Teach English in Thailand

• Credentials
• Types of Teaching Jobs
• Job search
• Expectations of teachers
• Salary and Benefits
• Accommodation and Transportations
• What to eat, wear etc.

Credentials
According to Thai employers, a qualified teacher must have a bachelor’s degree, a TEFL certificate (or similar) and some experience. The TEFL course doesn’t promise to make you a teacher but definitely helps the prospective teacher to instill confidence besides providing valuable insight into teaching methodology. In addition to this experience and the availability of teaching jobs in Thailand are the two most important considerations for hiring a TEFL teacher.

In reality, numerous copies of your degrees and diplomas will be required as proof of qualification. This enables a higher remuneration at commercial language chain schools such as ELS International, ECC, AUA and English First. It is imperative that you brush up on your structure, form and basic tenses as commercial language schools passes the applicant through a grammar test.

Apart from business and tourism, there is a demand for conversational English in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and other areas. With the advent of capitalism and Western consumer market American English is preferred though most Thai students follow British English in schools. Thailand is a homogeneous nation having Thai as the native language, thus English is hardly used as a mode of communication. Although Thai students read and write English for a fair number of years, yet they do not have the required skills to write and speak proper English.
 

Types of Teaching Jobs
Thailand mainly has three types of teaching jobs.
 

Thai Schools: Spread all over Thailand, these schools have few or no English teachers and hence there is a lot of freedom for teachers to opt for what they desire to teach. The focus is more on general usage of English. The biggest disadvantage, though, is the salary.
 

Commercial Schools: Numerous chains of Commercial Schools, such as ECC Thailand, ELS International, and CBC are located in big cities such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Other places that hire TEFL teachers to teach in Thailand are The International School and Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. These schools are more valued places to teach and may require part-time teachers for weekends. They pay reasonably well. Chulalongkorn has an evening extension program for business English. Classes are held in the evenings to accommodate work schedules of students who are mostly adults with specific job-based need for English in the fields of construction, banking, food services etc. However there is no freedom regarding the choice of subject to teach.
 

Private Tutoring: Private tutoring or freelance teaching in Thailand pays the most. It involves visiting the students at their home during evenings to assist them develop certain skills or strengthen certain weaknesses. Single students are often joined in by their family members to learn.
 

Job Search
It is best to look for a job in Thailand by staying in that country. Search alternatives are there catering to a huge demand for quality native-speaking teachers.

In Bangkok, the A.U.A. Language Center and Siam Square, where ECC and the British Council are located are good places to start hunting for EFL jobs. Prestigious schools like the International School may recruit from overseas. Word of mouth is unofficially the best way to gather information about available positions. Guesthouses and restaurants in tourist areas frequently have job postings for TEFL positions on their bulletin boards. The classifieds in English-language publications-The Nation and The Bangkok Post - also feature advertisements for teaching and private tutoring. You can even walk into a Thai or commercial school and fix up an appointment for an interview. It is expected that you carry your passport, your C.V and the college testimonials. For the benefit of TEFL teachers the Thai academic calendar year is as follows - the Thai school year runs from June to mid-March, with a summer recess until the end of May or beginning of June and a half-year break during October. Personal visiting card providing all the contact information can be printed at a cheap price provided you have a fixed place to stay. Placement agencies also provide vital leads for TEFL job hunters.

Expectations from a Teacher
Teachers in Thailand are a respected lot. TEFL teachers must be decently dressed and have a certain level of enthusiasm and patience. Teaching as a profession being both fun and stressful at the same time, majority of English language teachers come from a quite different background. In Thai culture, the idea of sanuk (fun) is very important and students are reluctant to do anything that is not perceived to be fun in the classroom. The teacher has to keep things moving. It has been said that to be a good teacher in Thailand, you need to be a teacher, entertainer and businessman rolled into one.

