just a question.

[benalibina]

Hi,

Is there any benefit as an english language teacher that you can speak reasonable thai ?

Do the schools ask about in the applicationprocess ?

In general.....what type of personal character traits must 1 absolutely possess to become an english language teacher at a primary school for a sustainable period ? Dealing with kids in between age 6-12 and with the schoolofficials, i mean. The do's and don'ts.

Thanks for your answers.

[Kf6vci]

Well, I doubt they will assess applicants' psychological profile. But being friendly & helpful certainly helps.

The students are the best part of the job and I do like P-classes vs some M3/11 class where half the class is playing truant. And some others are unruly or don't at all bothered with learning.

You will need patience. And a high tolerance level for b.s. from the admin. Some demand long lesson plans (which no one ever looks at) or they find other ways to test your patience. Or they announce that you will be observed in period x, then they will show up in period w.

They may be a school but I found that there is often no curriculum and the Thai English teachers mess with your efforts by speaking Thai (when it comes to some skit competition for example). and that even some very experienced teachers of English are utterly hopeless in understanding students' needs and limitations.

Was teaming up with this Thai teacher in his 50s. Motivated M5 and M6 students and not much time for a skit.

Well, the guy pulled some convoluted story off the internet. 5 pages, I think. Then i laboured xx hours with the awful script, while he junked my own 1-page alternatives with real jokes and more acting vs talking.

Anyhow, I found that even professionals with decades of experience often don't *get* their customers' needs. That's sad, scary and infuriating!

Watch students faint during long speaches...

Be enthusiastic and give your best.

[brucetefl]

These are interesting questions that will probably result in many different kinds of answers.

For me, when I was teaching in Hong Kong, I would never allow my students to know that I could speak Chinese because when they knew they would never speak to me in English again. But certainly speaking time would be extremely helpful with the administration and fellow teachers.

I don't think there's one personality type or skill that allows for success in the classroom. I can tell you from my experience people who have a background in theater always do very well. But I've seen some very quiet and reserved teachers be very good in the classroom as well.

[Eddy B]

Never use Thai if you can help it. Have a thai-English phonetic dictionary at hand, make mistakes from it and then show a student what the word you wanted to say. They find it funny plus they learn a word in English and try to help you speak Thai also. You may already know the word but it gets them interacting with you. Sometimes we have to act the clown but only when they know the rules of the classroom. Good luck to you, and your students.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts deleted.

[sirchai]

Hi,

The perfect foreign English teacher would be fluent in Thai, able to write and read it as well.

Well, you have to differentiate between English programmes, where almost all subjects are taught in English and ordinary programmes.

A foreign English teacher should never speak Thai with his students in an EP setup, but that’s completely different when teaching an hour per week.

It helps a lot when a foreigner speaks Thai, makes it much easier to explain something, but only words, not whole sentences, as simultaneously translations don’t work. Thai students always act like they understood you, but that’s more a cultural thing.

You’ll have to adjust your English in a way that they understand you, being able to find out if they understood you, just by looking into their eyes.

You’ll find out that you might have three to five kids in each class, ( at an ordinary government school), who are okay in English. That makes it difficult to teach those who’re more advanced, as you wouldn't want to lose them.

I always make my own lessons, never use stuff from the internet, as I’m the one who has to deliver them. I write the new vocabulary on the board, then let a student with a good handwriting write the Thai word next to it.

You can’t just teach an hour serious English, as kids want to have fun.

Here’s my opinion, trying to answer your question.(s) Schools usually don’t ask you in their application forms, if you can speak Thai.

I think you have to understand Thai culture pretty well when you start teaching at a primary school. All the etiquette, how to greet people, how to behave, etc.. is a must know.

You’ll have to be able to go with the flow, as you won’t understand why so many things are constantly changed, lessons cancelled, etc…

You need to know that it’s more important sometimes to watch the kids practicing marching for any “boy scout events, “ than teaching them lessons in English.

Neither the kids tell you that they didn't understand you, nor do the Thai colleagues. Meetings at our school, all of them English teachers, are usually conducted in Thai. So it is a big plus if you speak Thai.

Finally, this is Thailand, so why should it not be beneficial to speak their language? -

Edited April 9, 2014 by sirchai

[lostinisaan]

The do's and don'ts.

Say yes, if you wanna say no.

Say no, if you wanna say yes.

[Issangeorge]

I have taught in many schools where a native English speaker has used Thai and the head of the English department has got upset with them and told them to speak English only, and don't use Thai, and these were not English Program Schools.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ X using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[otherstuff1957]

It is, of course, useful to speak and read Thai. For instance, it really helps to understand when a student who doesn't speak any English is trying to tell you that they forgot their book or that there is no class tomorrow because of some activity that Admin didn't bother to tell you about. Also, the Thai teachers and students will respect and like you more if you make an effort to learn their language and participate in their activities. Being able to read the daily menu will give you ample warning of the days when you should slip out the gate to grab some fried rice on the street!

Having said that, I almost never use Thai in a classroom. The only time I would use a Thai word would be when saying it would save me minutes of pantomime and drawing and allow be to proceed with practising using the word.

[tingtong]

I have taught in many schools where a native English speaker has used Thai and the head of the English department has got upset with them and told them to speak English only, and don't use Thai, and these were not English Program Schools.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ X using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Most small rural government schools dont have English department.

But they have kids who badly need some basic Thai from the teacher to make them understand what you trying to teach.

Ideally, a P.2-P6 student should be able to read; but rural school arent ideal. I found that not a single one of the kids could read beyond some basic sentences, and often just few words.

[lostinisaan]

I have taught in many schools where a native English speaker has used Thai and the head of the English department has got upset with them and told them to speak English only, and don't use Thai, and these were not English Program Schools.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ X using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I’m only at my third school in ten years, but I also have to use Thai to communicate,especially with my colleagues.

I always communicate with the kids in English, even when I'm off, but what if they don’t understand it?

Don’t you think it’s useful to use Thai, once you know the word, or an easy way to explain it?

By the way, I've met quite a few people, who made such a statement that foreigners should never speak Thai, even at a government school.

Truth is that these foreigners can’t even order a soup at a restaurant.

Edited April 12, 2014 by lostinisaan