FAQs
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 TEFL International teaching English FAQ's Glossary of Terms BETT: Business English Teacher Training: In addition to our regular TESOL course you can take our Business English Teacher Training course online, where you will learn how to help your students learn the basic models of business English for such thngs like letter writing, emails, contract writing, and negotiations. One of the highest paying careers available to the ESL certified instructor. CELTA Certification: Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults. Previously known as CTEFLA and RSA Certificate. Available through Cambridge University. It is a limited certification for persons wishing to teach Further, Adult and Community Education in England. ESL Employment: English as a Second Language. Instructors are employed world-wide, usually in public and/or private schools. Private tutoring in ESL is also popular and remunerative.
ESL Instructor: English as a Second Language instructors are normally employed by public and/or private schools world-wide some are dedicated as an ESL school.
ESL jobs: English as a Second Language jobs are mostly in public and private schools around the world, wherever English is recognized as an important part of the curriculum.
English Teaching: A consistently growing career path for certified native English speakers world-wide. A recent poll found that English teachers had more influence on their students than any other type of instructor.
ESL Career Help: English as a Second Language careers are relatively easy to enter, once a person is certified. But it is critical to find an initial entry-level ESL position with a school that will provide an upward trajectory at a good salary. TEFL International has been providing that kind of help to its graduates for over ten years.
Job Search: Wild Goose Chase -- Unless you have the backing and support of an institution like TEFL International, which guarantees all its’ graduates life time job placement help, making the job search much less of a wild goose chase. TEFL International lists positions on their website and contacts graduates personally w/job opportunities.
Jobsearch: Internet search engine that provides job leads and posts resumes. TEFL International keeps an updated listing of all ESL job search engines for its graduates’ use.
Listing: A listing of job vacancies for ESL positions. TEFL International has one of the most extensive Listing services for its graduates in the entire ESL industry.
Online Language Courses: Online language courses are an exploding market in Asia. Estimates place over one million South Koreans online at least once a week to learn English and over a million-and-a-half Japanese are online several times a week to learn English. Online English teachers are getting up to 20 dollars per hour in this bonanza right now, without having to leave their homes. A laptop, a webcam, and a good external microphone/headset are all that is needed.
Second Languages: It is estimated that 75% of working adults in the world speak a second language; out of that percentage approximately 60% call English their second language. A second language is now a requirement in high schools world-wide, as well as colleges and universities. That second language is usually English.
Teach EFL: English as a Foreign Language is taught to those whose native tongue is not English. According to the New York Times, there are currently 58-thousand EFL teachers world-wide. Wikipedia lists the number as closer to 75-thousand.
Teach English Abroad: A mainstay of paid traveling for native speakers of English. It allows the native speaker to traverse the globe while gainfully employed in a legitimate career.
Teach English Online: The wave of the future. Online virtual ESL learning is the number one Internet growth industry in the world today; TEFL International is in the forefront of this bonanza.
Teach English Overseas: The only continent currently without ESL teachers is Antarctica. Otherwise, there are no limits, no borders, no boundaries.
Teach ESL: English as a Second Language is taught at both public and private schools, and also in homes by tutors; it is also the fastest growing industry on the Internet.
TEFL Certification Online: Your TEFL International online certificate is exactly the same as a regular TEFL International certificate; there are no differences in appearance or status. It is a less expensive way to gain your certification, while still receiving the required and authorized training.
TEFL TESOL Certification: The key to unlocking your future teaching overseas, whether for a year or for a life time. Your TEFL TESOL certification with TEFL International gives you permanent job placement assistance.
TESOL Certification Courses: Each TEFL International course leads to an authoritatively endorsed hard copy certification that the graduate has met certain professional teaching standards and practices.
TESL Certification: A guarantee from TEFL International that your training meets the approved and required academic and educational standards necessary for you to Teach English as a Second Language in any country in the world.
TESL TESOL: Teaching English as a Second Language; Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. These acronyms are synonymous.
TESOL Certification Online: The most economical way to gain ESL certification from TEFL International is TESOL certification online. For a few hundred dollars you are guaranteed the exact same education and credentialing as if you had gone to one of our course centers.
TESOL Training: At TEFL International your TESOL training includes phonetics, phonology, grammar, pair work, classroom management, and observed student teaching.
