April 2011

Island TEFL are happy to report that after the recent flooding in Phuket and Koh Samui, it's business as usual again. On Koh Samui the airport is open and the ferries are running once more. Island TEFL has a few special promotion for ajarn readers. Due to a couple of late cancellations, two lucky ajarn readers have the chance to grab a place on the next Koh Samui 120-hour TEFL course (April 11th - April 29th) and get a 50% discount. In addition, if you fancy either of the next Phuket courses - starting on May 2nd and May 30th respectively, ajarn readers qualify for a 25% discount. If you would like more information, visit the Island TEFL website. e-mail Phil Dunne or call him on 084 755 4968  

UniTEFL Thailand has a special offer for ajarn readers for the months April to June at their Chiang Mai location. If you send UniTEFL your deposit and mention you saw them on ajarn.com, you will receive a 3,000 baht discount off the normal course price. All trainees will find themselves teaching classes to local students in local Thai schools during the first week of the program. In fact, there are eight 50-minute teaching practices. Here is a personal account of things from one of UniTEFL's recent graduates. For further info on the course, you can go to the UniTEFL website.

ECC has a few courses coming up in the next few months. The Introduction to TEFL course at ECC Carrefour Lard Phrao will run from the 14th to 25th March. The next Teaching to Young Learners course will run from 4th to 8th April at the same venue. Finally the CELTA plus TEYL course will start in Phuket and Chiang Mai on the 9th May. If you sign up and are accepted on either of the CELTA courses, you can qualify for an early bird discount and pay $US1440 instead of 1600. For application forms and more info, go to the ECC website or e-mail directly. 

AYC is now offering a 10% discount off its TEFL programs for Filipino and Thai readers of ajarn.com. AYC is also one of the largest teacher placement agencies in Thailand so if you are looking for a TEFL certificate + job package, AYC could be a very good choice. Take a look at the AYC website or alternatively send an e-mail to KD, who takes care of the TEFL programs and teaching job oppportunities. 

International House has now introduced a Cambridge DELTA program at their Bangkok location and the program starts on the 10th October 2011. The course is an eight-week intensive program and it's an ideal choice for those teachers looking to further their careers as a director of studies or even a teacher trainer. Full details of the course can be found on the IH website or you can e-mail Graeme for more details.

Lanna TEFL is another addition to the growing list of TEFL course providers in Chiang Mai. It's almost as if Chiang Mai is becoming the center for TEFL course activity in Thailand - and why not because it's certainly a beautiful place to live and study. Although Lanna TEFL is a new kid on the block, it has the backing of one of Thailand's longest established language school chains and offers a generous 15 hours of observed teaching practice as well as a newly-designed IT room which all trainees have access to. Full details of course dates and schedules are on the TEFL Lanna website and there's a special 200 US dollar discount for ajarn readers if you sign up before January 31st. 

Chiang Mai has been voted the second best city in the world by the readers of Travel and Leisure magazine (run by American Express) so it's obviously not a bad place to do a TEFL course. Apart from their regular TEFL course offering, SEE TEFL has a one-day cultural awareness program to smooth the transition of moving to Thailand. You can get a taste of it on this YouTube video

SIT  provides comprehensive personal support for trainees looking to learn about their TEFL course and get settled in Bangkok or Chiang Mai. This includes their free Survival Guides and Accommodation Guides, and unlimited personal support from the trainers themselves. As always, all SIT courses will run with a minimum of one full-time trainer for every four trainees accepted on to the course. The SIT Program has also been busy forging contacts with employers around the country and they are now able to assist graduates in finding teaching positions throughout the Kingdom.
For more information go to the SIT website

Steve, from the popular Chichester College TESOL Course in Bangkok, has written an excellent blog entry entitled, "How much Thai do I need to be able to speak?". This is the question on everyones lips when they first consider teaching English in Thailand and Steve's ever-friendly writing tone makes this piece a pleasure to read.

The Special Thai Project of American TESOL Institute has now been running for two years. Within this two-year time, ATI has trained approximately 400 students in four semesters. As part of the program. you will get a chance to work four to five months in Thailand. The Special Thai Program of American TESOL Institute takes place in three locations, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Bangkok. To know more about new offer and program details visit their website