Teaching in Thailand FAQ for Newbies

[Guest]

So you want to teach in Thailand ?

In Asia, is Thailand the best country to teach English in?

It really depends whether you're looking for a cultural experience or to make money. If you're looking to get rich - Thailand should be the last country on your list, but you will have a lot of fun living here. Those people who have worked in Thailand, Japan and Korea are almost unanimous in their verdict - You have a nicer life in Thailand but in the money stakes, everywhere else is better.

Should I fix up a job before I arrive in Thailand?

If I had just one piece of advice to offer people - do NOT arrange jobs before you get here. Get yourself settled in and then take the time to weigh up your options.

Is there a demand for English teachers in Thailand?

Demand has always been high. Nowadays, the demand for good, qualified teachers is staggering. Good teachers are never out of work in Bangkok. The problem you'll have is deciding which job to take.

What are the best months to look for work?

It's easier to say what are the worst months - and the answer is December and April. Every other month of the year sees a very high demand. December and April are holiday times and many students do not study, so the demand for teachers falls off dramatically.

What's a qualified teacher?

In the eyes of Thai employers, a qualified teacher has a bachelor's degree, a TEFL certificate (or similar) and some experience. In reality, if you have just one or two of these qualifications, you probably won't be turned away.

What's a decent salary in Bangkok?

You should be aiming to earn between 40-50,000 baht a month - this will give you a very comfortable standard of living. There are people who earn less, but that usually means they haven't got their act together or spend most of their nights drinking and whoring.

Can I earn that kind of money in the rural areas of Thailand?

Generally speaking - no. You will earn probably 70% of what you would earn in the capital but bear in mind that the cost of living will be much lower.

Should I consider the rural areas in my search for work?

If the hustle and bustle and pollution of Bangkok is not for you - head for the sticks! But just remember - you could be miles from civilization. And that is not a lot of fun once classes are over and darkness falls. I know 3 teachers who went to work for Mahasarakham University in the north east. After 6pm, you could not get transport into the local town and you couldn't even buy food in the area. They were literally stranded and after 3 months - they had had quite enough thank you.

Is it a wise idea to get a TEFL certificate before I start looking for work?

In Thailand a TEFL certificate is not necessary if you already have a degree. Some people who have perhaps never taught in their lives, take the course under the misguided belief that it will turn them into a teacher - wrong. The TEFL course will give you a lot more confidence standing in front of a group of people and it will you give you an insight into teaching methodology but it will not turn you into a teacher.

Is appearance important to the Thais?

Like you wouldn't believe. That doesn't mean you have to look like a tailor's dummy but a teacher in Thailand should look smart. And that means a necktie, a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of trousers that actually cover your ankles. Nothing will make a Thai lose respect for you quicker than if you walk into the classroom looking like you've been mugged on the way to work. (and I've worked with a few of those teachers over the years) Remember also that it doesn't end with clothes. Cigarette smoke and body odour are both absolute no-nos.

What are Thais like to teach?

Be under no illusion - they can be a lot of fun, and other times they can be painful. Many of them (particularly male teenagers) have zero motivation. You will have to take the rough with the smooth. The Thais expect a teacher to be a mixture of an educator and an entertainer. A teacher is like a dancer or a game show host. If you don't have this kind of personality, you probably won't be all that successful in Thailand and might consider teaching the more serious Japanese or Taiwanese.

I'm interested in working in Bangkok for only a few months. Will it be easy to find something?

No. Most schools want you to commit to a one-year contract or 6 months at best. If you are here for a very short time, you will have more luck picking up work teaching kids.

So picking up work teaching loads of little Thai bas*ards is easy then?

The teaching of children is easily the biggest growth area in Thailand and new nursery schools and kindergartens are opening every day. Teaching kids is not for everyone and I always think it suits females far better than male teachers. There are teachers who say that the kids are wonderful and teaching them is rewarding. It's certainly tiring.

What's the advantage of teaching kids?

