Questions About Qualifications

[Firelily]

Could get you into some good International schools when you in the know with some people from these schools. Meanwhile half the pay in a Private School will have to do- 30-45K depending on exp. Double it you get into an international school. Chok Dee

Yes I guess I could if I had a passport from one of those countries where native speakers supposedly come from.

[jayinoz]

Could get you into some good International schools when you in the know with some people from these schools. Meanwhile half the pay in a Private School will have to do- 30-45K depending on exp. Double it you get into an international school. Chok Dee

Yes I guess I could if I had a passport from one of those countries where native speakers supposedly come from.

I understand u are from a non English speaking country (Many Philopines, etc), many are very fine teachers yet please consider this... Those of us from developed nations paid BIG $$$ for our BA and MA, many of us owe a lot in student fees. Yet we do not get paid very well in Thailand considering... Now those from non English speaking countries often do not have the huge fees we have back home. So this is why we must demand more pay than our non English or developing work peers.

It may seem unfair yet it is supply and demand... very simply. Experienced Farang teachers demand 40K or more. We do not get it we move on, many of us cannot afford to live off 30K or less with debts back home.

Include that we non Asian looking Farang often get charged far more for everything and I think it is very far that my Philipino and Indonisian peers get half my pay even though they have more experience. The politics in the teachers lounge is a little too much sometimes when the Thai head of the EP department gets less and all other teachers get less.

However many of us get paid according to demand... Simply put if I cannot get over 40K after renegoitating after 2 months I will find another whom will. I do not understand the Farangs who are willing to take the same as Philipinos being 20K pm. Yet these people are often just usiing it as experience as I have seen.

It may seem unfair but it is not through our Farang eyes- yet I hear it everyday from Non English speaking country girls how it is unfair we simpy Farang. Not a great atmosphere to hear this often.

Whomever posted you get 17.5 K + 8K housing is being ripped off if you have some experience. Yet I know it is the baseline guidence rate set by the Thai government. It is not realistic.

You DO get what you pay for, more often than not when it comes to Farangs. Those whom are very professional with the right qualifications should not be excepting anything less than 35K pm. I am sick of hearing Thai Head of Departments state but this Farang was williing to take 20K pm. I answer to them, how long do they stay and basically only used you as short term experience to enter into a better paying job.

Try see things through the Farangs eyes also- teaching is probably the lowest paying work we do. Although the demand for qualifications is HUGE compared to other professionals. A Masters in say the Finance sector would get you more than 5x the pay as a teacher with a MA in Ed. So those whom take on teaching as their career should be applauded for taking one of the lowest paying jobs relative to others. Yet spend huge time and money on education for the love of it.

I am not a career teacher, it more like my hobby, as my family could not live the lifestyle we have on a teaching salary. Thus my real day job is as a stockbroker whom crashed hard in the Global Financial Crisis of 2008. Retaining only 20% of my past client from my busiiness.

I admire the career teachers from all nationalities whom are very professional. Do not take less than you feel you are worth. Chok Dee

[Firelily]

There is no need to patronise me, thanks.

I was simply telling others about our recent experience regarding the work permit renewal and the teaching licence hoping it helps someone.

[Scott]

Let's take care not to bait other posters into a personal argument. The difference in the cost of a degree from less developed countries also mirrors the wages paid in many of those countries. So, for many Filipinos, for example, their degree may cost just as much as a degree from the US, when you factor in the income levels....but that's not a topic for this thread.

The difference in wages between nationalities is quite discriminatory. In Bilingual and international programs, the teachers are teaching a subject in English, but not teaching English. We have a teacher who teacher advanced Math and upper level science courses. He is an experienced, qualified teacher (degree in Education), his English is extremely good. He earns less than 1/2 of what some of the white-face teachers with no degree and no experience get.

Now, back to "questions about qualifications"...

[whomeneva]

Hi All,

What is the best way to find a teaching position at a University? I have a bachelor's degree in Finance and an M.B.A. I have volunteer experience teaching English back in the States. I do not have a TEFL. I would prefer to remain in Bangkok.

Thanks in advance for your response.

[SlyAnimal]

Hi All,

I'm currently in New Zealand still, and about to start a TESOL course tomorrow, and am really keen on heading over to Thailand to teach English. I've got a BCom, and am under 30, but have no teaching experience at present (Although have always been thinking about doing teaching, so figure this is a good chance to learn if I like it or not). I'm intending on getting a Working Holiday Visa and then heading over with that, but it only allows me to work for the same employer for a maximum of 3 months.

