No worries over foreign teachers' licence training: deans

[webfact]

No worries over foreign teachers' licence training: deans
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Thailand Education Deans Council (TEDC) yesterday insisted the 42-hour training requirement in foreign teachers' applications for a local licence was appropriate.

The move followed Education Minister Admiral Narong Pipathanasai's instruction for the Secretariat Office of the Teachers Council of Thailand (TCT) to review the requirement after the International Schools Association of Thailand reportedly complained of inconvenience over the requirement.

TEDC president Surawat Thongbu, also dean of Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University's faculty of education, said the 42-hour training for Thai language and cultural studies should not be changed or the hours cut down. In comparison, Thai teachers had to undergo 360-hour training covering nine standards to obtain a teaching licence.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/No-worries-over-foreign-teachers-licence-training--30250073.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-18

[SoilSpoil]

Glad to know that the foreign teachers don't worry about this new requirement. This course will probably come at a cost 10,000 baht and be based on acquiring local knowledge and cultural understanding such as Thai fruits and instruments. Also the ingredients of Pad Thai will be covered in this extensive curriculum.

This is about the same we learned during the previous mandatory and self-financed Thai Culture Course Scam.

[thaidel48]

The sad fact is the only place to take this course is Bangkok and it is being run by some Mickey Mouse university from the Phillipines who's organisation makes the Thai's look proficient. A teacher friend of mine attended and was gobsmacked by the ineptitude of the people running it . When he complained he was told that he did not have to attend any further lectures and would get a pass. So this much vaunted teacher licence is worth about as much as a sheet of bog paper.

[maapaa]

"In comparison, Thai teachers had to undergo 360-hour training covering nine standards to obtain a teaching licence."

It can't be true ... probably I missed something. Any Thai can become a teacher after passing this 360 hrs. training? No way ... but it would explain a lot. 55555

[Mario2008]

Might be a typo, the curent requirement is a 24 hour course.

The comparison bewteen Thai teachers and foreign teacher is false, as it is two different things that are being compared. Foreign teachers need to be tested in the 9 subjects too, unless they already hold a degree in education.

[casualbiker]

"In comparison, Thai teachers had to undergo 360-hour training covering nine standards to obtain a teaching licence."

It can't be true ... probably I missed something. Any Thai can become a teacher after passing this 360 hrs. training? No way ... but it would explain a lot. 55555

It's called a Bachelors in Education, which the foreign teacher needs as well. The rules for foreign and Thai teachers are the same except the Thai culture course that foreign teachers take, this is what the Thai person seems to be getting confused about. Also strangely the Thai teachers don't need to pass a TOIEC test but none native English speakers from other countries do!!! Edited December 18, 2014 by casualbiker

[casualbiker]

The sad fact is the only place to take this course is Bangkok and it is being run by some Mickey Mouse university from the Phillipines who's organisation makes the Thai's look proficient. A teacher friend of mine attended and was gobsmacked by the ineptitude of the people running it . When he complained he was told that he did not have to attend any further lectures and would get a pass. So this much vaunted teacher licence is worth about as much as a sheet of bog paper.

What are you talking about? The Thai culture course?

[Squeegee]

Thai teachers don't need to pass a TOIEC test but none native English speakers from other countries do!!!

More evidence the Thai Culture Course is a scam and that Thais don't understand what taking education seriously means.

Anyway, they shouldn't be forcing TEFL teachers into school jobs for work permits and leaving private language schools unable to legally employ teachers.

Many poor quality education systems around the world have good reasons for being in the state they're in. The Thais have no good reason for the state of their education system and they don't deserve to achieve anything internationally other than Thailand number 1 laughing stock.

I feel so sorry for the kids.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Squeegee

[Suffinator]

Why would any foreigner want to teach in Thailand. All of the foreigner teachers I ever spoke too said it was a thankless and completely fruitless occupation.

There are lots of other countries, far better than Thailand I might add, that need foreigner teachers and the visas, working conditions and overall treatment are far superior.

[maapaa]

It's all written nonsense. If a school wants you, you get the job. Fact!

I have never been teaching in Germany, came to Thailand, didn't ever do any "TESOLTOEFLWHATEVER" course, got my contract with the provincial government office, a temporary teaching licence and a work permit.

Schools treated me like a VIP (what I'm really not and didn't like) and confirmed that I will always be welcomed back there.

[garrya]

Why would any foreigner want to teach in Thailand. All of the foreigner teachers I ever spoke too said it was a thankless and completely fruitless occupation.