TEFL Career Help: Teaching English as a Foreign Language careers are relatively easy to enter, once a person is certified. But it is critical to find an initial entry-level ESL position with a school that will provide an upward trajectory at a good salary. TEFL International has been providing that kind of help to its graduates for over ten years.
TEFL Certificate: A certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a necessity if you intend to teach and travel overseas. A one month course at TEFL International will provide you with a TEFL certificate at a surprisingly modest price. Most people would say it is an investment, and not an expense.
TESL Jobs: Teaching English as a Second Language is one of the fastest growing job sectors in the world, both in the classroom and on the Internet. It is estimated that a new TESL job is created somewhere in the world every day.
TESOL Certificate: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages certificates are required by most countries before you can be employed at a public or private school. TEFL International is one of the oldest and most stable course providers for TESOL certification.
TEYL: Teaching English to Young Learners. Young Learners are defined as children between the ages of six and twelve. Specific language teaching techniques are discussed and modeled for the student. This leads to additional observed or videotaped student teaching.
TESL: Teaching English as a Second Language. Native English speakers over the age of fifty are twice as likely as their younger counterparts to be laid off during the current recession. A certificate from TEFL International in TESL is an excellent educational investment for such a rainy day.
TESOL Diploma: A certificate stating that the bearer has completed an authorized, moderated, course in ESL and is qualified and prepared to start work in any public or private school in any country in the world.
TESOL Jobs: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is a job that employs tens of thousands of certified people world-wide. Many of these people are trained by TEFL International, and have found work in public and private schools, universities and colleges, and in the private sector teaching Business English. TESOL jobs continue to multiply, despite the world-wide recession.
TESOL Online: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages online is one of the fastest growing Internet industries. It is estimated there are over twenty-thousand TESOL online teachers today, many of them trained and certified by TEFL International, and that the number will continue to grow exponentially.
TESOL Program: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is a program that fares better in an economic downturn than other programs. The need for competent English skills is world-wide and grows more pressing. More and more businesses are sending their employees to a TESOL program – that translates into more and more
Trinity: The Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. The course runs up to a year and is recognized mainly in former Commonwealth countries. Trinity certificates are not considered valid in many countries outside of the United Kingdom and the European Union.
 There are so many certificate courses advertised out there. How do I know which to apply for? There are many good schools out there. Many are professionally managed and have qualified, competent teachers. Unfortunately, there is no law to prevent anyone from setting up as a teacher-training center and there is nothing to prevent you from being "ripped off" by a company offering so-called recognized certificates. Important criteria that you need to look for in a TESOL Certificate course includes:
What is the difference between TESOL and TEFL? What is CELTA?For all intents and purposes the terms mean the same with TESOL being more common in America and with large state sector colleges in Britain (e.g. the Institute of Education in London) while TEFL is more common in U.K. Language Schools and in the U.K. press. There is a slight technical difference since TESOL refers to all learners whose first language is not English, including ethnic minorities living in this country, whereas TEFL refers only to "foreign" students. Potentially, therefore, a TESOL course encompasses more than a more narrowly defined TEFL course. The CELTA (Certificate for English Language Teaching to Adults) is a TESOL certificate course. It was actually the first course of this type of teacher-training course and was originally an in-house training course for teachers at International House (a large chain of language schools based in London). Because it was the first, it is very widely recognized by name. What about Distance Learning or Short courses? There are a lot of them and they are really cheap!Remember that most employers are looking for certificates that meet the general criteria listed in point number 1. And, lets face it, any course that does not allow you multiple opportunities to put you in real-life teaching situations will have limited benefit. Like learning to swim by reading a book or learning to drive by reading the drivers manual. Are there regional/national differences in Teacher Training?Certainly. The four-week TESOL certificate courses were first developed in England. They are widely accepted as initial teacher training courses in most of the world. In fact, the vast majority of organizations offering these courses are British and the overseeing bodies are also British. In North America, four-week courses are not generally accepted as teaching qualifications at government schools.They are generally accepted at private language schools. TEFL International is unique in this regard. We are based upon the British four-week system, we exceed all of their basic criteria, yet we also work with several well respected US universities. In fact, many US universities can offer up to 12 credits (full-time status and financial aide) for completion of our course and an internship. So we give you the best of both worlds a TESOL certificate that exceeds the British standards and is recognized for quality in the US. Will my TEFL International certificate be recognized around the world?Certainly! Here are some important things to remember about TEFL International:
I've heard that these courses are really toughBefore you choose a course you should carefully consider the teaching style of the instructors. Many (American) students have found the British courses to be culturally difficult to deal with and have complained of unsympathetic and overly-critical teachers. Courses English may not be a proper way of saying a phrase and neither is course English however as you refresh your skills, studyand paractice the natural forms of the English language will unfold into a beautiful tapestry of flowing language that you are 'hard wired' from birth for. We feel this is another reason why TEFL International is an excellent choice. While we have based our curriculum on the generally-accepted British model, we have adapted this model to be more international. We have brought in many Peace Corps and US training techniques to balance and compliment the original model. When overseas jobs specifically teaching jobs are plentiful teaching English is a respected profession in most teaching abroad countries. Can I get undergraduate or graduate credit for taking the TEFL International Certificate course?Yes! If you are a current university student we would be happy to work with your university to arrange credit. If you want university credit for your participation, it is best to contact us in advance. We can work with your university to arrange credit, if possible. Our course has been fully evaluated for credit by Dr. Bill Leon, an instructor of Program Evaluation at the University of Washington. For more information please Contact Us. Can I get a job without a degree?Yes. Some countries will allow you to work without a degree. Examples of these are China and Thailand, but even there you may have difficulty competing against teachers who do have a degree. Other countries will not allow but often times people without degrees work illegally. Working as an ESL teacher without a degree is possible. You should choose your destination carefully and be prepared for some hardships. Email, chat or call our help-line for more advice on the criteria often necessary for the country of your choice. My grammar stinks! I really don’t think I could make it through your course.Nonsense! As a native speaker, you know grammar quite well. You just don’t know the terminology! Our job is to teach you the terminology in an enjoyable and easy way. We assume you know nothing about grammar terminology when you arrive, but leave with the basics you need to teach. Do you provide Job Placement Assistance?TEFL International is much more involved in your job search than almost all other course providers. With locations all over the world, each center is an area expert, with extensive contacts within the country. We will work closely with you to find a job in the location of your choice. And, in a few years, when you decide to move from Thailand to Spain (just as an example), our Spain center will be there to help you. What are the requirements for getting on to the Certificate course? How do I know if I am suitable? What kind of people will be on the course besides myself? Am I too old? What is the success rate and how many people fail?A lot of questions but all interrelated. We find that courses tend to be taken up by a "mixed bag" of people. For example, we get a lot of people in their early twenties who are recent graduates and want to travel overseas but we also have people in their thirties and forties who either want a career switch, have been made redundant or are moving overseas with their spouse. In addition, we have people either approaching or in retirement and who are looking for something to do in their free time or who have got property on the continent to which they are going to move. Finally, we sometimes have people from other English speaking countries in our courses as well as good non-native speakers from other countries. As far as entrance requirements are concerned, if you are to be a teacher of English, a high standard of both spoken and written English is demanded. By this we mean your use of English, not necessarily your knowledge of grammatical terminology: you will be given an introduction to language awareness on the course itself. As the four week course is very intensive, you should be prepared to work very hard indeed, have no other distractions, and be mentally/emotionally completely fit and well, including having no current domestic worries. You should also be presentable in appearance. Finally, you should be able to teach! Not TESOL, of course, but anything. Do you have the confidence and personal presence to stand up in front of a group of students and teach them for, say, 45 minutes? If you are a person of "more mature years" or a senior citizen, do not let this in itself put you off from applying. Providing you are receptive to training you should have no problems. If, however, you are rigid in your ways of thinking and are unwilling to shake off past ways of thinking and behavior (regardless of age), you may have a problem. Last chance! Why should I take the TEFL International course. Give me some good reasonsTEFL International meets or exceeds all International criteria with 120+ hours of classroom time and up to 9 hours of Observed Teaching Practice;
