\u000aessence of the process is revision.\u2019 Each \u000d\u000adraft gets feedback (from the teacher, from \u000d\u000apeers, or even from a chatbot), then the \u000d\u000astudents produce the next draft, and so \u000d\u000aon.\u201d \u000d\u000aThey add: \u201cLike any tool, GPT is an \u000d\u000aenemy of thinking only if we fail to find ways \u000d\u000ato make it our ally.\u201d \u000d\u000aIt is with view to turning chatbots into \u000d\u000aallies for students that the Presidential \u000d\u000aChallenge has been launched in the United \u000d\u000aStates. \u201c[T]eams of students from K-12 \u000d\u000awill use Al tools such as large language \u000d\u000amodels, robotics, computer vision, \u000d\u000adecision trees, and neural networks to \u000d\u000asolve a community problem by creating a \u000d\u000aphone app or website,\u201d the New York Post \u000d\u000areports. \u201cPrizes range from a Presidential \u000d\u000aCertificate of Achievement to Cloud Credits \u000d\u000aand a $10,000 check. State champions \u000d\u000awill be announced next March, followed \u000d\u000aby a national championship in June. Top \u000d\u000ateams be invited to present their work at \u000d\u000aa three-day showcase in Washington, DC, \u000d\u000aincluding the White House.\u201d\u000d\u000aInternational schools in Thailand \u000d\u000acould do well to emulate the spirit of such \u000d\u000acommendable initiatives by encouraging \u000d\u000atheir students to put chatbots to good use \u000d\u000ain various domains of their studies and \u000d\u000aself-learning. The aim should be for them \u000d\u000ato treat ChatGPT not as an ever-ready \u000d\u000aassistant to do the heavy lifting for them \u000d\u000abut rather as but another useful tool for \u000d\u000aunleashing their own creativity. That way \u000d\u000aArtificial Intelligence will be not a detriment \u000d\u000abut a boon to learning.\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of D-PREP International School","","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a34\u000d\u000aHow a simple decision at an international \u000d\u000aschool in Bangkok allowed an \u000d\u000aacademically struggling student to find \u000d\u000ahis true calling\u000d\u000aThe young modeller of \u000d\u000aOLD BANGKOK","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a35\u000d\u000aBy his own account Alexander \u000d\u000aCoke Smith VI was not a stellar\u000d\u000asuccess academically at Bangkok\u000d\u000aPatana School, a private Britishstyle educational institution \u000d\u000afounded in 1957 for the children of \u000d\u000aexpatriates and well-off Thais. The son of \u000d\u000aan American wildlife photographer who \u000d\u000ateaches environmental science at the \u000d\u000aschool, Coke liked it there well enough. Yet \u000d\u000asomehow, it seemed, none of the subjects \u000d\u000atruly tickled his fancy, being as he was \u000d\u000asomewhat dyslexic. \u000d\u000aThen in Year 10 he took an elective \u000d\u000acourse and lucky that he did. \u201cThe theme \u000d\u000awas \u2018Miniature Worlds\u2019 and our task was to \u000d\u000amake our own diorama in a wooden case the \u000d\u000asize of a shoebox,\u201d Coke, now 23, recalls. \u000d\u000aSome of his classmates created artful \u000d\u000ascenes like wildlife safaris with plastic toy \u000d\u000aanimals placed in front of a painted African \u000d\u000asavanna for a background. These were \u000d\u000ascenes that his father has photographed \u000d\u000amany a time in his decades-long career, \u000d\u000abut Coke Junior opted instead for a scale \u000d\u000amodel of Angkor Wat in Cambodia viewed \u000d\u000afrom above as from a satellite. \u201cIt was like \u000d\u000aa super-tiny scale model with almost no \u000d\u000adetail,\u201d he explains. \u000d\u000aBut what mattered was not the quality \u000d\u000aof his project but the spark it ignited in him. \u000d\u000a\u201cEven as a kid I would play with rocks on \u000d\u000athe beach and pretend each rock was \u000d\u000aa building in a city,\u201d says Coke (as he \u000d\u000aprefers to be called). \u201cNow I was able to \u000d\u000ado something that really interested me and \u000d\u000ahad nothing to do with my exams.