Selecting A Tutor

[thaipo]

I'm trying to get an English tutor for my girlfriend who lives in Maha Sarakham (Isaan).

So far she has found two different tutors but the pricing seemed so wildly divergent.

The first tutor she found seemed awfully expensive. It was a Thai teacher asking 15,000 for 1 month @ 2 hours a day 5 days a week. (375/hour)

The second seems almost too cheap. They were American and asking 2500 for 20 hours. (125/hour)

I plan to call and talk to any of the potential tutors we're considering. One of the main goals in talking to them is to make sure they have a good grasp of the language themselves. I would also hope to determine their past experiences/successes and just get a feel for their teaching approach/style.

Are the quotes she got in the right ballpark?

Do you have any additional advice on what I should ask when interviewing the potential tutor?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Scott]

I am not sure about the cost in the area, but the ballpark figure should be around 500 baht per hour.

If she has a simple grasp of English, then try and find a native speaker. If she is really elementary, then you might want to start with a GOOD Thai teacher.

Make sure she has a good book, with CD's etc. to get the most bang for your baht.

For one-on-one lessons it should be a teacher that she feels comfortable with.

[kamakashi]

I live in Maha Sarakham and I charge 150 BHT an hour. I would like to charge more but many of the Thai people can't afford to pay in Maha Sarakham. In Bangkok you can get around 300-500 BHT an hour. I love my Thai wife and baby. My wife also speaks fluent English and her pronunciation is pretty good too. I also teach free English at the Mormon (LDS) church in Maha Sarakham every Tuesday for 1 1/2 hours. She can start learning English there with many people and its free :-D The church is called, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If you have any more questions just send me a message. I've been teaching in Thailand for 1 year now. I taught as a missionary in Tulsa, Oklahoma in America for 2 years. When I speak I make sure people understand me. I also took a TEFL course which helped me learn how to use gestures and role-play with the students. I have lots of fun interacting with my students. My wife and I will start an English school soon in Maha Sarakham. Our goal is to build an English School within 3 years. Take care :-)