TEFL Thailand Blog

Reposted from the Phuket Gazette:

PHUKET: The Director of the Phuket Primary Educational Office has called for all people wanting to apply for positions as English teachers at government schools in Phuket Town to contact the schools directly.

Dr Jian Thongnoon announced the news in the wake of the Phuket Gazette posting online its story about the shortage of English teachersat Phuket schools reaching what local officials are calling “crisis level”.

Since posting the story online, the Gazette has received a constant stream of requests for contact information about where to apply.

“I would like to inform all foreigners who are interested and qualified to be a teacher to personally go to any primary school to apply for the position,” Dr Jian told the Gazette.

The full article is here.

Here’s a few tips from experienced teachers on your first days of teaching, and how they overcame their obstacles…

Ree-laaax … probably the best piece of advice. Remember that your students are not judging you, just looking to you for guidance. Take a deep breath and keep going with your well-prepared lesson plan – your best friend at times like these.

Keep a long view remember that you’ll be teaching the same class for the next few months, at least, and there will be plenty of ups coming your way. Just keep pacing yourself for the long haul, and remember that progress is sure to be with you.

Enjoy the culture – you’re in Thailand, remember? Go out have some of that great Thai food with some friends, share experiences, funny moments, travel stories.

Speaking of friends… build a good, positive network of peers, which will help you socially and in your career.

Get creative and have fun … now is the chance to use that creativity you were aching to use in your old career. Come up with original ideas, plan them out, and enjoy as they unfold in class. Smile at your kids when you walk in, they’ll respond!

Got questions? Give us a ring and ask how much more fun you can have teaching!

We live in a time of unprecedented change.

Why not take advantage of the opportunity to invest in yourself, develop your skills, add valuable experience to your resume and have the adventure of your life? Teaching English is rewarding in both quality of life and compensation.

With TEFL English Teacher training, you have an opportunity to make an investment in yourself, and TEFL is an investment that will pay dividends long after the course is done.

Average monthly salaries in Thailand can be close to the cost of the course. Many of our trainees have multiple job offers and cover the cost of the month’s training in a single year – while earning enough to live happily.

You have a choice in how to spend your money – treat yourself well and make a smart investment in your future.

Allie, a recent graduate of our Phuket course, is off and working at a hospital on the island.

Here’s what she says about the course:

After taking four days to settle in, it was time to begin class.  There were eight of us.  One had arrived from Krabi after discovering the school where he had booked his course didn’t exist!  Having a smaller class environment encouraged camaraderie and interpersonal relationships.  Our head instructor, Stefan was able to give to us 100% and kept the eight-hour per day classes interesting and fun.  We were always laughing about something, and coming from six years of undergraduate and graduate work, I can honestly say that Stefan is one of the finest teachers I’ve ever had the pleasure of learning from. The course work was hard but rewarding and Stefan never made students feel intimidated during observations.  He still keeps in touch with many of us from TEFL to find out how our lives are progressing in Thailand.

Along with from Stefan, the staff and teachers at the school were all, and continue to be wonderful.  They were always able to provide objective feedback and had an open mind to anything we could throw at them. They gave us with lists of the schools across Phuket and even have a Facebook page where we can share resources, materials, ask questions, discuss experiences etc.  I have made wonderful friends as a result of my time at TEFL Phuket.

Making the decision to move overseas and take a TEFL/TESOL course to teach English in Thailand was a big one for Allie, and we spent a lot of time with her resolving any issues she had. Now that she’s made the jump and is working, enjoying new friends and her new job, she has zero regrets!

Join Allie and others like her on a new adventure with plenty of jobs. While economies continue to languish in the West, teaching English overseas continues to be a great decision for those who have made it, and a time they’ll remember for years and years.

Enroll now.

Some people have a real concern about whether they have the grammar skills themselves to become good enough to teach it.

Many of the best teachers are those that have struggled with their subject in the past. The key is to keep working on the subject and understand you can keep improving; it’s never too late to learn (or keep learning)!

