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plaidsandwich
Joined: 11 Jan 2013
Posts: 14
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 Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 2:52 am Post subject: Requesting information on teacher training |
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Hello and thank you for any advice you can give me.
I will arrive in Thailand in early May. I am a 44 year old American and native English speaker with a Bachelor's Degree. Since I have no real previous teaching experience, I thought it would be best to go through a training and certification program there in Thailand after I arrive. I understand that there are schools south in Phuket that are good for people such as myself who do not want to stay in Bangkok. I have also read in this forum that the CELTA certification is preferable to the TEFL, presumably because it is more highly regarded internationally. My questions are as follows:
1. Since I am on a shoestring budget, just how important is that training and certification? From what I have read it seems as though it is not difficult to find a job without it. Does that apply to someone like me with no teaching experience?
2. Can you name some reputable training courses in Phuket or if not there then elsewhere, preferably outside of Bangkok?
3. Can anyone link me to a good post thoroughly explaining the whole visa process for someone in my situation?
4. Is there general consensus concerning the CELTA over TEFL thing?
Please feel free to provide any other advice you think might be essential or particularly helpful for someone like me.
Thank you so much for your help!
-david h |
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plaidsandwich
Joined: 11 Jan 2013
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:01 pm Post subject: A Couple of Additional Questions |
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Hello again
I am looking at the ITTT school in Phuket. The cost appears to be about US$ 1600. Apparently this does not include housing (US $250).
A. Has anyone here attended this school? If so, do you recommend it? Of do you or others have an alternative recommendation?
B. Is the housing option a good deal or can I save money and live better seeking housing on my own?
Once again, much thanks for any and all help.
Cheers.
-david h |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Since you have no teaching experience at all you should consider getting some kind of certificate TEFL, CELTA or TESOL. It will give you teaching experience which you really need. You might try UECThai in Bangkok. They teach TESOL. I think TESOL is the most comprehensive program for learning to teach English in foreign places. They charge about 1400 US. If you don't have the money for this, I really would wait. You will get a job without any of these certificates anyway and you can get them later. Don't jeopardize your money situation when you're in Thailand. |
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plaidsandwich
Joined: 11 Jan 2013
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you, Nut! I am thinking the same thing. I can barely afford it but I think it's worth it.
Thanks again for your input.
Cheers.
-david |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:20 am Post subject: Re: A Couple of Additional Questions |
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| plaidsandwich wrote: |
Hello again
I am looking at the ITTT school in Phuket. The cost appears to be about US$ 1600. Apparently this does not include housing (US $250).
A. Has anyone here attended this school? If so, do you recommend it? Of do you or others have an alternative recommendation?
B. Is the housing option a good deal or can I save money and live better seeking housing on my own?
Once again, much thanks for any and all help.
Cheers.
-david h |
A real CELTA is 1700 ($2100 with room etc).
ITTT is a cheap program based out of the States, better known for it's "$169 on-line programs", run in Thailand (so they can't be held accountable in the States) and is best known for their "discount" prices and matching quality (they have recently changed their name for said reason and haven't changed anything else).
CAVEAT EMPTOR.
| plaidsandwich wrote: |
1. Since I am on a shoestring budget, just how important is that training and certification? From what I have read it seems as though it is not difficult to find a job without it. Does that apply to someone like me with no teaching experience?
2. Can you name some reputable training courses in Phuket or if not there then elsewhere, preferably outside of Bangkok?
3. Can anyone link me to a good post thoroughly explaining the whole visa process for someone in my situation?
4. Is there general consensus concerning the CELTA over TEFL thing? |
1) If you have your original degree, a university issued transcript and a US passport and are here in May you will find a job. The TEFL/TESOL/TESL cert is a "great to have" when you get dumped into a class of 55 kids and told to "teach" but it is not a job or visa requirement.
2) CELTA, CELTA or CELTA. Why go for something less when the cost difference is only about $100-200?
3) IF you are doing things by the book.
-arrive on a double entry tourist visa.
-find a job.
-get the paperwork done.
-go to immigration in BKK and change your status to non-b.
(good for 90 more days).
-school applies for your work permit.
-return to your local immgiration office and extend your non-b to match your contract / work permit end date (max of 1 year).
-enjoy work.
IF not:
-Get a double entry tourist visa.
-get a job.
-end of 60-days, extend your entry by 30 days.
-make a run to the nearest border.
-return for 60 days.
-extend again for 30 more.
-total time in country = 6 months.
-repeat again for 6 months more.
Stay away from the south (Phuket is expensive and jobs pay crap).
