Sunday, 20th January 2019 — Learning Thai through song lyrics

Studying Thai - "I am certainly not the first foreigner who has learnt Thai and recommended Thai songs as an enjoyable alternative way of learning the language" says Stephen Saad. "Songs allow the learner to ‘get a feel’ for the country – how it thinks, how sentiments are communicated, the culture, the essence of being Thai"

Thursday, 17th January 2019 — Teaching opportunities

Recently added - An international kindergarten in Bangkok is looking for summer school teachers and a football coach. A well-known language centre is in need of test invigilators. If you fancy doing some voluntary work, The Father Ray Foundation would love to meet you. And an international pre-school is paying at least 60K for nursery and year 1 teachers. Check out the Ajarn jobs page.

Post your resume - we're hurtling towards the peak season for teacher recruitment so make sure to put your resume on Ajarn so schools can find you!

Tuesday, 15th January 2019 — Advice on how to become a better teacher

Professional development - 'attending TESOL conferences, self-assessment forms, using online resources. These are just some of the many ways to help you become a better teacher' says teacher trainer, Stephen Louw.

Lesson planning - One of Richard's objectives in 2019 is to put more effort into his lesson planning. So he has sat down with the teaching experts at his school and is now brimming with new ideas.

Tuesday, 15th January 2019 — "Chiang Mai is a great place to start for a new teacher in Thailand"

Cost of living - Let's hear from Liz, a teacher working in Chiang Mai. Average wages have never been fantastic in CM and there is often stiff competition for jobs. However, Liz seems to do nicely on her 45,000 baht a month, thanks to some extra tutoring and on-line work.

Taking a TEFL course in Thailand? - we've got plenty of deals, promotions, video links etc in our monthly TEFl course news blog, with courses in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. 

Monday, 14th January 2019 — "My cheating British husband ran off with his Thai teaching assistant"

Back to the UK - Mary taught in Thailand for 13 years but returned to England in 2013 to protect her daughter and to further her own education. Perhaps it's fair to say that Thailand holds plenty of good and bad memories.

Friday, 11th January 2019 — Keeping your smile in the land of smiles

Health insurance - this month, Walter van der Wal, our health insurance expert tackles the topic of private dental insurance in Thailand.

Hot seat interview - What's it like to work at a top international school in Bangkok? What are the benefits? Does an international school recruit locally? What qualifications do they require? Does a teacher need to return to their home country in order to become qualified or is there an alternative route? In our latest hot seat interview, recently appointed Principal of Shrewsbury School, Mr Chris Seal, has all the answers. 

Wednesday, 9th January 2019 — Agents and teacher contracts

Teacher nightmares - if a teacher placement agency decides to cheat teachers out of their salaries for no discernible reason, getting back the money owed can be a long, hard road, as Richard Constable discovered.

Teacher agencies - do they deserve such a bad press in Thailand? (relatively old article but still relevant)