Do Not Take The Pelt Tefl Course

[girlx]

This course is an abbreviated self study course touted heavily on ajarn.com. It is run by TEFL International, but the class in Bangkok has been a nightmare. They appear to have taken off with the students' money and no word on when they will receive certificates. They were supposed to help place people on intern assignments to fulfill the course requirements of 20 hours' teaching. Instead the staff has disappeared. They do occasionally email placatory emails but have given no assistance to the students beyond the initial 5 day onsite course. At this point everyone is worried that they have wasted their money. Perhaps when this outfit gets their <deleted> together they will be trustworthy but at this point they are not. Shame on ajarn.com for promoting them over other more legitimate courses.

[Ajarn]

This course is an abbreviated self study course touted heavily on ajarn.com.  It is run by TEFL International, but the class in Bangkok has been a nightmare. They appear to have taken off with the students' money and no word on when they will receive certificates.  They were supposed to help place people on intern assignments to fulfill the course requirements of 20 hours' teaching. Instead the staff has disappeared. They do occasionally email placatory emails but have given no assistance to the students beyond the initial 5 day onsite course. At this point everyone is worried that they have wasted their money. Perhaps when this outfit gets their <deleted> together they will be trustworthy but at this point they are not. Shame on ajarn.com for promoting them over other more legitimate courses.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Besides sounding like a course with little real value for training teachers (does your 'intern teaching' have a teacher observing all your teaching? A qualified trainer??), how do you know that Ajarn.com has knowingly been running a likely scam? This is what you're saying, right?

Have you contacted Ajarn.com? (no relation)

btw, if you are really serious, take a real TEFL course, like, at least, the Cambridge CELTA, or maybe even text 'n talk.... 5 days of theory can be gotten from the internet, on your time, for free.. The main value in a TEFL course is the practice teaching with observation and feedback. If they don't at least give you that, then they're effectively tossing you to the lions, and truthfully, the survival rate of teachers with this kind of introduction ain't very high, in my experience.

Another option for you is to contact the Cambridge Exams reps and get trained to proctor various levels of Cambridge exams. Especially in Bkk, this can be a very lucrative PT gig, and your scenery is always changing, which some teachers like...

The Asian contact is still Clarence Shettlesworth, I think. The last time we communicated, his email address was [email protected]

Edited March 20, 2005 by Ajarn

[kenkannif]

I don't think Ajarn.com (sorry Ajarn!) can be blamed for offering it, advertising is advertising and it's down to the individual to research thoroughly and then choose the course that's best for them. Getting feedback from previous trainees is also a darn good idea!

Did you read Phil's review of the course Girlx? As it was hardly complimentary.

Edited March 21, 2005 by kenkannif

[Ajarn]

I don't think Ajarn can be blamed for offering it,..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's Ajarn.com, of course

[PeaceBlondie]

Yes, ajarn.com is a commercial website, apparently owned by Bangkok Phil for profit. Anybody who's bright enough to teach English should know an advertisement when they see it. Lots of TEFL courses are advertised there, and lots of language schools. It doesn't mean the website guarantees or even endorses them beyond taking their money. Caveat emptor; let the buyer beware.

I thought Phil started taking the CD courses (not a classroom) and later said the CD's were replaced by something else. I didn't understand either arrangement - isn't the internship the current idea, but it seems to tie the teacher into a teaching situation so that they pay off the course (no, thanks). However, it's apples to apples to compare four-week resident classes in Thailand taught by qualified DELTA-type graduate teachers. As someone commented, once you've paid for and finished a four week course, you can land a decent job with minimal help.