There are lots of other countries, far better than Thailand I might add, that need foreigner teachers and the visas, working conditions and overall treatment are far superior.

Agree. The mind boggles. I guess the "real" teachers do not consider teaching here.

[SlyAnimal]

Just to clarify any confusion regarding this article:

The 42h course they're referring to is the Thai Culture and Professional Standards/Ethics course, which all foreign teachers are required to take before a full (5 year) teaching licence is issued.

A degree in Education or post graduate qualification in Education/teaching is also required for a teaching licence.

The 360 hour course they're referring to is a course Thai teachers, who have a degree, can take in lieu of having a degree in Education.

The 360 hour course isn't (to the best of my knowledge) currently available in English, and so is essentially only available to Thai teachers. The course replaces the teacher's licence exams, and so teachers who have previously passed some of the licence exams aren't required to sit all of the modules in the 360 hour course. I assume this course will eventually be offered to foreign teachers, but haven't heard any confirmation on this.

Also I'm pretty sure the culture course isn't 42h, but rather 24h (3x 8h days), so it's probably just a typo.

[SlyAnimal]

Why would any foreigner want to teach in Thailand. All of the foreigner teachers I ever spoke too said it was a thankless and completely fruitless occupation.

There are lots of other countries, far better than Thailand I might add, that need foreigner teachers and the visas, working conditions and overall treatment are far superior.

Everyone has a different take on things. Also people, especially expats, have a tendency to complain very loudly when something is wrong, but are comparatively very quiet when everything is going well.

E.g. Personally I find teaching English in Thailand to be the most relaxing and intrinsically satisfying job I've ever had. That doesn't mean I won't occasionally complain about it though, and my complaints will be much louder, and contain much more emotion, than what my praise will lol.

Although many also simply want to live in Thailand, and a job teaching English is simply a means to an ends. Often these are the teachers who complain the most, as they never even wanted to teach in the first place.

[Stradavarius37]

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Why would any foreigner want to teach in Thailand. All of the foreigner teachers I ever spoke too said it was a thankless and completely fruitless occupation.

There are lots of other countries, far better than Thailand I might add, that need foreigner teachers and the visas, working conditions and overall treatment are far superior.

Well there you have it - Suffinator has ruled on this - every teacher leave Thailand now...

[Kru Baa]

OMG I love it! The TEDC I haven't heard of them before and I've been working in Thailand for 7 years LOL. You got the MOE, TCT, TEDC and then there is this guy, Education Minister Admiral what's his name (He's an admiral ya know). . Ahhhh it just never ends.

[bangmai]

OMG I love it! The TEDC I haven't heard of them before and I've been working in Thailand for 7 years LOL. You got the MOE, TCT, TEDC and then there is this guy, Education Minister Admiral what's his name (He's an admiral ya know). . Ahhhh it just never ends.

55555. That reminds me of many Christmases before, and the local news was interviewing a representative of the Salvation Army. They referred to him as "Major" John Adams. A friend of mine took a swallow from his beer, and said "damn, that guy is a major." Unfortunately, I hadn't yet swallowed, and got a nose full of beer, I was laughing so hard. At least the "Major's" rank was likely earned and not purchased.

[anon022]

Seriously, if one has any self respect and dignity left, then you would not go through all this clownery! Would you pay even 100 baht for a Filipino university degree? But these "qualified educators" are the ones that are running the show, but you're only forced to watch it if you like being humiliated!

[anon022]

It's all written nonsense. If a school wants you, you get the job. Fact!

I have never been teaching in Germany, came to Thailand, didn't ever do any "TESOLTOEFLWHATEVER" course, got my contract with the provincial government office, a temporary teaching licence and a work permit.

Schools treated me like a VIP (what I'm really not and didn't like) and confirmed that I will always be welcomed back there.

They probably think they hired you to teach German, and still haven't noticed the difference. And all the while you were thinking they hired you to teach English? Ha!

[anon022]

OMG I love it! The TEDC I haven't heard of them before and I've been working in Thailand for 7 years LOL. You got the MOE, TCT, TEDC and then there is this guy, Education Minister Admiral what's his name (He's an admiral ya know). . Ahhhh it just never ends.

It's a circus, and the clowns are running the place, ha!

[KhnomKhnom]

Come in with an earned Ph.D. and be treated and paid like a professional.

[casualbiker]

Come in with an earned Ph.D. and be treated and paid like a professional.

Really! I suppose your talking about international schools because THEY are the only one's paying salary's that are close to western ones. And what about the other normal kids? Who teaches them? There is a need for TEFL teachers as well as PhD holding "professional " teachers (by the way unless your PhD is in education according to Thailand, your NOT a "professional " teacher)

It's about time Thailand sees that there is a need for both variation of professional teacher!

