Do English Teachers Require A Degree to Teach At Language Schools

[brianp0803]

If you had a child learning a foreign language in your own country would you feel a teacher with a high school diploma and a 2-4 week TEFL certificate qualified.

Thailand is trying to raise their standard.

The attitude of - I don't need any qualifications because this is Thailand- is scary.

It is unlikely you would be happy with such a foreign language teacher for your child in your own country.

Many people have a very low opinion of Thailand

[casualbiker]

If you had a child learning a foreign language in your own country would you feel a teacher with a high school diploma and a 2-4 week TEFL certificate qualified.

Thailand is trying to raise their standard.

The attitude of - I don't need any qualifications because this is Thailand- is scary.

It is unlikely you would be happy with such a foreign language teacher for your child in your own country.

Many people have a very low opinion of Thailand

Brian. You state Thailand is trying to raise the standard. I have been here 10 years I don't see much improvement.

I HAVE seen some great English conversation teachers who have left due to the shambolic operation of Khurusapha (TCT)

We have two new teachers on an OEG placement. Fully licensed in the USA. But they cannot currently get a 5 year Thai teaching license! Why, you may ask they fit the bill. They have the required experience etc etc etc. The reason why is because they haven't done the Thai culture course. The reason for this is because khurusapha haven't organized one since August with no future planned dates as yet.. crazy right!

I haven't seen any appreciable raise in salaries, in fact due to the shortage of English teachers I've seen salaries go down and wp and visa extension violations by schools and agencies go up.

In most schools we the foreign English teachers are a cog in the English curriculum.

As an example my students get one hour of English with me and 4 hours with the Thai teacher. Conversation teaching is a much needed part of this English learning because many Thai English teachers don't speak English well enough.

I take it from your comments that you have a 4 year education degree or bachelors and a masters in education as required by khurusapha?

PS: I was one of the many to start taking the tests. Only to have them canceled, with no current replacement or satisfactory arrangement!

Edited December 20, 2014 by casualbiker

[brewsterbudgen]

If you had a child learning a foreign language in your own country would you feel a teacher with a high school diploma and a 2-4 week TEFL certificate qualified.

Thailand is trying to raise their standard.

The attitude of - I don't need any qualifications because this is Thailand- is scary.

It is unlikely you would be happy with such a foreign language teacher for your child in your own country.

Many people have a very low opinion of Thailand

TEFL teaching in my country (the UK) is the same as it is in Thailand and the same qualifications are required. A degree may be "preferred" but it is not essential, however a decent TEFL qualification (CELTA, Trinity TESOL) is essential. Most TEFL work is teaching adults not children.

[attrayant]

If you had a child learning a foreign language in your own country would you feel a teacher with a high school diploma and a 2-4 week TEFL certificate qualified.

Depends how old the child is and what level of instruction is required. A high-priced professional would be overqualified and unnecessary to teach a preschooler (4-6 years old). I'd be happy with a native speaker with a great deal of patience. To justify this, I'll simply note that I was functionally fluent in English at 6 years old with no formal education. The only thing I had was exposure to my mother and aunt, neither of whom had any post-secondary education and therefore, according to your standards, would not be qualified to be teachers. Yet somehow I still learned to speak fluent English from them.

If an older child, say a teenager needing to learn the mechanics of the language and advanced composition, then yes I'd probably want a more educated instructor. However I would still not use a college degree as a litmus test to determine whether or not a candidate was qualified. I'd interview them and make an individual assessment based on many factors - a degree being only one of them.

Thailand is trying to raise their standard.

Trying to raise the standard without raising the compensation is a waste of time.

The attitude of - I don't need any qualifications because this is Thailand- is scary.

Who has said that? Can you quote the post?

Edited December 20, 2014 by attrayant

[brewsterbudgen]

It would be nice to get this thread back on topic - i.e. whether a degree is required to teach English in language schools in Thailand, which it isn't. Teaching English to children at primary or secondary school is completely different.

[brianp0803]

Continuing the logic here:

A high school graduate in the UK should be allowed to teach primary school math and science in the UK.

Correct?

Would you expect your son's primary school teacher to have more than a high school education?

After high school wouldn't most people be qualified to teach any subject to primary school?

To teach in grade 7-9 maybe some university work work be expected but not need to graduate. You should take a few history courses the you could teach grade 9 history.

Through grade 9, two years of university work should be sufficient qualification.

Why do most western countries require more?

Unnecessary.

Correct?

Would you expect the person educating you child to have a good education or just sufficient enough to teach the material and no training on teaching techniques.

