I'Ve Been Asked To Teach English In The Village School

[debbielong]

[The school that requires my great expertise has classes 1/1 - 1/2 - 2/1 - 2/2 - 3/1 - 3/2 which I can cover in two days.

English classes in this school are :- Monday 4 English classes, Tuesday 3 English classes, Wednesday 3 English classes, Thurs 4 English classes and Friday 4 English classes.

They want another person as well.

my son is looking for a 'conversational english' job, as he has no tefl cert yet, so do they want a qualified teacher? he has been looking around schools in Phuket but he can't speak Thai and they don't speak english so it's difficult for him to ask about work.

We are in Sukhothai the job that's full time is for a girl only, there is only one part-time position left at the moment but others may come up.

The rule to be a English teacher in Thailand is to have Bachelor Degree but to get around that they are hiring people that speak English and write English with just final exam certificate from there last school as Thai English Teacher Assistants.

Hope that explains the situation. K

thanks, so he would have to have teaching experience from his last school? (He has none) or do you mean from the last school he attended? sorry bit confused.

[Kwasaki]

[The school that requires my great expertise has classes 1/1 - 1/2 - 2/1 - 2/2 - 3/1 - 3/2 which I can cover in two days.

English classes in this school are :- Monday 4 English classes, Tuesday 3 English classes, Wednesday 3 English classes, Thurs 4 English classes and Friday 4 English classes.

They want another person as well.

my son is looking for a 'conversational english' job, as he has no tefl cert yet, so do they want a qualified teacher? he has been looking around schools in Phuket but he can't speak Thai and they don't speak english so it's difficult for him to ask about work.

We are in Sukhothai the job that's full time is for a girl only, there is only one part-time position left at the moment but others may come up.

The rule to be a English teacher in Thailand is to have Bachelor Degree but to get around that they are hiring people that speak English and write English with just final exam certificate from there last school as Thai English Teacher Assistants.

Hope that explains the situation. K

thanks, so he would have to have teaching experience from his last school? (He has none) or do you mean from the last school he attended? sorry bit confused.

No !! your missing what I am trying to say it's not about him teaching, eg. if your son has a leaving certificate from the school he was last at, like he must have done some kind of exam before leaving school, yes !! and he speaks English and writes English he can apply.

[debbielong]

ahh , thx, yes he's got plenty of gcse's, so assume he could be a teaching assistant. bet the pay's low though. i don't suppose the schools advertise on a web site do they?

ta

deb

[connda]

I've been approached today to help head hunt for this. They're desperate because the deadline for them to submit the paperwork (and receive the salary budget from the Ministry) is the 24th of April.

The qualifications required are as follows :

• Native English speaker
  
• Completed the equivalent of Matthayom 6 education (High School for North Americans, arguably GCSEs for Britons).
  
• Some (any) experience in teaching, well, anything really, as long as you did it in English
  

Job specification :

• Come in and speak English to people for 6 hours a week
  
• Beg, borrow, steal lesson plans / ideas or just make it up as you go along
  
• Make them laugh (in English)
  
• Have fun (in English)
  

Compensation :

• 10000 Baht per month
  
• Lodgings if the school has available facilities / help to find same.
  
• As many whisky soaked team-bonding lunches and dinners as you can handle (if you are so inclined and the place you end up in is anything like my corner of Isan)
  
• All references and rubber stamps necessary for you to get a Non-B visa + work permit, although you may have engage your own visa agent (plenty around) as not all school admin departments are experts on immigration law.
  

Highly suitable for gap-year students or anyone else just looking for something to do off the beaten track and is inclined to give serendipity a chance.

If you fancy a paid or subsidised holiday / anthropological study / path beneath the skin of Thai culture in Chiang Yuen, Maha Sarakham then do get in touch!

Trembly

@Trembly,

I've noticed that all the posters who have been offered teaching jobs in villages for 10000 baht are saying they are working 6 hours a week. Is the 6h/wk a guideline from the Thai MOE???

Just curious if you have additional documentation on this, even if it's in Thai.

Thanks!

Edited April 24, 2012 by connda

[ShodomonRules]

10,000 for six hours per week. I've been offered 20k for 14 hours per week. Schedule is up to me and they have offered to allow me use of the classroom after hours for private lessons.

