Questions About Qualifications

[Scott]

Yes a Bachelor's degree is what is required and that can be either Arts or Science.

[tijnebijn]

Thanks Brian,this information you gave me is very useful,I did not know this.When I am starting the process later on I will give you a PM if you don't mind,so I can work everything out.Thanks anyway.

[brianinbangkok]

Thanks Brian,this information you gave me is very useful,I did not know this.When I am starting the process later on I will give you a PM if you don't mind,so I can work everything out.Thanks anyway.

Okay PM me when you need the info

[Ijustwannateach]

Going into the Q about Q thread.

[madthinker]

"Steven"

Madthinker,

For the opening level position in Thailand, I think that just about any TEFL certificate is fine. I'm not talking about 50-60K jobs here, though- more along the lines of 25K-30K. After you've had a year or two of experience, the TEFL certification itself will become a moot point for most Thai jobs. It's more important as a first step if you haven't had any experience. If you are planning to teach in countries which dot their eyes and cross their ts a bit more thoroughly in the future, then the CELTA might be a slightly better long-range plan, especially if you will never have had experience teaching in any country other than Thailand. There are no guarantees for any of this, though.

thanks for your advice steven. i'm going to get myself on a course asap and then try to get some voluntary teaching work in england before i go or perhaps try to sit in on some classes at a local EFL school. i think this will help a lot in terms of mentally preparing to be faced with a class of eager students. i'll keep an eye on the forum in the meantime. as for paperwork, i think i'll tackle that minefield closer to the time.

thanks again

madthinker

[Ijustwannateach]

No problem, MT.

Brian, thanks for your helpful information about Dutch nationals teaching here- I didn't say anything as it seemed you were doing fine on your own!

[brianinbangkok]

No problem, MT.

Brian, thanks for your helpful information about Dutch nationals teaching here- I didn't say anything as it seemed you were doing fine on your own!

Thanks Ijustwanttoteach my information is not specifically for a teacher job as I until now I worked as engineering manager , teaching could be an option for me as a native speaker but I think I would have to first learn how to be a teacher

I read your postings on teaching in thailand and just added my 2 cents to that.

Tijnebijn is going to have to do what I suggested if he wants proof he has the required BA level to get a teaching job here.

So if I want to become a teacher, where to start, I got a Dutch BA, so what if I want to teach English here?

What course should I take if any?

Any TEFL courses in Bangkok ?

Edited May 29, 2007 by brianinbangkok

[Ijustwannateach]

There are plenty of TEFL courses around, but I can't really vouch for anyone in particular (never done one here)- you could check our sponsor, or do a search on the Internet.

However, I don't have a lot of optimism about your long-term chances. Things are tightening up, and without a degree from a country on their official list of English-speaking countries, you might find it's much harder for you. Good luck, anyway! It might be easier for you *outside* of Bangkok in the provinces, where your English is guaranteed to be better than that of 99.99% of the Thai English teachers there.

[brianinbangkok]

Thanks Ijustwanttoteach,

I agree with you , being from the UK with Dutch credentials has always been a problem here when dealing with any government agency.

I'll just stick to engineering

[canadiangirl]

Canadian Girl,

It's my pleasure.

Without an actual Ed. degree to your name plus a teacher's license for whatever counts as your province/region/state (not sure exactly how it works in your part of Canada), you don't really have a prayer to teach at the kind of schools that start in September, not fresh out of school with no teaching experience at all. Those folks want serious credentials (in teaching as well as in math) plus experience, ideally, and pay the kind of salaries that usually can get those folks. That's not to say that someone on the ground doesn't occasionally get lucky, but that person would still need some serious experience. That's not you.

"Steven"

Hi Steven,

thank you so much for all the info! I didn't know about the October break, so that gives me some hope about being able to get hired this year. I will definitely check out the other threads that you mention. Thank you for all your help!

[Ijustwannateach]

You're quite welcome. I've reposted the recommended link list in the guidelines thread, as it's getting a little hard to find in this one.

[drdolittle]

hi

i have an MA, but i dont have a BA.