Is the online TEFL International an accredited course?There are no independent international accrediting bodies for on-line courses. The 60 hour Online TEFL International course has been validated and its curriculum approved by TEFL International. This program has been developed from the 120-hour in-house TESOL TEFL Certificate Program. Is it necessary to be a native speaker of English?No. Currently there are English teachers from all over the world. You do need to demonstrate a very good command of the English language and have an internationally recognized qualification such as TOEFL or Cambridge Proficiency. Finally you need to have a standard of education like the one required for entry into higher education. Do I need a special computer?The online course is designed for use on any type of computer system. Our online course uses inactive modules. Please make sure you have the following minimum requirements before you start: ° Minimum Resolution: 1024x768 ° Cookies Enabled on your web browser ° Computer accepts security certificate (as warning messages will appear from the site) Do I need to buy books or other materials?The course fee includes everything you need to complete the course. There are no extra or hidden fees. What happens if for any reason I don’t complete the course in the given time? You have 6 months to finish the course. If you need an extension, you can request it through our administration. What kinds of students take your online TEFL course?The type of program we offer attracts people who are recent college graduates, career changers, retired people, and people still studying. Most people have never taught before, while a few have some teaching experience. Can you give me an outline of the online TEFL course? The course includes: teaching and learning, classroom, teaching awareness, teaching language awareness, teaching speaking, teaching listening, teaching reading, teaching writing, lesson planning and finally resources. How long does the on-line TEFL course last?The course takes approximately 60-hours to complete, but can be done at a candidate’s own pace and in their own time. Depending on how quickly a candidate works, they can have a recognized university online certificate within as little as 2-weeks. We recommend a minimum time of 1 month to fully digest the information in order to obtain all the benefits from each lesson, and to assure comprehension. Who answers my questions while I am taking the online TEFL course?All questions related to materials used for the course will be answered by your on-line instructor during the completion of the course. Our course instructor is a certified and experienced trainer with years of ESL teacher training experience. What can I do if I experience problems receiving your e-mails?Most of the regular e-mail providers such as Hotmail, and Yahoo or any other web based e-mail accounts are programmed to filter e-mails suspected of being spam, so they are automatically sent to junk folders. If you haven’t received your log-in instructions within 24 hours, please check your junk folder. If the information is still not there, please contact us to provide you with log-in instructions. How do I apply? Do I need to wait for a specific enrolment date?There are no set enrollment dates. You can start at anytime. The first step to successfully enroll in our course is to apply online. Once your payment has been successfully processed, you will receive (via email) a username and password which will provide you access into the online system. Why do people want to take an online TEFL course?Because they want a career in the EFL/ESL field, a switch of careers or just want to teach during their summer break or while they are travelling (to cover expenses) without investing for a full on-site course. Teaching English is a profession that will always allow you to find an income regardless of where you might be. For those more experienced teacher who are already working; you might find yourself needing a certificate for work permits and visa purposes, but don’t have the time to undertake the one month intensive course. When is the best time to do an online TEFL course?There is really no best or worst time. Countries in different hemispheres have different academic years and tend to hire year round anyway, on an as-needed basis. as an example, in Thailand, the academic semester runs between June and October and November and March. The best time for looking for work in Thailand is usually between March and June before the start of the academic semester. Is there an exam at the end of the course?Yes, there will be a final examination at the end of the course, which is an accumulation of all the sections from the online course. Do I need a college degree?We do not require for trainees to have a college degree, but having one may be an advantage for getting a job. There is no need to have an academic degree in order to take the course; although you need to have a standard of education that will allow you to cope with the material given. Our requirements are for you to be a native English speaker or for you to have a proficient level of English, as well as for you to have the ability to examine language and learn from your teaching methods and from experience. How will I get confirmation of my registration?We will confirm by e-mail once you successfully sign up for the program. Why are people interested in taking an online TEFL course?The reason is because they are interested in a TEFL career. The majority of students are looking for an additional career. Whether teaching part-time, during summer break, or during their travelling. This course is specially designed for people who might have time limits or may lack the finances to take a full- time course. No matter the circumstances, they benefit from a worldwide recognized TEFL course provider. What can I expect of the program?You can expect a fully interactive online distance learning course. It is a program that will give you the foundation of what teaching is. You can be sure that when you finish our TEFL course, you will have a solid base upon which to build your future growth as a teacher. Join us today and begin your journey. Fifteen reasons to take your TESOL Certificate Course in Ban Phe Thailand
1. The TEFL International TESOL Certificate course is the flagship of the TEFL International network. The TEFL International TESOL Certificate course was developed here, and continues to be a 'work in progress.'