Compensation is a different topic. Teachers in America get low salary and have high cost of living.

[brewsterbudgen]

This thread is about teaching in language schools.

[Loaded]

There seems to be little point reminding Brian what this thread is about. He posts to the beat of his own drum.

[SlyAnimal]

In answer to the OP:

No

To continue the discussion within the thread.

The requirements in Thailand are the same, across the board, as what they are in NZ and I assume most other western countries as well.

Language School Requirements:

No requirements but at the discretion of the school.

University Requirements:

No requirements but at the discretion of the university (But they usually expect either a masters/doctorate in the subject being taught or extensive life experience in a subject)

High School Requirements:

Bachelor degree in a relevant field to the subject being taught + either BEdu or DipTeach (Or equivalent*)

Primary School Requirement:

Bachelor degree in any subject + DipTeach (Or equivalent*) or a BEdu

* Thailand previously had tests in 9 subjects that were the equivalent of a DipTeach, and now has seminars which are the equivalent of a DipTeach. I believe, and may be wrong on this, that a similar system is used in the USA but not in most other western countries.

For high/primary schools most western countries, and Thailand as well, also require at least 1 year of teaching experience and issue temporary/provisional teaching license "waivers" while this teaching experience is in progress. However, Thailand does issue these to teachers earlier than other countries, as at the request of schools, it will issue applicants with waivers, even if they haven't yet obtained a BEdu/DipTeach (I assume due to the demand for teachers).

Some of the checks on foreign qualifications are less stringent in Thailand than western countries but that makes sense as the domestic tertiary education industry is generally also at a lower standard than in western countries.

[casualbiker]

In answer to the OP:

No

To continue the discussion within the thread.

The requirements in Thailand are the same, across the board, as what they are in NZ and I assume most other western countries as well.

Language School Requirements:

No requirements but at the discretion of the school.

University Requirements:

No requirements but at the discretion of the university (But they usually expect either a masters/doctorate in the subject being taught or extensive life experience in a subject)

High School Requirements:

Bachelor degree in a relevant field to the subject being taught + either BEdu or DipTeach (Or equivalent*)

Primary School Requirement:

Bachelor degree in any subject + DipTeach (Or equivalent*) or a BEdu

* Thailand previously had tests in 9 subjects that were the equivalent of a DipTeach, and now has seminars which are the equivalent of a DipTeach. I believe, and may be wrong on this, that a similar system is used in the USA but not in most other western countries.

For high/primary schools most western countries, and Thailand as well, also require at least 1 year of teaching experience and issue temporary/provisional teaching license "waivers" while this teaching experience is in progress. However, Thailand does issue these to teachers earlier than other countries, as at the request of schools, it will issue applicants with waivers, even if they haven't yet obtained a BEdu/DipTeach (I assume due to the demand for teachers).

Some of the checks on foreign qualifications are less stringent in Thailand than western countries but that makes sense as the domestic tertiary education industry is generally also at a lower standard than in western countries.

Not sure about the seminars instead of the tests .. any links?

[SlyAnimal]

Not sure about the seminars instead of the tests .. any links?

On ksp.or.th (Krusapa/TCT's website), although I believe they're only available in Thai at present (And thus, the information about them, is only in Thai).

They only came out this year, and some of my wife's Thai friends (who are teachers), are the ones who initially told me about them a couple of months ago, and prompted me to get my wife to trawl through the Thai version of the ksp.or.th site for more information (Which was relatively easy, as there were announcements concerning them all over the site).

[casualbiker]

Not sure about the seminars instead of the tests .. any links?

On ksp.or.th (Krusapa/TCT's website), although I believe they're only available in Thai at present (And thus, the information about them, is only in Thai).

They only came out this year, and some of my wife's Thai friends (who are teachers), are the ones who initially told me about them a couple of months ago, and prompted me to get my wife to trawl through the Thai version of the ksp.or.th site for more information (Which was relatively easy, as there were announcements concerning them all over the site).

Ok. I believe your talking about the one year course at the Rajabhat university.

Note that in the 10 years since this legalization was passed they have managed to do precisely NO Bachelors degree or teaching diploma for foreign teachers.

The Filipino universities on the other hand have dozens available for Filipinos and a few for foreign teachers. Strange isn't it!

If the Rajabhat teaching universities are so good why hasn't one developed a program yet?

[SlyAnimal]

Not sure about the seminars instead of the tests .. any links?

On ksp.or.th (Krusapa/TCT's website), although I believe they're only available in Thai at present (And thus, the information about them, is only in Thai).

