Anybody Have Valid Information About Teaching License Courses?

[stepenwolf1958]

This is so confusing situations.Postings here are saying "this'n"that" things and i would really want to see some valid information about course,based on the law.Many things are not clear.

I don't know

1***who is making courses?

2***where?

3***how much?

I'm interested to know about Saraburi province,where we should make it?

***IMPORTANT***

Is it truth that Immigration office will NOT give to us visa non B - if we don't have teaching license?

Please shade light about these things...

Regards...

[PeaceBlondie]

Stepenwolf, are you referring not to the 20-hour culture briefing, but to the year-long academic course that can be earned in place of the incredibly difficult academic test that almost nobody passes?

I do not think anybody knows for sure. There is a law, but the official courses offered by universities such as Ramkamhaeng (?) have never, to my knowledge, been listed on an officially approved list. The cost of the year-long (or longer) courses is often quoted as 65,000 baht, but it may be much higher at ABAC. Provinces? Who knows?

As for local immigration offices, ask your lcal office, which is a kingdom unto itself. It is up to that officer when you see him or her.

[mopenyang]

This is so confusing situations.Postings here are saying "this'n"that" things and i would really want to see some valid information about course,based on the law.Many things are not clear.

I don't know

1***who is making courses?

2***where?

3***how much?

I'm interested to know about Saraburi province,where we should make it?

***IMPORTANT***

Is it truth that Immigration office will NOT give to us visa non B - if we don't have teaching license?

Please shade light about these things...

Regards...

Valid information is what everyone is seeking. Unfortunately, what is valid in one place may not be valid in another. Your frustration is shared by many here and on other sites. Immigration for Saraburi province might be a good place to start as well as checking with the local MoE office for that area. Good luck.

[Scott]

I managed to light a fire under our administration and they marched off to the MOE to get the 'scoop' on the regulations and how it will affect us. What I know, may confuse you more but this is what we were told by the person in charge--and they did know the regulations and what they were talking about. They didn't, however, seem to know exactly how they will be implemented.

People with a Bachelor's degree applying to teach in Thailand who don't have the training will get a two year license. They are then supposed to attend the course and upgrade themselves. If they don't/can't then an application will be made for a 2nd 2-year license. They don't forsee this as going on forever, but seemed to think it would be possible.

There are, we were told, books which can be studied for those interested in just taking the tests. I don't have a list of them, but if I get one (someone is checking), I will let people know.

So, if you currently have a TL, you might want to find out when it expires and be prepared to reapply for a new one (something which needs to be done anyway). For example my license is good for 5 years (because I have been licensed since before the 2003 regulations).

I have not heard of ONE school that offers the Thai course in English. Thai Teacher's also have to upgrade, so it's being offered in Thai. So, if someone knows of a place it might be wise to post it.

The final thing they said was "We are going to see how it goes." Whatever that means.

[makavelithedon]

Apologies if this isn't what was asked about however, I'll share it anyway.

I recently did the 20 hour course with over approximately 100 other teachers. It took 4 days out of my life I had a 6+ hour bus journey there and back and for me personally was 97+% a waste of time. If you intend to stay and teach it is I am pretty sure mandatory.

Before I attended I thought it would be exactly what it turned out. However, I could see the long termers who just wanted to keep there heads down count down the days and go home a mile off. But, there were also a number of long termers with entrenched ignorance and agendas of their own. It was funny when discussing Thai culture came up. There were positive claps and approval that it should be respected and followed UNTIL it clashed with their own ideas and views on how Thailand should be, then that was tossed aside and petty point scoring via the community microphone began.

In regard the trainers they were all excellent professors (Thai) who apologised a number of times that we had to be there and empathised, but as per usual at these things then taught totally irrelevant material. I was also told that wherever this scheme originated it had started out for newbies and then some brightspark sat around the debating table suggested ALL non Thai teachers should attend. From the feedback maybe this will change in the future who knows?

There was also a makeshift question sheet distributed of native speakers who have already taken the extensive teaching test from what they all could recall. It looked like something an ivory tower professor had knocked up and all those non Thai teachers who had taken it had failed costing the Uni 4000 baht per person!

From what I saw of the teachers who attended, something is certainly needed for the wet behind the ear newbies but this just wasn't it IMO and a more pragmatic syllabus say for do's and don'ts in school and the local community would be a far better use of time and hopefully guide away from momentus cultural clangers with Thais.

Anyhow, it appears as said by Scott and others before, that unless there is a climb down on this test the schools will certainly be looking different in the not too distant future personel wise!

Mak

Edited July 25, 2008 by makavelithedon

[stepenwolf1958]

Apologies if this isn't what was asked about however, I'll share it anyway.

I recently did the 20 hour course with over approximately 100 other teachers. It took 4 days out of my life I had a 6+ hour bus journey there and back and for me personally was 97+% a waste of time. If you intend to stay and teach it is I am pretty sure mandatory.

Before I attended I thought it would be exactly what it turned out. However, I could see the long termers who just wanted to keep there heads down count down the days and go home a mile off. But, there were also a number of long termers with entrenched ignorance and agendas of their own. It was funny when discussing Thai culture came up. There were positive claps and approval that it should be respected and followed UNTIL it clashed with their own ideas and views on how Thailand should be, then that was tossed aside and petty point scoring via the community microphone began.

In regard the trainers they were all excellent professors (Thai) who apologised a number of times that we had to be there and empathised, but as per usual at these things then taught totally irrelevant material. I was also told that wherever this scheme originated it had started out for newbies and then some brightspark sat around the debating table suggested ALL non Thai teachers should attend. From the feedback maybe this will change in the future who knows?

