TEFL Phuket News

In January we relocated our training facility to Surin Beach, just 5km to the north of our old location. This new spot is suiting everyone very well, especially the students! Surin has its origins as a fishing village and in recent years has proven itself to be one of the top destinations on Phuket due to its fine white-sand beach and crystal-clear waters.

Students have been enjoying the new accommodations, the excellent practice teaching and observation sessions nearby the school, and our superior career support.

Jobs in Thailand continue to be readily available, and our trainees are finding work at the end of the course. The sooner you start your course, the sooner you’ll be doing your job search, and the sooner you’ll be working!

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Some of the more frequently asked questions from students making the transition to teaching life in Thailand.

Do I need degree to teach in Thailand?

We have a lot of students with this particular concern. When you research teaching in Thailand you are likely to come across the official standpoint which states that you need a degree to obtain a work permit. In fact, the reality is that it’s very possible to find work here legally. There is a shortage of English teachers in Thailand and this is reflected through the amount of people teaching here WITHOUT a degree certificate. Lots of students without degrees take the course each month and all have success finding work.

What type of Visa shall I enter Thailand with?

You have several options to choose from when it comes to acquiring a Thai visa, they are as follows:

The Education Visa: This allows you to enter Thailand for a period of 90 days on a one-way ticket. We are certified by The Thai Ministry of Education and once enrolled on the TEFL course we can process all the necessary paperwork for you to apply for the Ed Visa at your local Thai consulate in Thailand - Free of charge!

The 60 Day Tourist Visa: Does exactly what it says on the tin. You can apply for this in your home country and enter Thailand for… 60 days! You can actually extend the visa by 15 days for a small fee at the immigration office if needs be.

The Non-immigrant ‘O’ Visa: Just like the Education Visa, this allows you entry for up to 90 days to ‘seek work and/or visit family and friends.’ There is an advantage to taking this visa if you are considering taking some time out prior to starting your TEFL course as you can apply for a 12 month, multiple-entry, non-immigrant ‘O’ visa. This allows you to do a quick run over the boarder every 90 days and get a stamp for an additional 90 days.

The 30 Day Tourist Visa: This allows you entry for 30 days and you will receive the visa at immigration when you enter the Thai Kingdom. We do not actively encourage this type of visa as you may be asked to produce a ticket for your return journey out of Thailand.

Note: you can take the course on any visa and we will assist you in every way we can.

What’s the chance of me getting a job as soon as I’ve become TEFL certified?

In short… Great! The jobs market is full of English teaching positions and we encourage all our students to start looking for work as soon as they begin the course.  For a number of years there has been a lack of English teachers in Thailand and if you are diligent in your job search, you should have something lined up ready for when you graduate. We often see our students stepping out of the training classroom on the Friday and straight into the teachers staff room the following Monday. We’ll give you all the assistance we can; once enrolled you can make full use of our jobs board which has job postings for both Thailand and other countries throughout Asia. Our staff has years of experience working throughout Asia and will give you all the assistance you need. 

How much money shall I bring with me to Thailand?

In comparison to most of our students’ native countries, the cost of living in Thailand is greatly reduced. Excellent accommodation can be found from 6000 to 7000 baht (roughly about $200) per month. We advise you to bring a couple of months living expenses but as prices in Thailand are cheap, most people live comfortably on $900 per month (about 30,000 baht)

The prices quoted here are for life in Phuket:

1 kg of bananas = 20 baht

1 kg of mangoes = 45 baht

Papaya Salad, popular Thai dish = 30 baht

Larb Moo w/Rice, popular Thai dish = 50 baht

Can of Coke = 14 baht

Bottle of water = 10 baht

Beer at a 7/11 = 35 baht

Beer at a bar = 40 ‐ 100 baht

Sunbed on a popular beach full day = 100 baht

One‐hour Thai massage 250 ‐ 500 baht.

Rent for a private, cozy room with bath & aircon = 6,000 baht.

Rent for a small house with sitting room, porch/deck & aircon = 12,000 baht.

Motorbike rental = 3,000 baht.

So your total expense to live, eat, have transport and some fun will be between 15 and 25,000 baht each month.

You may find, as many others have, that there is opportunity to work a little privately as a tutor after school, should you wish to supplement your income.

You’ll be living and working in one of the world’s most desirable destinations with students from all around.

If you have any other questions… why not drop us a line?

Our TEFL graduates are finding English positions all over Thailand; it seems that Asia in general is crying out for people to fill this ever expanding gap in the market. The great benefit for our students is freedom; they have the freedom to change who they teach, where they teach and what they teach. Once you have some teaching experience, backed up with a TEFL certificate, pretty much the whole of Asia opens up to you.

