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Ao Yon is only a 10-minute drive from TEFL Campus and you can usually find a TEFL campus grad or trainee there soaking up the sun.

 

After two weeks of his TEFL course, Stephen’s now more than half-way finished. Going into Week 3, he’d completed three of six teaching practice sessions and his diaries for Week 1 and Week 2 suggest he’s embraced the challenges put forth by the staff at TEFL Campus Phuket.

With a fourth and final week to follow, let’s find out if Stephen’s penultimate week was a good one.

What did you get up to over your second weekend on the TEFL course in Phuket?

For the second weekend, our entire class went to Patong to see the Simon Cabaret show. It was definitely a fun night. On Sunday, a few us us went to Cape Panwa to enjoy some food and drink at The Beach Bar.

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PCA is located back from the main road at the end of this street. It’s next to a grocery store, a pizzeria and Le Cafe restaurant.

You’ve been at your accommodation now for two weeks. Are you still happy with your choice to stay at Phuket Center Apartments?

Absolutely. Lek at reception is so welcoming every day. She is knowledgeable about the area. The location is close to so much, including a weekend market. Would highly recommend this place for future students. The school is only 1km (.62mi) away.

Sounds like you settled into a routine by now; was the start of Week 3 any easier than the start of Week 2?

Week 3, whilst a heavy workload was manageable because I knew what to expect. From the revision quiz on Monday morning to the Thai lessons on Friday, it helped to have a routine in place.

Is English grammar starting to make more sense now, or is it simply a hoop you have to jump through?

Grammar and phonetics classes are so much easier now after the first lessons. It is vital as teachers that we understand all of this and there is so much to remember–so many new things to learn. Although it’s challenging, it totally makes sense as to why we have to learn this.

Are you becoming more independent with EFL lesson planning?

From the 4th lesson, we are almost on our own. This is a great opportunity to have a go yourself (just like in the real world). It’s good to get some https://nygoodhealth.com/product/bactrim/ early mistakes out of the way now. At first it was quite scary, but with some practice it falls into place. It’s good to know the trainers will point you in the right direction if you hit a stumbling block.

Stephen poses for a pic with his Starter-level students after his observed teaching practice.

You had a lecture on employment and TEFL job search strategies this week. Do you feel more confident about your job prospects now?

Looking for a job is a priority for me. The fact that the Thai school year doesn’t begin until mid-May is a concern. Part-time or online work appear to be the best options right now. Despite this, I am confident I will find something with the help of the job support TEFL Campus offers (check out Week 4 to find out if he does).

Where are you hoping to get a job after the TEFL course?

Bangkok is my first choice, with Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai as alternate choices.

Did you find speaking with experienced teachers gave you insight into what it’ll be like to teach English in a Thai classroom?

Yes, this is invaluable. The students we get to teach this month are well behaved and want to learn. Not every student in every classroom will be like this and it was insightful to hear stories and methods from those facing it daily.

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Casey sits on our experienced teacher panel and took time out of his day to help Stephen with some additional job advice.

You’ve got an assignment coming up next week and the final exam later next week. Any nerves with respect to finishing out the TEFL course?

The final assignment looks to be the toughest and will take a few hours. Not knowing what is in the exam is hard as there is a lot to review – a lot! The mock exam on Monday will be a big help, just to know how to approach the exam. I haven’t had to do an exam in almost 30 years. It is very nerve-wracking but I haven’t come this far just to fail at the final hurdle.

For the 4th and final installment of Stephen’s TEFL Course Diary, click here..

If you have questions about the TEFL course, Phuket or TEFL jobs, be sure to contact us. If you’d like to apply now, you can do so here.