Mon, 21 May 2012 02:42:29 -0800WeeblyTue, 15 May 2012 02:16:28 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2012/05/teaching-practice-at-the-baan-maha-mek-orphanage-bangkok-course-april-2012.htmlThe World TEFL Association/TAT would firstly, like to thank everyone involved at making the camp at Baan Maha Mek Orphanage a great experience and are proud to forward on the sincere thanks and appreciation given by Mother Paa, Mother Tung and all the staff and children at Baan Maha Mek.

Teach Abroad Thailand (TAT) have a policy of doing most of their teaching practices at Thai government schools or schools and foundations that can not afford to employ native english speaking teachers.

The Bangkok course is no exception and this year during the April 2012 (songkran) school holidays the TAT team ran an English camp at Baan Maha Mek an orphanage institute that provides care for boys from the age of 4 to 18 who have been abandoned by their parents, severed by disease, disabled or incarcerated.

The children at Baan Maha Mek have had some experiences with foreign volunteers but had never had an English camp at their home so it was a wonderful opportunity for the TAT teachers/students to set up structured lessons, arts and crafts activities, sports activities but most importantly have fun and interact with all the children.

The Camp ran over three days and was an absolute success providing memories that all TAT teachers and students will cherish. Three of the Bangkok course students Colin Hastie, Desiree Ogilvie and Ben Hayles actually went to the famous MBK shopping mall to buy and supply their 30 students with fantastic brand name t-shirts to give a personal thanks on top the schooling equipment donated by the World TEFL association.

The camp was ended by chaotic water balloon games which was welcomed by teachers and students alike due to the very hot April temperatures with new TEFL teacher Colin Hastie being given the "wettest of the day" award at the end!! Here are a few words from Colin and other students on their experiences doing these teaching practices!!

"I have just completed a very intensive TEFL course under the guidance of Leon King and first class instruction from Damian Leah. I found this course to be both challenging and rewarding. The second week involved Teaching Practices at a Bangkok Boys' Orphanage, BAAN MAHA MEK; the absolute highlight to the course.

At first I thought "in the deep end", but as the week progressed, I understood that this experience was "priceless". The boys were so excited to have western teachers come to see them; this showed in their everlasting smiles as we taught them some new words and became involved in their lives. So, Leon......well done for giving us this unique opportunity to be a part of these boys learning experience. Hats off to you and your organisation."
***Colin Hastie - New Zealand, Bangkok Course, April 2012****

World TEFL Association would like to thank everyone involved at making the camp at Baan Maha Mek Orphanage a great experience and are proud to forward on the sincere thanks and appreciation given by Mother Paa, Mother Tung and all the staff and children at Baan Maha Mek.]]>Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:14:02 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2012/03/-how-to-spot-a-tefl-scam.html   Being scammed is the number one concern for our students and prospects. Even those who traveled to Thailand said they half expected no-one to be there when they arrived at the training center or hotel!!

 It's certainly normal to be skeptical these days, especially with so much bad publicity about online rip-offs, but is this deep rooted fear really justified? I have never actually heard of any TEFL scam in over 10 years! I mean where someone takes the money and runs away without providing any service. It's pretty difficult these days to get in front of potential customers with just a website and zero marketing investment. It costs a FORTUNE to advertise online these days, even now on Facebook, and only serious bidders are able to do this.

 The same applies to cowboy operations but the great thing about people leaving feedback on Facebook, it can force dodgy training organizations out of business.

 The truth is, any dodgy TEFL provider will be hard to spot at first, but here are "5 Things You MUST Check" to ensure you are dealing with a reputable TEFL organization.

1. Make all payments via PayPal or your Credit Card. This way your money is secure and you are guaranteed to get it back should the organization disappear or go out of business. PayPal offers you the best protection for making online payments.

2. Make sure the TEFL/TESOL course is moderated or accredited by one of three global organizations; Cambridge ESOL, Trinity College or the World TEFL Association. 

3. Join the company's Facebook page and speak to previous customers.

4. Make sure the organization has at least 10 or more lengthy testimonials on their website. 2-3 short testimonials cannot be trusted.

5. Make sure you have the organization's office address and phone number. When you call, does anyone answer the phone? Can they speak English? You would be surprised! This gives you a sense of how responsive they will be whenever you need assistance.

So do some research and relax. You have much, more to gain by being adventurous than staying at home! Start here now>
]]>Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:59:28 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2011/07/thai-elections-pass-peacefully.htmlGood news!