Does my MA allow me to obtain a work permit in thailand?

i posted on another forum, but the only replies i got were from peolple saying that my MA wasnt worth anything because i didnt do a BA, or that it must be a fake. Anyway, its not a fake.......it's genuine.

so where do i stand regarding paperwork.

I have infact taught in thailand before, and i knew teachers who only had MA and they had work permits

i was wondering if it is still the same or have things changed?

any feedback would be GREATLY appreciated

thanks

[Ijustwannateach]

I think that MAs are usually quite acceptable, and I know there are some unusual circumstances that lead to people getting them without the BA. However, it would need to be a pretty strong MA- preferably something done with a major, well-recognised university involving classroom work and research, and in some field which will relate to what you're going to do for your work permit here- I'm assuming teaching, but you didn't specify.

[drdolittle]

thanks for the speedy reply

it is actually an MA in photography....we do not have such things as majors in the uk.

i realise the subject of photography is something that cannot be really be taught in thailand.......although some art based teaching could be available...maybe!!

however. i am not looking for the highest paid job in the world......i am just thinking that if i was to get a job........would the MA satisfy work permit requiremenst.

thanks again

[drdolittle]

sorry..........got a little confused over the word 'major' there

[Ijustwannateach]

If we're talking "TEFL," yes- if anything else, probably not.

[drdolittle]

If we're talking "TEFL," yes- if anything else, probably not.

yes i was talking about tefl/ esl teaching work....maybe at university level..and maybe out of bangkok

what exactly do you mean by 'anything else"

you're input is appreciated

thanks

[Ijustwannateach]

Well, anything in which you would need to have demonstrable qualifications in a subject- math, English (as language art, not TEFL), science, etc....

That's not to say that you couldn't get work teaching those things, just that it's becoming much less likely for you to be able to do so legally, fairly paid, and/or in Bangkok.

"Steven"

[drdolittle]

hi

is it still the case that 3 years or more proveable esl taeching experience is considered by the moe as equivalent to an esl qualification? 15 credits or something?

cheers

[Ijustwannateach]

Unknown, with the following qualifiers:

a. It seems to be getting harder and harder for those with no real bachelor's to get the full paperwork as new teachers in Thailand whether as TEFLers or not;

b. Those who were grandfathered in under the older, more lenient rules are still seem to be ok under that former system.

It would certain make sense if this were the case- after 3 years in a classroom doing TEFL, you should've learned something from it.

Moved to Questions About Qualifications.

[midasthailand]

Unknown, with the following qualifiers:

a. It seems to be getting harder and harder for those with no real bachelor's to get the full paperwork as new teachers in Thailand whether as TEFLers or not;

b. Those who were grandfathered in under the older, more lenient rules are still seem to be ok under that former system.

It would certain make sense if this were the case- after 3 years in a classroom doing TEFL, you should've learned something from it.

Moved to Questions About Qualifications.

Sorry about that, as you can see I'm a newbie and I wanted to ask a question about my qualifications and their suitability to satisfy the current Ministry of Education rules. I have recently completed TEFL training in Thailand and I have the following Tertiary qualifications: Graduate Certificate in Electronics Analysis, Graduate Diploma in Electronic Engineering Management, Diploma of Engineering in Electronic Systems and Advanced Diploma of Thai Language.

Thanks for your help.

[PeaceBlondie]

midasthailand, there are no definite, official qualifications in Thailand for teachers. No printed, published, mandatory, national standards. None.

But there are employers and local ministry officials who make their own rules as they go along from dawn to dusk, day to day. As for educational requirements for teachers, some employers and officers want to see a paper that says BACHELOR DEGREE. Others might not demand that, and might accept certificates and diplomas as being qualifying.

I may have missed your earlier post on this subject; sorry.

[midasthailand]

Thanks peaceblondie, I guess I'll have to "suck it and see" when I come back to Thailand in October.

[stevemiddie]

Hello.

I have just recently changed schools from Bangkok to Pattaya which means of course having to go through the whole paperwork process again.

It is definately getting harder to get the required Teachers License and WP.

Part of the application process ( in Chonburi district ) is a personal interview by the MoE guy in charge. They ask various questions about why you are here in Thailand, where did you study, graduate etc. I also had to provide all my ORIGINAL degrees and transcripts.