[Para]

10,000 for six hours per week. I've been offered 20k for 14 hours per week. Schedule is up to me and they have offered to allow me use of the classroom after hours for private lessons.

What teaching experience do you have?

[thequietman]

hi guys, when I went to sign my new contract for my full time job they also presented me with the forms so they can get 10,000 baht back. You must be from uk,America and Australia to qualify for this scheme. I also signed up for a local village school hoping i could teach sat and sunday. the wife rang up and asked can i work at 2 schools and they said no. it seems a little daft when a village has 2 schools but only one farang and one schools children will be denied this great opportunity. its only 6 hours and i could easily cover the 2 schools over the 2 days. maybe the MOE can think about this for next year. i dont think it should matter if the same teacher is covering 2 schools just so long as the students benefit.

Edited April 25, 2012 by thequietman

[connda]

hi guys, when I went to sign my new contract for my full time job they also presented me with the forms so they can get 10,000 baht back. You must be from uk,America and Australia to qualify for this scheme. I also signed up for a local village school hoping i could teach sat and sunday. the wife rang up and asked can i work at 2 schools and they said no. it seems a little daft when a village has 2 schools but only one farang and one schools children will be denied this great opportunity. its only 6 hours and i could easily cover the 2 schools over the 2 days. maybe the MOE can think about this for next year. i dont think it should matter if the same teacher is covering 2 schools just so long as the students benefit.

@thequietman

Interesting. I have two schools in the same village and they both want me to teach. I said "no" to one of them because I want to limit my teaching during the day to one school and then teach a custom English class to any interested teachers in the village after school (something I've done in the past). I'm working on the principle that, "If you give a man a fish he can eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." I think they would be daft to pass up an opportunity like this. But then again, TIT.

So, my guess is if you approach EACH school individually, you would find that both schools want you. My guess if that the first school you talked to is being greedy and is trying to tie you up for themselves. I'm being adamant with the school that they only have my time for the contracted hours. I'm not hanging around for "gate duty", or any other reasons once I'm finished my classes. Show up, teach, leave. Go talk to the other school! Win-Win situation -- 20K for you and all kids in the village benefit. For once its we farang who are on the strong side of the negotiation table. Use it while you can.

Edited April 25, 2012 by connda

[Kwasaki]

ahh , thx, yes he's got plenty of gcse's, so assume he could be a teaching assistant. bet the pay's low though. i don't suppose the schools advertise on a web site do they?

ta

deb

GCSE's are fine in our province for being a Thai English Teacher Assistant, full time 30,000 per month, 6 hours a week 10,000 per month. that what's offered here maybe other provinces do other things as well.

[thequietman]

hi guys, when I went to sign my new contract for my full time job they also presented me with the forms so they can get 10,000 baht back. You must be from uk,America and Australia to qualify for this scheme. I also signed up for a local village school hoping i could teach sat and sunday. the wife rang up and asked can i work at 2 schools and they said no. it seems a little daft when a village has 2 schools but only one farang and one schools children will be denied this great opportunity. its only 6 hours and i could easily cover the 2 schools over the 2 days. maybe the MOE can think about this for next year. i dont think it should matter if the same teacher is covering 2 schools just so long as the students benefit.

@thequietman

Interesting. I have two schools in the same village and they both want me to teach. I said "no" to one of them because I want to limit my teaching during the day to one school and then teach a custom English class to any interested teachers in the village after school (something I've done in the past). I'm working on the principle that, "If you give a man a fish he can eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." I think they would be daft to pass up an opportunity like this. But then again, TIT.

So, my guess is if you approach EACH school individually, you would find that both schools want you. My guess if that the first school you talked to is being greedy and is trying to tie you up for themselves. I'm being adamant with the school that they only have my time for the contracted hours. I'm not hanging around for "gate duty", or any other reasons once I'm finished my classes. Show up, teach, leave. Go talk to the other school! Win-Win situation -- 20K for you and all kids in the village benefit. For once its we farang who are on the strong side of the negotiation table. Use it while you can.

i am teaching full time in the town, so i am contracted to stay there until 4 everyday. you know what they are like here. they make us sign in when the school is closed ! i wanted to do weekend work for the small village school but when my wife rang up the government dept. that is funding this initiative, they said no, i could only teach at one school. so the small village school loses out even though i would be available at the weekends to do 6 hours. go figure !

