Teaching opportunities

Hi there

I recently joined the forum and introduced myself on the announcements section of the forum.

In my introduction I explained how I may be moving to Udon next year but am already a regular vistor due to my wife's family living in Udonthani. I outlined how I have a Masters Degree and intend to study at Khon Kaen for my TEFL certificate prior to hopefully taking up employment as a secondary school English teacher.

I am visiting Udon this August for one month and will visit the Text and Talk Academy at Khon Kaen were I will eventually study for six weeks, possibly early next year. However, while in Thailand I would like to take the opportunity to experience teaching in a Thai school through 'shadowing' an existing English teacher in order to experience a Thai classroom firsthand. I have a vast amount of teaching expereince in England in both informal and formal settings but am under no illutson that Thailand will be a totally different experience. Therefore, I believe that it will be better to try and see what I will be letting myself in for before take this 'big step'. What is that saying "pre warned is pre armed".

My question is does anyone out there have any contacts or could kindly point me in the right direction of how I could possibly re arrange a short placement while over in Udonthani. I am looking for the last week in August or early September. I know I could wait untill I am out there and then take things forward but having a contact will probably save me some time.

Therefore, any help would be most appreciated even if it is information about the location of the secondary schools. Last time while in Udon on the road out to Big C (passing the private hospital) I think I noticed a big school on the left.

Will await your responses

Kind regards

Andy

Hi Andy,

you should be able to do your TEFL course online.

Schools in this part of the world are very much in need of Native speaking English teachers, so I don't
think you will have much trouble getting an invitation to work at one. You will need that to get your teaching license, even for part time.

good luck,

What teachers licence, please if you give advice ensure it is correct !
1 You have to be under 55 years old
2, You must have at least a TEFL or higher in order to teach English, often the text and Talk 6 week course will NOT be enough, so check carefully, while you are living in England a suggestion would be to get an International TEFL of higher from , for example either One to One on Line or other similar accredited organisation. AS often a qualification gained in Thailand is acceptable in Thailand ONLY.
3, You must be either a native speaker from the UK or Australia

These minimum rules are now the situation, IF you have been teaching in a public school and retained your position those rules above do not apply, after you leave a school the requiremnt will be strictly enforced.
Now it maybe that some schools WILL NOT ADFHERE to Ministry instructions, however if and when the school is checked and you DO NOT meet the criteria you will probably lose your job.

Teachers licence can be obtained by the school for you for a period of two years on a on a temporary basis, if one then likes the school and they like you you can then decide if you wish to apply and get your full licence, but initially it is not a necessity. teachers Licence normally apply to a particular school , hence the need to teach at it first before committing yourself. When it comes to renumeration, I will remain silent, I am fully aware of the amount the school gets for hiring a native teacher, needless to say it is not reflected in what you may be offered.

There are many who think they can circumnavigate the system and may in effect be already doing so, but the Education Ministry is starting to check on all sorts of things including Teacher Quals ( including foreigners ), so do not think it will not apply to you , it applies to everyone.

In private schools who have no public money input, these rules do not apply, but in order for the school to retain its licence as a school it must show it is complying with minimum standards in teacher qualifications and experience, so you cannot have a complete ninny attempting to teach.

In view of the NEW restrictions on English teachers who are native speakers, there is certainly a shortfall.

Yes you do need a licence to legally teach in Thailand.
Although most of the teachers I have met do not have one.

You can check with the Royal Thai Embasy website for the latest requirements.
http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/visa_teacher.html

Here is a very good article on the subject.






Teaching in Thailand - Visa Info
Updates on Qualifications & Work Permits for English Teachers

Oct 27, 2007 Gill Hart
Thai English & Computer Class - Gill Hart
Thai English & Computer Class - Gill Hart
Regulations for the teaching of English in Thailand have become stricter within the last year. However, there is still plenty of work for the qualified English teacher.

Thailand remains a popular destination for experienced and potential teachers, understandably so as it is a beautiful country.

Thai students are, in the main, a joy to teach, with their fun loving attitude and genuine curiosity regarding foreigners. Work is plentiful for those who are qualified and the cost of living and quality of life generally enables a teacher to have a happier and healthier lifestyle than back home.