During your course, you’ll get plenty of guidance from your course instructor as there’s a full 40 hours of grammar lessons, and you will have a chance to get real-world practice implementing your skills in your practice teaching sessions with Thai students. For most people, this turns into the best part of the TEFL course, and it’s where that big connection is made with students and how to teach effectively in a TEFL/TESOL classroom.

So, not to worry! With our great training program and a little practice, you’ll be on top of the grammar game and helping your students in no time.

Now that you’ve taken a look at some of the top fears that everyone faces when making the decision to take the TEFL plunge and come to Thailand to teach English, let’s see what else lies on the other side of your training – some of the big personal insights that will come as a result of your life abroad.

A deeper world view.
You might have a friend or relative who has traveled abroad, either briefly or more extensively, and has told you, “oh, you need to travel to (insert exotic country here), and experience the culture, it will really expand your view of the world!” The words can’t really express what has changed in them from their experience abroad; the only way to find out is to take their advice and live it!

Being flexible with change.
What your well-traveled friend or relative may have also related to you is how things turn out different than you expect. Tales of plans gone astray that led to an experience they would never have expected. This also changes you in very positive ways that help you adapt to life’s inevitable changes and mutations; you become more supple and balanced in the midst of challenges and a more positive person.

So – don’t just hoping these changes will happen to you – take charge and get it done now! Enroll.

TEFL or Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a gateway to the richness of life experiences available to you while on an adventure in a foreign country. Making memories is not a problem. Taking the plunge can be. So marshal your courage, set your course and don’t let these three things get in the way…

1 – The culture will be too intense – too much of a change for me…

Thailand is amazing and the more you explore, the more you will experience. At the same Time, Thailand is a fairly modern country. Mobile phones, internet access and coffee shops can all be a regular part of your life in most areas of Thailand. Things aren’t exactly the same, and accepting that is part of the adventure.

2 – I won’t be able to communicate…

In the course, you’ll learn to speak enough Thai to be polite and get by. This too, is part of the adventure. Learning a little of a foreign language is very rewarding, the Thai people will appreciate and respect you, and you’ll have a lot of laughs with locals if you take yourself lightly. Plus, you will learn a little of what your students are going thru and it will make you a better teacher.

3- Maybe I’ll be lonely…

Everyone is concerned that they will find themselves all alone in a foreign land. This is completely ridiculous, as the Thai people are so friendly and inviting, you’ll have no problem getting out, going to local events, festivals or concerts. There also are gyms to join, you can continue to improve your Thai, or explore the local holiday areas and connect with expats in the area. Accept invitations – when folks invite you to go somewhere, remember it’s a great way to make new friends and connect with activities in your area.

We will train you to be a good teacher, your future employers will appreciate your richness of experience and confidence, and you will have the time of your life. Why wait – join us now for a teaching adventure in Thailand.

So many people have been able to start off on a new track teaching English in a exotic country such as Thailand- there’s no real reason to not do it yourself!

Jobs remain difficult to find in most markets in the west, yet people coming through our TEFL programs are having a 100% success rate in gaining employment after their course. A degree is not required to take our courses, and our graduates are going on to work, not only in Thailand, but in countless other countries, including Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Peru – the list goes on!

We have courses starting in January to get you ready to teach and in a classroom teaching in February – what are you waiting for?

Start now!

The latest round of courses in Patong and Koh Samui started up today. For the next four weeks, the current students will be going through teaching methodology, English usage, Thai studies, and, most importantly, practice teaching.

In the alumni arena, graduate Path has just opened up a new language school in Yasothon, the first in the area to teach English as a Foreign Language. Just another one of the go-getters making it happen in Thailand. We’ll have more details on the school soon, including a web link. Way to go, Path!

Home to the top-rated beach in Phuket, just a block off the beach, and plenty of activity for anyone, our new training location is a great place to spend your four weeks of TEFL/TESOL certification training!

We are no proudly hosting our Phuket training at this new location, with modern facilities that include air-conditioned rooms, wifi, and printing and copying resources.

The October 4th course has just a couple of more spaces available, and the November 15th date is filling up fast! Reserve your space now and get started on your new career teaching in Thailand or internationally!