TEFL Teaching expectations will vary with the type of school, the curriculum, and previous exposure to native English speakers. There is a persistent need to churn up new ideas, make language points more effective and activities more specific in terms of the students learning or using the target language. Good teaching requires careful planning of every lesson, the marking of homework and obviously the presentation and delivery of lessons within the classroom. The classroom aspect of the job requires a lot of energy, continually replenished.

Depending on the type of environment you work in, there may also be other responsibilities for a teaching professional in Thailand. Within a language school one might be asked to interview prospective students for the purposes of grading them and placing them in the right level class. In any teaching environment one might be asked to assist the Thai staff with various things and perhaps even helping them with their English. There may well be workshops from time to time and you may even be expected to run one. Basically, there is more to do than just plain old teaching.

Work load and schedules vary greatly in Thailand. The average teaching load is 15 hours a week, determined by class size and curriculum. The whole idea of teaching English as a native speaker is ultimately to set up interactive activities that allow the students to practice some specific language. A lot of activities and language learning / practicing games keep the lesson moving. Since Thais are a sensitive bunch it is imperative that EFL teachers have a thorough knowledge of the Thai culture and customs.

Salary and Benefits
Remuneration varies wildly in Thailand. Salaries for TEFL teachers at Thai schools depend upon the type of institution (public or private) and the level of instruction (secondary or post-secondary). Full time positions tend to be salary based with part-time positions paying on an hourly basis.
In most government institutions, the basic salary is low-about 20,000 + baht per month, or US$600. At commercial schools about 500 baht per hour can be expected along with perks as health care, vacation, visa arrangements and other expenses. However, recruitment is usually from abroad, and is often dependent on the curriculum used by that school. So if the school follows a British curriculum then TEFL teachers will be recruited from UK, if the school follows a US curriculum then TEFL teachers will be recruited from US and so on.

Earning of around 25k baht per month for an unqualified teacher is considerable. However, any figure less than 25k is not acceptable for a qualified ESL teacher in order to maintain a decent lifestyle. As an experienced and qualified TEFL teacher, one should be earning over 35,000 baht a month. The highest confirmed salaries are supposedly provided by high schools, international schools and language schools, at The British Council.
Salaries are usually paid monthly, on the last day of the month, although some firms pay twice a month. While most schools will pay you through direct credit into your bank account, there are some schools that will pay you by means of a check.

Schools occasionally provide free housing and other benefits, which amounts to a saving of 4,000 or 5,000 baht per month. Some schools / companies provide medical insurance facilities as well. Teachers are also assigned 2 to 3 evening classes a week, which earns them another 2,000 to 3,000 baht per month as overtime pay. TEFL teachers who acquire jobs at the colleges on their own can earn about 30,000 baht but they have to pay for housing, which can be grossly expensive in a city like Bangkok. Private high schools such as Bangkok Christian College pay about 35,000 baht. Universities, Thailand’s paramount educational institutions, pay about 35,000 baht to 40,000 baht.

In Thai society, teachers are looked up to and can attract instant admiration and respect in public. ESL teachers working at a prestigious university such as Chulalongkorn or Thammasat is more prestigious and they will get an ID card. Some schools take training seriously and may even organize training sessions and seminars in resorts where everything is paid for.

Accommodation and Transportation
 

Thailand has a whole range of accommodation on offer for TEFL teachers but more towards the expensive side, especially in Bangkok. Rent varies from 5,000 to 10,000 baht per month and above.

Housings in Thailand reflect traits of westernization. Modern apartment buildings with air-conditioning, hot water, telephone lines, and Western-style bathrooms are available. However, these apartments have limited cooking facilities, if any. Generally these apartments do not have any kitchen in particular. Food stalls and markets provide cheap and delicious Thai food at all hours for as little as 15 baht a dish. The starting price of some apartment complexes near Siam Square, on Rama I and Phayathai Roads vary from 5,000 to 6,000 baht per month.