\u201d\u000d\u000aAnd old Siamese temples interested \u000d\u000ahim a great deal. Their architecture, \u000d\u000aespecially. He kept on modelling long after \u000d\u000athat elective class with the zeal of someone \u000d\u000awho has found his true calling at last. \u201cI \u000d\u000acame to be known as the \u2018temple boy,\u2019\u201d he \u000d\u000asays. \u201cThe headmaster even asked me for \u000d\u000aa model of a temple he passed every day \u000d\u000aon his way to work. So I did it for him.\u201d\u000d\u000aThat was around the time when in \u000d\u000aYear 12 he was invited by teachers to \u000d\u000ahold an exhibition for teachers and his \u000d\u000afellow students in the private school. It \u000d\u000afeatured his scale model of Old Bangkok \u000d\u000aon Rattanakosin Island, the erstwhile heart \u000d\u000aof a royal Siamese city on the banks of the \u000d\u000aChao Phraya River. \u201cDespite not studying in \u000d\u000athe IB Visual Arts course, Coke\u2019s passion \u000d\u000afor making things led to an invitation to \u000d\u000aexhibit his work at the final IB Exhibition as \u000d\u000aa guest artist,\u201d explained Ross Corker, a \u000d\u000aBritish arts instructor at the school.\u000d\u000aBy then Coke had transformed into \u000d\u000aa star pupil at Bangkok Patana. Beyond \u000d\u000abuilding temple models, he had belted out \u000d\u000asongs in a choir and acted in plays, giving \u000d\u000avent to his artistic urges. \u201cI remember \u000d\u000awhen Coke was working on his solo \u000d\u000aperformance,\u201d said drama teacher Katie \u000d\u000aMeadows. \u201cI would walk into my classroom \u000d\u000ato the soundtrack of classical music, the \u000d\u000astudio lights dimmed with a spotlight, \u000d\u000aprecisely placed on his set, and Coke \u000d\u000atrying to master the physicality of an ape, \u000d\u000acompletely focused and in-role.\u201d\u000d\u000aCoke no longer sings or acts much, \u000d\u000abut his passion for modelling remains \u000d\u000aundiminished. He carries some of his \u000d\u000acreations everywhere he goes and rare is \u000d\u000athe time when people do not stop him, \u000d\u000aasking to take a look. This was so on a \u000d\u000arecent afternoon when he made his way \u000d\u000athrough the Grand Palace, navigating the \u000d\u000athrongs of tourists while balancing on his \u000d\u000apalm a piece of cardboard. Mounted on it \u000d\u000awas a brightly coloured miniature replica \u000d\u000aof the royal compound, a thousandth \u000d\u000aof its actual size with every last temple, \u000d\u000achedi and pavilion faithfully reconstructed. \u000d\u000aCoke had made them all painstakingly to \u000d\u000ascale from the discarded liquor boxes he \u000d\u000acollected from restaurants on the Andaman \u000d\u000aisland of Koh Lanta where he lives with his \u000d\u000amother, a Thai chef. \u000d\u000aI believe that to truly help \u000d\u000astudents teachers have \u000d\u000ato understand them all as \u000d\u000adifferent individuals and\u000d\u000alet them pursue their\u000d\u000aspecial interests.","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a36","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a37","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a38\u000d\u000aThailand has international schools galore.\u000d\u000aThe question for many parents is which ones\u000d\u000ato choose and why\u000d\u000aA bonanza of \u000d\u000aCHOICES","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a39\u000d\u000aT\u000d\u000awo hundred fifty or so \u2014 that is \u000d\u000ahow many international schools \u000d\u000athere are in Thailand, more than \u000d\u000aa hundred of them in Bangkok \u000d\u000aalone. And even more of them \u000d\u000aare on the way.\u000d\u000a\u201cThe international school sector in \u000d\u000aThailand has shown robust and consistent \u000d\u000agrowth, with the majority of institutions \u000d\u000alocated in major urban centres such as \u000d\u000aBangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, and \u000d\u000aPhuket. These four provinces alone account \u000d\u000afor over 80% of the country\u2019s international \u000d\u000aschools,\u201d the Nation reports.\u000d\u000aMost of these schools, or many of \u000d\u000athem at least, offer their services to children \u000d\u000aand teenagers between the ages of two \u000d\u000aand 18, their educational programmes \u000d\u000acovering a wide range from preschool level \u000d\u000aall the way to senior high school. In the \u000d\u000aeyes of many parents, for their children to \u000d\u000aattend an international school is not only \u000d\u000aa mark of educational attainment but also \u000d\u000asignals higher social status, according to \u000d\u000athe Nation.