[silentnine]

strange how when they 1st asked me it was 3 hours per day which would of been 15hrs per week for the 10k.  then they instantly dropped to 1 day per week when i said it would not be possible. no harm in them tring it on i guess lol.

my biggest overriding concern is i do not know how to teach !  the dragon just keeps saying just stand there and talk .. easy for her to say that !

i don't know how much tefl training courses cost but i may consider going on one

(ouch just googled them and they run $1500+ for a course, so no go. the should imho offer free training if they want us )

[silentnine]

if anyone knows of anywhere that teaches people to teach which i assume the tefl thing is prefeabli in pattaya as i live 4 days per week here .  needs to be reasonably priced ie less than the 10k per month i would be getting. and probabably  1 or 2 days per week. i'm not really concerned about getting a tefl certificate, i just want to get a bit of teacher training

[connda]

What a crazy country: on one hand the MOE forces qualified teachers to jump through a gauntlet of hoops in order to teach basic English in government schools, i.e., Thai Teaching License; but on the other hand, they come out with this latest proposal that has the village schools scrambling to hire any English speaker who is breathing and has a pulse regardless of their qualifications (or lack thereof). Wacko!

[Scott]

A post critical of grammar has been deleted along with a reply.

Grammar Nazi's are not appreciated. The topic is not about grammar or spelling or the use of English.

Please stay on topic.

[Para]

A post critical of grammar has been deleted along with a reply.

Grammar Nazi's are not appreciated. The topic is not about grammar or spelling or the use of English.

Please stay on topic.

+1

[silentnine]

i can't help wondering if this will be like the tablets for schools

lots of scurrying around then no funds to follow it thru leaving lots of unpaid village farangs

can't help wondering if the grammer police were after me lol .. must admit i do not take to much care wid da grammer on forums

[debbielong]

ahh , thx, yes he's got plenty of gcse's, so assume he could be a teaching assistant. bet the pay's low though. i don't suppose the schools advertise on a web site do they?

ta

deb

GCSE's are fine in our province for being a Thai English Teacher Assistant, full time 30,000 per month, 6 hours a week 10,000 per month. that what's offered here maybe other provinces do other things as well.

thanks, he lives near phuket town, i suppose he has go into the villages around and just ask then, don't they advertise?

thx

deb

[Para]

What a crazy country: on one hand the MOE forces qualified teachers to jump through a gauntlet of hoops in order to teach basic English in government schools, i.e., Thai Teaching License; but on the other hand, they come out with this latest proposal that has the village schools scrambling to hire any English speaker who is breathing and has a pulse regardless of their qualifications (or lack thereof). Wacko!

I was reading a thread on TV where someone had been teaching at the same school for 8 years but this year due to the changes he didn’t have the *right* degree and was told he could teach any more and yet here they are back filling that decision with the likes of us who are keen BUT far from qualified. Just another Thai knee jerk reaction that has bitten them and the fear of losing face to loosen the new restrictions means a two tier teaching standard.

i can't help wondering if this will be like the tablets for schools

lots of scurrying around then no funds to follow it thru leaving lots of unpaid village farangs

Quite possibly but I feel the intention of the people looking to fill the assistants role is not really financial. So they end up knocking the wages and you lose a month’s pay I am sure that threat won’t stop many.

[connda]

i can't help wondering if this will be like the tablets for schools

lots of scurrying around then no funds to follow it thru leaving lots of unpaid village farangs

can't help wondering if the grammer police were after me lol .. must admit i do not take to much care wid da grammer on forums

Yes. That is exactly where this is going. So any farang who is being signed up to teach should do so with their eyes wide open, because this will eventually end with a resounding crash. But with that said, it's a great way for farang living in rural Thai villages to get to know their community better. So I'm thinking that's the silver lining on this cloud.

[Para]

I'm curious does anyone know the expectations of a teachers assistant? I mean would they be expected to plan lessons?

[Kwasaki]

I'm curious does anyone know the expectations of a teachers assistant? I mean would they be expected to plan lessons?

I would say it would depend on what level of English pupils you are dealing with, a village school is usually very basic.

My friend who ask me to help once before in the school is a Thai English teacher, and I just supported him with the correct way to say any English words, that were being mis-pronounced.

The lessons seemed to me to be a bit of a free for all really and my friend did look to me on suggesting anything more to do or ways to teach English to the kids.

