ragamuffin

Talk him into teaching. If you both really really wanna live there, its his easiest path.

Not an option. He's not a teacher and he does not want to be one either.

He's not happy in the company and looking for a new job anyway. Things have changed a lot there, he's worked his way up and does not see any development possibilities for him in the long run. A lot of unnecessary stress/pressure and changes of his position into the sales direction which he does not like cause he really enjoys being a consultant.

We'll discuss our options once I'm back from my research stay. So far moving has just been a rough idea but a change of climate, location and lifestyle might be what we need now .

Thanks a lot, really appreciated .

I might bring some advantages with me

Simple answer: my research interest is the field of English education in Thailand and I'm currently spending time at Chula for a thesis. Other countries are not an option, I know my way around here, have friends and contacts.

I'm actually expecting an okay paid job with my qualifications, too.

If his company has a branch here why not try and get sent here by them permanently.

I wasn't sure whether this is easily possible.

That's a pity but not surprising.

We might relocate because I'm looking into teaching/researching positions in Thailand and he's not the kind of person to just hang out all day, even though my pay might feed us both.

He's in software solutions, advising sales and customers on suitable software for the products they purchase from the company he works for. Printing and copying machines mainly, document management software. No programming involved.

The company does have a branch in Bangkok.

He's an IT Consultant for an international company from Japan, currently working in Munich. His English is very good but he's concerned about the fact that he does not speak Thai.

My boyfriend does not hold a uni degree but completed A-levels and German job training. Not sure how familiar you are with our dual system... If you need more info please let me know.

He's in his early 40s and has been with his current company for almost 10 years now, specialised in software solutions for printing and copying devices.

Is there a chance of finding a job in his field in Thailand?

Sorry for that and thanks!

Could my boyfriend find a job in Thailand?

He's an IT Consultant for an international company from Japan, currently working in Munich. His English is very good but he's concerned about the fact that he does not speak Thai.

My boyfriend does not hold a uni degree but completed A-levels and German job training. Not sure how familiar you are with our dual system... If you need more info please let me know.

He's in his early 40s and has been with his current company for almost 10 years now, specialised in software solutions for printing and copying devices.

Is there a chance of finding a job in his field in Thailand?

The name sounded like "Class", style was hiphoppish. Pretty sure it's not Clash. Anyone heard of them?

How ignorant can you be? Indians don't have a poor grasp of English, they simply speak another variety of the language.

Yes, they are. Especially for learners of that language.

I am an American and a native speaker. By the way I don't know about "affect or effect" and never use "whom" except in a letter beginning "To whom it may concern". Until a Thai English teacher told me there are 12 tenses, I thought there were 3; yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

The purpose of language is communication. Unfortunately most of the children who finish high school in Thailand can't communicate in English. However, they do know grammar and structure.

The reason for this is that you are not taught the grammar rules of your native language. It's not necessary because you learn it by immersion.

Try to get a native Thai speaker or teacher to explain the grammar rules of Thai to you. For example, ask them why vowels are often written before consonants when they are not pronounced in that order. The word for fire ไฟ (fie) is spelled sara-I for-fun but, it's pronounced exactly the opposite. The answer you will receive back is a blank stare because they can not admit they don't understand the grammar of their own language. That would be a loss of face for them even though it's perfectly understandable because they learned their language through immersion.

Isn't it the norm a natives grammar skills are not as good as a non-native?

The problem is awareness of structures and rules because the language was acquired and not "learned".

I would never dare teaching my mother tongue because I simply lack the professional background. I might be good at speaking it, that's it.

A colleague at work was telling me how her 20 something year old sons friend just for a job teaching English in Thailand. Not sure what he was doing at uni but he has defiantly not been into teaching before. When you make it so easy for those who shouldn't be teaching then this all makes sense.

What exactly is so wrong with this? A teacher has to get their first experience from somewhere, why not in Thailand where it really can't get any worse than it already is? What harm could they possibly do when Thai English teachers can't even speak the language?

The best teachers have a gift and are just naturally good at it / born for it. Others, like me, have had to work hard at it.

Teaching is a profession with a lot of background knowledge in learning psychology, teaching methodology etc. involved if you want to do it properly and successfully. Being good at handling students, empathy etc. are preconditions for good teachers anyway but by far not sufficient.

To be honest, I find this "anyone can teach, it's a gift" attitude naive and dangerous. What do you think do teachers to-be learn at uni?

I never said anyone can teach, I said some have a gift and are naturally good at it while others, like me, have to work hard at it. And yes, some don't belong in a classroom at all. Please do read my replies more carefully. Thanks.

What about the professional knowledge I mentioned? Being a native speaker is no qualification. What do these people know about teaching and their language, problems learners might have with it, phonetics, learner styles, assessment?

@ Ragamuffin 'What do you think do teachers to-be learn at uni?'

In Thailand they learn how to wear the the brightest, garish silk uniforms known to man! Strut around like a peacock and learn the importance of self-importance!!!

This is definitely not true for Chula's TEFL programme.

A colleague at work was telling me how her 20 something year old sons friend just for a job teaching English in Thailand. Not sure what he was doing at uni but he has defiantly not been into teaching before. When you make it so easy for those who shouldn't be teaching then this all makes sense.

What exactly is so wrong with this? A teacher has to get their first experience from somewhere, why not in Thailand where it really can't get any worse than it already is? What harm could they possibly do when Thai English teachers can't even speak the language?

The best teachers have a gift and are just naturally good at it / born for it. Others, like me, have had to work hard at it.

Teaching is a profession with a lot of background knowledge in learning psychology, teaching methodology etc. involved if you want to do it properly and successfully. Being good at handling students, empathy etc. are preconditions for good teachers anyway but by far not sufficient.

To be honest, I find this "anyone can teach, it's a gift" attitude naive and dangerous. What do you think do teachers to-be learn at uni?

Again: the problem is not the lack of native speaker teachers. It's the general lack of qualified teachers who actually speak and understand English AND take communicative language teaching seriously instead of using pattern drills and mere memorisation techniques. This includes professional knowledge in the field of language teaching approaches and methodology. Being a native speaker alone is no qualification whatsoever.

Spot on.

This seems to be changing to a 'Unqualified Native English Speaking Teachers' thread. The real problem for the Thai's low scores/grades at any level of education is because of THAI TEACHERS. I have seen many teachers teach a basic structure but not being able to put into a spoken context after. Most of the time the grammar is also wrong!

Exactly.

It doesn't matter whether the crappy teacher is a native speaker or not. Language AND methodology need an adequate level.

No need for native speaker teachers. They aren't common in e.g. Germany either and the students' English there is much better cause the teachers know what they're doing. Teachers in general need to be qualified and follow approaches other than grammar translation or audiolingualism for a start. Nothing to do with native speakers, I'm afraid.

Love how police make the victims point at the accused in every picture. So humane.

I've been on Euthyrox for years, it's not a Thai-specific thing and the pills substitute hormones one's body is lacking to produce. Once on the right dose life's good .

Cheers! Do you remember if those were colourful?

I don't mean the plain black ones. Saw neon colours in Krabi but didn't know where to get them from. Now back in BKK and trying it here.

Any advice?