My school had previously verified my documents so i was not expecting any difficulties.

Fortunately, there were none. License approved.

Compare that to my last application process in Bangkok a year ago. The school gave me a load of forms to sign........took photocopies of everything, no verification check required, no police check...........and off we went to Samat Prakhan immigration. Sat there for 15 minutes while the thai admin did their stuff.........the imm guy did not even talk to me. Job done and dusted in 20 mins and away with my new License and WP etc etc.

Not so now !! Jing Jing !

[watchoutfarang]

Greetings all,

I am sure many of you have seen posts like this before. I am a UK citizen currently working in Oz as a Recruitment Consultant. Having worked in this area for some time I have had enough and have been toying with the idea of teaching. There are many horror stories I have heard and I wondered if anyone had some advice or indeed want to put me off. I wouldlike to teach in in or around Pattaya. The only reason for this is that my girlfriend and her family live in this area and she has a better chance of making good money in this town (she is a qualified nail beautician before you ask)

I am 34, have a MA in History and a Postgraduate in Marketing. Any info on if I can realistically expect to be employed, war stories etc etc would be appreciated. Would it be better to go to the Uk and become TEFL qualified etc?

I already have a relatively lucrative pension in place, which will allow me a satisfactory living in LOS and I understand salaries for newbie teachers are not to western standards.

Thanks

watchoutfarang

[Ijustwannateach]

Moved to Questions About Qualifications.

1. You need to read this thread in its entirety. You also need to read the Guidelines thread, which includes a list of other recommended reading; this list is not updated so I would also recommend reading every thread in the first 4 pages of the Teacher's subforum. No one can summarise all this information for you; you'll have to do your homework.

2. It's not a good time to become a teacher in Thailand. There are unclear regulations about police checks and qualifications. If you come in as a tourist, you will need to do another visa run and most likely have a police clearance from your "home" country. It is currently unclear if this must be the country you have most recently been living in, or the country of your nationality, so I would bring both (from the U.K. and Australia) if I were you. It may take a few months to get these, so start now.

3. A master's degree is enough to do TEFL, for sure; I'd recommend a TEFL course if you've never done any TEFLing or other teaching before. You may also find a way to teach history, though it would be better if you had some teaching experience first.

4. Pattaya is a tourist-heavy destination with way too many people trying to find ways to stay there. Wages will be heavily depressed, as you are competing with a large number of persons for a small number of positions. At a guess, 25-35K a month if you hustle pretty hard- should be no problem for you as you're youngish.

Good luck.

[Ijustwannateach]

Hello.

I have just recently changed schools from Bangkok to Pattaya which means of course having to go through the whole paperwork process again.

It is definately getting harder to get the required Teachers License and WP.

Thanks for the update, Steve. It's pretty sad that in response to the criminals on the run illegally working here as teachers, that they make life harder for those of us who do go through the legal processes.

[canadiangirl]

My university has a faculty of Mathematics, which is what I'm graduating from. So I'm graduating with a B.Math, not a B.Sc or a BA (and I think this is what is written on the degree.) I think my school is one of the few in North America to issue this kind of degree, so I don't think there are that many B.Maths floating around Thailand. Is this likely to cause me a problem with verifying my credentials with the Thai goverment, or with a school when I apply for a job?

Thanks!

[Ijustwannateach]

Probably not, as long as they can see the "Bachelor's" written on it somewhere.

[canadiangirl]

Probably not, as long as they can see the "Bachelor's" written on it somewhere.

Thanks! You are very kind with answering all these many questions from me and others. I hope you won't mind if I ask you one more.

I recently saw people mention on TV and ajarn that one needs a 4-year degree to teach in Thailand. My degree is a Bachelors degree, from a reputable school, but it is a 3-year degree, at my school only people who are doing Honours do a 4-year degree. Will this cause me problems? Is the 4-year restriction something that applies only to the degrees from the US? (I remember reading how there you can get 2-year university degree s that are not full Bachelor degree, "Associate" degrees, I think they are called).

Thank you again for all your help.