Most difficult....?

      Could you thread a needle while riding horseback at a gallop?  Can a classroom of Thai students remain silent to allow a single student to answer?  One of these is as likely as the other!  After a difficult encounter with the 4th grade Tuesday today I asked their teacher to remain in the room while I taught.  Her presence, and keeping the students in their desks, made a huge difference,
     However, I thought she might actually participate in the lesson as the principal had, well, she did a little.  Mostly she sat in the back and talked on her phone.  When I'd finally convinced the students to remain silent while one student answered she turned off her phone and began answering for the students!  "Please, call someone on your phone."
    A bit of variety in methodology is available to me as I gain knowledge of Thai.  I say a phrase in Thai and they repeat it in English.  Then we reverse and I'll say the English and they repeat in Thai.
This is not real conversation because I only know greetings, random sayings, some vocabulary, food dishes, etc.  It does give them an opportunity to learn basic exchanges while hearing and speaking English.
    Today I was explaining the difference between "khow",,,rice and "how"...lice.  Most Thai pronounce "R" as "L", though they are quite capable of saying R.  I was explaining that you don't want "fried lice" but "fried rice"  when the teacher, temporarily off her phone, said "How many have lice?" Seven girls raised their hands.  What do I do with that knowledge?
    A sound not in the Thai alphabet is "V".  It's quite easy to teach them to make the V sound but it takes some learning.  The say "wiolin" for violin and "Wolwo" for Volvo.  After a little practice they can do it when they think about it.

Sweet, sticky rice in banana leaf.

4th grade, see the double desks,

4th grade, I'm the one with the beard.

School with temple chapel.