Kids keep you young. But then again so does Oil of Ulay.

What are the downsides?

Prancing around a room pretending to be a horse without feeling a complete tool. Oh and having to deal with middle-class snobby mothers who want to enquire how their little Jimmy is doing? You smile and say "very well" when what you really mean to say is that if he was your child, you'd take the skin off his arse. Teachers in Thailand command great respect, but when it comes to middle-class Thai mothers - someone forget to tell 'em.

But there are many Thai adults who want to learn English?

Personally I would say 'have to learn' rather than 'want to learn'. Without some knowledge of English it is very difficult to get a decent job. That doesn't stop many students thinking that being taught by a foreign teacher is the answer to their prayers and all they have to do is just sit there and you, as the teacher, open a little trap-door at the top of their head - and drop the English language inside. Many students get a short sharp shock when they realize how long it's going to take them to become proficient in English. And many of them get nowhere and give up. Attitude is everything and the Thais fall way short on occasion.

I fancy working as a freelance teacher. Is it possible?

It's certainly possible but not easy. If you look at the 'teacher's tales' part of this website, I have a large section on freelance teaching. The big problem is cancellations. Thais are the 'lets cancel a lesson at the last minute' world champions. They are the masters at it. Many freelance teachers give up for this reason alone and seek the security of a private language school with a guaranteed income.

I hear there is a lot of corporate work in Bangkok. What is it exactly?

A language school will send you to teach company staff at their workplace. You might be teaching business English to a group of 5 managers or basic English to 10 giggly secretaries.

How much does it pay?

Somewhere between 450 baht and 700 baht per hour, but this work is generally only available after 5pm when companies finish work.

What are the advantages of corporate work?

It's fairly well-paid and you can find yourself teaching groups of students who can actually string a bloody sentence together.

What are the disadvantages?

The employees are often knackered after a day's work and just want to go home rather than hearing you wank on about intransitive verbs. You might have an over-zealous training manager poking her nose into your lesson plans. You may be teaching in a conference room or small meeting room which is totally unsuitable. You may be faced with a group of students who should not be studying the course they've been assigned - that's either the fault of your language school for not testing the student's properly or the fault of the company training manager for having no idea whatsoever about the needs of his staff. So next time you go into a class with a textbook titled 'Advanced Business Letters Made Easy' and your class don't know the difference between the direct and indirect pronoun - you know who to blame.

I fancy teaching in a Thai secondary school. What are the advantages?

Hmmmmm.....can I have a bit of time to think about this one. No, it's a Monday to Friday gig. Weekends off.

The disadvantages?

Huge class sizes. Appalling course-books prepared by Thai teachers. Classrooms often without air-conditioning. Poor pay. Free housing which is actually a 9 foot square apartment which is so small you have to go outside to change your mind. Requests to take part in extra-curricular sports days where your non-attendance is punishable by death. The request to start work at 7.30 am even though your lessons start at 10.00 am. Mountains of paperwork and exams to mark. And last but not least, the conflict in the staff room between you, the foreign teacher, and the Thai teachers who get paid considerably less for the same amount of work. Get the picture?

International schools pay very well I hear?

Yes they pay obscene salaries compared to the private language schools and the secondary schools, but teachers are usually recruited directly from abroad and they have to be qualified up to the eyeballs.

What about the private language sector?

Most teachers in Bangkok are involved with private language schools. Some of the schools are well-established organisations with branches all over the city and others are fly-by-night operations opened by a Khun Ying who suddenly found herself with a million baht to chuck around.

What are the advantages of working in the private language school?

The chance to work with a native-speaking staff. Fairly regular hours and a steady income. A decent supply of teacher materials. Ongoing teacher development and training.

The disadvantages?

Often a very poor hourly rate for teaching. Discrepancies over pay. Poor level testing resulting in classes of mixed ability. Having to deal with Thai administration staff, which can be as enjoyable as sticking pins in your eyes. And most of all a distinct lack of promotion possibilities.

Do foreign teachers and Thais work well together?

