Hi

I am moving to BKK in July with my wife and child as my wife has got a job at one of the International Schools. I do not currently have a degree, just a TESOL and have been teaching Kindergarten as a Class Teacher at 1 school here for 2.5yrs now. A couple of questions.

1. What are my chances of getting work with a TESOL teaching kindergarten?

2. Does any one know of any UK/Australian Universitys where I can study a degree distance learning, preferably a Teaching degree or any degree for that matter which will allow me to top up with the PGCE afterwards?

3. Are there any degrees taught 'inhouse' in BKK associated with UK universitys?

Thanks

I think you might get better answers in the teaching section, so I move it to there.

You will probably be able to find work, especially because you have experience. I don't know that you will be able to be legal, but that might depend on where you work. (I believe language schools can employ people without a degree).

You should be able to live in Thailand under your wife's visa.

There are online courses, but you'll have to wait for some other posters who have better knowledge of this area.

Sorry I can't give you the details, but yes there are ways to get a pgce here (much easier than going through the US system). I have known a couple of people who have done it. Google around and you may find something; I do know that the University of Bath has a program through NIST and there are others.

Good luck

If your wife makes good money, why don't you try to get a degree? There are many universities with international program in Bangkok where you can study. To supplement your budget, you could tutor English. You would have to invest 4 years of your life to study but in the end it would be an investment for your family. The higher your academic qualifications, the more money you can make. You will also be able to get a work permit because you have the proper qualifications to teach. If you get caught teaching without the proper credentials you risk the consequence which include deportation.

Is your wife's new school able to offer you a position as a 'teaching assistant' or something similar?

Failing that, this online/distance learning course from the University of Leicester sounds ideal for you. If interested I suggest you sign up now as the fees will increase substantially in 2012.

This course leads to the BA (Hons) in Educational Studies. It would probably be enough to get you a Work Permit but that could change in the future. It is aimed at Primary, KS 1 and Kindy applicants. The degree is enough to get you onto UK teacher training programs later. PGCE, GTP, ITT etc.

http://www.le.ac.uk/ugprospectus/courses/parttimedegrees/educational.html

Sorry I can't give you the details, but yes there are ways to get a pgce here (much easier than going through the US system). I have known a couple of people who have done it.

The OP still requires a first degree. Something he does not currently have.

The PGCE's you may be referring to are actually PGCE(i) . That means 'international'. Offered by Uni's such as Sunderland and Nottingham on a distance learning basis.

They do NOT lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and the uni websites state this. In any event, you still have to have a first degree to be able to apply (usually)

You MAY be able to enrol based on your present experience.......but I would really question the value of the PGCE(i)

Sorry I can't give you the details, but yes there are ways to get a pgce here (much easier than going through the US system). I have known a couple of people who have done it.

The OP still requires a first degree. Something he does not currently have.

The PGCE's you may be referring to are actually PGCE(i) . That means 'international'. Offered by Uni's such as Sunderland and Nottingham on a distance learning basis.

They do NOT lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and the uni websites state this. In any event, you still have to have a first degree to be able to apply (usually)

You MAY be able to enrol based on your present experience.......but I would really question the value of the PGCE(i)

Thanks for the info; makes me feel better having gone through the US system and having to go back and do all the testing, student teaching etc now that I know the pgce's are not quite authentic.

The University of London has a bunch of undergraduate programmes that you can do by distance learning. They look very affordable and as far as I know they have an excellent reputation. You will, however, need to be very disciplined because it is all self study.

http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/prospective_students/undergraduate/index.php

Sorry I can't give you the details, but yes there are ways to get a pgce here (much easier than going through the US system). I have known a couple of people who have done it.

The OP still requires a first degree. Something he does not currently have.

The PGCE's you may be referring to are actually PGCE(i) . That means 'international'. Offered by Uni's such as Sunderland and Nottingham on a distance learning basis.

They do NOT lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and the uni websites state this. In any event, you still have to have a first degree to be able to apply (usually)

You MAY be able to enrol based on your present experience.......but I would really question the value of the PGCE(i)

Thanks for the info; makes me feel better having gone through the US system and having to go back and do all the testing, student teaching etc now that I know the pgce's are not quite authentic.

I don't think anyone said PGCE's are "not authentic"??

Sorry I can't give you the details, but yes there are ways to get a pgce here (much easier than going through the US system). I have known a couple of people who have done it.

The OP still requires a first degree. Something he does not currently have.

The PGCE's you may be referring to are actually PGCE(i) . That means 'international'. Offered by Uni's such as Sunderland and Nottingham on a distance learning basis.

They do NOT lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and the uni websites state this. In any event, you still have to have a first degree to be able to apply (usually)

You MAY be able to enrol based on your present experience.......but I would really question the value of the PGCE(i)

Thanks for the info; makes me feel better having gone through the US system and having to go back and do all the testing, student teaching etc now that I know the pgce's are not quite authentic.

I don't think anyone said PGCE's are "not authentic"??

I said "not quite authentic," please get the words right if you are going to quote me.

What I meant was if it can't be used to teach in England then it's not the pgce I was aware of, it is something different.

Most people are getting these so they can teach in an international school, and hopefully work their way up to the better ones.

The better ones require that you are qualified to teach the subject area you are hired for "in your home country." So if someone from the UK gets this pgce(i) then they are not qualified to teach in their home country and probably could not land a job at one of these better international schools.

That is all I meant.

The better ones require that you are qualified to teach the subject area you are hired for "in your home country." So if someone from the UK gets this pgce(i) then they are not qualified to teach in their home country and probably could not land a job at one of these better international schools.

Absolutely correct.