[girlx]

most people who take the PELT course are already teaching, and can not thus afford to take the time off to take a full on TEFL or CELTA course. the deal with PELT is you pay about half the price, take an intitial intensive condensed 5 day course on-site, and then are given dvds and books to do the rest of the course self-study. there is also a teaching requirement- you must teach 20 hours and be observed 6-8 of them in order to receive the certificate. while you can fulfill this requirement via a job you have already set up on your own, the agreement is that if you do not have a set up (and most don't now that it is summer break) they place you in an internship situation for which you are paid 15000 baht (thus making up almost everything you spent on the course in the beginning anyway). but instead of placing the people who needed their help, they have taken off. the people who have managed to find their own teaching situations have not yet been able to get their certificates.

a man whose initials are r.b. intially taught our 5 day course and was professional. he came to bangkok especially for that class and then went back home to pattaya. the rest of the staff in bangkok is useless, and seem to be ripping people off, as the office is actually closing down now.

i don't care that there are better courses out there, i care that given my circumstances i chose this one and seem to have lost out.

phil on ajarn.com normally does not endorse a specific TEFL program, but looking at his site i feel he is promoting this one as a favor to his friends. i did read his review of it... but it doesn't change the fact that to even contact PELT i had to go through phil. i see this as his endorsement.

bottom line, don't take the course. take time off your work, save up more money, or just teach without TEFL. but this course is far too shady at this point, at least the bangkok one.

[kenkannif]

phil on ajarn.com normally does not endorse a specific TEFL program, but looking at his site i feel he is promoting this one as a favor to his friends. i did read his review of it... but it doesn't change the fact that to even contact PELT i had to go through phil. i see this as his endorsement.

He would be doing it for money not for friendship, and I'm sure if you asked him if he actually endorsed the course per se he'd say no! Like I said his review of it was hardly complimentary!

Have you seen what they're doing now? (nicked from Haltest on Ajarn):

Just read this on stickman. So if there is a pool of qualified and cheap labour prepared to work in Thailand for a few months it could further depress wages

Having troubles communicating with your staff? Traditional corporate English classes too expensive and ineffective? The teacher shows up late and unprepared one week and not at all the next? Something new is hitting Thailand that, in my opinion, has the potential to revolutionise the way corporate English training is offered here. The Oregon Institute of International Education (“OIIE”) now offers ESL interns direct to companies in Thailand. These are short-term, full-time employees who happen to be trained English teachers. Equipped with a student visa (so they are legal and you do not need to stress about a work permit), these US / UK university students can teach traditional classes for up to 15 hours per week and the rest of the time they are still available to work on the company's premises, edit a document or take a phone call from an overseas customer. And the beauty of this program is that the *cost of these full-time employees is less than six hours of Corporate Training a week!* If you or your company are interested, just drop OIIE an Email at [email protected].

I fail to see how a "student" can teach 15 hours and still be available to work on the company's premises. I also don't think that would be legal too, but I would need to hear the opinion of someone like Phil or Pinky, or anyone else who is more versed in aspects of Thai employment law.

Anyway this is from their website www.international-experience.org

Welcome to the Oregon Institute of International Education (OIIE) website

Have an international experience with our

Paid Internship Abroad Program

Do you want to have the experience of a lifetime this summer?

Do you want to learn a new skill, earn some money, gain some experience for your future career AND live in a totally different culture while having fun and a fabulous time?

The OIIE Paid Internship Abroad program is for you. We give you the chance to live abroad, gain experience in a business area of your choice and in turn, give something back to the people of the country who you are working for. This really is a great way to spend you summer….

Our program combines teaching English as a Foreign Language with work experience. You receive 5 days Teacher Training with our world - renowned training provider and then you are placed in a local company as a paid intern. You will spend around 30 hrs working in chosen business area and 10 hours teaching the company’s staff conversational English.

The hosting company pays you for English instruction. In addition you receive invaluable, real-life experience working in a career field. You will gain more from this experience actually living and working within a foreign culture than you would as a tourist!

Today's world is very different than the one our parents grew up in. It's a global age where information and technology is transferred at the push of a button. Our parents could rely upon regional job markets for career advancement. Unfortunately this is no longer true; to survive and prosper in the 21st century a global perspective must be adopted whether in business, politics or LIFE.

OIIE is here to give you this crucial career advantage.

We work hard towards making certain your international internship experience is both enriching and affordable

aha the plot thickens.....

Housing

Where will I be living?