\u000d\u000a\u201cIn addition to academic quality, \u000d\u000apsychological and social factors also play \u000d\u000aa key role in the increasing popularity of \u000d\u000ainternational schools among high-networth families,\u201d the newspaper explains. \u000d\u000a\u201cEnrolment is often viewed as a symbol of \u000d\u000astatus and global integration. While tuition \u000d\u000afees may be significantly higher than those \u000d\u000aof public or private Thai schools, parents \u000d\u000asee education as an investment in both \u000d\u000afuture opportunity and social prestige.\u201d\u000d\u000aAs well they should, since tuition \u000d\u000aat these schools doesn\u2019t come cheap. \u000d\u000aAccording to recent analysis tuition fees for \u000d\u000athe top 10 international schools range from \u000d\u000aaround 900,000 to 1,100,000 baht a year, \u000d\u000aalbeit many other schools charge far less \u000d\u000athan that, starting from around 200,000 \u000d\u000abaht annually.\u000d\u000aA cursory look at many of these \u000d\u000aschools, most of them privately owned, \u000d\u000awill reveal that they tend to fall into three \u000d\u000abroad categories. The first type comprises \u000d\u000aschools that cater specifically to the \u000d\u000achildren of foreign expatriates with plenty of \u000d\u000adisposable income: entrepreneurs, company\u000d\u000aexecutives, diplomats. The second type \u000d\u000aof schools includes the local branches of \u000d\u000aprominent British, American and other \u000d\u000aforeign franchise schools. The third type \u000d\u000acomprises relatively new international \u000d\u000aschools that provide tuition at internationally \u000d\u000aaccepted standards to both Thai and \u000d\u000aforeign students. \u000d\u000aIn many of the better schools there is \u000d\u000aan emphasis on bilingual education with \u000d\u000aThai and a foreign language serving as the \u000d\u000alanguages of instruction. Such bilingual \u000d\u000aenvironments are especially highly prized \u000d\u000aby many well-off Thais who prefer to send \u000d\u000atheir children to international schools to \u000d\u000ahelp them acquire high-standard education \u000d\u000awith special emphasis on the mastering \u000d\u000aof foreign languages, especially English. \u000d\u000aAlthough international schools in Bangkok \u000d\u000agenerally bill themselves as inclusive and \u000d\u000anonselective, students may be required to \u000d\u000ademonstrate an acceptable level of fluency \u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of XCL American School of Bangkok\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of D-PREP International School","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a40\u000d\u000aThe question, though, is which \u000d\u000aone is the right one for your \u000d\u000achild. The answer depends on \u000d\u000aa number of variables that are \u000d\u000aworth considering before making \u000d\u000aa decision.\u000d\u000ain English or other select foreign language \u000d\u000ato be accepted. The most prestigious \u000d\u000aschools may have waiting lists to deal with \u000d\u000athe large number of potential applicants. \u000d\u000aThe question, though, is which one \u000d\u000ais the right one for your child. The answer\u000d\u000adepends on a number of variables that\u000d\u000aare worth considering before making \u000d\u000aa decision. Helpfully, most schools \u000d\u000athemselves offer guidelines to parents \u000d\u000aand prospective students for selecting \u000d\u000athem based on various advertised criteria. \u000d\u000aIndividual schools routinely highlight their \u000d\u000astrengths, including the sizes of classes (the \u000d\u000asmaller the better, it is generally assumed), \u000d\u000athe qualifications of teachers as well as \u000d\u000athe usual teacher-student ratio at school, \u000d\u000athe make-up of their student body, the \u000d\u000aavailable learning and recreational facilities \u000d\u000aon campus, and the range of in-class and \u000d\u000aextracurricular activities on offer to help \u000d\u000astudents get ahead in their studies while \u000d\u000aalso helping them have a good time with \u000d\u000atheir schoolmates. \u000d\u000aIn