There was also a makeshift question sheet distributed of native speakers who have already taken the extensive teaching test from what they all could recall. It looked like something an ivory tower professor had knocked up and all those non Thai teachers who had taken it had failed costing the Uni 4000 baht per person!

From what I saw of the teachers who attended, something is certainly needed for the wet behind the ear newbies but this just wasn't it IMO and a more pragmatic syllabus say for do's and don'ts in school and the local community would be a far better use of time and hopefully guide away from momentus cultural clangers with Thais.

Anyhow, it appears as said by Scott and others before, that unless there is a climb down on this test the schools will certainly be looking different in the not too distant future personel wise!

Mak

Yes,once again...

We don't know the way they are doing it.They don't know how to explain.The song remains the same.Seem like dead end street...

This site may be can be partly explanation but this site saying what i already saw before.Paper was given to uall of us, in school, some 3 months ago.Even same institution - there are a few differences between paper and website.

1***Paper says: (something) Rajabhan University in Lopburi but no any word about Lopburi section - in the website. Just to go to Bangkok.

2***That website is telling all about Thai Culture test and that will be "some" 5,ooo Bht.

3***That site informed me all about that Thai culture test but there was a catch - all, we suppose to make in that Thai culture test, will be just for "TO ENABLE TRAINEES TO MEET REQUIREMENTS ACCORDING TO THE CRITERIA DETERMINED BY THE TEACHERS COUNCIL TO APPLY FOR THE TEACHERS LICENSE."

That mean after we finish that course-we will not get license,as i think it should be. Next step would be just to APPLY for the license and does anybody know what is waiting us there,in THAT procedure(including money)?

4***Next, if you take a look about HOURS in that course, you can see for Thai Language and Culture Component is planed 14 hours ( ) but for Teacher Professional Code of Ethic Component just and only 6 hours. So ,after saw that,i am wondering WHAT'S the real purpose of this course?I mean REAL.

Teaching license, course also, is to improve ourselves as a teachers here or just to know more about Thai way?

After all - AMAZING situation!For Arts and Music - 2 hours. I already saw myslef singing Siriporn's or Jintala's malam songs.I have to record that situation so to show in my country and especially to my daughters, to let them know the life more.

By the way - should i take a dance/singing classes about e-san traditionals or Karen tribe,before go to the course?

The main problem is,as i already got some information from one Filipino - Immigration Office will NOT give us VISA NON B if we don't have teaching license.Really annoying me. Is it truth or just desinformation?

How much hard is course?How long is procedure for taking license?How much money?Is that all what we have to pay for TEACHING LICENSE-just a 5,000 Bht? Or there is some surprise?

One more thing: what is the benefit of having teaching license of TCT-if there is any?Any admission requirements?

Here is the link:

http://dusithost.dusit.ac.th/~education/culture/culture.html

Regards and thank you for all answers.

[phetpeter]

There is and always has been a very very simple answer to this problem, delete the word Teacher, and replace it with a simple title such as 'Native English language advisor' or 'Native Language Advisor' or 'Native Advisor'. Problem solved! It is a job that CANNOT be done by a Thai. Because you are not teaching but, merely advising students on the correct format of English to use in Conversation, plus many teachers are only involved in conversation and listening skills.

[PeaceBlondie]

There is and always has been a very very simple answer to this problem, delete the word Teacher, and replace it with a simple title such as 'Native English language advisor' or 'Native Language Advisor' or 'Native Advisor'. Problem solved! It is a job that CANNOT be done by a Thai. Because you are not teaching but, merely advising students on the correct format of English to use in Conversation, plus many teachers are only involved in conversation and listening skills.

Great idea, I think. I never needed to salute the Thai flag, appear to pray to Buddha at 7:50 on the assembly ground, stay until 4:30 p.m., mark all those stupidly written multiple choice enigmas, make all those silly grades for comportment and citizenship, be waiiiied as "Ajarn Blondie," etc. In fact, a former mate is now doing pretty much that, teaching only conversation, coming only to teach his classes, no marking required. And I think he has a WP.

Of course, there are teachers (who fancy themselves as that, anyway) who would love to teach writing and reading and reasonable grammar and a teensy bit of Anglophone culture. But 84.5% of the students in Thai schools never progress into intermediate English, so there is a huge demand for conversation, and no demand for grammar.

[makavelithedon]

There is and always has been a very very simple answer to this problem, delete the word Teacher, and replace it with a simple title such as 'Native English language advisor' or 'Native Language Advisor' or 'Native Advisor'. Problem solved! It is a job that CANNOT be done by a Thai. Because you are not teaching but, merely advising students on the correct format of English to use in Conversation, plus many teachers are only involved in conversation and listening skills.

Great idea, I think. I never needed to salute the Thai flag, appear to pray to Buddha at 7:50 on the assembly ground, stay until 4:30 p.m., mark all those stupidly written multiple choice enigmas, make all those silly grades for comportment and citizenship, be waiiiied as "Ajarn Blondie," etc. In fact, a former mate is now doing pretty much that, teaching only conversation, coming only to teach his classes, no marking required. And I think he has a WP.

Of course, there are teachers (who fancy themselves as that, anyway) who would love to teach writing and reading and reasonable grammar and a teensy bit of Anglophone culture. But 84.5% of the students in Thai schools never progress into intermediate English, so there is a huge demand for conversation, and no demand for grammar.

This idea has been discussed already on returning from the 'culture course' with the director at school. He understands the pathetic flaws in these proposed changes and is actually making enquiries about doing exactly what was suggested. I will be interested to find out what happens in the coming weeks about this. However, considering it appears that most of these rules will be relevant to only government schools I'm sure that the local government will try and stick their nose in. I just hope the director has the stones to make it clear it's not welcome!

Edited August 1, 2008 by makavelithedon