Teaching English in Thailand: Newbie FAQ

Teaching English in Thailand : Newbie FAQ

Q	In Asia, is Thailand the best country to teach English in?
A	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.
Q	Should I fix up a job before I arrive in Thailand?
A	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. Many schools just aren't interested in hiring or even corresponding with teachers who aren't in the country. Teachers plans quickly change. The guy who accepts a job in February won't necessarily be around for the start of term in May. Schools have wised up to this. Nothing beats pounding the pavements yourself and knocking on doors.
Q	Is there a demand for English teachers in Thailand?
A	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.
Q	What are the best months to look for work?
A	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.
Q	What's a qualified teacher?
A	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

Q	What's a decent salary in Bangkok?
A	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 of course people who survive on a lot less in Bangkok (25-30K a month) and in rural areas teachers say you can live like a king on 25K. It totally depends on the individual and their spending habits.
Q	Can I earn that kind of money in the rural areas of Thailand?
A	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. Ian McNamara, the founder of ajarn.com says: I get quite a few emails from people wanting to teach on the islands or in picturesque towns up north. Guess what - most of the teachers in BKK would too. There's a couple of reasons why we haven't all rushed to take up these jobs a) there aren't many of them b) the pay's pretty shitty. LMDA, who runs the ajarn discussion board says: For the most part, wages tend to be lower upcountry than those in Bangkok. Anything over 30k baht is considered pretty good. With full-time salaries of 25k baht the average. It's certainly enough to live comfortably on though whether you'll be able to save anything is up for debate. Rents are generally lower upcountry, and although it's pushing it to suggest that everything is cheaper, it can certainly be argued that money does not get spent as quickly as it does in a major city like Bangkok.
Q	Should I consider the rural areas in my search for work?
A	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. Ian says : Again it depends on your motivation for coming here and your own personality - if you want to live with the people, be one with the people, learn the lingo & culture and are happy being the only westerner in a 50 km radius then go for it - if you enjoy a McDonalds & a pint of decent beer and chatting with fellow farangs once in a while - think again.
Q	Is it a wise idea to get a TEFL certificate before I start looking for work?
A	In Thailand a TEFL certificate is not always necessary especially 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. Ian says: However, having a TEFL cert will make you more employable in the eye of the majority of employers - true it's not necessary but having one will open more doors for you.
Q	Is appearance important to the Thais?
A	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.

Q	What are Thais like to teach?
A	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.
Q	I'm interested in working in Bangkok for only a few months. Will it be easy to find something?
A	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. Ian says: I get quite a few emails asking if it's possible to find work for 3 - 6 months. At present it probably is possible ( due to a lack of decent teachers) but you'd be lucky to get enough hours to earn enough to break even. Schools want people who are reliable, will stick around and finish courses and will take the job relatively seriously.
Q	So picking up work teaching loads of little Thai devils is easy then?
A	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.
Q	But there are many Thai adults who want to learn English?
A	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. Ian says: It's pretty rare that you get a class who really, truly want to put the time and effort that is required into learning English in order to make a real improvement in their level. Most study after a hard days work so they're not at their brightest. If you assign homework expect the vast majority to either forget or just admit that they really couldn't be arsed doing it.
Q	I fancy working as a freelance teacher. Is it possible?
A	It's certainly possible but not easy. 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. Ian says: I teach quite a few private students - been teaching most of them for over 2 years now. If you think of your privates as the icing on the cake ( I could have phrased that better but I'm sure you get the drift) then you'll be OK. I'm pretty laidback - so long as mine give me 24 hours notice then I've got no problem if the cancel. It's nice to have an evening free.

Q	I hear there is a lot of corporate work in Bangkok. What is it exactly?
A	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.
Q	How much does it pay?
A	Somewhere between 450 baht and 800 baht per hour, but this work is generally only available after 5pm when companies finish work.
Q	What are the advantages of corporate work?
A	It's fairly well-paid and you can find yourself teaching groups of students who can actually string a bloody sentence together.
Q	What are the disadvantages?
A	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.
Q	Do foreign teachers and Thais work well together?
A	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.

Q	Can institutes supply me with a work permit?
A	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. Ian says: I've had 2 emails from owners of small language schools telling me that their teachers want work permits and asking what they should do? Where do they get them? How? Can the teachers get them on their own? Ask about work permits at the interview - if the owner doesn't have a clue or is even vaguer than usual for a Thai then steer clear of the school.
Q	Any other benefits?
A	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.
Q	So the teaching profession in Thailand doesn't have too great an image?
A	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.
Q	How do I get a work permit? (update)
A	Depends where you're working. Generally here in Bangkok you need a degree and a TEFL or possibly a BA in English alone would get you a work permit (as most likely a PGCE, BEd, MA TESOL etc. would). If you're teaching at certain schools (international schools and bilingual programs) you may find there are other requirements. Outside of Bangkok in the provinces it's possible to get a work permit purely with a TEFL...and this happening in Bangkok is also not unheard of (although the exception rather than the rule). Also if you teach at a business (a hotel for example) it is possible (sometimes) for them to get you a work permit through the back door (i.e. as they're not an educational establishment they don't have the same requirements as schools and can probably get you a work permit as a consultant or something similar). Also I've heard that if you're teaching kindergarten it is possible to get a work permit without a degree. Also if you're teaching maths, science or other non EFL/ESL subjects you're (apparently) supposed to hold a degree (or a qualification) in that subject....although most schools can get around this by employing you purely as an EFL/ESL teacher. Also if a school wants you badly enough it is possible for them (or at least it has been in the past) to get you a work permit. But then all of this could well change in the near future! It's also possible (although your school may tell you different) to obtain a work permit while on a Non-imm O Visa.
Q	What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in a government high-school?
A	Advantages Steady Monday To Friday work with weekends and evenings off. Less money-oriented management who generally pay on time. Excellent cheap nosh in the canteen. Some genuinely intelligent students who are a joy to teach. It is generally reported that staffroom politics are much less intense, than in higher education institutes Disadvantages Government wages. Your not going to be looking at much more than 25-30k especially upcountry. Class sizes are big, sometimes up to 55 students. Absenteeism and class discipline can be a problem. You may be required to be at school even when you have no class. Early mornings Monday to Friday are not for everyone.