Despite fears of political upheaval and street protests, Thailand's elections passed peacefully on Sunday. The country's opposition party 'Puea Thai' (For Thais) won a landslide election victory. The size of Puea Thai's victory could usher in much-needed political stability after six years of sporadic unrest.

Yingluck Shinawatra's party won a clear majority of parliament's 500 seats, paving the way for the 44-year-old business executive to become Thailand's first woman prime minister!

Let's hope for some stability for this wonderful country!
]]>Thu, 09 Jun 2011 01:13:44 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2011/06/the-most-common-jobs-in-efl-teaching-in-thailand-working-hours-rates-of-pay-class-sizes.htmlWe consistently get asked about what kind of teaching jobs are available in Thailand. The truth is that although there is quite a variety of work, there are only two main categories that make up the bulk of the available teaching jobs in Thailand.

It's not uncommon for a new TEFL graduates to get chatty with a hotel receptionist and end up teaching the backroom admin staff 2-4 hours per week! Teaching opportunities are everywhere in Thailand but most people usually end up in a Government or Private language school.

Government Schools:
In these schools you are directly working for a Thai Government school. With the exception of those that run English programs, you can expect to be teaching very large class sizes (40-60 students). This can prove very daunting for new teachers because most Thai Government schools do not have any Western management and many teachers can often feel under supported. This can vary from school to school.

The teaching hours are often quite ideal. They are your typical 40 hour work week, with the day starting with a flag raising ceremony at 8:00 and your day ending at 4:00. The holidays are quite good as the students are no t in school for approx. 3 months of the year.

The age range of the students varies depending if you are working in a High School (Mathyom) or an Elementary School (Prathom) or a Kindergarten (Anuban).

The average pay for Government Schools (variable depending on location) is approx. 30,000 – 40,000 Baht. You can expect higher pay if you have more experience.

Summary:
Pros: Many holidays,  good pay,  good hours.
Cons: Communication with senior staff can be an issue, rarely support with housing (allowance generally given), general lack of support, too many students in class.

Private Language Schools:
These Language Schools are addressing the continually growing desire of Thai parents to have their children speak fluent English. Language schools hold classes after school classes and at the weekend. They often have a wide variety of clients ranging from kindergarten to adults, basically giving extra lessons to anyone who is interested in learning more English.

These schools have much smaller class sizes than most government schools. where the class sizes are  4 to 12 depending on how many turn up. You will also have your fair number of 1 on 1 lessons. This can result in a real feeling of accomplishment for a teacher as you have the opportunity to see dramatic improvement in your students.

Some private language schools also serve as feeder schools for government schools and the teachers are contracted out. This can result in a split shift, with teachers working both morning and evening classes. The hours can be less than ideal.

The average wage for private language school teachers in Bangkok is 30,000-45,000, depending on hours worked, and less in other parts if Thailand.

Language schools tend to have Western, English speaking management and offer a lot of support. Many times they will provide you with housing and generally provide a ‘staff team’ atmosphere. For first time teachers this can prove to be the best option for your first year.

Summary:
Pros: Lots of support, wide variety of students, housing, smaller class sizes, western management,
Cons: Split shifts, Evening and Weekend work.

This is a basic overview of the most common jobs available in Thailand. Hopefully it can help you decide which kinds of jobs you would prefer to apply for!! ]]>Tue, 07 Jun 2011 05:25:52 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2011/06/new-visa-rules-mean-new-loopholes.htmlAs long as the authorities continue to come up with silly rules, there will always be people willing to exploit loopholes.

It's become more difficult recently to obtain the NIB business visa in the USA and Australia. The Thai consulates there are asking to see an employment contract before issuing a visa! Trouble is most employers will not issue a contract until they meet the teacher in person!!

Many private language schools are now employing 'Consultants' instead of teachers to dodge yet another unworkable regulation! ]]>Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:59:16 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2011/03/its-official-no-degree-required-to-teach-in-thailanddepending-on-who-you-speak-to.htmlThe single biggest question we get asked is "Do I need a BA degree to teach in Thailand"?

Like all things in Thailand, you'll get 10 different answers from 10 different people so we decided to put the question to the The Teachers Council of Thailand. Guess what? We got 5 different answers from the 5 people we spoke to!

We did manage to get a general consensus though and here it is:

Foreign Teachers must have a BA degree in any subject and are required to take a 20 hour Thai culture  course-( 3 Days) -during their teaching contract year, in order to qualify a work permit to teach in Thailand.

A TEFL certificate is not required by the TCT but is normally requested by employers.