They only came out this year, and some of my wife's Thai friends (who are teachers), are the ones who initially told me about them a couple of months ago, and prompted me to get my wife to trawl through the Thai version of the ksp.or.th site for more information (Which was relatively easy, as there were announcements concerning them all over the site).

Ok. I believe your talking about the one year course at the Rajabhat university.

Note that in the 10 years since this legalization was passed they have managed to do precisely NO Bachelors degree or teaching diploma for foreign teachers.

The Filipino universities on the other hand have dozens available for Filipinos and a few for foreign teachers. Strange isn't it!

If the Rajabhat teaching universities are so good why hasn't one developed a program yet?

Nope this is different to the 1 year course, although it is equivalent of it as it covers the same topics etc. The difference is that teachers who passed any of the 9x teachers licence exams (Or 4x exams for foreigners), shouldn't need to take that module of the course.

[casualbiker]

Not sure about the seminars instead of the tests .. any links?

On ksp.or.th (Krusapa/TCT's website), although I believe they're only available in Thai at present (And thus, the information about them, is only in Thai).

They only came out this year, and some of my wife's Thai friends (who are teachers), are the ones who initially told me about them a couple of months ago, and prompted me to get my wife to trawl through the Thai version of the ksp.or.th site for more information (Which was relatively easy, as there were announcements concerning them all over the site).

Ok. I believe your talking about the one year course at the Rajabhat university.

Note that in the 10 years since this legalization was passed they have managed to do precisely NO Bachelors degree or teaching diploma for foreign teachers.

The Filipino universities on the other hand have dozens available for Filipinos and a few for foreign teachers. Strange isn't it!

If the Rajabhat teaching universities are so good why hasn't one developed a program yet?

Nope this is different to the 1 year course, although it is equivalent of it as it covers the same topics etc. The difference is that teachers who passed any of the 9x teachers licence exams (Or 4x exams for foreigners), shouldn't need to take that module of the course.

Wow.. so I wonder when the fantastically efficient khurusapha will have that for foreign teachers!

Never as a guess! But we can live in hope.

[KwaiPalma]

After reading all the posts related to this topic, I have 3 questions:

1. A language school is considered as "Non-formal education", right? .

2. If in the same school, other subjects are taught, such as math, history, etc...is it considered "Non-formal education too?

3. To legally teach languages in a private language school, I understand that, of course, a WP is required, but, to get the WP, is it absolutely necessary or not to have a degree??

I´m really very confused about the third point.

Thanks for you help¡¡

[brianp0803]

To teach adults at a language school with small classes and self motivated students paying money to learn a language or other subject then you don't need a degree and it is up to the school.

I heard moat language schools don't provided enough hours and seldom give work permits, possibly due to the transient nature of many TEFL teachers.

Teaching young students in a general education program in larger classrooms with less motivated students and generally younger students require a university degree as a minimum requirement for a work permit. Long. term (more you than 4 years) would need an Ed degree.

Edited January 6, 2015 by brianp0803

[Loaded]

To obtain a work permit at a category 15/2 non-formal school language school, Immigration will request evidence of a degree or degree equivalent. The sponsoring school provides Immigration with a statement that states they accept the teacher's qualifications as a degree or degree equivalent. Immigration will normally accept this statement without question from the school and issue the work permit. It is the responsibility of the school to 'check' the authenticity of the 'degree'. This is how licensed cat 15/2 language schools can work around the degree requirement. Cat 15/2 language schools are exempt from TCT requirements, rules and supervision.

[brianp0803]

I've heard rumors that many teachers working at language schools don't have work permits. Just a rumor.

But since the qualifications are left up to the school, it seems issuing work permits to their teachers would be easier.

[Loaded]

I've heard rumors that many teachers working at language schools don't have work permits.

just a rumor.

but since the qualifications are left up to the school, it seems issuing work permits to their teachers would be easier.

The rumours are true Brian. Few cat 15/2 non-formal language schools actually provide non-immigrant B visas and work permits for their teachers. There are a number of reasons for this:

1. the 'school' is not licensed by the MoE.

2. the school doesn't want to incur the expense of processing paperwork to support non-imm B visa applications, extension applications, work permit applications and work permit extension applications.

3. the teacher doesn't want to pay for visas, work permits and extensions.

3. the school doesn't know how to process paperwork

4. there's a high turnover of teachers and the school is frustrated with providing paperwork for teachers who leave at short notice. However imo, if the school actually provided non-imm B visas and work permits, there is a big incentive for the teachers to stay.

You are also correct that it's easier for a cat 15/2 non-formal language school to provide Bs and wps compared to a formal school - no TCT hoops.