Q	What are the advantages and disadvantages of Full-time and Part-time employment?
A	Full-time employment means that you are paid a monthly salary for a given amount of teaching hours per month. This salary should be paid despite public holidays, school activities, and other random class cancellations. If teaching at a highschool, fulltime may also mean having to be at school for assembly, and having to join in extra-curricular activities. Full-time jobs may also bar you from doing outside work during school hours even if you don't have any classes. Despite the full-time label, some schools will not offer 12 month contracts, ie you will not get paid during the Summer months. Universities generally allow full-time teachers to come and go as they please, and usually give 12 month contracts. The upside of this is that you get paid for working (course preparation/as little as possible) during the summer months. Part-time work could also be described as freelancing. Part-time work is paid per class taught at an hourly rate. The upside is that the teacher only has commitments to the classes he/she teaches and not to any other aspect of school life, with the teacher working as little or as much as he/she wants. The downside of course is that a part-time wage is not very stable considering the amount of public holidays, and class cancellations that are guarranteed to occur throughout the year. For example during december it is possible to lose up to 40% of your income due to Democracy Day, the Kings Birthday, Test Week, and New Year. Overall, part-time work is good for newbies, retirees in need of something to occupy their time, and of course weekend work.
Q	How many days a week will I be expected to work?
A	Most schools only require you to work for 5 days a week. Some allow you/require you to work for 6 days a week. However, most will not allow you to work 7. That said, in order to make ends meet, unless you are teaching at a high-end international school (on foreign currency payments), most teachers in Thailand "freelance". If you want to do this, it is possible to work here 7 days a week. But, it's up to you and the life-style you want to be able to afford. The work is out there, it is just a matter of whether or not you want to do it.
Q	How many hours a week will I be expected to work?
A	A question like this is rather like asking "how long is a piece of string?" In sum, most teachers here try not to do more than 16-20 "contact" hours per week with their principal employer. However, most schools in Thailand will not allow you to only turn up for contact hour teaching. There is a very genuine expectation that you'll hang around the school doing your prep. work, marking, etc. In part, this is also for the school to advertise the fact that it does, indeed, have foreign "native-speaking" teachers. Overall, a good barometer of how many hours you'll be expected to work is to take the number of your contact hours and multiply that by 2 or 2.5 [2 if you find you have a lot of contact hours, say 20, 2.5 if you have less contact hours, say 10-15]
Q	Will my accommodation be provided?
A	Extremely unlikely. However, in certain cases you may negotiate this with your employer - it is not an industry standard norm here that accomodation be paid, so if this is important to you, make sure you and your employer are aware of this expectation before you start work. That said, make sure you check out the place before you agree to live there, otherwise you may find yourself renting anyhow.
Q	I would like to come and live/work in Thailand for a period of time. However, English teaching is not really my "game". Are there any other jobs in Thailand that foreigners might be expected to find?
A	This is a toughie. I think it is fair to say that there are a number of [not overseas employed] expat foreigners who work in Thailand who are not teachers. However, in most cases, these people either (a) run their own business; or (b) were in the right place at the right time. That said, other industries where you can find the occasional foreigner working include marketing [firms], real estate [agents], finance sector (to a lesser degree since the crackdown on boiler-rooms), hotels (especially chefs), computers, and the newspaper industry. From time to time you'll see advertisements in the classifieds sections of the newspapers and on the internet for jobs in these areas. However, as with most things in Thailand, it is likely that your best chance of grabbing one of these jobs is to teach in a school and keep your eyes and ears open. Remember, the "old" lady your teaching English to, who keeps giving you problems, may well be the head of HR at her company - and willing to employ you directly. This situation is most certainly not unheard of here.

Q	Where do most teachers eat lunch and how much does it cost?
A	Most teachers have lunch at the nearest street food vendor or else at the nearest lan kai kow shop. In the latter case, you basically dealing with a small food restaurant serving dishes like fried rice, etc. In the former, usually you are getting a bowl of soup of some description. As far as costs go, assuming you like a cold soft drink to go with you lunch, you should not be spending more than Bt 50-60 per day. Generally though, teachers are a friendly bunch, and, on your first day at least, someone will show you where to get a decent lunch. Then it's up to you whether to look around for somewhere else, or stick with what you've been shown.
Q	If you live and work in Bangkok, are there any nice places nearby that you go to for a weekend/couple of days to "get away from it all"?
A	Yes. One of the great things about Bangkok is its location - both within Thailand and Asia. Should you only have limited means/budget, and the beach is for you, then a nice break to Koh Samet is always a welcome break. A little further (in time) away, but just as good is Koh Chang. However, if golf or the mainland is your thing, then a nice break in Khao Yai National Park maybe just the thing for you. Also on offer are weekend breaks in Kanchanburi. If budget is not an issue, then you can fly to the North or South fairly easily on Friday p.m. and be back in Bkk by Sunday p.m. Finally, with Bkk's ideal location, you can be almost anywhere else in Asia (India/Singapore/HK/China) within a few hours of leaving Bkk.

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.