Tefl College

[oucherism]

Planning on taking an 120 hour acredited TEFL course in BKK in sept. Came across TEfl college on ajarn.com which states that they can offer a TEFL for £350. Anybody studied there are have any information about the course and company. Sounds like a good deal..........

[Welshman]

Planning on taking an 120 hour acredited TEFL course in BKK in sept. Came across TEfl college on ajarn.com which states that they can offer a TEFL for £350. Anybody studied there are have any information about the course and company. Sounds like a good deal..........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

[oucherism]

Planning on taking an 120 hour acredited TEFL course in BKK in sept. Came across TEfl college on ajarn.com which states that they can offer a TEFL for £350. Anybody studied there are have any information about the course and company. Sounds like a good deal..........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The website seems ok and it seems to meet the criteria needed for it to be a !20 hour acredited TEFL.........

[kenkannif]

I don't think it's accredited though mate.

Basically as far a I know they've not even run a TEFL course yet, so you may want to wait and get some 'proper' feedback.

So far all I've heard is bad things (I linked you to the thread on the other teaching website, please don't post links here...thanks!):

For the record:

I received a Private message today from a potential customer of the afore-unmentionned TEFL school in Ngam Wong Wan Road, Bangkok.

Phil said we shouldn't comment on this comapny because they were untested but I thought I should pass on this piece of info.

No comments on the standard of the course because he hasn't taken it yet - in fact he hasn't heard anything since he wired his money. 

Seems like K.Manoch may be be up to his old tricks.

It would appear that an advertiser of ajarn.com may be ripping off potential future teachers (maybe perhaps!), or are TEFL trainees fair game? - Where does admin stand on this kind of thing? 

By the way in the original (deleted) post I said that moving the goalposts and redefining contracts where money was concerned was a trademark of this company - but I was rounded upon as a loudmouth with an axe to grind.

And even my main man Bruce had this to say:

ANyone sending money to Khum Manoch is asking for trouble. Just ask his franchisees. They told me they are trying to sue him.

At a recent MOE conference, someone asked an MOE official about E+. He looked a bit surprised and asked "Haven't we closed them down yet?"

And from Thai School Watch:

Posted: Mon May 30, 2005 6:49 pm    Post subject: ELT Communications 

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Isn't it curious that two Bangkok teaching agencies have to advertise for staff in the newspapers on a daily basis, if they find it so difficult to keep staff how is it that they are still in existance? . In my opinion agencies; except the ones who treat their staff well, and so don't have to advertise everyday, SIAM for example, will not be around for much longer. It seems very easy to get a job with a school direct nowadays, and thus cut out these greedy middlemen. The two agencies I refer to are British American [an insult to those two great countries if every there was one]and ELT Communications. BA pay not much more than 200 baht an hour , and you have to wear a jacket! No surprise then that they can't keep people. They also seem to have offices in bizzare locations, fashion island, where the ###### is that?.

ELT, on the surface would seem to be a slick , smart organisation. Their office , way out there, north of Chatuchak looks very professional, full of lots of well dressed Thai staff, who don't look like they have anything to do. If you scratch below the surface however, you find that ELT is as rotten as a bag of prawn heads. They actualy advertise for unqualified staff/teachers. Read the ad carefully 'qualifications are valued' in other words not required. This has not been a problem for ELT in the past, they simply lied to schools about the qualifications of their teachers.

The Thai boss ot ELT is an obsequious Uriah Heep like character who will simply lie strait at your face about anything that suits him. The office manager/head teacher is a farang who has been in Thailand long enough to know its much better to fawn to the boss and protect ones own job rather than treat ones fellow countrymen in an honest and respectful way. He is a yes man , and will probably stay this way for as long as he is painfully aware that his own CV is completely devoid of any degree or teaching qualification. Hard to find employment elsewhere.

So what is working for ELT like if you are thinking about it.