However, for those looking to earn a high salary, to pay off debts or to put money in the bank, then other Asian countries like Japan or Korea prove a more lucrative option. Thailand is not the place to get rich quick, nor does it usually provide perks, such as paid airfare or relocation expenses, so often available in developed countries.
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The majority of teachers in Thailand are not here for the money but to enjoy the lifestyle, culture and opportunities that the country provides. Accommodation, transportation, entertainment and food are cheap, providing you don’t push the boat out every night and you live within your means.

Some things have altered considerably since the military coup in September 2006. Rules are now more strictly enforced regarding visa applications, qualifications and police background checks, along with a clamp down on the so called ‘cowboy’ schools that seemed to proliferate at one time or another.

English teachers in Thailand have received of bad press of late, after the apprehension of a number of suspected pedophiles working as teachers. This has prompted schools to enforce stricter procedures during their recruitment and selection process and work permit and visa applications are tougher.
Visa & Work Permit Regulations for Thailand

Prior to 2006 it was possible for a potential teacher to obtain a Non Immigrant B visa (essential for working legally) based on an offer letter from a school. Now there is a pile of additional documentation required for the visa application, along with a police clearance certificate, and a teacher’s license to obtain a work permit.
Read on

* TEFL & TESOL Courses in Thailand
* Websites for Teachers in Thailand
* Teaching in Thailand: Job Hunting

These formalities may take a long while to process, not least because the Department of Education (teacher’s license), the Labor department (work permit) and Immigration (visa) work independently of each other, so a delay in one department may impact on the other two.

Work permit and visa regulations are regularly updated, so it pays to keep abreast of the latest requirements by visiting The Royal Thai Embassy website. Alternatively, obtain updated visa information from your prospective employer.

[b]A teacher will only be granted a teacher’s license if the necessary criteria is met – usually a bachelor’s degree and a recognized TEFL/TESOL teaching certificate. Most schools nowadays specify a teaching certificate which meets the international standard of a 120 hour course and at least 6 hours of observed teaching practice.[/b]

Be wary of online TEFL courses. Check acceptability with potential employers before enrolling. Whilst useful for those already with a teaching background or already holding a relevant certification, online courses may not be looked upon as sufficient training for a novice teacher who has never set foot in the classroom.

Thailand is no longer an easy teaching option for the unqualified. However, there are still jobs available, mainly in Bangkok or in the more remote provinces, where demand exceeds supply. However, for a wider choice of jobs, an unqualified teacher may be better off looking at neighboring countries such as Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam.

The Thai government has recently clamped down hard on the so called ‘Koh San Road’ degrees, which could once be bought off the street, and provided an open door into unsuspecting or trusting educational institutions. After recent government research showed that a significant number of teachers had gained teaching positions using fake degrees, credentials are now verified by a prospective employer. According to the Bangkok Post article, Two Held With Fake Qualifications (17 January 2007), "65 out of a 1,000 teachers checked were found to have fake degrees".

Read more at Suite101: Teaching in Thailand - Visa Info: Updates on Qualifications & Work Permits for English Teachers http://esllanguageschools.suite101.com/ ... z0vifEIN7i

Although one agrees with the comments provided by the website, I for one will state quite openly that not all schools or teaching establishments adhere to the strict rules and a licence albeit temporary can be obtained post work permit application not always required before.

What is does NOT do is to state the other regulation, as English teachers have to be form either Australia or the UK, now that may sound to some a stupid rule, but it is the case and if one is found to be teaching and not adhereing to the criteria, not only does the school lose its teacher but also the teacher loses his/her work permit and with it the visa.

Some schools may poo poo that, but be warned times are changing and any foreign teacher who thinks that their job is for the year or even longer beware ( especially if that teacher does NOT fall inside the criteria ) , when found out the school and the teacher will have problem.
There are changes afoot on how school teachers are funded and employed, suffice to say forewarned is forearmed. I will say no more on this subject.

I am keeping all my options open. Is there a place to study TEFL in UT?