During your Teacher Training, you will be staying in accommodation provided by ***TEFL International.***** This will be either on-site or at apartments near by. The housing during your internship is provided by the company and therefore varies between locations. They range from an apartment to a home stay, or to a traditional-style house.

Aha good old tefl international with their questionable marketing practices!

Qualification/ Course Credit

Do I get a certificate for the Teacher Training?

We do not offer a certificate for this program however we do offer a chance to get university credit.

How do I get university credit?

Once you have paid you deposit, you need to let us know if you would like to receive university credit for this program. We will then liaise with your university to discuss their acceptance for our program.

Seems like a lot of hot air from a private company!

Payment

How much does this program cost?

$999. This includes your 5 day Teacher Training with ****TEFL International**** with a pack of 24 DVD’s and workbook, to use as a teaching resource and further study, transport meet and greet on arrival, housing throughout your time abroad, and your internship placement.

Is there a deadline for the deposit payment?

No, there is no deadline as such but we do like to have a one month timeframe to set up your internship prior to you departing for you training course. Also, to ensure you get a place on the Teacher Training course with ****TEFL International**** and to guarantee a good internship, it is best to get your deposit in as soon as you can.

When do I pay the remainder of the course fee?

After paying the deposit prior to your visit, another $250 is paid on your first day of training and then the final amount is of $499 is deducted from the salary you earn.

Can I pay the whole course fee before I come?

Yes, no problem.

Can I pay the $499 in several amounts?

We can arrange that the $499 is taken from your salary in monthly amounts depending on the length of your internship.

Further investigation yields the fact that it is in fact tefl international in another guise

Whois information on the domain name

Domain ID:D104101285-LROR

Domain Name:INTERNATIONAL-EXPERIENCE.ORG

Created On:15-Mar-2004 18:41:16 UTC

Last Updated On:14-Feb-2005 09:37:59 UTC

Expiration Date:15-Mar-2006 18:41:16 UTC

Sponsoring Registrar:Register.com Inc. (R71-LROR)

Status:OK

Registrant ID:23282033178AA5EF

Registrant Name:Bruce Veldhuisen

Registrant Organization:TEFL International

Registrant Street1:1200 Belle Passi Road

Registrant Street2:

Registrant Street3:

Registrant City:Woodburn

Registrant State/Province:OR

Registrant Postal Code:97071

Registrant Country:US

Registrant Phone:+1.6638652280

Registrant Phone Ext.:

Registrant FAX:

Registrant FAX Ext.:

Registrant Email:[email protected]

Admin ID:23282033178AA5EF

Admin Name:Bruce Veldhuisen

Admin Organization:TEFL International

Admin Street1:1200 Belle Passi Road

Admin Street2:

Admin Street3:

Admin City:Woodburn

Admin State/Province:OR

Admin Postal Code:97071

Admin Country:US

Admin Phone:+1.6638652280

Admin Phone Ext.:

Admin FAX:

Admin FAX Ext.:

Admin Email:[email protected]

Tech ID:23282033178AA5EF

Tech Name:Bruce Veldhuisen

Tech Organization:TEFL International

Tech Street1:1200 Belle Passi Road

Tech Street2:

Tech Street3:

Tech City:Woodburn

Tech State/Province:OR

Tech Postal Code:97071

Tech Country:US

Tech Phone:+1.6638652280

Tech Phone Ext.:

Tech FAX:

Tech FAX Ext.:

Tech Email:[email protected]

Name Server:NS1.TEFLINTL.COM

Name Server:NS2.TEFLINTL.COM

[Sexy Beast]

Perspective can be all too personal.

I always had the impression that TEFL International were highly competent and professional. It’s not often that I’ve heard anything bad about them. However with Girlx she may have had a bad experience, if so I would have expected more from TEFL Inter.

[Ajarn]

Personally, the only school that I haven't heard negative reports about in the last few years is Text and Talk. Stupid name for a school, I think, but only good reports from students so far, and the only staff member I'm even a little bit familiar with has always struck me as a straight-up kind of guy...

