Job Discussion Forums

TexasKelly · Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 6 Location: United States

From the other posts it looks like the best time of year to go is September. Can I go in Spring time like March/April and get a job?

I don't have any training. The only experience I have is volunteer work tutoring refugee children and I taught one community ESL class. should I sign up for a class when I get there or can I just get a job? How much should I expect to pay for the class?

How long will it take me to get a job? How much money should I plan on spending before receiving a paycheck?

Where do I go to get a visa? I am in the US. I am new to this whole process and it is overwhelming.

Thank you so much for all your help.

Bangkok Hound · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 66 Location: Bangkok

The first semester of the school year begins in mid-May, so April (after Songkran) is a good time to start looking for a job.

I took a TEFL course and am glad I did. I learned a lot. You'll easily get a job without one though, especially at gov't schools. I think the going rate is still $1200-$1500 or so.

Assuming you are half-way presentable and have a degree (you don't mention this) you could get a job your first day of looking. Its best to be a little picky though.

How much will you spend before getting paid? You'll need an apartment (close to your school) so probably 2 months deposit and first month's rent, utilities, etc. I'd recommend at least 80,000 baht. The more you have, the more picky you can be in choosing a job.

If you sign up for a TEFL course they should help you get a muliti-entry Non-B visa. Otherwise a tourist visa is probably the best you can hope for. Get it in the U.S. before you leave.

TexasKelly · Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 6 Location: United States

Thank you for all your advice. i have a bachelor and masters degree in social work since you asked.

Mark100 · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 441

Why don't you get qualified by doing a TEFL training course?

Do you think it is fair to inflict yourself on students without any training or qualifications?

renzobenzo1 · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 85

Mark100 · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 441

TexasKelly · Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 6 Location: United States

thank you for the feedback.

It is not that I am opposed to taking a course, but I don't know if it will be useful or not. this disscussion forum also seems to go back and forth whether a course is necessary and if the course should be taken in the US before I come or when I get to Thailand.

I am not totally untrained. I have some training from the Peace Corps. I also have training from volunteering and before I taught an adult ESL course there was a day of training. I never think that more training is a bad thing, but I just would like to do the thing that makes the most sense.

Thanks again.

JamesDavid4th · Joined: 18 Jan 2008 Posts: 20 Location: Rayong, Thailand

i too am from Texas. Dallas. best of luck to you

BTSskytrain · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 45

Texas,

BA and MA in social working? trust me, you're more than qualified. the bottom line is that wherever you work you'll be using an established curriculum that will guide you through the lessons. IMO, having a TOEFL cert. certainly can be helpful but it's not necessary. i know guys in bangkok working without a TOEFL cert.

the important thing is that you are confident in your teaching ability and the only way to do this is to get into the classroom and just do it.

if teaching overseas is something you'd like to do long term, then i would recommend that you look into getting fully certified as a teacher. with a state issued teaching cert. you can easily find positions at international schools throughout the world. can you imagine earning 100,000 baht (approx. $3000.00 USD) or more per month in thailand teaching school? you'd live like a king or queen and still be able to save a ton of money. it's very possible but you need to be a certified teacher to get these kinds of positions. and honestly, teaching ESL in thailand at some english academy or public school earning peanuts doesn't make for a happy camper, unless living paycheck to paycheck is your idea of a happy camper.

good luck.

Mark100 · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 441

TexasKelly · Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 6 Location: United States

i went on arjan.com and it is very helpful. i am thinking of leaving the states at begining of May because I was told April is the only time not to look for a job. I appreciate the suggestion of going thru a teaching program here, but I already have two degrees and do not want to go thru another one. My original plan was to go international with my soical work degree which I was told was easy and I could get a great job, but it is not that easy so now I would rather take a few years off from social work and work as teacher just to have the international experience that I want in my life.

I am still undecided about whether to get a TEFL certification or not, but I have a little time to decide and I have looked and there are programs around where i live (Baltimore/DC).

thanks again for all the helpful feedback.

Extraordinary Rendition · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:25 pm Post subject:

I taught EFL/ESL for over three years before doing my CELTA. Did it improve me as a teacher? A resounding "yes"! As one of my trainers put it, he had done the same thing, and the training helps everything "coalesce". It also exposes you to a variety of techniques, feedback on your teaching, and the concepts of peer observation and reflection that are often all too lacking in the daily grind of work. It will also give you confidence, and I repeat, a repetoire of valuable techniques. Frankly, I now wonder what I was doing in the first couple of years...

But, if you want to teach rugrats at an International School, you're not likely to get much help from a CELTA/Trinity/SIT. The above poster's advice about certified teacher's status and the concomittant training is right on target, or the CTEYL, or whatever they call it nowadays, from the CELTA people, UCLES (or equivalent training), if you want to do it on the quick.