English teachers in Chiang Mai

[HansBlinkers]

Just curious on this. Would you say there's a demand for or an excess amount of English teachers here in Chiang Mai?

[Ulysses G.]

There has always been an excess amount of English teachers in Chiang Mai, but after you are established, it is not that difficult to get a job. Everyone wants to work here and it keeps salaries down.

[Thighlander]

I heard approximately 90 TEFL grads per month produced in CNX. If anything, salaries have gone down over the last 10 years, while paperwork nightmares have not. Even the ones with what appears to be several years of steady employment at the same schools seem to get canned for no reason other than cheaper new blood. I was recently offered 230 thb per hour to teach SAT Math....and of course that's if the student actually pays, and shows up. I have a feeling the WP wouldn't happen, either.

[Seligne2]

No, I wouldn't say that. I would say that there is an excessive number of English teachers in Chiang Mai.

[northernjohn]

I just wonder how many of them can teach it?

It is one thing to know it and another thing to teach it. A friend of mine took the TEFL course and said there was a person in there who she could not understand. Apparently English was his second language. I personally know one who talks so fast you have to listen very closely or you will not get it all. But he teaches English to non English speaking kids.

Have an idea of what the Thai's teaching English are like but not knowing any of them I will leave that for others. All though a friend of mine was teaching English at a large school and they gave him another class of the Thai English teachers.

[badprimers]

I believe a high number of people do their TEFL course in CM to then get a job elsewhere. It's clear to me that people love it up in CM but far from everybody stays, maybe due to the lower pay.

Just as a sidebar - From the course I did in CM 2 years ago only 4 out of 16 people works (me incl.) and we're all moving to Bkk next year due to more money. The rest left Thai, some heavily disappointed .

[Torrens54]

I just wonder how many of them can teach it?

It is one thing to know it and another thing to teach it. A friend of mine took the TEFL course and said there was a person in there who she could not understand. Apparently English was his second language. I personally know one who talks so fast you have to listen very closely or you will not get it all. But he teaches English to non English speaking kids.

Have an idea of what the Thai's teaching English are like but not knowing any of them I will leave that for others. All though a friend of mine was teaching English at a large school and they gave him another class of the Thai English teachers.

Some of the so-called, English Text Books are hopeless. Then you get Thais, who are allegedly English Teachers and they are not even capable of holding a half decent conversation in English.