You will probably be placed at a Thai Government school , ELT has several on its books. Typically it is a 5 day week working face to face, 4 or 5 hours a day. Usualy these hours are spread throughout the day so expect to be at the school from 9 to 4. Not to bad. However as ELT require you to teach for 100 hours a month, or close to that number, to qualify for the modest salery of 32000 baht, you will be told to teach at outside locations a couple of evenings a week and sometimes a saturday or sunday. So after a long day at school its a long commute to teach somewhere else for 2 or 3 hours. These outside locations tend to be in distant places that take some effort to get to, travel allowance 1600 a month doesn't really cover travel by taxi so you have to get there by bus or train. These extra hours represent 100 percent profit for ELT , as the money they get from a teachers school base for his services is more than enough to pay that teacher his full 32000 salary. Staff turnover is brisk, anyone with a qualification clears out once they realise how easy it is to get a job with a school direct and not get shafted with long hours for a low wage . Others get fed up with being told to go to some centre and teach at short notice.

ELT recently jumped on the TEFL training bandwagon. They offer a 1 month course for 25000 baht which results in a 'qualification'. They promote this course through advertising and to the many unqualified teachers who turn up on their doorstep. Who, are now told , surprise surprise, that you need a qualification , and 'we can train you'. Now then, this looks like a step in the right direction , perhaps they have recruited some top teacher trainers from Britain or the USA, some one with an English Major and an RSA Diploma perhaps?. Well, no actualy. The two teacher trainers that well meaning people parting with a lot of money will be studying under, are none other than the office manager and another company favourite, neither of whome has either a university education or even a TEFL certificate. Is all this illigal in Thailand? I doubt it , but I thought it worth a mention as a warning. If anyone knows that ELT has got round to hiring some qualified teacher trainers then please correct me.

So as Welshman said if it's too good to be true, it often ain't!

Edited June 2, 2005 by kenkannif

[oucherism]

Thanks for the advice, looks like I will be missing them out..........

[Welshman]

Thanks for the advice, looks like I will be missing them out..........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try Text and Talk, Bangkok. Not as cheap but I will be doing my TEFL there in August, hopefully.

I was recommended to them by my son and daughter in law who both took a course there. I've seen some of the course material which they were given (and brought it back here to UK for TEFL staff to look at) and all agreed it's of the highest calibre.

One word of caution, both son and his wife said that you'll know that you've been in a fight by the time you finish the course. It's very very intensive and they're very very keen on quality, etc.

Hope this helps (and no, I'm not on commission!)

[oucherism]

Thanks for the advice, looks like I will be missing them out..........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try Text and Talk, Bangkok. Not as cheap but I will be doing my TEFL there in August, hopefully.

I was recommended to them by my son and daughter in law who both took a course there. I've seen some of the course material which they were given (and brought it back here to UK for TEFL staff to look at) and all agreed it's of the highest calibre.

One word of caution, both son and his wife said that you'll know that you've been in a fight by the time you finish the course. It's very very intensive and they're very very keen on quality, etc.

Hope this helps (and no, I'm not on commission!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cheers, I have been looking on there website and it does look impressive. I also like the fact that they offer a free thai language course and the fact that the course is over 6 weeks as opposed to four, which may make it less intense.

[Welshman]

I know that this is an old string, but just in case some are still reading it - I finished my course at Text and Talk a few weeks back and would most certainly recommend this course to anyone (I've been teaching for 20 years, but wouldn't have passed up on it).

Try to get on a course run by a guy called Brooke. He's very thorough, very knowledgeable and an excellent tutor.

You have to do practical teaching before you get your cert, and I certainly found this an eye-opener and a great help as you're teaching different levels of students who are, of course Thai.

Thanks for the advice, looks like I will be missing them out..........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try Text and Talk, Bangkok. Not as cheap but I will be doing my TEFL there in August, hopefully.

I was recommended to them by my son and daughter in law who both took a course there. I've seen some of the course material which they were given (and brought it back here to UK for TEFL staff to look at) and all agreed it's of the highest calibre.

One word of caution, both son and his wife said that you'll know that you've been in a fight by the time you finish the course. It's very very intensive and they're very very keen on quality, etc.

Hope this helps (and no, I'm not on commission!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cheers, I have been looking on there website and it does look impressive. I also like the fact that they offer a free thai language course and the fact that the course is over 6 weeks as opposed to four, which may make it less intense.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Spit the Dog]

I done my TEFL with Text and Talk about 3 years ago. At that time it cost me $995. Not sure what the price is now.

As has already been mentioned, the course is very intense. So be prepared for some hard work if you decide to take the course at Text and Talk.