What's it like over there for getting short term work teaching English, just for 2-3 months? As I'll probably need to goto a couple of different schools while I get enough work experience teaching, and see if I like it, before I'm comfortable signing upto a longer term contract.

Is it a lot harder to get positions without experience and just the qualification (Particularly since my degree isn't even in science or something useful for teaching)?

Also in the more rural areas, is it often easy to get a job teaching (even just volunteering at schools for free, to help gain experience)? As I plan on initially staying in Ubon with a friend and her family.

Edited August 17, 2010 by SlyAnimal

[Scott]

What is a Working Holiday Visa and how did you get it? I have never heard of it.

As far as your questions about teaching, it will be rather difficult because you will be here for a short time. You would not be able to complete a school year. You may be able to find a school who needs a teacher on short notice or a language school, but it might not be very easy.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

[SlyAnimal]

What is a Working Holiday Visa and how did you get it? I have never heard of it.

As far as your questions about teaching, it will be rather difficult because you will be here for a short time. You would not be able to complete a school year. You may be able to find a school who needs a teacher on short notice or a language school, but it might not be very easy.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

Working Holiday Visa is a 1 year Visa for anyone under 30 (I assume anyone, could be to NZers only tho), who has a University degree. The main difference between it and the Teaching Visa (As far as I can tell), is that you don't have to have a job offer etc when you apply, but that you can't work for the same employer for more than 3 months.

So I'm thinking that I'll try and get some short term contracts to get some teaching experience, and then if I find a school I want to teach at for longer, I can apply for a proper work Visa while I'm in Thailand working. I've e-mailed the Thai embassy in NZ asking about the process for this, but they seem to be very slow at replying. Is it easy to get a working Visa when you're already in Thailand?

[Firelily]

This is a kind of visa in NZ or in Australia..... not in Thailand.... or if it is, well you are the first one who has ever heard of it.

[Mario2008]

This is a kind of visa in NZ or in Australia..... not in Thailand.... or if it is, well you are the first one who has ever heard of it.

Thailand also knows a working holiday visa, but only Australian and New Zealand nationals can apply for it, in their homecountry.

New Zealanders: http://www.thaiembassynz.org.nz/Visa/WorkingHolidayVisa.htm

Australians: http://canberra.thaiembassy.org/doc/info/visa/info_working_holiday_visa.pdf

Basicly it is for university students, not yet 30 years old.

[Mario2008]

............ So I'm thinking that I'll try and get some short term contracts to get some teaching experience, and then if I find a school I want to teach at for longer, I can apply for a proper work Visa while I'm in Thailand working. I've e-mailed the Thai embassy in NZ asking about the process for this, but they seem to be very slow at replying. Is it easy to get a working Visa when you're already in Thailand?

Except for the working holiday visa (I'm not totaly sure, but believe the working holiday visa holder doesn't need a work permit)., a visa doesn't allow you to work. To be allowed to work you would need to apply for a work permit, which only allows you to work for the in th work permit mentioned employer.

It would be relativly easy, but you would need to go abroad and apply for a non-B visa in a neighbouring country. Many peopel look for work on a tourist visa and when they find work they apply for a work permit and non-immigrant visa (which is a requirement to get a work permit).

[Petergreet]

Hi, I am 51 years old and married to a Thai. Would love to be able to teach in Thailand and quite happy to do it properley via a tefl course. My problem is that I do not have a degree. I could 'buy' a degree from many different web advertised services such as (link to unauthorized web site removed) . These people claim that you can get an acreditted degree based on life experience without actually studying for it. ie you pays your money and they send you the degree, is this regarded as cheating? Would these degrees be acceptable to get a teaching post in Thailand? The only experience I have is informally teaching local village children in Issan, who love to practice their english with me, and I must admit I really enjoy helping them. Really want to do this part time to stop me from getting bored, don't need to worry about earning a living just pocket money i guess.. Thoughts please

Edited August 19, 2010 by Scott
link removed

[Scott]

Direct links such as in the previous post are not allowed and it has been removed.

The degree sounds dodgy and I very much that it is legal. If it is accredited, I wonder by whom. In general, you also need a transcript--it would be most interesting to see what they list as subjects.

I have only seen one life experience degree submitted to the Ministry personnel and it was roundly rejected.

[Petergreet]

Sorry, I was unaware of that and thought I needed to link to this site so that you could look at it. I assure you I was not trying to promote this site and in fact linked to any one at random. I think It is going to be very difficult for members to help without such a link.