There are certain things such as scheduling and level testing which Thais shouldn't be allowed anywhere near. I can't begin to tell you the problems I've seen caused by putting a Thai and a schedule board together. A foreigner sees a schedule board as a planning tool with which to assign certain classes to certain teachers. A Thai sees it as a load of gaps that have to be filled. Nuff said. Thais and foreigners have a different work ethic and yes, it does cause many problems, but I'm not going into a sociological debate right here.

Can institutes supply me with a work permit?

By law they have to, but Thailand being the incredibly law-abiding country it is - work permits are sometimes never offered or only offered to teachers who sign one-year full-time contracts. Many schools give all sorts of bullshit reasons for not being able to supply work permits and very often it's because their face doesn't fit at the labor department - way back when, they managed to piss off some labor dept official and it's never been forgotten. If your institute can supply you with a work permit, they may ask you to pay for it - somewhere in the region of 1-2,000 baht. If you're asked to pay more than 2,000 baht, then you're getting ripped off.

Any other benefits?

Some schools offer health insurance but will opt for the cheapest policy. If you go into hospital for brain surgery, it will possibly (and I stress the word possibly) cover the cost of the doctor opening the door and telling you that you don't look well. No, I've gone too far this time - but it will be the most basic of policies.

So the teaching profession in Thailand doesn't have too great an image?

It certainly doesn't. It's getting better but there's a long, long way to go. Schools have to start paying more. I'm not going to go into the economics of it all but if we are to have schools that are staffed by professionals - they have to pay more! Schools aren't entirely to blame though. There are huge numbers of teachers out there who are just not up to it and do it simply for their money. Yes, we all need money to pay the rent but you have to have a modicum of affinity with your job.

Any final words?

John Caulfield of Inlingua came out with the most inspired quote that I ever heard and it should be displayed in every staff-room, classroom and reception, and it is simply "A Happy Teacher is a Good Teacher". How do you create a happy teacher? You pay them well enough, you offer them benefits, and you provide them with materials with which to do their job. That I don't think is too much to ask.

[Guest]

Great stuff, a nice overview.

But 40-50 000 a month? I thought a starting salary would be more like 25-30 000. Is it realistic to expect to be earning that kind of money straight away as a newly-qualified teacher, or rather something to work up to?

[hall]

Phil.

Excellent post which has answered 99% of my questions about teaching in Thailand before I even asked!!! I would like your thoughts on one matter not covered however. I have been involved in training adults in a commercial situation and coaching kids in a sports situation so have no problem with actually relating on a teacher/ pupil basis which I gather from your post is what the TEFL certificate is about. However as I do not have any formal degree in teaching/training I assume it would be preferable to arm myself with a TEFL certificate if I decide (in the distant future) to earn a bit of pocket money by teaching english in Thailand after I retire

from my current full time occupation.

My question is can you advise the better way to acquire the TEFL? I notice several UK schools have a mail/internet course and I believe there is a 1 month intensive course at Rayong. Your opinion on the better way to go would be valued.

 

Thanks Hall

[ July 27, 2001: Message edited by: hall ]

[Stickman]

Phil,

It's a nice FAQ but the piece about earning 4)-50K is downright misleading. While the way you have worded makes it correct, what you fail to say is that the vast majority of teachers earn less than this and "standard" English teaching jobs do not usually pay this much unless you do quite a bit of overtime or privates on the side. Lastly, I disagree that you need that much money. I spend less and live very well...

Stick

[Guest]

About 5 years ago I was earning 35-40000 pm. All my work was private and I was working 7 days a week. I have no teaching qualifications but obviously I must have been doing something right.

[whosyourdaddy]

quote:

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Originally posted by rictic:

I was working 7 days a week. I have no teaching qualifications but obviously I must have been doing something right.

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Working 7 days a week and you call that doing something right.. I call it downright horrifying

[steffi]

You say you spend less money do I assume you still manage to save money or is that a waste of time in Thailand?