Oldie discrimination?

[vogie]

Thanks Inutil at least there are s few sane and kind people on here . It's jusy that I have come from.a really supportive and pleasant China Teachers' Forum where newbie ( or anybody) bashing us not tolerated so I'm feeling a bit shocked.

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You are lucky, nobody has blamed any spelling mistakes or bad grammer on the Thai Police, YET

[Loaded]

Well I am amazed at the amount of vitriol and bile my maiden post has provoked! Do please point out my errors! What a predominantly unpleasant forum this is proving to be. Thanks however go out to inutil, mizzi39 who bothered to give useful replies and who can also.practise reading comprehension. I said I WANT to go to CM but feared job competition due to the large number of expats aleady there.Of course I like expats- I am one! Really! There appear to be some awfully weird people on here who can hardly write single word correctly.Thank you to those members who are civil and helpful.

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Chiang Mai isn't too difficult to crack if you have local knowledge and connections.

Edited May 20, 2014 by Loaded

[duanebigsby]

Well I am amazed at the amount of vitriol and bile my maiden post has provoked! Do please point out my errors! What a predominantly unpleasant forum this is proving to be. Thanks however go out to inutil, mizzi39 who bothered to give useful replies and who can also.practise reading comprehension. I said I WANT to go to CM but feared job competition due to the large number of expats aleady there.Of course I like expats- I am one! Really! There appear to be some awfully weird people on here who can hardly write single word correctly.Thank you to those members who are civil and helpful.

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LOL! You have learned the single biggest thing about

Thailand, TV is a "predominantly unpleasant forum" and there "appears to be some awfully weird people on here."

At my high school, of the ten NES (Native English speakers) five are over fifty and one is 60. Some Thai schools have realized the young teachers they've hired in the past quit very quickly, often lasting only a semester or two.

Never mind the grammar Nazis. NES teachers are in the classroom to teach Listening and Speaking. That is our subject. The Thai co-teachers are much better at explaining grammar to the students.

When I ask students "what is a different way to say "hello", the kid who yells, "Yo, what's up?" gets extra points.

You are well qualified to teach here and some alternate cities were suggested which I agree with. I'm in Chiang Rai which I think you would enjoy.

[pigletruth]

Thanks a lot Duanebigsby I had also considered it as a possible option. In fact I will be there in June if you fancy a meetup. I am also not concerned about the Grammar Nazis - I taught high schoolers for 30 years and I know what the Present Perfect is and how to teach it too! Thanks for your kind reply.

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[rhodie]

Thanks a lot Duanebigsby I had also considered it as a possible option. In fact I will be there in June if you fancy a meetup. I am also not concerned about the Grammar Nazis - I taught high schoolers for 30 years and I know what the Present Perfect is and how to teach it too! Thanks for your kind reply.

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Search on google for a site called ajarn dot com. Lots of good teaching info.

[mikecat]

I am not sure where this notion that schools in Thailand practice age discrimination comes from but I have never encountered it and I'm 61. I also have a number of friends, older than me who are teaching. It may be something specific to Bangkok but its not an issue outside. Chiang Mai is the hardest place to find work as it is full of foreigners looking to teach there. As a generalization schools here seem more interested as to whether the students like you or not than what you are teaching them.

There are quite a few universities around Thailand but you need to vet them carefully as I believe that some of them are really not too good.

I too have worked in China and you will find working within the Thai education system far more challenging. However, if your up for the challenge you will find it enjoyable and rewarding.

I laughed when I read that you would never teach Kindergarten as I have always said the same thing. This year my school asked if I would do one Kindergarten lesson a day as they couldnt find a teacher, I said absolutely not. Here we are two and a half weeks down the track and I'm teaching Kindergarten.

I stepped into my first class with a great deal of trepadation, there I was sitting on the floor with twenty kids sitting around looking at me bug eyed, some still wiping away the tears which started when mum and dad dragged them through the gate. I smiled, said hello and we were away.

It has turned out to be a revalation, about Kindergarten and me. Its hard work but it is also great fun. they are a joy to be around and I have found that they are quick learners. Nowadays I can be found walking around school with a trail of little ankle biters behind me, hanging of my arms and legs and trying to do high fives.

[duanebigsby]

Thanks a lot Duanebigsby I had also considered it as a possible option. In fact I will be there in June if you fancy a meetup. I am also not concerned about the Grammar Nazis - I taught high schoolers for 30 years and I know what the Present Perfect is and how to teach it too! Thanks for your kind reply.