addition, several schools offer \u000d\u000aservices in individual counselling, substance \u000d\u000aabuse prevention, and study support. \u000d\u000aOthers emphasise the safety of their school \u000d\u000aenvironment and the security arrangements \u000d\u000aof the school grounds, which can be an \u000d\u000aimportant factor for foreign diplomats. \u000d\u000aFor expats new to Thailand, finding ideal\u000d\u000aschools for their children can especially \u000d\u000abe a fraught experience and a tall order, \u000d\u000aaccording to International Citizens \u000d\u000aGroup, an agency based in Boston and \u000d\u000aspecialising in services for expatriates. \u000d\u000a\u201cYou want to find the perfect balance of \u000d\u000ahigh academic standards, engaging [and] \u000d\u000aattentive teachers, and fun extracurricular \u000d\u000a[activities]. In short, you want your child to \u000d\u000athrive in their new expat school,\u201d it says.\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of Amnuay Silpa School\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of XCL American School of Bangkok","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a41\u000d\u000a\u201c[A] school with a focus on diversity \u000d\u000aand a strong focus on creativity is a great \u000d\u000acombination for the social child who\u2019s \u000d\u000aeager to meet new friends. A child who \u000d\u000astruggles with reading but found their \u000d\u000afooting with a calm, caring teacher will take \u000d\u000ato a school with small classroom sizes, a \u000d\u000astrong teacher-to-child ratio, and a large \u000d\u000alibrary. No one knows your child as you \u000d\u000ado. Focusing on what makes them their \u000d\u000abest self will help you select a school with \u000d\u000aconfidence,\u201d the group explains.\u000d\u000aEqually important is to \u201cremember that \u000d\u000achoosing an expat school is an experience \u000d\u000afor parents too! Learn how you can get \u000d\u000ainvolved. Not all schools have the same \u000d\u000aapproach to parental involvement. Some \u000d\u000ahave multiple volunteer committees, while \u000d\u000aothers are more restrained. But school is \u000d\u000aimportant for the entire family, not just your \u000d\u000achild,\u201d it elucidates. \u000d\u000a\u201cGet to know the other parents, attend \u000d\u000aall special events (even when your child isn\u2019t \u000d\u000ainvolved), and find a role where you can \u000d\u000acontribute. It will make your time abroad \u000d\u000amore meaningful. And it always helps to \u000d\u000ahave an insider\u2019s point of view to help your \u000d\u000achild feel more settled and enjoy their time \u000d\u000aoverseas,\u201d the agency advises. \u000d\u000aAmong the most important \u000d\u000aconsiderations in selecting a school \u000d\u000ashould be its curriculum, teaching \u000d\u000amethods and available learning tools. \u000d\u000aThe best schools boast studentcentred teaching methods that are \u000d\u000aaimed at engaging learners while \u000d\u000asimultaneously challenging them to do \u000d\u000atheir best in their studies and to acquire \u000d\u000aa love of learning. These schools seek \u000d\u000ato actively engage all their students \u000d\u000ain learning activities and regularly \u000d\u000acommunicate with parents about \u000d\u000atheir children\u2019s progress. A school\u2019s \u000d\u000acurriculum should ideally incorporate \u000d\u000athe most advanced learning tools and \u000d\u000atechniques, including hi-tech tools \u000d\u000aand innovative testing methods. \u000d\u000aA wider range of courses \u000d\u000aon offer suitable for different age \u000d\u000agroups, including science classes \u000d\u000aand courses in various languages, \u000d\u000aserves as a good indicator of a \u000d\u000aschool\u2019s dedication to a more holistic \u000d\u000aapproach to learning and teaching. So \u000d\u000ais the ready availability of co-curricular \u000d\u000aand extracurricular activities and \u000d\u000aprojects, including sporting events, \u000d\u000aarts initiatives, drama clubs, science \u000d\u000aclubs, and hobby clubs. A school \u000d\u000ashould ideally have state-of-the-art, \u000d\u000awell-maintained facilities, including the \u000d\u000aavailability of wireless technology on \u000d\u000acampus. A well-stocked library, sport \u000d\u000aareas (preferably with a swimming \u000d\u000apool), and a cafeteria with healthy \u000d\u000afood are also inviting sights. \u000d\u000aQuandary \u000d\u000aThe Faculty","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a42\u000d\u000aWhen it comes down to it, however, a \u000d\u000aschool \u2014 no matter how well-equipped \u2014 is \u000d\u000aonly as good as its teachers. Parents should \u000d\u000apay attention to teachers\u2019 credentials as \u000d\u000awell as what expectations a school sets on \u000d\u000aits instructors. In some larger international \u000d\u000aschools teachers may come from as many \u000d\u000aas two dozen countries, adding to a truly \u000d\u000amulticultural environment on campus. It\u2019s \u000d\u000ano secret, however, that many schools in \u000d\u000aThailand regularly employ foreign teachers \u000d\u000abased simply on superficial criteria such as \u000d\u000athat they are native speakers of a foreign \u000d\u000alanguage like English rather than on the \u000d\u000amerits of their overall qualifications and \u000d\u000aexperience. Often in such schools teachers \u000d\u000acome and go on a regular basis, which can \u000d\u000alead to an episodic quality in the course \u000d\u000awork of classes with haphazard teaching \u000d\u000amethods. That rarely benefits students. \u000d\u000aB e t t e r s c h o o l s p l a c e a s t ro n g \u000d\u000aemphasis on attracting the best available \u000d\u000ateachers with proper qualifications and \u000d\u000aretaining them for longer periods. The \u000d\u000apercentage of teachers with advanced \u000d\u000adegrees at a school is a tell-tale sign of \u000d\u000athat dedication. Such schools also often \u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of D-PREP International School\u000d\u000aPhoto courtesy of Amnuay Silpa School\u000d\u000aencourage their faculty to keep abreast of \u000d\u000athe latest developments in their fields and \u000d\u000ain educational trends in general. The sight \u000d\u000aof teachers who evidence a professional \u000d\u000amanner in their conduct and seem \u000d\u000arespected and well-adjusted at a school \u000d\u000ais a revealing sign of its efficiency. A good \u000d\u000arule of thumb in selecting an appropriate \u000d\u000aschool for youngsters is to try and gauge \u000d\u000ahow well its teaching environment benefits \u000d\u000aits students. \u000d\u000aA school\u2019s educational track record \u000d\u000acan be a good indicator of all that. This \u000d\u000arecord includes such indicators as the \u000d\u000arate of its graduates that have gone on to \u000d\u000ahigher educational institutions (and which \u000d\u000aones) and the composition of its alumni. A \u000d\u000aschool\u2019s reputation also benefits students. \u000d\u000aGraduating from a more prestigious school \u000d\u000aoften lends young people a leg-up as they \u000d\u000aapply for higher educational institutions \u000d\u000aand, later on, during their job search as \u000d\u000athey embark on a professional career.","INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a43\u000d\u000aHelping a Thai child \u000d\u000aadjust to life at an\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL \u000d\u000aSCHOOL\u000d\u000aMany Thai children may find themselves at a loss in the \u000d\u000acosmopolitan environment of an international school \u000d\u000awhere they need to communicate with foreign \u000d\u000achildren and teachers in a foreign tongue \u2014 usually \u000d\u000aEnglish \u2014 that they may not yet have mastered. The \u000d\u000atransition can be especially jarring if they transfer from Thai schools \u000d\u000aor preschools. Parents can help their children adjust to their new \u000d\u000alearning environments by following simple techniques: \u000d\u000a1. Let them tell you their story: No matter how busy, parents \u000d\u000ashould find time daily for a 10-to-15-minute chat with their children. \u000d\u000aThey should ask the youngsters about their day at school and \u000d\u000alisten to their answers. As they recount the day\u2019s events, children \u000d\u000awill signal with their facial expressions and gestures whether they \u000d\u000aenjoy being in school or feel out of place there. \u000d\u000aParents should talk things over with their kids, offering them \u000d\u000abits of advice about how to overcome difficulties and telling stories \u000d\u000afrom their own childhood experiences in school.