Another housing option for the EFL teachers is the guest house; many of them have long-term rentals for expats. The rent ranges from 9,000 to 15,000 baht per month and provide all the modern amenities. Most guesthouses provide monthly discounts of 10% or 20%. Guesthouses also have their own kitchen with Western and Thai dishes.

Those preferring a less sterile ambience can rent old Thai houses where a lot of expats live. You might have to find someone in the expat community to live here, since houses are shared with two or three people, and modern apartments are for one or two people at the most. Rent can be quite high, especially if you have maid service, which a lot of people who live in these houses do. But if you want to live with roommates in a more spacious and traditional setting than modern apartments, this is a good option.

There are many modes of transportation in large Thai cities, but Bangkok is notorious for traffic jams, and even Chiang Mai is becoming more congested. Living near your school would be a good option to avoid commuting and getting stuck in traffic snarls. The best way to get around is by public transportation. There are red, blue, and green buses that cost a few baht and cover many parts of the city. There are also more luxurious air-conditioned buses-the blue and white ones range from 8 to 16 baht depending on the distance traveled, and a new fleet of red and grey buses charge a flat rate of 25 baht and have TVs.

The tuk-tuk is an open-air, three-wheeled taxi. However, these are being phased out for new fleets of taxicabs, but there are still some around. Unlike taxis, you can bargain the price, but if you don't speak Thai very well, chances are you will be taken for a ride, so it may not be worth it. But they are a fun way to ride around the city. Short distances will start at 30 to 40 baht, and going all the way across town may cost 100 to 140 baht or more.
Taxis are another way to get around-the cars are new and air-conditioned. The meter starts at 30 baht. Taxis are a better option for going out or going home at night. If you are traveling short to medium distances with minimal traffic, the fare will be 60 to 80 baht.

The motorcycle taxis are modes of speedy commuting however should be preferably avoided for safety reasons. Riding in chaotic Bangkok traffic without a helmet or crash pads is very dangerous, and accidents are frequent. Most fares start at 20 baht for short to medium distances it is acceptable to bargain.

What to eat, wear etc
Thai cuisine is as palatable and enticing as its natural endowments and cultural extravagance. Food here, incorporating Chinese, Indian, and Southeast Asian cookery traits are an irresistible combination of Lemongrass, basil, mint leaves, garlic, coconut milk, chilies, sugar, fish sauce, and a hot and sour sauce used to produce spicy, sour, sweet, and salty tastes. Dishes with Chinese influences include meat and vegetables stir-fried in oyster or garlic sauce and dim sum. Curries with coconut milk suggest Indian and Malay influences, while skewers of grilled meat with peanut sauce are typical of Malay and Indonesian cooking.

Food is cheap, abundant, and delectable. Food stalls are present in every town and city and can make stir-fried noodle dishes, soups, and rice dishes for 10 to 20 baht. Adequate sit-down restaurants offer good food for a lesser price when compared to American restaurants. Prices range from 30 to 120 baht. Compared to American meals though, Thai dishes have smaller portions, so you may need to order two! Precautions must be taken while consuming tap water and unpeeled fruits and vegetables which could lead to typhoid or hepatitis. Consult your physician about getting immunizations before you travel.

Appearance and bearing of a Thai teacher probably gets the most priority after his/her teaching skills. It is mandatory to dress well, appear neat. Thai women's outfits tend to be old-fashioned and made of polyester which is the heaviest material to wear in heat and humidity. Thai clothing is also not designed for tall people. Bangkok has plenty of big, air-conditioned shopping malls with the latest fashions from the West, but at nearly twice the price! Custom-made clothes may be the best way of getting affordable, well-designed outfits suitable for hot weather. The Indian trade, which brought over fabric and tailoring expertise, has helped establish Thailand's reputation for quality custom-made clothing. Tailor shops offer fabrics, which that can be made to order.

There are many outdoor markets that sell enough fabric to make a skirt for about 75 baht and up. Reputable tailors can be consulted for a better look and perfect fit.

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