In the second half of this interview with Kanatip ‘LoukGolf’ Soonthornrak we find out more about LoukGolf’s own struggles with learning English and get some words of advice for those who are facing similar challenges with language learning. You can read Part One of this interview here.
When and why did you decide you wanted to become a teacher?
I started tutoring a group of students when I was in my first year at university, simply because I wanted to help my parents. They had to pay for my tuition fees and everything. I fell in love with teaching when I was in my third year. I realised that seeing my students becoming better at English gave me so much joy. I also benefited from my BA in Communication Arts to help make my courses distinctive. Then I realised that I had to establish Angkriz in order to change the way Thai students learn and think about English.
Your own level of English is very high. Has that always been the case?
I was one of those Thai students who found English extremely bewildering and difficult. I went to regular Thai schools and couldn’t speak English until the age of 15. It took me a few years to get back on the right track. I practiced by listening to and imitating lots of native speakers on TV and in films.
I forced myself to read English novels and I would speak English when I had the chance. I didn’t think of English as a boring subject but a weapon to change my life. It took me a few years to become good at it because I was practicing it in the limited circumstances of Thailand. There were many but the toughest was to overcome all the mockery from my fellow Thai classmates.
Are there any particular language learning success stories you can share from your students, or people you know of that follow your show?
I think everyone’s language learning journey, not just English, is worth celebrating and telling. It takes guts, time and endeavour to be good at English or a new language. It would take me a decade to tell all my students’ stories, as there are so many of them. Long story short, I can proudly say that most of my students will be unstoppable when it comes to using English because they embrace English without fear. They laugh at and learn from their mistakes. And that, for a start, is already a success.
You divide your time between Thailand and the UK. Is there anything in particular about British culture that you love?
All things British mesmerise and fascinate me. I, however, tend to have a love-hate relationship with the British weather. It’s so unpredictable and hard to read, just like the Brits. I’m just being tongue-in-cheek, of course!
We’ve heard that you also enjoy English literature. Which book would you recommend to someone learning English at the moment, who perhaps wants to read their first book in English?
A Series of Unfortunate Events! The books in this series are just unputdownable! I got this lovely adjective from Cambridge Dictionary, in case you were wondering.
Any final words of inspiration for those learning the English language?
Without English, I wouldn’t have come this far. Who would have thought that a boy who grew up in a small village in Thailand would one day be interviewed by Cambridge University Press? English has opened so many doors for me and it will open so many doors for you. Start practicing today, keep fighting, rest when you are tired but always move on when you are ready.
Keep in touch with LoukGolf
LoukGolf often makes use of the online Cambridge Dictionary in his classes and on his TV talk show. You can access this free, mobile-friendly resource at dictionary.cambridge.org. You can find LoukGolf’s talk show on the GMM25Thailand channel, or by searching for ‘LoukGolf’s English Room’. Follow LoukGolf on Twitter @LoukgolfLG, Instagram @loukgolflg, Facebook @lgandfriends and on the hashtag #EnglishRoomTVCambridge.