2. The trainers are, Dave Hopkins, the TEFL International Academic Director and author of Smooth Moves, and, Jidapa Prompruang, both with graduate degrees and extensive teaching and training experience. 3. Teaching practice in Thai rural schools that really want us there, and with students that are highly motivated. We take pride in the teaching practice experience as the most important thing in your teacher preparation. 4. A program designed for your success. The Ban Phe course is intensive and demanding, but the vast majority of trainees meet the output criteria of being, "comfortable, confident and competent" in the classroom. 5. Every course is moderated by Dr Arthur McNiell, internationally known TESOL expert, under our agreement of cooperation with Asian University. 6. Immediate access to supplemental on line courses that are under the direction of Dave Hopkins and his team of professionals like – the TESOL Diploma, Teaching Young Learners and Basic Business English Teaching. 7. Placement for internships like the Rural Thai and Special Thai programs, and, career counseling for finding the position of your choice. 8. An ideal location that is literally on the beaches – Suan Son, Mae Rampueng and nearby Laem Mai Pim, and, across the straits from the island paradise of Koh Samet. 9. Modest small hotel accommodations that is in the same building with the classrooms which are open 24/7. 10. An inexpensive local economy where most prices are local, and not on the dual pricing system (one for foreigners, another for Thais) found in international tourist zones. 11. An accommodating staff that is ready to help you with Immigration, shopping, health services, transportation and other. We try harder. 12. A community that appreciates the TEFL International students. Whether it's the international ambiance of The World Bar, exercise at the Phe Gym, eating at Christie's or The Tawan Inn, or shopping at Khun Petra's store, you know that you are welcome. 13. A vast array of extracurricular activities from windsurfing, scuba diving or mountain biking, to more exotic pursuits like an enchanted forest restaurant, a tropical aquarium, muay thai boxing, the monkey mountain or 'making merit' at a local temple. 14. All the comforts of home with Lotus-Tesco and 7/11's within walking distance, and only hours from larger centers like Pattaya and Bangkok. 15. You will complete a transforming educational experience gaining skills and friends that will be with you for the rest of your life. We're here to make the Ban Phe TEFL International TESOL Certificate course a defining experience in your life.
Special Project - FAQs Special Thai Project – Teaching Placement FAQ’s It is highly recommended that you look through the following Frequently Asked Questions. Please note that much of the information provided here is purely a guideline as to the details of your teaching placements. The exact requirements for each teaching placement will depend on which school you are placed in. TEFL International works together with trusted employment agencies that take care of your teaching placements. The agencies we work with will provide you with the specific information and details regarding your teaching placement.
A. You will receive a standard teacher’s salary, which is 30,000 Thai baht per month (currently about $900), plus your housing.
A. You will be given the opportunity by the employment agencies we work with to state your preferences with regards to the location of your placement. As the requirements of both the schools and the teachers have to be taken into account, it is important to note that it may not be possible to satisfy everybody’s requirements and we cannot, therefore, guarantee that you will be placed in the exact city that you desire. However we will always do our best to make sure that both parties are happy! Generally, the more qualified you are, the more options you have, but different schools have different preferences. Some prefer female teachers, some prefer couples, some prefer teachers not older than 40 years old, and some just want good friendly, easy going, reliable people that will try hard to improve their teaching skills as they go. Please inform us of your preferences and your reasoning for them. Your flexibility is appreciated. The sooner that you can commit, the better your chances will be of acquiring a position that you desire.
A. There will be an opportunity, in the first week of the course (usually on the first day), for you to meet with a representative from the placement agency who will be taking care of you. The representative from the agency will then stay in contact with you and will keep you informed of the details of your placement as they become available.
A. Teachers will teach not more than 24 classes per week. Most schedules vary between 20-22 hours per week. Classes are 50-60 minutes long depending on the school.
A. The amount of time you are required to be present at the school depends on your particular placement, but most teachers will work at the school between the hours of 8.00 am and 4.30 pm from Monday to Friday. Some schools may require you to attend meetings after school hours, or participate in extra-curricular activities such as English clubs. Your school may also hold pre-class assemblies in the mornings, which you may be expected to attend. Most Thai schools also operate a greeting system in the mornings whereby a member of staff greets parents and teachers as they arrive. You may be expected to participate in this as most Thai schools operate their greeting system on a rota basis.
