Jungles, beaches and the bustling metropolis that is Bangkok, Thailand has it all and if you’re ready to start your ESL teaching career, Thailand could be the perfect place to land your first teaching position!
There’s a great demand for English teachers in Thailand, especially since focus was brought to improving English across ASEAN nations and the recognition that Thailand had one of the lowest levels of English spoken despite it being amongst the top tourist destinations for travellers visiting from across the globe.
With its unique culture and traditions, world-class cuisine and the famous welcoming Thai smile, Thailand offers a wonderful standard of living for a fraction of the cost of what a similar quality of life in other parts of the world would be.
Getting Certified to Teach
Most English teacher roles require a teaching certification. This could be a TESOL, CELTA, DELTA TESL or TEFL so first let’s look at how these certifications differ and which one is right for you depending on who you’re aiming to teach once qualified.
TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
Typically used to teach English to non-native English speakers in native English speaking countries.
CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults)
A specific brand of TEFL training to teach adults only, awarded by the Cambridge English Assessment.
DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults)
Only available to teachers who already have at least one years teaching experience, awarded by the Cambridge English Assessment.
TESL (Teach English as a Second Language)
Intended for teachers in a native English speaking country to learners that are non-native English speakers.
TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language)
Intended for teachers in a non-native English speaking country to learners that are non-native English speakers.
The above terms can sometimes be used interchangeably but TEFL is the general term used to refer to teaching English. For those wanting to get into teaching children, a mix of both adults and children or just aren’t yet sure but would like to invest in a certification that many employers are ready to accept, a TEFL certification is likely the best option!
Choosing a TEFL Certification Provider
It’s easy to opt for an online certification and think that rushing through the modules or skipping to the test section is a good enough option and for some teaching positions, it might be. One of my coworkers had managed to land a job at a language institute with an online teaching certificate he had speeded through the night before he flew out to start the job but I wouldn’t advise this.
This approach can limit your teaching opportunities because some employers specify that they want their teachers to possess a 120 hour TEFL certificate or that certification should be obtained in person, classroom based.
TEFL Heaven is one TEFL certification provider that offers 120 hour classroom-based certification. They started in Thailand and quickly spread to offer their teacher training programs in Europe, Central and South America as well as a range of countries throughout Asia.
The great thing about TEFL Heaven is that they provide trainee teachers with not only a certificate to qualify them to teach but their programs include accommodation at beautiful resorts for the duration of the training as well as provide support for landing teacher’s their first teaching position once qualified. In addition, their programs are fun and offer lots of free time to explore the local area and get to know fellow classmates and trainers better.
They offer the personal touch with airport pick up, accommodation recommendations and group coach travel to the training resort if required. When I landed in Bangkok, I was met at the airport by the same trainer that I had my first meal in Thailand with, who then travelled with our group to Krabi and stayed with us for the full three weeks of training.
The training consists of full days. We would usually have breakfast around eight o’clock before heading into the classroom at our resort. We’d cover different topics including classroom management, teaching methods and even learnt more about the culture and Thai language.
Sure different trainers have different teaching styles but our program was heavily orientated around games. The trainers would include as many games as possible that could be later used during lessons with real students.
Unfortunately the classroom lacked air conditioning which meant it was extremely hot and had hard flooring. I remember bruised knees and one of the trainees commenting on how she had no idea knees could sweat until now.
Evenings and weekends are usually spent relaxing at the resort pool or the nearby beach, going out and exploring the local area together and completing the occasional written assignment as part of the TEFL certification.
Once you’re qualified, TEFL Heaven assists in finding a suitable teaching job if desired, which often comes with accommodation or a recommendation of where to find nearby housing. There are teaching positions in various cities and communities across Thailand. This route is a great way to be introduced to the lesser known areas of the country and take the stress out of having to secure a teaching position in a foreign country.
When You’re Ready To Go It Alone
Once feeling confident, there are many jobs advertised on Facebook groups such as “Teaching Jobs in Thailand”. Often, when a job comes easily, the pay isn’t great. Lots of advertised teaching positions in Thailand are through agencies and they take a cut out of teacher’s salaries each month.
Of course, it depends on the agent and the school they are hiring for what that salary may be but say the agent offers 30,000 Thai baht, or around 600 British pounds – yes, depending on individual lifestyle, it is possible to live on that in Thailand but it’s not ideal if the plan is to save to travel or leave Thailand eventually.
Some agencies don’t deliver what they promise and although they take a cut out of teacher wages, they have no intention of processing visas or ensuring their teachers are legally working in Thailand.
Upon deciding that Thailand is now “home”, indefinitely, or at least for a while, then it makes sense to look into securing a teaching job directly with a school. The best way to do this is to decide where to live and start walking into local schools with a resume in hand.
Schools can hire at any time of year as teachers leave all the time but it’s best to get in early ahead of the new academic year or semester to be in with a chance of landing an ideal role. Having said that, there could be times later in the year when the semester has started but certain classes are left without teachers – these can be good opportunities to negotiate a higher salary.
Without an agent and depending on the school and the age of students, kindergarten typically being better paid, it’s easy to double the salary that was initially offered with a job through the TEFL provider. When it comes to teaching English, there really is a world of opportunity, with the possibility to teach English in every country.
Teaching English can be a fantastic way to see the world, living and working in local communities, or even working remotely by delivering English lessons online. Not to mention the satisfaction gained through providing additional opportunities to students who wouldn’t benefit from those same opportunities had they not gotten the chance to practise English!