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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 has a
bachelor's degree, a TEFL certificate (or similar) and some
experience. The TEFL course doesn’t promise any miraculous
transformation to a teacher but definitely helps the prospective
teacher to imbibe confidence besides providing valuable insight
into teaching methodology. Adding to this, availability of job
and teaching experience are the two next considerably vital
aspects in hiring to Teach in Thailand.
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 suggested to
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 consumerism American
English is preferred although, most Thai students are schooled
in British English. Thailand is a homogeneous nation having Thai
as the native language, thus English is hardly used as a mode of
communication. Though students learn to study, read and write
grammar for years they have a concise aptitude to speak and
understand English.
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Types of Teaching Jobs
Thailand prevalently 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 aspire to teach. The focal point
is more on general uses of English. The biggest disadvantage 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 foreign 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 fairly 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 isn’t remarkable liberty on what to teaching
matter.
• Private Tutoring: Private tutoring or freelance teaching in
Thailand pays the most. It involves visiting the student’s 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.
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Job Search
It is best to look for a job in Thailand, from within the
country. Search alternatives are there in ample 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. 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 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 Thai or commercial schools and fix up an appointment
for an interview. It is professional to carry your C.V., a copy
of your college diploma, and a copy of your passport. The Thai
academic calendar year will come in handy. 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 cards providing all the contact
information can be cheaply printed if you have an established
place to reside. Placement agencies are also productive and
effective choice for job hunting.
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Expectations from a teacher
Teachers in Thailand are a respected lot, dressed neatly &
decently and possessing 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 background doing something completely. 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 1/3
teacher, 1/3 entertainer and 1/3 businessman.
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 objective 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 will 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 on old teaching - but I like this - nice variety.
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. As Thais can be a particularly sensitive bunch,
you need to have more than a passing awareness of Thai culture
too.
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Salaries and Benefits
Remuneration varies wildly in Thailand. Salaries 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 an hourly rate.
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. It should
be noted that these high paying jobs at international schools
don't usually involve English teaching but rather other subjects
such as science or math and the average salary at such schools
is probably a bit under 100K. Further, recruitment is usually
from overseas, and is often dependent on the curriculum used by
that school so if the school uses the British curriculum they'll
recruit from England; American curriculum they'll recruit from
the USA etc.
Earning of around 25k baht per month for an unqualified teacher
is considerable. However, any figure less than 25k is not
acceptable in order to maintain a decent lifestyle. As an
experienced and qualified 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.
Most schools pay overtime for hours worked over and above the
contracted number of hours; however they pay only the same
hourly rate at par with the standard pay or in a few cases even
less.
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 via direct credit into your bank account, there are some
schools that will pay you via cheque. At some schools, part-time
may staff get paid in arrears, as late as the 12th of the month
following the month in which they worked.
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 facility as well.
Teachers are also assigned 2 or 3 evening classes a week, which
earns them another 2,000 to 3,000 baht per month as overtime
pay. Foreign 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 bath to 40,000 baht.
Working for a really prestigious or respected institution may
entail other benefits. The first is that once the locals know
you are an instructor at "Highly Prestigious Location", they
will all want to study with you - and they will be prepared to
pay big money for the privilege.
In Thai society, teachers are looked up to and can attract
instant admiration and respect in public. Someone working at a
prestigious university such as Chulalongkorn or Thammasat will
get even more respect and an ID badge from such a school carries
real weight and if you were to say get pulled over by the police
for example, showing them such a badge would in the case of
anything minor see you on your way without any further problems.
Some schools take training seriously and may even organise
training sessions and seminars in resorts, with everything paid
for.
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Accommodation and Transportation
Thailand has a whole range of accommodation on offer but 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. Most places
have a refrigerator, and some have a hot plate or stove.
Generally, apartment rentals don't have much in the way of a
kitchen. 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 on a
monthly basis.
Another housing option is the guest house; many of them have
long-term rentals for expats. Monthly 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 ambiance can rent old Thai
houses where a lot of expats live. You might have to find a
connection 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. These antique-style houses are
quite pleasant, with teak floors and traditional decor. However,
they may not have air-conditioning, hot water, or Western
bathrooms, unless they have been converted. 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.
Bangkok bears a resemblance to Los Angeles in its physical
structure-there is no center or downtown, but many different
neighborhoods that are spread over a large area. 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, even though they emit noxious fumes. 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 and goes up quite
slowly-better than New York cabs! But it is better to be wary of
traffic since it can be maddening to be stuck in a taxi watching
the meter go up. 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. If you really
need to get to the bus station on time in rush-hour traffic,
this may be a more surefire way than taking the bus, and they
are cheaper than taxicabs or even tuk-tuks. Riding in chaotic
Bangkok traffic without a helmet or crash pads is very
dangerous, and accidents are recurrent. Most fares start at 20
baht for short to medium distances, and acceptable to bargain.
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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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