As always, Buyer Beware

[kenkannif]

TEFL1 seem a good bunch as well, I've not heard anything 'bad' about them for a while, if at all.

And to be fair to TEFL Int. you don't hear many complaints about their 'proper' full-time course, especially the one on Ban Phe. I suppose it's natural to have teething problems when you offer something new, but to be honest other than people like Girlx (someone who needs to get certified but hasn't time to do a 4-6 week 'proper' course) I can't see of it being much benefit to others....although as always some training is better than no training.

Edited March 23, 2005 by kenkannif

[Bluffer]

phil on ajarn.com normally does not endorse a specific TEFL program, but looking at his site i feel he is promoting this one as a favor to his friends. i did read his review of it... but it doesn't change the fact that to even contact PELT i had to go through phil. i see this as his endorsement.

bottom line, don't take the course. take time off your work, save up more money, or just teach without TEFL.  but this course is far too shady at this point, at least the bangkok one.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Read Phils viewpoint again. He originally did the course as additional training for him but also I suspect to find out for others what the course was like. If you cant find the link to PELT through Tefl Intls home page then I dont know where you are looking. There are at least 3 links to PELT on the front page alone.

Have you tried phoning Head Office so to speak in Ban Phe and speaking to Bruce?

[The_Moog]

Anyone who trusts most Farang initiated businesses in Thailand needs therapy.

A lot of Farang enterprises here are borderline. They may start off with good intentions, but if at the end of the day there's a pot of money and there's a choice between giving a fair share to you, or keeping it for proprietary amusement........

[kenkannif]

phil on ajarn.com normally does not endorse a specific TEFL program, but looking at his site i feel he is promoting this one as a favor to his friends. i did read his review of it... but it doesn't change the fact that to even contact PELT i had to go through phil. i see this as his endorsement.

bottom line, don't take the course. take time off your work, save up more money, or just teach without TEFL.  but this course is far too shady at this point, at least the bangkok one.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Read Phils viewpoint again. He originally did the course as additional training for him but also I suspect to find out for others what the course was like.

No, he did it as he was promoting it at the time, so not the former, but I'll agree on the latter!

I'll PM you info mate!

[whyworry]

I wonder what you guys are on about. I took the class in BKK 2 months ago and already finished. My buddy took it in Pattaya in November and he put me onto it. Decent course, good help, low cost and I got paid to do it. If you are having problems just contact Rick. He will sort you. Good man. [email protected]

[whyworry]

It took 14 minutes in the middle of the night for Rick to answer my Email. And Girlx is saying she is beoing ignored? Something is fishy here.

here is Rick's reply.

Dear XXXXX:

It is good to hear that your new job is going well. Many schools delay the work permit process until the trial period is over so I think you are ok there.

We closed our office in The Mall on Monday and are opening tomorrow on Suhkumvit very near the Emporium Department Store and directly across from the Londoner Pub. Ramkumhaeng was inconvenient. Now we will have a skytrain stop just 100 meters from our door.

Call me if you have any problems.

Rick Barnes

[whyworry]

For some interesting reading, do a search on posts of girlx. This girl has some issues.

[girlx]

do my other posts have anything to do with the topic? and what issues would you be referring to anyway? do you NOT have issues?

[whyworry]

Not sure how to say this, girlx, but I would wonder if you could ever be happy with much of anything. Seems you are generally in a pissed off state.

Then add to that some things I know. My buddy took the course in Pattaya and loved it. He says everyone in his class of 8 loved it. He recommended it to me and I loved it. Everyone inmy group pretty much felt the same.

You said not to take the course but never why, other than they are closing their office in ramkumhang. Do you live or work in that area? In fot, whats the hang up? Thai guy giving you trouble?

[kenkannif]

4 posts and all in here!

Please argue by PM, not here...you'd never catch me doing so!

If you wish to give the pros and cons of the course (as you two see them) by all means do, but personal attacks will be deleted!

[girlx]

i have given my reasons not to go take the PELT course in BKK, but you know it's really up to you, any of you people can take it if you want and lose $600 like everyone in my class has... otherwise I am sure there are people who will thank me for warning them.