[aarontendo]

PhD holders are reasearchers not teachers. There's not a single course in one's doctoral studies that relate to teaching, unless you're getting a doctoral degree in education.

[anon022]

Come in with an earned Ph.D. and be treated and paid like a professional.

Haha, you're funny! A Ph.D. from the Philippines is worth as much as my fake Rolex, and one who has earned a non-Ph Ph.D isn't likely to teach in a school, most probably doing research and lecturing at some university, as has been pointed out earlier. But that's not the point. Even if so, you will still be treated like the rest, because the rules stay the same, and the ones in charge of this circus, guess what? The clowns are in charge, and what do clowns do? They clown around. And you'll be in the middle of it. If you have some dignity left in your bones, you'll know what to do, or rather, not to do.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Impossible

[Kf6vci]

How about applying their rules uniformly and fairly?

The TCT is the problem, not the solution. And with them bending the rules, it's a shambles.

[Kf6vci]

"In comparison, Thai teachers had to undergo 360-hour training covering nine standards to obtain a teaching licence."

It can't be true ... probably I missed something. Any Thai can become a teacher after passing this 360 hrs. training? No way ... but it would explain a lot. 55555

It's called a Bachelors in Education, which the foreign teacher needs as well. The rules for foreign and Thai teachers are the same except the Thai culture course that foreign teachers take, this is what the Thai person seems to be getting confused about. Also strangely the Thai teachers don't need to pass a TOIEC test but none native English speakers from other countries do!!!

NO. How come there are all those "teachers" who couldn't and haven't obtained a TOEIC score of at least 600?!? 600 is a sick joke IMHO.

Somehow, in this weird country, folks manage to teach without a degree and without being able to pass that TOEIC test. Wish the Junta would take a long hard look at what's really going on.

Lots of NES get turned away - while ... are allowed to teach.

[SlyAnimal]

How about applying their rules uniformly and fairly?

The TCT is the problem, not the solution. And with them bending the rules, it's a shambles.

The requirements for Thai and foreign teachers to teach in Thailand are essentially the same, except that:

1/ Foreigners don't require tertiary qualifications in order to teach English/Chinese etc if they are Native Speakers, although Non-Native speakers require a TESOL test score of 600+ to prove their ability (Thai teachers require a major in English to teach at high schools, although I don't believe there is a requirement for primary schools, but could be wrong on that).

2/ Thai teachers don't need to take the Thai culture course, since they're Thai.

To the best of my knowledge, all of the other requirements are the same.

This seems fair enough to me. Foreigners are employed as specialist English teachers, and should speak English at a significantly higher level of fluency than that Thai teachers, else why employ them, thus the standards should be higher for them. And if Krusapa didn't recognize an English Major as being qualified to teach English, then they'd be undermining Thailand's tertiary education system.

Not requiring a qualification in English for Thai Primary school teachers seems fair enough also, as the level of English required to teach at primary school is lower than in high school. It would of course be nice to also require majors in English or similar for primary schools, but if they did that, many schools wouldn't have any English teachers (Or at least not legal ones), due to the lack of qualified English teachers in rural areas.

One of the primary problems with the level of Thai English teacher's English, is that many teachers graduate with majors in English, but can't actually speak English well. This is a failure of the Thai tertiary education system, which isn't under krusapa, and so it can't necessarily be blamed on them.

Other teachers graduate from university, and can speak English quite well, but they might not speak English outside of the classroom for years, particularly in rural areas, and so they slowly forget a lot of what they learnt at University. As they say, "Use it or lose it", and so because they don't use English in their everyday lives, they lose it.

[aidenai]

1/ Foreigners don't require tertiary qualifications in order to teach English/Chinese etc if they are Native Speakers, although Non-Native speakers require a TESOL test score of 600+ to prove their ability (Thai teachers require a major in English to teach at high schools, although I don't believe there is a requirement for primary schools, but could be wrong on that).

Guess you meant a TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS or equivalent test.

[SlyAnimal]

Yeah I meant TOEIC.

Haha one of the frustrating things about discussing teaching English is that in addition to TCT requiring that all teachers in schools under the OBEC must have BEdu, PGCE, PGDE & DipTeach, there are also TESOL & CELTA certificates for TEFL & TESL teachers who help prepare their EFL or ESL students for their ONET, TOEIC, TOEFL and IELTS tests, as well as a variety of other acronyms, it all does my head in sometimes lol.