Types of Schools in Bangkok

Universities: They require at least a bachelor’s degree and many a master’s degree in addition to TEFL course qualification. In the evening teachers are free for unofficial private tutoring, language classes in companies or language schools. Some universities do offer well-paid English teaching opportunities in the evening.

University jobs vary depending upon the type of classes which tends to be based on the faculty that the teacher is in. There are possibilities to end up teaching a small number of students in a classroom in a manner similar to a private language school using the very same course books. Being an RSA or equivalent qualified teacher helps in such cases as the books are put together with that style of teaching in mind. However, in a lot of university positions, in some faculties, there is a lot of emphasis on lecturing about how the language works. Unlike language schools which hire year round, universities tend to hire just before the academic year starts, which is late May / early June.

International schools: The best option is to teach at an international school. At least a bachelor’s degree and are required. International schools would prefer a state teaching qualification or a bachelor’s degree from the teacher’s home country along with a TEFL qualification. The benefits are higher income besides being better organized and accustomed to working with foreigners.
The jobs here come with longer paid holidays, since they observe Thai as well as Western holidays like Christmas, Easter, and New Years. These international schools generally offer higher educational standards than most Thai schools. They also have better facilities. Their school year usually begins in August and runs until June
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Bilingual & trilingual schools: They too are fairly well-equipped but not quite as well as the international schools. They pay more than the public schools and tend to be better organized. The up side of that is less time working but the downside is that the teacher has to pay for your own work permit, teacher's license, and visa. The teachers usually get about six weeks of paid holiday. Bilingual schools may or may not be government sponsored; thus it is possible given other requisite qualifications (eg. a TEFL certificate) to teach without a degree, provided the teacher is merited.

Government schools: Government schools require a degree. . Some of the school’s pilot programs are extremely well-equipped; A/C, projectors, and sometimes even computers. However, most schools are stuffy, hot environments with few resources and sometimes no books or substandard books. The class size is also much larger with an average of 50 students. It is not the easiest environment to teach in. Also, there are usually no bonuses at contract completion. The best types of high schools are the Triam Udom and the demonstration schools (know as "Satit" in Thai) which are attached to universities. Triam Udom schools are the best government high schools and are presided over by the Ministry of Education


Private schools: A talented teacher with a TEFL certificate and endowed with love and patience for the children are suitable for private schools. An additional certificate in the vocational field would smoothen up the process of interview. Working hours are more often than not much longer and usually only provide one day off per week. A job in a private school comes with an advantage of having free time every evening and throughout the weekend.
Fresh semester starts normally around the middle of May to the first of June, and around mid-September to early October. There are also opportunities of teaching at ‘summer school’ for about 20 days during April.

Language School: Language schools cater to needs like improving communicative and conversational skills in English for personal goals or company benefits of the Thais’. A TEFL certificate along with a successful teaching demonstration is enough to land a job in a good language school though some experience is considered productive. The teacher needs to reach only on the school premises during day hours and often company locations in the evenings Part-time works are also available at language schools paid on hourly-rate basis. Language school is often an excellent way to kick start a teaching career where the classes vary in types and level infusing useful multiple skills into the teacher. There are many different private language schools in Bangkok including both the big chains like ECC, AUA, Siam Computer which have many branches both throughout Bangkok and around the country and the smaller schools that have a single branch such as IEG, IDP and Adanac.