Edited March 28, 2005 by girlx

[whyworry]

This just makes no sense at all. I just had lunch with Rickand I asked him about the last few groups in BKK. xgirl when did you take your course? I know people from my course and the most recent one the one after mine. Everyone has been pretty happy.

It just makes no sense.

[girlx]

why don't you try asking the students, not the teacher... rick is ok but he lives in pattaya and hasn't done much beyond the initial 5 day course. i think if he were here it would be more organized. i have given up trying to get placed by the people left in BKK, though i did get an email about the new free classes they are giving for corporate customers that they are apparently trying to spread amongst the trainees so we can get our certificates. but from what i have heard from my classmates who have finished their requirements, they didn't get their certificates anyway and are not sure they ever will. there are a lot of pissed off people who were not informed what was going on until they went to the office and found it deserted. this is unprofessional. like i said, maybe they are still trying to get their &lt;deleted&gt; together, but right now i do not recommend the course. what you experienced in pattaya really has no bearing on the situation here.

[whyworry]

Complete crap. I finished my work and my certificate is on the way. Just because they moved office does not mean they are going out of business. Are you insane?

[girlx]

you said you did your course in pattaya. it sounds to me like you are defending your friend. you haven't even gotten your certificate yet.

while it is true that they are moving offices, they did not explain this to anyone before they did it (sort of an important detail), so when we showed up to get placed etc., there was no one there to help. there was one man there, arguing about how little money they had on the phone, but he didn't even know where the tests were that we needed to take or why I was asking for them. when I asked him how to get placed he shrugged his shoulders. a thai girl that was supposed to start working for them at the front desk said no way, too sketchy for me, and decided not to take the job. she had already spent a week auditing the course with us, but she couldn't take their unprofessionalism and instability. some people in my class have managed to get placed since i last talked to them, but it is not like they first told us- it is a bitch to try to get placed by them, better to get a job yourself, and like i said people who have managed to get placed and observed still have not gotten the certificate or the money- one of them has already left to go travelling again sans certificate. i did not say they were going out of business, i said the way they handled things was sketchy, and i stand by that. your personal attacks aren't giving you any credibility.

perhaps when they have set up their new office on sukhumwit and gotten their act together, this class will be worth taking like you proclaim yours in pattaya was for you. rick is a good teacher and his course was helpful, it's the extra requirements that are hard to meet when there is no one to help. i suggest people wait until such time as they might be fully staffed and have some money to run their operation legitimately as advertised. otherwise the experience of my classmates and myself is not one i would recommend repeating.

i have nothing more to say on the topic.

[whyworry]

My buddy took the course in Pattaya. I took the course in BKK, just like you. Probably just the course before.

I did find out that the office manager, Thai girl named Pit, quit with no notice. Maybe that is the day you are talking about. No one to open the ofice would freak me out a bit, but not that big a deal. Other than that I know two guys on your course and they are not the least bit concerned about getting their certs.

BTW, I just got an Email that my cert is ready to pick up.

<Personal comments will not be tolerated, stick to the subject please KK>

Edited March 29, 2005 by kenkannif

[whyworry]

I picked up my certificate yesterday and my intern school has offered me a full time job paying 37,000 baht per month

[Jowels]

You two wanna watch yourselves or you'll get a slap from Ken's famous foreskin!

[girlx]

ew

I do want to update- I went into the new PELT office on Sukhumwit and it does look like they are slowly but surely getting back on their feet. The guy there ( took some time to talk to me about finishing up my certificate going forward, and made me feel better about their stability. My class just had really bad timing and things were not communicated so well to us. As far as I know people still haven't gotten paid or gotten their certificates, and I still recommend that people check it out fully before they take the class, but they will probably be back on track soon and the class will be worth taking.

[girlx]

? don't know where that smiley face came from, it should say 'B'

[daze_off]

On Thaivisa she says dont do the course, on Khaosanroad.com she says do it.

For a laugh also check out this month's Farang mag - she has a letter to the Editor in there asking for a job. Nice try but the approach is too overbearing.