Job Discussion Forums

[spendogz]

Hi all, I'm recently considering making the move to Thailand to teach English. I do not have a bachelors degree. However I was planning on attending a TEFL course.

I found a school TEFL Phuket Language School. Does anybody have any experience or knowledge with/of this school? Are they legit, etc? Will it be beneficial to take the course?

Also how hard is it to get work without the bachelors degree?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to make certain I make the best decisions in this.

Thanks!

[sojourner]

Hi,

You would get far more responses to your queries if you were to submit a posting to Dave's Thailand Forum.Also, try using Dave's search facility for possible info re the course in question.

How long do you expect to be in this game for ? If you expect it to be a long-term career move, consider doing a CELTA course instead - it is recognised all around the world. An institute in Thailand called ECC (EEC ?) runs such a course.And, of course, think about eventually enrolling in a Bachelor's degree programme - for many countries, a degree is required for work visa purposes. The regular posters to the Thailand Forum will provide you with info on the current situation re Thai visa requirements, possibility of non-graduates in getting good jobs, etc

Good luck !

Peter

[nickpellatt]

As far as I understand Thailand is not really possible without a degree. Could be wrong ... as above, try the specific forum.

[spendogz]

Sojourner,

First of all thank you for you response. I wish I would have replied back sooner.

I am not exactly sure how long I'd like to be involved with this but as far as I can tell I'll be in it forever if it works out.

My major concern is the bachelors degree. From everything I've read it sounds sketchy trying to work without one. Illegal is not my thing. I don't want to be running or hiding from authorities.

Another thing is the cost for the ESL course. The place I'm considering taking the course in Phuket, Thailand charges over $1000.00. That's alot of money for 4 weeks. But I'm looking into that also.

Anymore advice/help would be great.

Thanks!

[spiral78]

I wish I would have replied back sooner.

I don't want to be disrespectful, but your lack of a BA does show...
It's language teaching, after all...I sometimes hire real newbies, and even once or twice without a BA - but with demonstrably strong command of the language.

I think at tle least, you'll need to brush up on your own grammar knowledge. Students will not only expect their teacher's English to be fairly high-level, but they'll expect you to be able to explain why the above is incorrect.

$1,000 for a month-long course is about standard - and, lacking the BA, a good course is really critical for a newbie teacher.

[spendogz]

LOL - Thank you for noticing my error. Tell it like it is. That's the way I roll.

I believe 'replied back' is redundant. Is this the answer you are looking for?

Also, you say you hire teachers? Can you tell me what you're looking for in a candidate besides having a demonstrably strong command of the English language?

Thank you,

Sincerely,
Eric Spencer

[spiral78]

I wish I had (not would have) + the redundancy you noticed.
If you're thinking of getting into teaching, I'll suggest my own favorite grammar book - it's worth the investment because it's also useful for students as extra practice of grammar (homework, I mean - I wouldn't waste time on discrete grammar points in class except on an as-needed basis). Raymond Murphy's English Grammar in Use is very readable, with clear explanations (see conditionals)

Well, we have had a couple of very strong teachers without BAs over the past few years. However, the two I can think of were retired military officers with significant international experience at high levels (NATO) and were obviously well, though not formally, educated. Both in fact went on to earn MA degrees in the field....from reputable British universities.

I teach at a university, though - it's obvious that we have to look at educational qualifications for this job.

However, on a more practical level - what I am looking for outside of degrees is more applicable. We want people who are open to learning as well as to teaching, who will take the job seriously. Our newbies generally spend quite a lot of time preparing for classes, reflecting on how things went afterwards, and monitoring the classes of experienced teachers. They are open to and invite feedback on how they're doing. They continually seek professional development opportunities...and we generally support them financially as they pursue certification and higher quals.

I don't think you should be entirely discouraged. If you're truly interested and willing to put in the time and energy, it's not impossible to succeed - it just takes more work, at least so long as you're NOT targeting countries where your lack of a degree will keep you from getting a legal work permit.

[spendogz]

Well you definately speak like a scholar. I feel intimidated to say the least.

I do however consider myself intelligent and have the potential to learn and be a qualified successful teacher.

I'm not necessarily focusing on any country in particular. I was (so far) looking at Thaiwan for the TEFL course. Not really sure why, but someone pointed me in that direction. What do you think?

I'm hoping I CAN find the right school and the right support so I can accomplish my goals.

You mentioned 'your newbies', how can I become a 'your newby'? Are you referring to newby students trying to teach at the university level? At your university? I don't think I qualify for that. But I am interested. Can you elaborate on this please?

I appreciate your opinions and comments. I'm sure you have a lot to offer.

Thank you,

Sincerely,
Eric spencer

[spiral78]

Eric, sadly, you're definitely right - I couldn't hire you at the university where I work, because I would have no grounds to petition the Dutch government for an exception to the EU-only hiring laws in your case. That's because you haven't yet got any specialist qualifications that would make you 'better' than local and British candidates. I'm American, and to have a legal working permit here took A LOT of hard work on my part - believe me, I've paid the dues, and got very lucky on top of that!!

But there's nothing to stop you entirely from making a career of TEFL, if it turns out to be something you really want to commit to. You need to
1) target a country that will accept teachers without a BA degree
2) get a basic certification and some experience
3) decide if this is really what you want to do
4) get better qualifications - quite possibly including a BA somehow/somewhere + DELTA or MA
5) build contacts and your reputation somewhere you want to be
6) finally land something rewarding in all respects (professionally/financially/personally)

Yeah, it can happen. It takes paying the dues, though, just like everything else in life

[BenE]

Where's Thaiwan? I can't find it on a map.

[Mexicobound]

[EvilTwin2000]

Bear in mind that virtually anywhere you go, you will be competing against people who do have degrees and they will always look better on paper than you do.

I have three questions:
How old are you?
How serious about this are you?
Why do you not want to a persue a college education? Shouldn't educators be educated?

Oops, guess that's four. But you seem to be assuming that you can teach English because you can speak English--which is sort of like assuming that because you are smarter than a second grader, you are qualified to teach second grade.

Without a degree, I don't know how your resume ever escapes from the bottom of the pile. With any kind of degree, you're far more competitive. With a degree in a related field, you might be considered a prize catch.

Good luck.