He had been teaching them a song or two, the alphabet and one to one conversation but don't be surprised if you are asked to do something in maybe preparing an exam or test.

I think it has already been said beg, borrow and steal some ideas from someone.

What you need to know is the English words that sound like or near the spoken Thai, there is quite a few and to avoid a lot of giggles and laughter, it's good to know what they are.

In the main I think with mostly farmers kids that I may be getting, keep it simple, make them laugh, speak English slowly and clearly which is 'ard for a cockney Londoner.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Kwasaki

[silentnine]

now i'm puzzled. this 10k scheme is for teachers assistants.. or is it for teachers

no teachers licence etc would indicate assistant ,, but i've got a feeling they want assistants who will teach not assist..

[silentnine]

quick update .. and a huge sign of relief from me ..

these 10k posts ARE for teaching assistants to help in class .. there should be a thai english teacher taking lead and doing all the main planning.

i was very concerned before this as having no teaching experience it was not something i was lookign forward to ..

this now sounds more fun

[connda]

quick update .. and a huge sign of relief from me ..

these 10k posts ARE for teaching assistants to help in class .. there should be a thai english teacher taking lead and doing all the main planning.

i was very concerned before this as having no teaching experience it was not something i was lookign forward to ..

this now sounds more funuc

Don't bet on it. But you'll find out the first day of class. My advise...be prepared for anything. If you feel stuck, unprepare, nervous, unsure -- don't feel bad, it's perfectly natural. If you want a lesson plan for a "first day of class" that will work with most any class regardless of age, PM me.

Work with pronunciations. Thais will mix there R and L sounds. Work with them to make clear sounding R and L sound using simple sounds at first (LA / RA; LE / RE; LO / RO; LI / RE) Watch yourself in a mirror. Concentrate on what you do form the sounds. Then figure ways to get your students to do the same. Work with more complicated word: (Row / Low; Rack / Lack; Rip / Lip) These a minimal pair drills. Use you're imagination. Make it a game.

Thais don't a "V" in their vocabulary so they use W instead. You'll have to teach them how to do this.

Also, Thais don't normally aspirate words ending in T, P, or D. They will also tend to say words ending in G like a K sound. Dog sounds like Dawk.

Have fun. Make things into games. Don't be serious. You'll do fine!

[Scott]

Please remember that the title they give you and the responsibilities that you have may not match.

Just because they say you are an 'assistant' doesn't mean they won't expect more from you.

I've been here long enough to be suspicious.

[Para]

@Kwasaki - Thanks for the insight its appreciated. As for the Cockney accent you wanna talk proppa like us South London boys do.... ;-)

@silentnine – I am with the other comments that just because you are labelled as an assistant don’t expect to be with another teacher. At the end of the day even without teaching skills I am sure everyone involved will bring a lot of qualities that will help the kids which is what it’s all about.

[CaptainSplod]

Good luck, Silentnine (and anyone else in the same position!).

I reckon it'll all go off very nicely (though maybe after the first few confusing moments). If you get any spare time along the way, then please do supply us with updates as to how you're getting on with the teaching thingy - we've been following this thread with great interest!

Cheers - and good luck!

Splod

[Kwasaki]

Good luck, Silentnine (and anyone else in the same position!).

I reckon it'll all go off very nicely (though maybe after the first few confusing moments). If you get any spare time along the way, then please do supply us with updates as to how you're getting on with the teaching thingy - we've been following this thread with great interest!

Cheers - and good luck!

Splod

Oh !! Thanks for the help old chap.

[Kwasaki]

@Kwasaki - Thanks for the insight its appreciated. As for the Cockney accent you wanna talk proppa like us South London boys do.... ;-)

@silentnine – I am with the other comments that just because you are labelled as an assistant don’t expect to be with another teacher. At the end of the day even without teaching skills I am sure everyone involved will bring a lot of qualities that will help the kids which is what it’s all about.

Assuming they want my expertise . If you get lumbered I found this had some good idea's to keep in mind even though it is Japan related.

There's follow ups too.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Kwasaki

[CaptainSplod]

Ha ha! A very good vid, there - and plenty of good ideas about how to get the message across and how to lessen the chances of the kids getting bored - excellent! I'll certainly look for any other vids iike this one.

Mind you, I'm not too sure a t-shirt on a teacher would go down too well at many schools in Thailand.......

Thanks

Splod