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PM me I'll give you my email

[GOLDBUGGY]

In the North East, Udon Thani has a University as does Korat. Both nice sized urban areas. Might want to try their as well.

[pigletruth]

Thanks Goldbuggy will check them out.

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[zeichen]

"taught high schoolers for 30 years and I know what the Present Perfect is and how to teach it too!"

How do you teach students about something that doesn't exist in the Thai language? Out of all the tenses they have a lot of difficulty with that one.

As for NES teaching only speaking and listening, that is the worst method. NES can as easily teach writing and reading as well as cultural understanding of language.

As loaded mentioned there are plenty of schools in Chiang Mai. Some of the best jobs are harder to get and require some connections. I would suggest looking into Payap University. They have a pretty big system but do tend to have a high turnover.

CMU isn't a bad place to work but they don't hire many full time teachers. Many think that if they work part time there in hopes of getting full time. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen much.

[pigletruth]

Hi Zeichen I didn't say I was intending to teach them the Present Perfect at all I just said I could! Of course communicative Spoken English is what is mainly taught by foreign teachers . Most other languages, by the way, don't have PP but it is quite possible to teach the concept-I have done it in other countries. Here in China the Chinese trachers teach grammar, reading and writing and "use" the FTs to just teach oral English.

Thanks I will check out P ayap too.

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[pigletruth]

Dear mizzi39 I am even more surprised since you gave helpful advice where poster #2 and others were hurling abuse! Thanks for the kind offer

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[stubuzz]

OP.

32k is on the lower side of the salary scale. If you do in fact have a teaching cert, 40-50k would be the norm.

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been deleted. Please stay on the topic.

[IMA_FARANG]

The fault my dear Brutus lies not in our stars, but in ourselves.

As an English teacher you should know very well where that quote comes from.

No matter what your native language is, I would find it hard for you not to have the education you claim to have and not recognize that quotation immediately.

But to answer the question you asked, there may be some age discrimination bias against you, but look in more rural schools and they probably will be delighted if you are willing to take their employment offer.

Remember, climbing a ladder means you have to start on the bottom rung, and climb your way up the ladder, doesn't it?

And yes, as someone else mentioned, once you are employed it will be possible for hubby to "piggyback" himself into the country based on your Non B visa and your "Work Permit".

He will have to go to the local immigration wherever you work to start the process himself. He will need a visa, probably a 90 (60 entry plus 30 day extension) tourist visa at least to get him into the country until your employment and work permit is finished so you can piggyback hum into Thailand on a Non O visa as your spouse.

But that can only be done AFTER your paperwork and job is already completed, so he will need a visa to enter the country while he waits for your paperwork to be completed.

P,S, I forgot to mention, as it wasn't your actual question, but in Thailand you would be eligible for a retirement visa/extension at age 50.

You would need the financial requirements to get one, and you couldn't work on such a visa, but it would tide you over until you find a job, when you could convert to a Non B visa as a teacher.

And you would still be able to sponsor hubby on that Non O retirement visa/ yearly extension also.

Edited May 22, 2014 by IMA_FARANG

[inutil]

The fault my dear Brutus lies not in our stars, but in ourselves.

As an English teacher you should know very well where that quote comes from.

No matter what your native language is, I would find it hard for you not to have the education you claim to have and not recognize that quotation immediately.

The rest of it is fine. But this part is nonsense on stilts. And if you don't get that quote without googling it, youre obviously beneath my contempt.

[pigletruth]

@imafarang

Thanks we already have pensions. I just want to have a job for 20 hours or so therefore university work appeals to me. This is what we did in China -work 2 days a week to get to know the people and the country but lots of free time tp travel. I am not sure why the Julius Caesar quote is there as the preceding post has been deleted.

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[pigletruth]

OP.

32k is on the lower side of the salary scale. If you do in fact have a teaching cert, 40-50k would be the norm.

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[pigletruth]

Why would I claim to have a teaching certificate if I don't actually have one? I am enquiring on a forum ,not applying to uou for a job?

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[Mencken]

If you look 61 at 57, look unhealthy...if you look 46 at 55. No worries. Even Bangkok.

I would not recommended coming here for a variety if reasons though. Politics not withstanding. Making plans at the moment to come here immediate to short term is totally foolish. Next Feb, maybe.

Look for low hts uni job. PSs all will have 20+ hours of chaos.

You know China. Try Korea.

Edited May 22, 2014 by Mencken

[pigletruth]

Thanks @Mencken I would say we look 45 and 55 .we were checking for next year not immediately

Of course current events have put a damper on things. I love Korea but hate the cold winters.