No is the quick answer, there are places in Thailand , your location is not specified , however an externally gained TEFL will give you far more credibility than a locally gained one, also it can offer you more opportunities elsewhere , whereas a local one may limit you to Thailand.
I may sound pessimistic, but soon the opportunities for people to come to Thailand, like it, and stay to teach are soon going, as Thailand ramps up its educational needs. Certainly there will still be a need for teachers of the foreign persuasion to teach their own language and in some cases other parts of the curriculum as well, but those teachers will need to fulfill all the criteria , not just a native speaker etc:
One can say that this will not happen, BUT when one thinks that approximately 30 odd years ago the education system was at best poor, if at all in some places. then Thailand has improved by leaps and bounds,now they are fine tuning it to meet the needs of the 21st century, as they didn't have the 16th to 20th century to learn from as many of our countries did.
Coupled with their culture and nepotism and corruption, it ain't easy to deal with but at least they are starting.

To those out there who are searching for answers regarding teaching English, please take all the posted advice with a grain of salt. I am not yet a teacher in Thailand but I have every intention of doing so...and I am from the USA. I have done a lot of research on the matter and I am not convinced that English teachers can only be harvested from the UK or Australia. In fact, I seriously doubt the veracity of anything from that poster considering the flagrant typos and awful sentence structure of his posts.

I too will be visiting Thailand this month Andy. I too will visit T&T in Khon Kaen. You can take their 6-week program OR you can take the same course from the University of Khon Kaen. These courses ARE approved by the Thai Ministry of Education and you can become an English Teacher in Thailand. Stay the course if you are really interested in this path. The only thing I could add here is that you should probably have a 4-year degree in something.

I have received advice regarding on-line courses as well as brick-and-mortar courses outside Thailand. Based upon what I have been told, I would NOT engage an on-line course for the simple fact that you are unable to undergo live critique of your newly learned teaching techniques. As for courses offered in UT, NY, or any other state of the union, you must ask yourself, "is my objective Thailand?" If it is, then I believe that you would be best served selecting an accredited school in Thailand. Remember that there are differences in the way Thais butcher English as compared to Germans or French or Chinese. Schools in Thailand have the advantage of focusing you on the particular weaknesses of Thais and the specific techniques to combat those weaknesses.

In parting, let me reiterate: For advice regarding the teaching of English in ANY country, reject outright the advice of anyone who cannot put together a clear sentence and/or who is too lazy/sloppy to correct typos.

Well doubt away, you newbie to Thailand, thanks for your critique. Please enjoy wasting your money, as Thailand uses so many bad grammatical American Books I am hardly surprised at your level of indifference.
My information can be verified but then you have to have the ability to a, understand the content, b, be prepared to listen to advice when it is given.

While I am sure you are or could be an excellent teacher, do not even begin to think that your 'friends ' have all the answers. Yes all TEFL/T and T schools do have Ministry accreditation, as for my so-called posts and the spelling thereof, I have no intention of rebuttal to such crass attacks and as for my veracity, lets play a wait and see game shall we, I accept apologies in writing in English, that is the Queens English not some bastardation spawned by a nation who seem unable to string even a sentence together without using swear words. We won't speak about the spelling ability, which is even worse.

" I will say no more on this subject."

??

I think it would be worthwhile anyone interested in teaching in Thailand to look here as well..

http://www.ajarn.com/

BobHelm wrote:I think it would be worthwhile anyone interested in teaching in Thailand to look here as well..

http://www.ajarn.com/

I was just about to make the same suggestion to you Andy. A site solely for those who wish to teach and live in Thailand written mostly by those who already do, rather than those who never have but claim to have all the answers.

The best option for you would probably be approaching language schools directly to see if they want any help with classes. You can just do this by knocking on doors or searching on Google. Be warned though that many schools are only interested in taking teachers on for 12 month contracts.

Bear in mind that teaching in Thailand and teaching in the UK aren’t as massively different as you may first imagine. So your teaching experience in the UK will really help you in Thailand, both when it comes to looking for jobs and when managing you classes.

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Good Luck

Good post cjm900.

I love the way some dolts here lecture others.

Perfectly clueless.

Hello Moderators,
Albeit a well constructed post which he has been working on all day, not the spontaneity of the normal posters, can I suggest you run an IP adress check on CJM900 as I am sure he is our Nong Khai gimp - Texpat