How do I to start teaching English in Thailand?

[jaylaai]

Hi guys this is my first topic here in TV..

Im male 28 years old from Norway.. Been living in Thailand the past two years..

Im currently on my 2 moth extension from a non o visa that runs out the 20 august..

I would like to start teaching English at a local school up in Kalasin Isaan.. I aint got a clue on were to start..

Any suggestions on how to get a teacher license would me appreciated and basically how I can get started

I don't have any degree in teaching at all.. So I need to get my paper sorted out an visa, work permit so on but I don't know where to start?

[thesetat2013]

You can not reach legally without a license. To get a license you need to have a bachelors degree. Documents from the school and a contract. You need to have a TEFL if you are a native speaker and a TOEIC if you are not a native speaker. You will need a background check from police as I have been reading others posting about this. There is no way you could get all before your visa extension expires I think. The bureau for the license usually can only do it fast if you are there waiting. More from other poster might help

[jaylaai]

Thanks, But where do I start? Bachelors degree, how to get that? And and a TOEIC? Can I sort out the papers in a few days down I BKK?

Im gonne do my visa run in a month so I get a new non o, I have a child with a native

[cooked]

Oh dear. It takes three years of study to get a BSc. What you need is an ED visa to study to get TOEIC.

Googling ' Guide to living in Thailand and teaching English' might help.

[aarontendo]

OP will be fine, welcome aboard!

[Preacher]

Since when is a TEFL required? It might come in handy, as it does give you some proeparation to teach properly, but it is not an official requirement.

A TOIEC is a test one can take in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, it takes a half day and one gets the results in about 3 work days. But OP doesn't have a work permit, so can only take the test on certain days.

The problem is however remains that if you do not have a bachelor degree, you will not get a teaching license and thus no work permit. So you cannot teach legally. Unless it is a non-formal school, such as a tutoring/language school, than no license is required.

[jaylaai]

I was told that I needed to do a test in Bangkok, then I could apply for job.. The the school would supply my with the papers I needed to sort out my work permit at non b visa... Its not as easy as this at all?

[Preacher]

The test they refer to is probably the TOEIC and as said can easily be done.

But if it is a regular (elementary or secondary) school, it certainly is not as simple as that. You need at least to have a bachelor degree in any field in order to get a waiver of the teaching licence, giving you time to become a qualified teacher.

Your school might not be familiar with the current requirements.

[Paul944]

A child with a native

Those TV threads are getting funnier by the day.

Just ask mom and dad to send 15,000 baht a month and you will be doing fine in Isaan.

[jacky54]

OP will be fine, welcome aboard!

Yes welcome aboard the illegal, unqualified, wrongly motivated gang of 'teachers' wasting Schools and Students time by 'teaching' just to be able to stay in the country.

[Mencken]

Agreed Jacky, another degreeless, nnes drifter looking to stay in Thailand and for the Thai educational system to provide means and ways.

I'm beginning to hold the occasionally nes, barely degreed, lazy, moribund, here for all the wrong reasons warm body with even more disdain. Many should be charged with theft and fraud. Actually though, when I look at these persons, I think - why should I expect any different. I no longer wonder how they got through school. Bad school, ridiculous major, attended forever, graduated with 2.0 gpa.

[aarontendo]

Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

[Fookhaht]

Teaching license? Degree? TEFL? TOEIC?

Rubbish.

Go apply at Kalasin Rhajhabat University's English Dept. If you're a native speaker, and can keep their kids occupied with games and videos for three hours at a shot, you're in.

For kicks, have them make them make their own abominable-grammar English-language videos using scripts plagiarized from the Internet. Gives the illusion that they're really learning something. Seen it done.

Regularly, I see universities hiring warm bodies, native speakers, and with only a high school education.

No other qualifications.

Truly-qualified native speakers with a college degree in language arts are hard to find at the typical Thai university salary (around 30,000B with no benefits). Further, they are not under the same rules as elementary and high schools.

Helps if you're young & beautiful/handsome so you can be a poster boy/girl for their program.

Sounds like a cynical post, but it's 100% gospel truth.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Fookhaht

[Saan]

First learn to read, write and speak English properly. Then learn how to teach the subject - properly.

Or forget all that and do the kids a favour and find some other job. They are having enough problems with Thai English teachers who have skill similar to yours.

[TEFLKrabi]

I would suggest finding a short TEFL (teacher training course) just so that you really know what to do in the classroom and then get on with it. This is Isaan and not many English Teachers are qualified. Good Luck. Message me if you need some guidance on the teaching.

[asdecas]

The truth of the matter lies somewhere in the grey space between post #16 and post #17. Yes, with enough chutzpah and drive you can wing it and probably find a not-strictly-legal job teaching kids with your 90% English. It's also possible you have enough of a conscience that you want to do a good job by your students. There are plenty of superb, unqualified or barely-qualified teachers around the World, just as there are lots of over-qualified time-servers with little or no innate teaching ability.