Imagine if you will a country that relies heavily on its people’s ability to speak English and yet only a handful of natives actually speak it fluently. This is the current situation in Asia and this is where the gap in the market comes from. Businesses all over Asia need to converse internationally in English and to take Thailand as an example, they rely heavily on the tourist trade were communicating in English is a necessity for most of the hotels, restaurants, bars, transportation services, tour operators, hospitals… the list goes on - thus the demand for people to teach English. Business owners, parents and Thais looking to broaden their job opportunities realize the importance of learning English and a teacher in Asia is treated with the upmost respect.

With the teaching English job market at a high, students taking the TEFL course have more options than ever before in choosing what kind of teaching they would like to become involved in. The more traditional option, and probably the one with the greatest number of vacancies, is to teach at a school and both government and international schools are always on the look out for new English teaching staff. If you choose the route less travelled by, but one which still has plenty of opportunities, you might want to consider teaching to a different audience and working in a hotel. The teaching methodology is much the same but the interaction with the students is very different. Business English is yet another avenue you could explore, and then there is private tuition, were you have the option to design your own timetable. The great thing is that once you have taken all those fantastic experiences and memories on board from one particular place, you’re free to move on to the next exciting teaching escapade.

The jobs are coming in thick and fast and to help our students embark on their teaching careers we’ve set up a Jobs Board. Once you’re enrolled on one of our TEFL/TESOL courses, you’ll be able to register for access and view all the current teaching vacancies in Thailand. For those of you that want to spread your wings a little further, we also have postings for teaching jobs all over Asia! Once you have your certificate and get registered online, you’re registered for life!

When you make your decision to join us for a course here in Phuket, you have chosen by far the best course with the best location in Thailand.

There are several schools that are licensed to issue TEFL certificates in Phuket, and we’re one!

Here’s a scan of our license (click to see larger image):

From TEFL Phuket

We also have a very qualified TEFL instructor, Jim Heard, with a Master’s Degree in Education and fourteen years of experience teaching in Thailand and Korea; he will be able to impart to you both the most up-to-date techniques for teaching and practical knowledge on how to deliver effective lessons.

We keep class sizes small! Your class will never be larger than fifteen students.

We have the best location in Phuket- just a few minutes walk to the beach! Here we are:

View TEFL Phuket in a larger map

But you don’t want to take one of those courses where it’s just filled with people wanting to sit on the beach, right? You want to be with others who are looking to teach and start a new career. Well, how about a guaranteed job? Yes - take our TEFL/TESOL course, follow our advice, do a diligent job search and you will find work to teach English in Thailand. We will help with CV refinement for the Asian market, provide you with contacts and placement service (for those who excel in our course), and access to our online jobs board that is exclusive to our students and alumni.

Throw in twenty hours of teaching observation and practice to get you into real-life teaching environments, and you have yourself a serious TEFL course. The proof of this is a 100% success rate for people finding work when they do a diligent job search and employers soliciting us for graduates of our courses.

So: spend four weeks in an intensive, serious training course, relax by the beach a few minutes away, and start a new career. Let’s get you going: Enroll Now

There are two main hiring seasons for government schools in Thailand: February-April, and August-October for the semesters starting in the middle of May and beginning of November.

The best course date to take to make yourself available for this coming opportunity is the Phuket course starting August 24. There will be many employers looking for graduates of our course; we have connections with school districts throughout Thailand and can help you get off to a quick start in your first job teaching here.

Enroll now before the course fills up and you miss out on this opportunity!

Jobs available for TEFL Phuket graduates!

Our four-week course pays for itself in the first two months of working.

Enjoy the beach, nightlife, and relaxing after class.

Become a teacher: our graduates have a 100% success rate in finding jobs!

Join us now! We need teachers.

Call us immediately! Begin a new life, new career, and make money doing meaningful and productive work!

Teaching English in Thailand

Perhaps you have already traveled or studied abroad and would like to complement your cultural experiences with professional work experience. Maybe you’ve never been abroad but would like to go and explore a new place. Maybe you are in a rut and considering a life change. In any case, teaching English abroad can be an enjoyable way to achieve your goals.

If you are considering teaching English abroad, you might think that the challenges to becoming a teacher might outweigh the benefits of doing so - this is not the case at all….

To become an English teacher, the primary skill you should have is near-native fluency in English. However,  speaking English does not qualify you to teach - you’ll benefit from a few other personality traits and some skills. Foremost among the personality traits are an eagerness to work with people, a desire to assist others, and openness to new cultural experiences.

Do you see yourself as a “people-person?” Have you worked in positions that require customer contact and assistance? Do you care about doing a good job? Are you flexible and willing to put aside your version of “how things should be?” If you are answering “yes” to these questions, then you have the skills necessary to be a great teacher.

