Annu Nair Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 (edited) After obtaining a Celta, I tried to get a job in Thailand as an English teacher for roughly six months but I couldn't because of competition from native speakers of English. It is a sad reality. Maybe I was just plain down on my luck as I am sure there were plenty teachers working in Thailand who were non-native speakers of English. I guess they are socially well-placed. I was on my own. I am yearning to go back to Thailand. It will do me a ton of good if an angel out there who is reading this -- does not matter if s/he is a native speaker of English, ha -- for a change tells me if there are other jobs I can to look at. I am currently working in sales in India. Edited July 28, 2017 by Annu Nair For visibility Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Hi, I was willing to work for just food and accommodation but I did not say as much during my interviews at the places where I applied for a teaching assignment. I thought it would be demeaning myself as a teacher to do so and would tantamount to showing disrespect to the profession and the school as well if I chose to put it that way . But I honestly think I did not have any other expectations. Was I being unrealistic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 NB: I do not begrudge the competition nor hold any ill-will against the native speakers of English. If instead of the 150 years of the British Raj in India , had we been ruled by the Arabs, I am sure we would be speaking Arabic now as fluently as the Sheikhs of Saudi Arabia and I would be chancing my arm in Dubai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Apologies for putting these up in the wrong place. Thanks for putting me right on that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonray Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 What types of schools have tried ? Public/Private/International ? Locations within Thailand ? How do you present yourself ? Age, mode of dress (conservative, modern, etc) ? Accent ? Very noticeable or not at all ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, tonray said: Thanks tonray for your response! Appreciate it. Below are my answers to your questions. What types of schools have tried ? Public/Private/International ? Locations within Thailand ? I had applied to private schools in Thailand, and visited Tefl/Celta training institutes in Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok. All accepted my application attached with my video and audio files and never got back to me :'-( How do you present yourself ? I like to appear formal and friendly. One could tell I was some kind of instructor a mile away. Where I took the Celta certification, they had included a session of how to appear for interviews. Age, mode of dress (conservative, modern, etc) ? I am 38. I dress appropriately for a teacher. In my personal life too I am in formal casuals! I sell insurance in my own time! :-) Accent ? Very noticeable or not at all ? I speak clearly betraying a thorough understanding of RP. I do not believe in putting on an accent. Hope this helps. Thanks. Quote Edited July 28, 2017 by Annu Nair clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 (edited) Hi, Can someone please tell me if teachers of English who are non-natives are no longer acceptable in Thailand? I am planning to visit Thailand to try my luck again. Anybody with a large heart can give me tips on how I can better my chances of landing a job, Thanks! Edited July 28, 2017 by Annu Nair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubuzz Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 You didn't mention your nationality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 1 minute ago, stubuzz said: You didn't mention your nationality. I am an Indian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonray Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 (edited) You should be able to find any teaching position. If you cannot direct hire from a school you most certainly can work thru an agency. Try ajarn.com Edited July 28, 2017 by Scott Direct link edited out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 9 hours ago, tonray said: You should be able to find any teaching position. If you cannot direct hire from a school you most certainly can work thru an agency. Try I read somewhere that ajarn was closed. Hey, thanks for the recommend, appreciated! I can see it's a lovely website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewsterbudgen Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 I read somewhere that ajarn was closed. Hey, thanks for the recommend, appreciated! I can see it's a lovely website.The Forum closed but the website for jobseekers is still running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Thanks and God bless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonray Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 5 minutes ago, Annu Nair said: I read somewhere that ajarn was closed. Hey, thanks for the recommend, appreciated! I can see it's a lovely website. There was a forum for teachers closed but this is the main teaching jobs site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 I did hiring for several schools and there is a lot of discrimination against people from India. I am surprised with a CELTA that you would have trouble. It seems that this past year it was very, very difficult to fill a lot of the positions with Native Speakers. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 10 hours ago, Scott said: I did hiring for several schools and there is a lot of discrimination against people from India. I am surprised with a CELTA that you would have trouble. It seems that this past year it was very, very difficult to fill a lot of the positions with Native Speakers. Best of luck. Hi Scott, I have not been able to visit Thailand this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 10 hours ago, Scott said: I did hiring for several schools and there is a lot of discrimination against people from India. I am surprised with a CELTA that you would have trouble. It seems that this past year it was very, very difficult to fill a lot of the positions with Native Speakers. Best of luck. Why is there a discrimination against people from India? Any tips for improvement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 I am not sure. It's harder if you are not a native speaker to begin with. Be as deferential as possible. Don't argue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 I have all but given up on becoming a teacher of English. I am working in tourism sales in Kochi, Kerala and sometimes double up as a guide cum cab driver and it gives me the satisfaction of using my English language skills with foreign tourists. Welcome to Kerala, to God's Own Country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j8k Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 I always struggle to understand Indians, even the ones who live in the UK. Not surprised you struggled. Thai's are also racist against dark skin, probably didn't help you either. Finally Teaching English is a losers job. You had a lucky escape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otherstuff1957 Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I have worked with a few Indians, but they were not English teachers. They were usually hired to teach Science, Math, IT or other subjects. With the growing number of EP programs, subject teachers, especially Math and Science, are greatly in demand. If you can teach another subject in English, schools would probably be much more interested in you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 On 7/30/2017 at 10:59 AM, otherstuff1957 said: I have worked with a few Indians, but they were not English teachers. They were usually hired to teach Science, Math, IT or other subjects. With the growing number of EP programs, subject teachers, especially Math and Science, are greatly in demand. If you can teach another subject in English, schools would probably be much more interested in you. Thanks., hmm, I can teach Hindi and Sanskrit maybe but there wont be anybody interested in learning them. I have received some encouraging responses from schools in Japan, from places I had not heard of before. But I will miss the life in Thailand for sure. Have received one email from an American who wants to know if I can teach him Sanskrit in Cambodia but I am waiting for the election dust to settle there. Peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annu Nair Posted July 31, 2017 Author Share Posted July 31, 2017 (edited) On 7/29/2017 at 4:11 PM, j8k said: I always struggle to understand Indians, even the ones who live in the UK. Not surprised you struggled. Thai's are also racist against dark skin, probably didn't help you either. Finally Teaching English is a losers job. You had a lucky escape. Racism is a strong word, buddy. Not that I havent faced something like that in India so wont be much different if it happens to me elsewhere as long as they dont physically hurt me. The Thais might not be comfortable dealing with you unless you speak spiffing fluent Thai but they have always been good to me. They havent been able to give me a job but that's okay. Why do you say teaching English is a loser's job? Edited July 31, 2017 by Annu Nair clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted August 2, 2017 Share Posted August 2, 2017 The OP has been removed from the board, so this topic will be closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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