Ruminations on curriculum development

advice in regards to developing your own curriculum

How can you develop a curriculum from scratch, with no materials to draw on whatsoever? Having been in this position myself, I might be able to help you out.


Racism in the TEFL industry

The Hines-Ward effect

Yes racism still exists in America and other Western nations. But there's a difference. Here in many parts of Asia, there is no classification of racist acts because no distinction is made between the racist act and the racist person.


Fishing in Isaarn

the dummies guide to fishing in Thailand

Scattered all over Isaan are numerous ‘hoowhy’ (reservoirs) and ‘keu-un’ (lakes) which are not only amazing places to unwind after the tribulations of the classroom, they are simply terrific places to fish. Tight lines!


The politics of Babopalooza

The joke is on us

The stress and aggravation of life in Korea for expats can be brutal at times, and that's why it's important to blow off a little steam every now and then. During times like these, most expats simply get together to eat, drink, and complain about life in a society that still views foreigners as less than equal.


who speaks English well?

An impossible question to answer

If we compare Thais to Koreans, Japanese or Chinese, who comes out on top in the English language speaking stakes? Well, exactly how easy are these things to judge and what criteria are we going to base our evaluations on?


Teachers and textbooks

A love-hate relationship

There are a lot of excellent books on the market; most of them are produced by major publishers such as Oxford, Cambridge, Longman and Macmillan. The problem a teacher can encounter during an English lesson in Asia is that these books are not always culturally suitable for the learners.


The greatest myth

How communicative language teaching fails

These truths are not wild, philosophical, esoteric ramblings. How we choose to teach English as a second or foreign language is a perfect example of how our methods of teaching is failing the very same people it was meant to help.


We don't learn like that!

Arrogance at the top and the politics of language schools

I realize that many language schools have a huge problem listening to their teachers, especially the native English teachers. It's as if they want us to shut up and tow the party line; don't rock the boat; don't try to fix things. How is anything suppose to change for the better in an atmosphere like that? It's not enough for many language schools to tell us what to teach; they also feel they need to tell us what to think. It's their way or the highway.


Water wars

The infamous Songkhran festival

The Songkran festival, which could also be called Water festival, is the Thai celebration of the Buddhist New Year and officially lasts for three days. Although it seems to be immensely popular with Thais, many foreigners, especially expats, thoroughly dislike it. Why is that?


A Taiwan and Korea story continued

Noble warriors and the culture of Irresponsibility

It has often been said that a lot of people--- whether it be Immigration officials, those who work in Embassies or Consulates, members of the business and academic community, and many everyday people--- don't want us in their country. Some want to learn English. Many need to learn English. And most parents want their kids to learn English. But many people don't want us here.


Showing 10 tagged items out of 48 total Page 4 of 5



Featured Jobs

Recruitment Manager

฿55,000+ / month

Bangkok


NES Grade 4 Math and Science Teacher

฿40,000+ / month

Chiang Mai


Early Years Teacher

฿60,000+ / month

Bangkok


Primary Science Teachers for MEP Program

฿33,000+ / month

Maha Sarakham


Part-time NES Summer Camp Teachers

฿450+ / hour

Bangkok


Summer Camp Teachers

฿700+ / hour

Chiang Mai


Featured Teachers

  • Daniza


    Filipino, 23 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Behzad


    Iranian, 35 years old. Currently living in Thailand

  • Mary


    Filipino, 32 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Fe


    Filipino, 25 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Pamela


    Filipino, 27 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Amie


    Filipino, 41 years old. Currently living in Thailand

The Hot Spot


Air your views

Air your views

Got something to say on the topic of teaching, working or living in Thailand? The Ajarn Postbox is the place. Send us your letters!


Contributions welcome

Contributions welcome

If you like visiting ajarn.com and reading the content, why not get involved yourself and keep us up to date?


Teacher mistakes

Teacher mistakes

What are the most common mistakes that teachers make when they are about to embark on a teaching career in Thailand? We've got them all covered.


The Region Guides

The Region Guides

Fancy working in Thailand but not in Bangkok? Our region guides are written by teachers who actually live and work in the provinces.


Need Thailand insurance?

Need Thailand insurance?

Have a question about health or travel insurance in Thailand? Ricky Batten from Pacific Prime is Ajarn's resident expert.


The dreaded demo

The dreaded demo

Many schools ask for demo lessons before they hire. What should you the teacher be aware of?


The cost of living

The cost of living

How much money does a teacher need to earn in order to survive in Thailand? We analyze the facts.


Will I find work in Thailand?

Will I find work in Thailand?

It's one of the most common questions we get e-mailed to us. So find out exactly where you stand.