As far as the other skills needed, this is what TEFL Phuket offers to you. You’ll find that our course provides both a review of both what to teach and how to teach, plus we feature more practice teaching opportunities than any other course provider. Teaching is best learned by doing and you’ll be ready to teach after the course.

Regarding assistance, we help you with your visa, pick you up from the airport, arrange your housing, provide support and extras (like a free Thai massage) and have a “Jobs for Life” board where you will be able to explore the latest and best teaching opportunities to teach English in Thailand, Asia and the whole world. We understand that creating a new life abroad can be a challenge, and we try to make the transition smooth and painless for you.

So, what are the benefits of teaching English abroad?

• English teachers in Asia generally make salaries which can provide a comfortable living and the chance to save some money.
• You are able to see the results of your work efforts, as your students make progress.
• Assisting others is very rewarding and satisfying.
• You will be treated with respect and seen as an “expert” by your colleagues and students.
• You will have a fantastic opportunity to increase your own foreign language skills.
• Living abroad gives the chance to fully experience a foreign culture.
• Teaching English abroad is a great way to explore a career in teaching.
• You’ll find opportunities to develop friendships with students and colleagues from all around the world.
• Depending on the school where you are placed and your own unique abilities, there can be much flexibility in your duties. You might be able to teach in other subject areas, depending on your skills, experience and education.

If you enjoy working with other people, learning about new cultures, and passing on knowledge, then consider teaching English abroad! For more information on fees & dates, please visit our enroll page.

We look forward to assisting you with your new adventure!

To experience why living in Thailand teaching English can be a life changing experience, consider the following story.

Johnny is a student who recently completed his TEFL certificate course with us and is teaching in one of our schools.

Recently, he had a bit of trouble on his motorbike, slipping in some loose sand. His injuries were minor - a scraped foot and knee, but they needed some attention. Johnny did his best in cleaning the wounds a little and slapping some bandages on them.

That afternoon a few of his new Thai acquaintances stopped by for a visit. They looked over what Johnny had done to fix himself up and with little word or explanation, the Thai people departed en masse. Johnny said they scattered into three different directions and reappeared after a short time with a variety of salves, bandages and other medicine. The Thai people cleaned his wounds, covered them in some various salves and rebandaged his foot and knee - this time from a position of experience.

Johnny felt so good, he said he went out to spend some time with the friends and while he was out, his landlady cleaned his apartment, changed his sheets, and tidied up generally. Johnny was amazed when he returned, initially thinking his place had been broken into, but he thought immediately that “thieves don’t normally clean this well.”

Johnny has healed well, has a nice little scar and a great story. All of the above was done without compensation or a request for return favors.

You may never have encountered the amazing compassion and kind spirit that is found in the hearts of the Thai people. It is a “secret” until you come here, live, work and one day are spontaneously touched by the “Jai Dee” (kind heart) of the Thais.

Thailand’s people are on par with her outrageous natural beauty. Their caring, compassion and kindness is unmatched.

Thanks to Johnny for the story and to the Thai people for being on the planet.

Many people are intimidated by the idea of Teaching English in Thailand without any knowledge of Thai.

Their question: I can’t speak Thai, can I still teach?

YES you can teach as knowledge of Thai is not necessary to teach English in Thailand.

In fact, speaking Thai in your classes can be a hindrance to your students’ progress.

TEFL is Teaching English as a Foreign Language. This means the language spoken locally, outside of the classroom, is not English. This is different than EFL or ESL and sometimes TESOL which are generally taught in an English-speaking country. The difference is that your class time may be the only time that your students are easily and safely (without risk of embarrassment) able to practice their English. To speak Thai with them, or to rely on their mother tongue for instruction, would mean they lose valuable English practice time and opportunity.

We view the classroom as a safe place in which errors in English are welcomed as opportunities to learn. Your role as teacher is pronunciation coach and usage advisor. As a native speaker, you have a natural “ear” for what sounds correct. English is highly irregular in some situations, and a native’s knowledge is irreplaceable for students learning to speak well.

Thai may sometimes be used to clarify a point or as an aid in definitions, but the absolute majority (99%) of your classroom time should be speaking English with your students. It is possible to use an online dictionary or translation service to give a general idea of meaning, as well. Plus Google image search can help with pictures of things, emotions or activities. There are also online videos from YouTube and other sites, which can be beneficial, but these should be pre-screened.

In our training, we emphasize maximizing student talk time (STT) rather than teacher talk time (TTT). You can speak English, your students cannot. So we engage our students, teach them a bit of new English, then set up a safe “free practice” opportunity. Thus, they learn with confidence and in an enjoyable manner, so they learn better and more quickly.

Thus, near-native proficiency in English is the only language skill necessary to be successful Teaching English in Asia.

For more information on registering for the course, click here.

Thanks for your interest and see you in Phuket soon!

Sawatdee! (The Thai equivalent of ALOHA.)