That said, I suspected these would be rejected, but the colleges and there are many, (do a google on life experience degrees) seem to swear by them and say they are fully accredited. They even tell you who they are accredited with and are assuring me that for 2 or 300 dollars you get a genuine degree.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Petergreet

[Scott]

You are free to ask any members by PM to check the website, but we don't want these on the open forum. The problem is that schools also can use Google as can the Ministry and they can quickly find out about the school. Some countries are in the process of passing laws about such schools.

Whether it is 'illegal' to use such a degree, I don't know. I do know that at least some at the Ministry of Education will reject them.

[Petergreet]

Ok, thanks for that Scott, so I guess I will save my money. Is it possible to do some teaching without a degree? I am sure I could do a good job, but a bit too old now to do 3 years at college.

Would love to be able to teach English or Maths, both of these I am very strong on having spent time teaching my own children these subjects.

[SlyAnimal]

Try just doing a TESOL course Peter (I'm doing one at the moment, 5 day block course + some correspondence work)

I think that that's all you need to teach. Then to get paid to teach, you just need to have a job offer from a school there, they'll then help you with the rest of the paperwork.

I don't think you need a degree for it as well, although probably try to check yourself to be sure.

The Visa you'd want is a "Non Immigrant Visa Category "B" (Teaching)" I think.

If you just want to occasionally teach for something to do, then you could probably just volunteer (or get them to pay you under the table), doing a course first though would likely help so that you gained a bit of experience + theory behind the best teaching methods etc.

Edited August 21, 2010 by SlyAnimal

[DaBloodyMess]

Hello everyone, thanks for all the great information that has been posted so far.

I am currently in the last semester of a B.A. in History and Politics at a well known Australian university. I am sponsored by the military, so I owe them 4years of service when I am done. Once I am out I would really like to travel the world for a number of years teaching along the way.

Once I have finished my B.A. and begin working, I intend to do a graduate diploma through distance education to give me a second subject area that is taught in schools locally (Politics isn't taught in highschool here). After that I would look at doing a graduate diploma in education which would qualify me to teach highschool here in Australia.

I am after a bit of advice on where to take my education in order to maximise my chances of getting a good job teaching at an international school in Thailand. Mainly, what extra subject area should I look to do in order to maximise my chances of a decent job? I have narrowed my options down to the subjects I feel I am suited to, and would enjoy studying. My short list is: Geography, English, and Economics, though feel free to suggest something else, I am open to any suggestions.

This little global teaching jaunt I am planning is a way to travel the world and experience lots of different cultures. The aim inst to earn massive amounts of money, though I don't want to sell myself short.

Thanks in advance for any advice, and feel free to tell me bluntly if any of my expectations are unrealistic.

Edited September 15, 2010 by JasonB

[irishken]

hi all. hope or some help here as there is just to much info to scroll through to find what i am looking for..

1)i have a graduate diploma in business studies awarded by ICM (institute of commercial management) equvilant to level 7 or 8 depending on what site you look at.

what sort of teaching job,salary could i look at there.

2)still need to do the TELF course. better to do it in ireland or thailand ?. thailand seems a bit expensive.?

3)my wife is thai.how does this impact on a working visa.

cheers all

ken

[Scott]

Unless the degree you are talking about is a Bachelor's degree, your options will be limited. Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree really doesn't quite cut it, in my experience.

A TEFL is not required, but will help you in the classroom.

[johnbee]

i have a technical diploma and full trade certificate, i would love to teach in a technical school or college , part time or as an adult instructor English in my field of expertise. would i need a teaching degree to apply to colleges? and how or where do i get info on who needs what in terms of the type of instructors they need ?

[Scott]

I don't have much knowledge about the technical schools, hopefully some posters will have more knowledge, so I'll give this post a 'bump' and see if we can get you some answers.

Without a Bachelor's Degree, you may have trouble.

[Jawnie]

i have a technical diploma and full trade certificate, i would love to teach in a technical school or college , part time or as an adult instructor English in my field of expertise. would i need a teaching degree to apply to colleges? and how or where do i get info on who needs what in terms of the type of instructors they need ?

If you will notice, many ads for English teachers include this:

"We recognize all major full-timeTESOL/TEFL courses including:

Chichester College TESOL (TEFL/TESL)

Lanna TEFL Chiang Mai

SEE TEFL

TTT International TEFL/TESOL

UniTEFLThailand"

If you are in Thailand (or even if you aren't in Thailand), I'd suggest you look into taking one of these courses. It will teach you how to teach English; the schools really want to see something like this. Find a good TEFL or equivalent program, and it will really kick-start your English teaching path. It won't be cheap, or easy, but it will get you into the profession and into the network of teaching jobs. If it is a good program, it will give you good teaching skills.

