English Teachers in Thailand / Are you a teacher?

[nsimmons]

It seems this thread is closed but I wanted to respond to this reply so I started a new one...

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Finally, there are no bigger chuckleheads than the guys that think they know all about teaching, "teachers". They read a book about child psychology and a few about education. Have a year of experience...before a go nowhere, hapless and failed English or other ridiculous major - now transformed into Thai English TEACHER! Yes, they never took an education class at home, never thought of being a teacher or instructor. No home country certifications, just some shitty tefl/celta whatever...teacher! No, you are not a teacher. Can you speak Thai? You are not a Thai teacher. Finally, do you even have a Thai lic? You are not a teacher. When you get a certification from home or a Masters in Education then and only then are you a teacher.

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It seems to me the person above is the one that thinks he knows all about English teaching", and I disagree with some of the things he says you need to be/have, to be a good ELS (English as a Second Language) teacher.

1) You do not need to speak Thai. In fact in Japan you can be fired for speaking Japanese in an ESL class. They want students to hear good English, not shitty Thai. I agree that a few words of "their language" can be really useful if they REALLY can't understand you, but only if you have tried everything else before you do, like acting out what you want, or getting a native Thai speaker to explain.

2) How does anyone get experience, other than being a pretty bad teacher, and then turning in to a good one from experience/practice?

3) It is not rocket science and it really is more about how much one wants to get good. Also, until University level you often need to be an entertainer. Hard core grammar can be learned from books, but only a good teacher can make learning English fun.

'

4) This is the worst bit... "No home country certifications, just some shitty tefl/celta whatever...teacher! No, you are not a teacher."

What is wrong with a TEFL certificate you got in your home country (or elsewhere)? It is more than most have, and you are just a snob if you think you need a "Masters in Education". They are for those that want to write the shitty/boring grammar textbooks!

I taught English in Japan for 15 years. Junior High School, High School, Technical College, housewives and businessmen, all without any teaching qualifications. The only groups I did not teach were Kindergarten and University.

I only had a BA in finance. However after 5 years I wrote "Edutainment - How to Teach English with Fun and Games!" included my best 17 lessons. Also, when the Internet became useful I made *Edited out*

If they like you, each year you try to leave they say, "more money, less hours, for one more year please?", and that is how you get trapped teaching ESL English for years more than you planned, but is that so bad?

My advice would be to get the best English teaching job you can, give it your best, and if you like it you will do fine. If you don't like it, find something else. Humans are only pretty good at things they enjoy doing. Also, if students are under about 16yo they are still children, and children LOVE to play games, and learn best if everything is a game (has a score or a prize etc). I could teach English numbers in 25% of the time it usually took, by playing Bingo at the end of each class, rather than drilling them on the board. You will be shocked how much a kid will try, if they can possibly win a small Aussie coin or a crappy used stamp!

Above all, have fun, life is too short to do ANYTHING you hate ; )

Cheers,

NS

*Edited out*

Edited September 2, 2014 by Scott

[masuk]

totally agree. Well presented!

[zeichen]

So you start a new thread to point fingers at another poster on another thread?

Instead of quoting someone from another thread it would have been better just to start a new thread with what your ideals are not criticize someone else.

PS I read your book years ago, absolute rubbish but the theories that you stole are pretty good. Not one of your lessons was original nor innovative.

I do agree that making a lesson interesting is important for all learners but you don't have to play "Bingo" you could actually do an activity that has real study skills and life skills involved so that students are learning more than language.

[jacky54]

'I taught English in Japan for 15 years. Junior High School, High School, Technical College, housewives and businessmen, all without any teaching qualifications.'

​Did you lie about no qualifications or were they just desperate? nothing to shout about, it's like a Dr admitting the same, disgraceful IMO.

[nsimmons]

So you start a new thread to point fingers at another poster on another thread?

Instead of quoting someone from another thread it would have been better just to start a new thread with what your ideals are not criticize someone else.

PS I read your book years ago, absolute rubbish but the theories that you stole are pretty good. Not one of your lessons was original nor innovative.

I do agree that making a lesson interesting is important for all learners but you don't have to play "Bingo" you could actually do an activity that has real study skills and life skills involved so that students are learning more than language.

Sorry my stuff did not impress you, if only I had a Masters in Education, maybe my life would have had some worth. Oh well, I will try to cope

having retired here*Edited out* at 49yo, and will try and not get bitter like you seem to be ; )

Ian

PS Sorry if I did not meet your forum using expectations, I tried to reply to your post but it said "thread closed", so I thought I did

start a new thread!? Unfortunately I have better things to do than post 823 times like you. I have a life!!

[Scott]

//Closed//