\u000d\u000a2. Appreciate cultural differences in a school: In a new \u000d\u000alearning environment, especially in one with children from different \u000d\u000acultures and backgrounds, occasional misunderstandings are \u000d\u000ainevitable. A child accustomed to the mores of one culture may get \u000d\u000apuzzled or even offended by customs in another. \u000d\u000aWhile international schools generally make an effort to help \u000d\u000astudents learn about foreign cultures, they may run up against some \u000d\u000aproblems: they may misinterpret gestures or facial expressions or \u000d\u000amay be surprised by unusual religious customs or foreign clothing \u000d\u000aitems. \u000d\u000aContinued on page 46","","","Parents should teach children to \u000d\u000arespect others regardless of their looks, \u000d\u000askin colour or beliefs. In the end, learning in \u000d\u000aa multi-ethnic and multicultural environment \u000d\u000awill greatly benefit children by broadening \u000d\u000atheir cultural horizons and acquainting \u000d\u000athem with new ways of looking at the world. \u000d\u000a3. Encourage them to speak up: Thai \u000d\u000achildren tend to be shy and withdrawn, \u000d\u000aespecially among strangers. They may feel \u000d\u000aless confident in class and less willing to \u000d\u000aask questions and speak up. \u000d\u000aTeachers at international schools \u000d\u000ashould make an effort to reach out to less \u000d\u000aconfident students, but parents, too, have \u000d\u000aa role to play. They should encourage their \u000d\u000achildren to speak up freely both in school \u000d\u000aand at home. They should be encouraged \u000d\u000ato ask questions. \u000d\u000aBy the same token, parents should \u000d\u000ateach their children proper manners to \u000d\u000aensure they do not become overbearing \u000d\u000awith other children and disrespectful with \u000d\u000atheir teachers. \u000d\u000a4. Encourage them to participate \u000d\u000ain activities: Parents should encourage \u000d\u000atheir children to participate both in in-class \u000d\u000aactivities and extracurricular ones in school. \u000d\u000aThat way, they can develop stronger bonds \u000d\u000awith their peers and come to make new \u000d\u000afriends.\u000d\u000aWhile many parents are naturally very \u000d\u000aprotective of their children, they should let \u000d\u000athem attend afterschool events, sport days \u000d\u000aand field trips. Parents should also let their \u000d\u000achildren play or hang out with their friends \u000d\u000aunder appropriate supervision, if need be. \u000d\u000aIn addition, parents may consider attending \u000d\u000aschool events to socialise with teachers \u000d\u000aand other parents.\u000d\u000a5. Enrol them in extra language \u000d\u000astudy: Thai students and those from a \u000d\u000anon-native English speaking background \u000d\u000amay well encounter communication \u000d\u000aproblems at an international school where \u000d\u000athe language of tuition is English. The \u000d\u000asooner they can adapt to the new language \u000d\u000aenvironment, the better it will be for their \u000d\u000aacademic progress and social life in school. \u000d\u000aIf children are facing language comprehension problems in school, parents \u000d\u000ashould seek out extra English courses for \u000d\u000athem either at the school or outside it. \u000d\u000aBecoming conversant in a foreign \u000d\u000atongue takes lots of practice, but children \u000d\u000aare especially adept at learning new \u000d\u000alanguages. Parents should also encourage \u000d\u000atheir children to watch cartoons and movies \u000d\u000ain English, read children\u2019s books in the \u000d\u000alanguage, and listen to English-language \u000d\u000asongs. Having foreign friends at school with \u000d\u000awhom they have to communicate in English \u000d\u000awill also help Thai youngsters \u000d\u000abecome fluent in the \u000d\u000aforeign vernacular a lot\u000d\u000afaster.\u000d\u000aLearning in a multiethnic and multicultural \u000d\u000aenvironment will greatly \u000d\u000abenefit children by \u000d\u000abroadening their cultural \u000d\u000ahorizons and acquainting \u000d\u000athem with new ways of \u000d\u000alooking at the world.\u000d\u000aINTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2025-2026\u000d\u000a46\u000d\u000aContinued from page 43","",""]