[overherebc]

Thanks, But where do I start? Bachelors degree, how to get that? And and a TOEIC? Can I sort out the papers in a few days down I BKK?

Im gonne do my visa run in a month so I get a new non o, I have a child with a native

Hope you do find a job but please stop using I aint and I'm gonna.

Best of luck.

[Friendly Stranger]

This is a bit insincere, as ppl pay decent money to learn. If this is someone's way to extend their living here without the thought of being able to actually teach.

Not flaming you, but you've been here 2 yrs and you don't have contacts?

Go to ajarn and ask questions there, as you should get some good info there.

[williet98248]

Is this post for real?

[mrwebb8825]

this is a troll post, right? Why not take your vast fortune that allows you to live here and procreate and couple it with your nordic roots and open a Viking Tutorial Center? You could teach the local natives to sing and drink like vikings. Have personalized skullcaps made with those pointy horns and enter them in the dragon boat races. Don't bother yourself with all those trivial details about degrees, tests and actually being able to speak/type in correct English. Have some fun. You'll be the hit of the village and Lord of the Flies in no time.

[mcfish]

<snip> I was told that I needed to do a test in Bangkok, then I could apply for job.. The the school would supply my with the papers I needed to sort out my work permit at non b visa... Its not as easy as this at all?

< snip> I don't have any degree in teaching at all.. So I need to get my paper sorted out an visa, work permit so on but I don't know where to start?

Perhaps starting to learn proper English to be able to teach it?

he aint did nuffink wrong

[puukao]

When will these people worry about the damage done to the children!!!

Please don't teach these poor kids improper English, they will have a much harder time in life!!!

This is analagous to my cat teaching children how to swim!!! What happens when they must swim or die?????

I kid, I kid....just start a youtube channel and make millions!!!!! Add the vegan angle, that seems popular.

[sammygood]

step one, get a degree

step two, get a realtity check

[12DrinkMore]

step one, get a degree

step two, get a realtity check

I would reverse the order.

[fxe1200]

When will these people worry about the damage done to the children!!!

Please don't teach these poor kids improper English, they will have a much harder time in life!!!

This is analagous to my cat teaching children how to swim!!! What happens when they must swim or die?????

I kid, I kid....just start a youtube channel and make millions!!!!! Add the vegan angle, that seems popular.

...how about the Welsh and Scots teaching English?

[Fullstop]

If you are incapable of doing a little Googling/Research ... I seriously doubt you'd be capable of working as a teacher and researching/preparing lessons.

Give it it up. Become a diving instructor instead.

[Baerboxer]

When will these people worry about the damage done to the children!!!

Please don't teach these poor kids improper English, they will have a much harder time in life!!!

This is analagous to my cat teaching children how to swim!!! What happens when they must swim or die?????

I kid, I kid....just start a youtube channel and make millions!!!!! Add the vegan angle, that seems popular.

...how about the Welsh and Scots teaching English?

No different to the Americans, Australians, South Africans, and Canadians; and the different English regional accents.

The requirement is a degree level education, the ability to teach and subject matter knowledge.

Those who have none of the requirements and think anyone can teach and that they can do it in Thailand without ever having done it before demonstrate why they shouldn't be allowed to teach. No actual understanding of what's required.

Maybe the OP can volunteer at a temple school or local government school for a few weeks. He might have a different view then.

If you are a teacher, and you can't teach, and don't know your subject, you will be found out, usually quiet quickly.

Would a Norwegian without any previous teaching experience, no degree, no post graduate certificate in teaching, and not a native English speaker be allowed to teach English in a Norwegian school? Then, why should Thailand accept him?

Too many Western foreigners still think teaching here is an easy option for a visa, extension and some pocket money.

[crickets]

Just turn up to the school. If they like u they will hire u. Sort your visa out yourself and dont worry about the teacher licence or degree. No one really cares.

[lostinisaan]

If you are incapable of doing a little Googling/Research ... I seriously doubt you'd be capable of working as a teacher and researching/preparing lessons.

Give it it up. Become a diving instructor instead.

Maybe a driving instructor instead....

[lostinisaan]

<snip> I was told that I needed to do a test in Bangkok, then I could apply for job.. The the school would supply my with the papers I needed to sort out my work permit at non b visa... Its not as easy as this at all?

< snip> I don't have any degree in teaching at all.. So I need to get my paper sorted out an visa, work permit so on but I don't know where to start?

Perhaps starting to learn proper English to be able to teach it?

he aint did nuffink wrong

<snip? I aint got a clue on were to start..

Any suggestions on how to get a teacher license would me appreciated and basically how I can get started < snip end>

Aint gonna matter bro. He's got a native and after 10 big Viking beers, he's fluent in Thai. .