Thailand offers many options for teachers especially when it comes to teaching the English language. However, if you plan on doing so as a big career move, it would be wise to do your homework first and prep yourself up before you become an English teacher in Thailand.
To be able to work in Thailand as an official English teacher, you need to acquire a TEFL certificate. You will need this to get your teaching license and eventually, your work permit. A TEFL certificate also enables you to negotiate with salary adjustments as you begin choosing your employer. In addition, you should also seek to acquire a working Visa to avoid legality issues. You can already discuss this with your employer as you get hired.
As you begin to work in Thailand, another important thing you need to be conscious of is your actual pay. On the average, people in Thailand get about 30,000 baht as salary. If you are a foreigner, there's a tendency for you to pay at higher premiums so be aware of how much certain basic expenses really are. Be sensitive as well when it comes to discussing salary matters with your fellow teachers especially with the Thai natives. Though they may be working really hard or even more than you do, it wouldn't be good to let them know just how much different your pay is from them.
As you begin to deal with students, you will initially notice that it is fairly easy to get comfortable with Thai students since they are generally warm and accommodating. However, you should keep in mind that Thai students tend to become easily bored so you should inject as much fun as you can to keep your English classes informative yet interactive. Have more language practicing drills and be creative enough to incorporate them in different games. Equip yourself with the important factors in Thai culture so you can always pique the interests of your students.
You may also eventually observe that most Thai students tend to be shy especially when being asked to speak in English. They might just end up speaking in their native language as you set them up for drills and language games. You can counter these problems through gentle persuasion, as Thai people tend to be relatively on the sensitive side.
In addition, you may also find it very useful to learn the Thai language yourself as you stay there. After all, English is still the foreign language. This would also help bridge the gap between you and your students and also, this can benefit you greatly when your students opt to speak in Thai instead. This would help you keep track of their personal reactions and comments regarding your English classes. Your students may also call you either "ajarn" or "kru". Ajarn actually means professor in English although this is rarely used in the country. Meanwhile, kru simply means teacher and this might be the usual tag you may get from your students.
by Frank Collins
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