A. No. Most schools do not require you to work on Thai National holidays.
A. No. You will be expected to work on all non-Thai national holidays, for example Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Easter, New Year’s Day. Although non-Thai national holidays are not treated in the same way as in your home country, most schools recognize the main non-Thai national holidays and may hold their own celebrations.
A. Yes, every school will require you to prepare your own lesson plans. Some schools may need you to submit your lesson plans at regular intervals
A. Teaching is a much respected profession in Thailand and there is a dress code according to this level of respect. The dress code in Thai government schools may seem strict at first, but appearances and first impressions are extremely important in Thailand. If you are a teacher, you will be expected to dress accordingly especially in school. Males - dress pants (no jeans or cargo pants) and a button-up/collared long or short sleeve dress shirt (no golf shirts). Your school may require you to wear a tie on special occasions/days/festivities. Ties may be required by some schools on a daily basis. Brown or black dress shoes are accepted (no running shoes or sandals). You will be expected to be clean shaven. Facial hair is allowed only if it is properly trimmed and is presentable. Earrings or visible facial rings (eyebrow, lip, nose, chin, etc) are not accepted. Visible tattoos are not accepted. Generally hair should be short and presentable. Males with long hair may be expected to wear it pulled back and presentable. Females - are expected to wear knee length or longer skirts with a presentable blouse (no low cut or revealing shirts). Shoes should be dress shoes – open toe and high heel shoes are acceptable (no sandals or running shoes). Visible facial rings (eyebrow, lip, nose, chin, etc.) are not accepted. Earrings are accepted providing that they are not worn in excessive numbers (e.g. 4 earrings in each ear). Hair should be presentable. Visible tattoos are not accepted.
A. Males should be aware that it is not appropriate, or polite in Thai culture, to not wear a shirt in public, unless you are in an appropriate place ie. the beach. Females should be aware that, in Thai society, revealing clothes are not considered acceptable for female teachers at any time.
A. Again, this will depend on your individual placement. However you may be expected to keep attendance records, grades and additional notes.
A. Your school may ask, or give you the opportunity to get involved in assemblies, presentations, evenings activities, Summer camps, English camps etc. etc. It is strongly recommended that you join at least some of these activities or it may be thought that you don’t like the school or the teachers at the school. As well as extra-curricular work activities, you may be invited to join staff parties, field trips, weddings, dinners etc. etc. It is up to you if you accept, but such invitations can offer you a unique opportunity to experience Thai culture first-hand.
A. This is simply a matter of the lifestyle you are prepared or are able to live. There are people who claim that trying to live off less than 30,000 baht/month is difficult, and yet there are teachers that are able to pay loan payments and live a comfortable lifestyle on the same salary. If you are able to adjust to the Thai lifestyle, weather and food, than you will be able to save money. If you require western style food all or most of the time and need western amenities (TV, stereo, DVD, personal computer, 24 hour air conditioning, etc.) then you may find that you will be waiting for pay day every month. In general, if money is a major concern for you at this point in your life, then you may be happier working in places such as Korea, Taiwan, or Japan, where there are much higher salaries available than in Thailand. A. Again, this will vary on your needs and abilities to adapt to Thai lifestyles. Your accommodation for the duration of both your in-class training and your teaching placement are taken care of, so you will only need to worry about the cost of accommodation if you are planning to arrive prior to the course. There may also be accommodation costs to pay if there is a period of ‘down time’ in between your in-class training period finishing and your teaching placement starting. Accommodation in Bangkok can be found for as little as 200 baht/night or as high as 6000 baht/night, depending on your requirements. The price of an average room is around 500-800 baht. You will receive your first pay after 1 month of teaching, so we recommend that you will need enough money to last you at least 6 weeks. It is recommended that you bring (or have at your disposal) a minimum of 30,000-45,000 baht (about $1000-$1500). Any ATM cards with PLUS or CIRRUS can be used at most Thai bank ATM’s. A. Working in Thai schools is different to working in Western schools.