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[Mencken]

The job for NES is imo entitely about speech unless you have been directed to teach grammar. If you can grammar into the book's theme or a game, great

Ugh, teaching grammar to Thai kids in a language not their own lol. You must be loved by all.

1 Get them speaking complete sentences

2 Try and get some discussion going

3 Have fun as much as you can

*Books are something to be bought, not something to be taught. If you are writing, you are not speaking. Books are painfully boring.

AAwwww teacher, not the book...

[pigletruth]

@Mencken couldn't agree more. Have never used the book we were supplied here in China it was the most terrible thing. I told the students on Day 1 to leave it at home and they were delighted.

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[stubuzz]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

OP.
32k is on the lower side of the salary scale. If you do in fact have a teaching cert, 40-50k would be the norm.

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Why would I claim to have a teaching certificate if I don't actually have one? I am enquiring on a forum ,not applying to uou for a job?

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Some people confuse a TEFL cert with a B.Ed. Both could be classed a teaching certificate, but the former is a pretty useless piece of paper that is not recognized by the Ministry of Labour or TCT.

Therefore, if you have a B.Ed, expect a salary between 40-50+K, more at an international school.

[inutil]

I think textbooks get too much shit in the ESL community. I think its a throwback to when we were the Oral English teacher (or considered as such). The job's changed a bit over the years. Japan for example still holds onto the assistant T2 role (the human tape recorder - youre there for modelling and creating fun 20 minute spoken activities supplementing the grammar point taught by the JTE). Korea, China, and Thailand has you in a T1 role. Now some schools may express that you teach exclusively Oral English classes. This is fine. But these are kinda falling out of fashion a bit. The expectation seems to be that you create plans comprising of all 4 main parts of Language (Reading, writing,listening, speaking), and that you account for every preference of the students' learning styles. You know... teaching

And text books are a good way to teach some of that im afraid. And not just because the four parts actually reinforce one another through either retention, memorisation, application and practice, but also because some of our students genuinely SHUDDER at the idea of discussion or group activities. Obviously you cant pander to that student and solely give them writing exercises, (or have them write out vocabulary lists and deduce grammar points), but it seems we feel we can go the entire opposite direction and pander only to the students who enjoy spoken English (whether because they enjoy spoken english, or more often than not because they can just chat crap in their native language to each other and slack off).

I have lots of students who i see one on one now, and its evident they all seem to struggle with their written English. They have excellent spoken English of course and the natural tendency is to follow the path of least resistance and let them use the language and talk about anything they like or something in the news or whatever and not worry too much about their writing/reading skills because theyll be functionally fluent. But were i to do this id be a poor teacher to be honest. Writing isnt fun, and its not exciting and it has low immediate rewards to both student and teacher, but its a core component of mastery and we shouldn't neglect it. And whether you like or hate a specific textbook, they do undeniably add context and structure. They also offer bountiful practice exercises to make sure that the student genuinely understands what theyre reviewing. I dunno, i just think 'the textbook' gets a lot of shit in ESL and there maybe needs to be a balance.

As one of the students who prefers to follow a program of guided self-study in language, i can tell you now that if i paid you to teach me Thai and we ended up in starbucks 'practicing Thai' for an hour sans textbook, id be asking for my money back and finding another teacher. We don't all want the same things in a class, and nor do our students. Some of them actually like the textbook. Unfortunately confirmation bias results in them naturally being the least inclined to vocalising their wishes when we tell everyone we wont be using it.

Edited May 23, 2014 by inutil

[pigletruth]

I have both a TEFL certificate (from London) and a teachi g license for high school from the Ministry of Education in Israel where I taught English for 30 years.

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[Somtamnication]

I lost out, after being hired by the falang head teacher. The Thai boss, 2 day later, told him I was too old (52) and too fat, as I would scare the P3,4 and 5 students.

Edited May 24, 2014 by Somtamnication

[Issangeorge]

Go to Ajarn.com in the jobs section filter it to Kalasin and you will find 10 jobs for English Teachers at Kalasin Rajabet University. It is in the middle of nowhere but less than an hour to Kalasin City and less than two to Khon Kaen, Mukdahan, iRoi-et, and Sakhon Nakhon. With your qualifications I imagine they will hire you in a Kalasin Minute. The job starts in August.

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[Somtamnication]

After 13 years, I am thinking of leaving Phuket with wife and kid. I have been a member of ajarn.com for 11 years but have avoided it over the past 5 due to the holier-than-though attitudes there. Might go back and see what's up, job-wise.