Teaching In A Difficult Economy

[ArtVandelay]

Do you think Thai schools will be cutting back on the number of foreign teachers, teaching supplies, etc, if the economy gets worse?

Thanks.

[Ijustwannateach]

Depends on what you mean by Thai schools. If you mean public schools, they don't get much money from the government anyway, so I doubt that there can/will be serious funding cuts in supplies- many foreign salaries are sponsored somehow by the PTA or some other scheme, so loss of income by the parents could affect things. Some of the more hideous private schools may (thankfully) go under as the competition gets worse, but to describe them as employers is being too kind.

But whether or not any individual school or type of school suffers, the need for EFL will be on the rise- people will still need Thailand's main exports- even more if the food supply continues to be problematic- and so Thais will need to be able to speak English to do business with many of them.

"S"

[ArtVandelay]

Depends on what you mean by Thai schools. If you mean public schools, they don't get much money from the government anyway, so I doubt that there can/will be serious funding cuts in supplies- many foreign salaries are sponsored somehow by the PTA or some other scheme, so loss of income by the parents could affect things. Some of the more hideous private schools may (thankfully) go under as the competition gets worse, but to describe them as employers is being too kind.

But whether or not any individual school or type of school suffers, the need for EFL will be on the rise- people will still need Thailand's main exports- even more if the food supply continues to be problematic- and so Thais will need to be able to speak English to do business with many of them.

"S"

Thanks. I guess I meant any school. Your reasoning is encouraging. Perhaps I'm just afraid my timing might be bad. It wouldn't be too good being 10,000 miles from home and then finding out I can't support myself there...LOL.

[PeaceBlondie]

The same question was raised on Dave's ESL forum, about Mexico. Guy answered that when an economy suffers, business for EFL teachers improves, because the job market is more demanding of workers to be more fluent in English. Which might help language centres more than Thai schools. I am still amazed that fertility in Thailand has been plummeting for 30 years, but class sizes are still over 40 in many schools. Good English teachers are very hard to find, and some schools cannot recognize the good ones from the bad. Now maybe I am off topic. But if you teach well and are a good employee by Thai standards, you should do well.

[Loaded]

In Chiang Mai a successful Thai works in tourism, exporting handicrafts to foreign countries, manufacturing in Lamphun for a foreign company, or marrying a farang. All occupations require strong English skills. If any of these industries suffer due to the NWO's manipulation of the world's banking system, there will be greater competition for fewer opportunities. Hence people will be working on their skills more to make themselves more employable... in theory anyway.

[dumball]

The same question was raised on Dave's ESL forum, about Mexico. Guy answered that when an economy suffers, business for EFL teachers improves, because the job market is more demanding of workers to be more fluent in English. Which might help language centres more than Thai schools. I am still amazed that fertility in Thailand has been plummeting for 30 years, but class sizes are still over 40 in many schools. _Good English _teachers are very hard to find, and some schools cannot recognize the good ones from the bad. Now maybe I am off topic. But if you teach well and are a good employee by Thai standards, you should do well.

There's an honest answer , Good English teachers are very hard to find and some schools cannot recognise the good ones from the bad , a point i endeavored to make on another thread but could not be so blunt .