Cons of working in a Thai School
A. You will need to bring your degrees (copies are ok usually, but bring originals in case) and any other certificates, diplomas, awards that you have regardless of their relevance to teaching. In short, the more paperwork and fancy signatures or seals you have, the better. All other documents you will need will either be supplied by us or will be arranged in Thailand, such as Health certificates, photographs, and multiple copies of your passport pages. A. As we generally only work with schools in Bangkok and adjoining areas, the schools are generally quite high in resources. Most schools have beautiful campuses. All will have either a blackboard or whiteboard. Some will have TV’s, CD players, DVD players, overhead projectors, etc. Government schools will simply have fans, but occasionally some classrooms have A/C (most teachers’ offices have A/C). Almost all Thai schools have computers and access to the internet for their teachers. How fast it will be is another question. Usually school cafeterias have good food at an extremely low price. The students are almost always extremely respectful towards teachers. Because of large classrooms, it can get loud during your English class, but they are almost never malicious or overtly rude to teachers. They might not listen because they don’t really like English, but that is no different than when most of us were in high school in a subject we didn’t like. In the smaller cities/towns, you will most likely be treated with awe and reverence for the first few weeks. Students may be very shy and may even run away from you! A big smile and many, “Hello, How are you?” as later, they will start to open up and feel comfortable. A. While you are not permitted to work with any other company or school while under contract with us, you are more than welcome to under-take in private tutoring or lessons within your community. Inevitably, if you are a reliable, fun, easy-going and friendly teacher and a person who is involved with the school and community, you will have many people approach you to enquire about private lessons. There are also many opportunities to work at English camps on the weekends or during the holidays. We have good connections with two English Camp organizations that provide camps for schools year round. Moderation FAQs
Frequently asked questions by course centers regarding moderation How to Create a moderator account and post moderation report. click here
TEFL International certificates have been greatly accepted by TESOL employers all over the world for over ten years and course graduates have found their training very valuable and necessary to their future teaching placements. However, TEFL International felt the need to answer public queries of why TEFL International certificates – as good as they are – is there an external means whereby all courses can be verified as meeting international standards?
Here are the elements of the process in more detail:
Moderation Coordinator (Michael FitzGerald): Michael is not a moderator but has a managerial role to ensure the moderation procedures are followed on a regular basis. This includes gathering monthly local reports from each center, contact / coordination with local and international moderators and ensuring feedback from moderators and course participants is honest and reliable. Michael is a former course director for a Trinity College London certificate provider and has worked for more than 6 years with different teacher training organizations around the world. He has a clear and sound understanding of what course moderation entails.
International Board of Academic Advisors (International BOAA):10-15 well-known and highly respected experts in the field of TESOL that include lecturers, authors and researchers such as Dr. David Nunan, Mario Rinvolucri, Marc Helgesen, Dr. Brian Tomlinson, Dr. Alan Maley, Dr. Richard Day, Robb Scott, Dr. Nehad Helayel and John Miller. International BOAA members visit regional centers once a year, review course materials and structure and advise TEFL International training staff regarding improvements in course input and structure. They also give presentations to course participants and staff at TEFL International sponsored teacher conferences (open to the public and free of charge). Other initiatives include hosting open teacher forums on TEFL International sponsored teacher information websites.
Local Academic Advisors (LAAs): Advisors for each regional center (total around 15), selected from recommendations from local DOS and Managers. LAAs spend one half day each month visiting the course in their area. They check facilities, materials, talk with course staff, write an on-line report (which includes a checklist of TEFL International expectations in course criteria) and send it to head office within 24-48 hours. Copy of this goes to Michael, Dave and Bruce. LAAs must have minimal three to four years full-time experience in the TESOL industry, preferably in teacher training, TESOL Management or academic research at higher education level. They are also required to have accepted TESOL-related qualifications (or in-depth hands-on experience in lieu of this). Head office has rejected a few provided requests from centers this past year for not meeting qualifying standards. LAAs also must have no direct affiliation (either as employee or course participant) with TEFL International. What is done to ensure the global standardisation of the LAAs?There is no face to face standardisation. They do not ever meet as a group to discuss or agree to quality standards. Standardisation is provided by TEFL International guidelines and checklists that coincide with both TEFL International course requirements (provided to course participants before course begins) and required by TEFL International head office standards (standards that are acceptable internationally by most TESOL employers). Standardization is maintained through regular reports with the same LAA and correspondence between the LAA and the Moderation Coordinator.