Further south and you are a prime target for the Jihadists.
Stay away from the beaches and other "PRIME" tourist destinations. Lots (thousands) of young tourists trying to extent their stay in the tropics and they will work for peanuts to do so.
Go to BKK (the burbs are great to work in and the beaches are only a couple hours away).
Go north, east or west. Same story and cities like Chang Mai and BKK are within easy reach for your expat fix. Salaries are decent, cost of living is low and you won't be treated like a (s)expat.
4) Yes. CELTA, Trinity cert TESOL, SIT cert TESOL. Everything else gets compared to those 3.
With a CELTA you can also begin the process of working toward becoming a Cambridge tester (work for a center that offers the Cambridge ESOL tests (YLE, KET, PET, FCE, CAE, IELTS).
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plaidsandwich
Joined: 11 Jan 2013
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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This is exactly the kind of reply I was hoping very. Perfect! Thank you so much, tttompatz, for taking the time to write such a detailed response explaining your reasoning. It all sounds like solid advice and I intend to put it to good use.
Do you (or anyone else reading this) have any specific recommendations then on a CELTA program? Based on your warnings about the south, I am thinking Chang Mail would be my next preference. However, the suburbs of BKK would be fine too if only for the month of training and really I am open to any area that is recommended. I haven't figured out how to determine which schools are the better ones besides just asking around on this website and bumbling around the internet reading random posts. I don't suppose there is a list that the Ministry of Education keeps or a popular website where the schools have been systematically rated?
Anyway, I feel like I have the information I need now and can proceed with much better of an idea of what I'm doing. Again, you've been most helpful and I thank you heartily!
Cheers and blessings. 
-david h |
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plaidsandwich
Joined: 11 Jan 2013
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:17 pm Post subject: Re: A Couple of Additional Questions |
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| tttompatz wrote: |
3) IF you are doing things by the book.
-arrive on a double entry tourist visa.
-find a job.
-get the paperwork done.
-go to immigration in BKK and change your status to non-b.
(good for 90 more days).
-school applies for your work permit.
-return to your local immgiration office and extend your non-b to match your contract / work permit end date (max of 1 year).
-enjoy work. |
I am just a bit confused by some of the above. From what I understand, you are saying to find a job upon arrival, but a couple of steps down you indicated that my school will apply for a work permit. When you wrote "find a job" after arriving, did you mean to write "find a school"?
Thanks for clarifying this for me.
Once more, thank you.
-david |
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plaidsandwich
Joined: 11 Jan 2013
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Perhaps what you mean is that I can find a job even before I go to school to earn my CELTA that will be there waiting for me at the end of my month training. Is this correct? |
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tttompatz
Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 8:57 pm Post subject: Re: A Couple of Additional Questions |
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| plaidsandwich wrote: |
| tttompatz wrote: |
3) IF you are doing things by the book.
-arrive on a double entry tourist visa.
-find a job.
-get the paperwork done.
-go to immigration in BKK and change your status to non-b.
(good for 90 more days).
-school applies for your work permit.
-return to your local immgiration office and extend your non-b to match your contract / work permit end date (max of 1 year).
-enjoy work. |
I am just a bit confused by some of the above. From what I understand, you are saying to find a job upon arrival, but a couple of steps down you indicated that my school will apply for a work permit. When you wrote "find a job" after arriving, did you mean to write "find a school"?
Thanks for clarifying this for me.
Once more, thank you.
-david |
Find a job does mean find a job. Not all teaching jobs are in schools.
You can get work in a public school, private school, in a language academy (not a school) or with an agency who will send you to a school or schools.
| plaidsandwich wrote: |
| Perhaps what you mean is that I can find a job even before I go to school to earn my CELTA that will be there waiting for me at the end of my month training. Is this correct? |
You don't need a CELTA to find a job.
You don't need a CELTA to get a visa or work permit.
If you are short of funds or have bad timing then get a job first and do the CELTA during the school's vacation periods.
The time to look for work is from April 17-May 14. After that you get what is left since the school term starts on May 16 and most schools will want their "foreign teacher" under contract and in place by May 1.
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plaidsandwich
Joined: 11 Jan 2013
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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I see. Well, I was hoping to go through the training first before working since I have no previous teaching training or experience. I guess it will depend on how much more money I can scrape together before I get there. If I have enough then I would like to go through the training first even if I have to wait until the next hiring season to get a good job.
It's good to know that I have options, though. If needed I will just get a job right away and learn through trial by fire!
Thanks for all the input.
-d |
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