[Fookhaht]

Hi, I am 51 years old and married to a Thai. Would love to be able to teach in Thailand and quite happy to do it properley via a tefl course. My problem is that I do not have a degree. I could 'buy' a degree from many different web advertised services such as (link to unauthorized web site removed) . These people claim that you can get an acreditted degree based on life experience without actually studying for it. ie you pays your money and they send you the degree, is this regarded as cheating? Would these degrees be acceptable to get a teaching post in Thailand? The only experience I have is informally teaching local village children in Issan, who love to practice their english with me, and I must admit I really enjoy helping them. Really want to do this part time to stop me from getting bored, don't need to worry about earning a living just pocket money i guess.. Thoughts please

A helpful thread about diploma mills can be found here. There are a few posts about their relationship to getting positions in Thailand.

[Jawnie]

Hi, I am 51 years old and married to a Thai. Would love to be able to teach in Thailand and quite happy to do it properley via a tefl course. My problem is that I do not have a degree. I could 'buy' a degree from many different web advertised services such as (link to unauthorized web site removed) . These people claim that you can get an acreditted degree based on life experience without actually studying for it. ie you pays your money and they send you the degree, is this regarded as cheating? Would these degrees be acceptable to get a teaching post in Thailand? The only experience I have is informally teaching local village children in Issan, who love to practice their english with me, and I must admit I really enjoy helping them. Really want to do this part time to stop me from getting bored, don't need to worry about earning a living just pocket money i guess.. Thoughts please

A helpful thread about diploma mills can be found here. There are a few posts about their relationship to getting positions in Thailand.

You will need to think about whether you personally are okay with a degree from a diploma mill, or not, and act accordingly. A good CELTA/TESOL program will teach you how to teach English and help you with lesson planning, English teaching resources, etc. So going through that process and getting a certificate will help you personally to be a better teacher. Btw, you need to know that your age will negatively affect your job search, especially since you are over 50. That is a reality that sucks, big time, but it is reality here in Thailand, and other Asian countries such as China and India. Being in Issan and outside of major cities may lessen the impact of your age, but expect it to be an obstacle.

[Scott]

A degree must be from an accredited school. Diploma mills aren't accredited and thus would not qualify. The education officials are aware of diploma mills. I wouldn't try it and I have had people submit 'life experience degrees'. I've never acknowledged them and never tried to submit one for a work permit.

I don't know that they are considered fake, but it's not a recognized degree.

[cooledskin]

Hi there, I'm not sure if there's a thread I'm suppose to post in first, but I'm new to this board and thought I'd start here!

I'm thinking of moving to Thailand to teach English this fall. I've got a 4 year Honours BA in Religion (with a minor in French), and am nearing the end of my Master's degree. I submit my thesis August, but I won't technically hold an MA until it's approved by everyone up the ladder - probably December. So, I'll be done all the work for my MA, but won't have the accreditation until the winter... If I could get a letter from the head of my department with my anticipated completion date, would I still be able to apply for positions as possessing an MA? Does having an MA mean better jobs, in general? Can I skip TESOL/TEFL/CELTA if I have an MA, or do I need to dish out the extra cash for one of those courses, too?

Thanks in advance for any answers!

[Scott]

You are going to get different answers to your question. Different schools will have different policies.

First, the MA will not be a valuable asset, financially, in teaching English. It won't hurt, but it won't help.

Second, the degree and the piece of paper are more valuable than a letter from the school.

Finally, you do not need a TEFL or other qualification to legally teach.

Best of luck to you.

[cooledskin]

Thanks Scott. I knew that I don't technically need TESOL to teach, I was just wondering if maybe having a second degree would make up for it, but I guess not. So, in Bangkok, could I hope to bring in around 35,000 with a BA and an MA? Or is that asking too much?

[Scott]

Unless you find a job that you really, really want, you should have no trouble finding a job for 35,000 - 40,000. Be aware that some schools will have a probation period where you earn less. For example, I know of a school that takes 3,000 baht per month out of the salary during the probation for 3 months (total 9,000 baht).

This money is returned to you eventually--sometimes at the end of the probation period, some at the end of the contract, some when you leave the school.

Check on the benefits as well. Make sure they either get you a work permit and visa assistance etc. Make sure there are paid vacations and a full year contract. Some schools have summer sessions that teachers have to work, as well.

Best of luck.