New assessors are suggested by anyone at your center (administrator, lead trainer or trainers). Their CV is then approved of by your Lead Trainer and put forward by the local school administrator to Michael FitzGerald (Moderation Coordinator). If they have met criteria for LAAs (listed below in question #), the Moderation Coordinator will approve them and list them as active and on file.
The role of the Moderation Coordinator is: to ensure that each center has an active LAA and that moderation reports are independently sent by each LAA on a monthly basis; to reply to public, BOAA and LAA queries regarding TEFL International Moderation procedures; and to coordinate international BOAA activities including annual regional visits, attendance at conferences and forum discussions.
The LAA is an independent consultant in the field of TESOL who has respected qualifications and experience in TESOL not only at the international level, but particularly at the regional level (where regional knowledge is particularly valuable to course participants who are seeking to work in the TESOL field of that region).
LAAs have no authority over course design, grades or sign off on courses. They ensure the regional center is meeting TEFL International quality standards on a monthly basis. They also provide recommendations / suggestions for course improvement. Although these do not need to be followed, they are usually discussed with head office staff through the Moderation Coordinator and regular moderation meetings.
As above there is no Chief Assessor, but rather a Moderation Coordinator with extensive experience in international TESOL moderation procedures. The Moderation Coordinator assesses and approves each LAA as an acceptable candidate for an LAA by meeting the following criteria:
Having 3-4 years experience in the TESOL field.
LAA members visit the same course each month in their region, regions where they often have knowledge of the requirements sought by TESOL employers. International BOAA members visit centers once a year.
In the last week of each course, usually two or three days before end of course. This allows LAAs to see finalized course participant work, discuss the course participants with training staff, and discuss training / admin staff with course participants.
LAAs have two principle forms: a Course Feedback Form and a Course Checklist. The Checklist ensures the moderated course is offering standard TEFL International requirements such as: adequate training materials; input content in quality and quantity; adequate teaching practice; adequate observed teaching; completed course participant work; adequate facilities; recommendations with lead trainer / course director in passing course participants and course participant feedback. The Feedback Form is a written report by the LAA with their opinion on: the adequacy of materials, facilities, s
Yes, TEFL International worldwide staff engages in correspondence with head office (the Academic Director and Moderation Coordinator) through Skype.
Quality Review is also informally done by trainers that sometimes move from one regional center to another. However, overall regional centers have a great deal of independence in running their courses as long as they are following TEFL International head office standards and moderation procedures. Internship FAQ's What is the total cost for the intern program?A $500 deposit is refundable upon successful completion of the program and a 750 maximum for travel reimbursement. Do you have an idea of which company the intern could work for? Not until after we find the company that suits fits your criteria also see above When would the program start?Your start date is based and Coincides with the TESOL Course center start date What are the possible organizations can the intern work for? This is determined by the criteria the intern gives us and how close we can match what the intern is seeking. Where would the intern teach English? The intern would teach at a language school. Does the intern have to find a job by their self? No TEFL International finds a company for the intern. During the days the intern will work for the participating internship company. Can the intern make changes in the type of work they do for the company?Keep in mind once you are in the company as an intern you can talk with them and let them know your skills talents and abilities, it is possible, as knowing you better and you knowing the company there can be flexibility in this area. When does the intern take their certification course to teach? You will begin on the TESOL course start date. Where does the intern take their certification course to teach?The intern will take the course center location in the country you have chosen to do your intern program. How many hours per week will the intern teach?The intern will teach about 15 hours on evenings and weekends at a language school. How many hours per week will the intern work? The intern will work about 20 hours per week. If not paid to work, how does the intern provide for food and personal expenses? Bring the money! But it is pretty cheap if you live like a local people. Can I work in several departments within the company? That is possible In which area will the intern live? The specifics of exactly where the intern will live can be known only after TEFL International has found the company where the intern will work. Can you send pictures of where I'll be staying?Pictures are not normally given but we can ask when we have found a company where the intern will work. Can the intern live alone? Probably not it costs more to live alone so budget is a factor for you and many company have their own housing arrangements. We will not know about this you can request this but it might make for a problem in getting the best situation for you. |