120 Hours Of Hype?

[mizzi39]

With the new regulations that are required to stay legal in Thailand, plus a BA/BS in whatever is it really necessary to take a TEFL course? Speaking from my personal experience I felt that the TEFL program that I completed helped me, having worked in Psychiatry for 9 years before moving to the LOS I had never had any formal teacher training.

Now on the down side. TEFL is not even a requirement for WP, TL, or non "B" visa and I find it very disturbing as to how these programs mislead their prospective clients into thinking that you do not need a degree to teach in Thailand. Every TEFL add I come across states the same thing "You do not need a degree to teach in Thailand", "no degree required" etc., but the reality is that you do need a degree to be LEGAL. What these TEFL programs should be stating in their advertisements is that "You do not need a degree to take our course, just give us your $1500.00."

I try to keep things in perspective reminding myself that TEFL programs are money making businesses and hey, everyone has a right to earn a living, but what I find ironic is these programs are all registered with the MOE, yet they are allowed to grossly mislead the consumer through deceptive advertising. I don't know, maybe these programs and the MOE are in cahoots together?

Edited April 26, 2008 by mizzi39

[withnail]

I think if you read the sites in full or ask the TEFL providers most of them would be straight forward and honest about the issue. Putting your words in quotes is being a little unfair. I just checked one of the main TEFL providers website and they tell the story exactly how it is.

[mizzi39]

I think if you read the sites in full or ask the TEFL providers most of them would be straight forward and honest about the issue. Putting your words in quotes is being a little unfair. I just checked one of the main TEFL providers website and they tell the story exactly how it is.

To be fair I removed the quotes. Thank you for your advise.

[PeaceBlondie]

mizzie, I am partial, being a 'graduate' of a TEFL course, and having helped out on one or more courses. Also, two TEFL providers sponsor this teaching forum.

We know they are in a business. As withnail has just checked one or more providers, they do say in their ads that their course is good and beneficial (as you said), but not that the MoE requires the course.

Until now, it has not been required in all provinces to have a bachelor's degree. Even the highly vaunted CELTA programme accepts non-graduates. Nor does it warn that if you are as old as PeaceBlondie, you might never get a work permit. But I might get lucky before I turn 75, who knows?

[garro]

"Technically, without a degree, you will not be able to get past the first requirement for obtaining a work permit as a teacher, which is to obtain a teacher's license. The reason we say "technically" is that, as our residents say, "This is Thailand!", meaning, in our case, that if you train, go through your six-month period of "practice" (if you lack prior experience) and teach well and enjoyably, an excellent school that pays well will want to employ you - and you will get both a Teacher's License and a Work Permit - meaning you will never, ever need to go out of Thailand again unless you wish to. And, no, you will not get all, Thailand, "The Land of Smiles"!"

I just read this on one of the popular TEFL providers. Not one of Thai Visas sponsors. I won't name them. I think that while this probably does not lie, it does play on peoples propensity for wishful thinking.

Edited April 26, 2008 by garro

[PeaceBlondie]

garro, maybe this bears on the discussion on the companion thread, about working illegally. You taught in rural Thailand and nobody hassled you even if you weren't legal. I taught 3.5 semesters in a province at two leading schools that all the officers or their wives graduated from. It did not matter there and then, and there are still going to be places here in year 2560 that 'technically' employ non-degree holders or souls who never bowed their knee to the false gods at the TCT.

[garro]

I see your point PB, but working illegally, even in the sticks, you are at the mercy of somebody getting jealous and reporting you. This TEFL site makes it sound like getting legit without a degree is easy.

[DragonQuest]

To me all you need is a BA to teach in thailand(You dont even need one upcountry I think). I regret taking my TEFL course paying over 500 US for it. I think its all a scam to get your 500-2000 US dollars from you. TEFL and CELTA, and thank god I didnt take CELTA, could have lost more.

I didnt really learn anything from the TEFL course, just sat next to other strangers who pretended to be my friend, one turned out to be a weirdo lol

Edited April 26, 2008 by DragonQuest

[PeaceBlondie]

Like most aspiring teachers of EFL, I did not take the course to become legal. I took it to learn how to teach EFL.

[DragonQuest]

I took it because they cohersed me to take it lol, but thats when I was a nooby and came to Thailand for the first time.

I am a man of rules and I do what Im told to be Legal, except that after all these years in thailand, seems like the word Legal doesnt exist here except for corruption and chaos.

[garro]

Like most aspiring teachers of EFL, I did not take the course to become legal. I took it to learn how to teach EFL.

And that is fair enough PB, but imagine your average guy who comes on Thailand on extended stay and gets addicted to one of its many attractions, burns his bridges back home, and searches the internet desperately in an attempt to find a way to stay with his/her new soul-mate/favorite temple. This type of advertisement is deadly. Promising him that he can easily begin a new life as a TEFLer and become legit is playing on his/her weaknesses.

Edited April 26, 2008 by garro

[DragonQuest]

Agreed.

[withnail]

Like most aspiring teachers of EFL, I did not take the course to become legal. I took it to learn how to teach EFL.

And that is fair enough PB, but imagine your average guy who comes on Thailand on extended stay and gets addicted to one of its many attractions, burns his bridges back home, and searches the internet desperately in an attempt to find a way to stay with his/her new soul-mate/favorite temple. This type of advertisement is deadly. Promising him that he can easily begin a new life as a TEFLer and become legit is playing on his/her weaknesses.

I think the quote you gave Garro is as honest and truthful as you would reasonably expect any business to be. The TEFL provider in question there, I know, will tell you exactly what that means. To date many people have found it to be true.

[DragonQuest]

TEFL market is about making money just like any other school in Thailand.

[mizzi39]

"Technically, without a degree, you will not be able to get past the first requirement for obtaining a work permit as a teacher, which is to obtain a teacher's license. The reason we say "technically" is that, as our residents say, "This is Thailand!", meaning, in our case, that if you train, go through your six-month period of "practice" (if you lack prior experience) and teach well and enjoyably, an excellent school that pays well will want to employ you - and you will get both a Teacher's License and a Work Permit - meaning you will never, ever need to go out of Thailand again unless you wish to. And, no, you will not get all, Thailand, "The Land of Smiles"!"

I just read this on one of the popular TEFL providers. Not one of Thai Visas sponsors. I won't name them. I think that while this probably does not lie, it does play on peoples propensity for wishful thinking.

I think I know which site you are talking about and although a good program, they make a claim that their TEFL certificate is the only one accepted for a TL and WP by the MOE. The problem with this statement is that you do not need a TEFL to obtain a WP and TL and the MOE has nothing to do with issuing your work permit anyway. Maybe I was a little abrasive at the start of this thread, but it is claims like these that are grossly misleading. TEFL programs are only good for vocational training.

Edited April 26, 2008 by mizzi39

[PeaceBlondie]

Bruce V. often says something I always liked: a TEFL cert is like a beginner's driving license, no more. Even the ads do not say it will make you younger or even more hansum or well-hung. It is not a 3-year graduate degree, etc.

[Ijustwannateach]

I'm afraid that we don't allow gripe-fests about the marketing practices of TEFL programs. Shop around, caveat emptor, etc. This thread is closed.