We asked if there are any exceptions to these rules and the answer was:

If a teacher has 2 years teaching experience they may be considered for a work permit without having a BA Degree.

If there is a shortage of teachers in a particular area, the TCT may accept non degree teachers at their discretion, if the teacher is sponsored by a local school.

(I should add: and happens to know one of the officers in the local labor department)

One of our agents in the South of Thailand is looking for teachers with or without a BA degree to start in May and October this year. You must have a TEFL and there are just 12 places available so contact us for more information. ]]>Wed, 09 Mar 2011 04:07:20 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2011/03/teach-abroad-thailand-scam-review.htmlWe noticed a few posts appearing online recently by a rogue blogger who claims we are a scam outfit and our TEFL certificates are not accredited!

We were very concerned because we have no outstanding complaints with any customers and we have no record of anyone by the name of Mr Cole attending our course.

We have been running TEFL courses in Thailand since 2003 and have never had any negative posts written about us since! It is our company policy to compensate anyone who is unhappy with our services.

Every now and again it happens! Someone doesn't get picked up from the airport, has a bad time, hates the food, cockroach in the bathroom etc, but they ALWAYS let us know and we can deal with any complaints amicably. We make sure every student walks away happy regardless!

We suspected the post was made by a competitor in a bid to defame and injure our reputation. The post is completely false, misleading and distorted in every detail. Thankfully the Complaints Board agreed with our findings and they removed the post.

Such is the TEFL business in Thailand. How sad!
]]>Mon, 24 Jan 2011 05:51:25 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2011/01/koh-samui-tefl-course-january-2011.htmlWe have just wrapped up an amazing course on a beautiful island with nine wonderful teachers in training (now Teach Abroad Thailand TEFL certified teachers!!). The weather co-operated, only raining on ‘in the classroom’ days, staying beautifully sunny for the weekends and offering up that precious bit of cloud cover for the sporting activity days on site at the Thai schools.

    The teaching days were a great success. Some of the students were even crying as they said good bye to the our teachers in training. It was moving to see our group in training having such a wonderful impact in such a short period of time.  Lamai school even gave each of our teachers a sea shell mobile as a thank you gift, and one Thai student took the time to hand make a thank you card for each of them. (“When you no here, I miss you!” Direct adorable quote.)

    The teachers made good use of their weekends, they took part in cabaret shows (Spicy!), did motorbike tours of the island, had interesting sing alongs, rode on elephants, visited waterfalls and even made it to a Full Moon Party (I heard something about a flaming skipping rope! ). A few of them even managed to hold a short conversation in Thai after having their Thai lessons!  Most importantly they also spent the time making excellent production activities for the students which were very well received.

    The course was very enjoyable and it was great to have such excited, dedicated, creative and enthusiastic people!! Your future students will be very happy to have you, and that is really what Teach Abroad Thailand is about!

Victoria Biggs - Program Manager
]]>Mon, 25 Oct 2010 08:37:26 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2010/10/dont-let-anyone-steal-your-dream.htmlMost people never leave home for any more than a few weeks in their entire life. But when you do leave for 6 months or more, you break through a massive psychological barrier. You hit the BIG reset button!

You truly detach yourself from everything that's been holding you back in your life. You become more confident, self assured. You gain a new perspective on life and suddenly, you really believe anything is possible!

Those who never travel will, sadly, never understand this.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Why not take this first step towards a bright new future? Discover the land of amazing grace and beauty and experience a whole new way of life.
 
Take this opportunity NOW before you end up stuck in a boring 9-5 rat race...... ...because once that happens, your dream will be lost forever!
www.teachabroadthailand.com/dates--fees.html

To your adventure!
]]>Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0800http://www.teachabroadthailand.com/1/post/2010/10/teaching-in-thailand-without-a-ba-degree.htmlIf you ask this question to 10 different people you will get ten different answers.

The official line is that you cannot get a work permit if you don't have a BA degree however there are plenty of schools and agencies who seem to have no problem getting their teachers legal, whether they have a BA degree or not!

The truth is that it depends on your schools relationship with the MoE. Some schools have no problem getting work permits for their teachers and for others it's a nightmare.

If you’re looking for some hard, fast rule to this whole process then forget it. This is Thailand. If you're the type who wants everything to be 100% above board, then you're better going to another country.

Contrary to popular belief, the MoE do NOT check the validity of degrees as they simply don’t have the manpower. The responsibility of checking all certificates falls on the shoulders of the employer. You do however need to show original copies to the MoE.

If you come with a BA degree, it will certainly make things much easier.


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