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You’ve finished your TEFL certification course and you’ve been hired at your first job. The future is bright and things are on the up. Now don’t let yourself down by committing a major faux pas where Thai culture is concerned.

While a new TEFL teacher in Thailand has plenty of resources for understanding students and classroom dynamics, there isn’t much out there for understanding Thai colleagues or navigating staff room politics.  We hope these six simple suggestions will help ensure good relations between domestic and foreign staff.

(Learn more about our TEFL certification course options)

Stand at attention, looking at the flag during the national anthem.

Respect the national anthem

At every school around Thailand, a pre-recorded voice signals it’s time to stand at attention for morning assembly. “Waeh-laa bpet na-lee-gah.” (it’s 8 o’clock), sounds off and then the Thai national anthem begins. All students, staff, faculty and visitors stand still, look towards the flag and many sing along.

If your school doesn’t already require foreign teachers to do the same, do it. Do not attempt to justify silent protest sat at your desk because you’re not Thai. Don’t even miss it on the mornings you’re behind in lesson planning, or for any other reason.  Most Thais are incredibly proud of their country; any perception of disrespect for the anthem is tantamount to disrespecting the country itself.

Always dress to impress at work.

Look sharp

Appearance goes a long with in Thai culture and those new to the job had better ensure they exceed minimum dress code requirements. Press your clothes, shine your shoes, do your hair, shave your face, whatever it take to look your best in the eyes of your Thai colleagues–just do it.

You don’t have to like being judged on appearances but you will like the benefits of being judged to have a clean, professional look. Those who look the part aren’t scrutinized as much as those who don’t. Take the time to adhere to this simple approach and it may save you time later. Added to that, it will also help you earn the respect of your Thai colleagues.

They look a bit like white beans but actually they’re red ant eggs, and quite delicious.

Try new Thai food

On any given day Thai teachers will bring in food for their colleagues.  When asked to try something new, and you will be asked, just eat it. That includes the florescent pink ooze poured over ice shavings (naam- khaeng sai), the salty fish (plah khem) that smells like a trawler’s bottom deck, and anything else that might leave you feeling squeamish.

Food is incredibly important in Thai culture and a bit of an adventurous appetite will go a long way to show your Thai colleagues that you’re willing to embrace local traditions.

Magosteens are known in Thailand as the Queen of Fruits.

Bring food in too!

On that same note, it’s a good idea to bring in food of your own from time to time.  Fruit seems to be the most popular option.  When you see the season’s first bounty of mangosteen, rambutan or ripe mango, splurge and pick some up for our office mates.  Just don’t go too far and open up a stinky durian in the office.  Dried meat (usually beef or pork) is also a decent option and you can never go wrong with desserts.

Learning Thai isn’t as difficult as some make it out to be.

Learn Thai language

Thais are the antithesis of the French–they love hearing foreigners trying to speak their language. Because so many foreigners make no effort to learn Thai, those who do are seen as demi-gods. Sure, they’ll giggle when you use the wrong tone, and many will find it difficult to understand you, but just use those moments as opportunities for learning. Trial and error is a wonderful learning tool. There are plenty of free resources out there, including your Thai co-workers. Open up to them, and most will open up to you.

Thailand’s nickname is The Land of Smiles

Kill ’em with kindness

Very few Thai teachers are going to welcome you with open arms. They’ve seen dozens of foreign teachers come and go–many of whom may not have made the greatest impressions and now you’ve got to deal with the guilt by association.

When a Thai co-worker is gruff or blows you off, don’t take it personally or react in a similar fashion. Turn the other cheek and come back smiling. If that doesn’t work the first time, do it again, and again. This will get noticed and it will eventually pay off.

Most importantly, don’t allow any of the more jaded members of the foreign staff put you off of cooperating with your Thai coworkers. Everyone deserves a fresh start; that goes for Thais and foreigners alike.

Learning more about Thai culture…

As part of our TEFL certification course, trainees attend a special lecture on Thai culture, receive Thai language lessons and will be exposed to Thai students during their teaching practice. Added to that, they’ll have a month to adapt to local norms and learn from the expert advice of our Thai, and foreign staff.

For more information on our TEFL certification program in Phuket, feel free to contact us directly at info@teflcampus.com.

The post 6 Tips for Impressing Thai Teachers appeared first on Teaching English in Thailand.

The 2nd term of the academic year starts in late October and administrators are scrambling to fill last-minute vacancies. Here are six job search strategies tailored to finding great TEFL jobs in Thailand.

Be proactive

The best TEFL jobs aren’t advertised—they’re found through personal connections or sheer diligence. Network by volunteering, joining social clubs and using social media—Facebook alone has three groups where TEFL jobs in Phuket are listed. It’s best to compile a list of TEFL schools in Phuket (TEFL Campus trainees receive a comprehensive list as part of our guaranteed job support) and proactively contact them. Don’t wait for replies either. Calling the employer or providing a CV in-person can do wonders for getting an interview.

Find an editor

TEFL jobs revolve around the English language. As such, incorrect grammar and typos can stop a TEFL job search dead in its tracks. Proofread everything multiple times and avoid having to edit yourself—a fresh set of eyes is more likely to spot mistakes.

Build professional knowledge

Unfortunately, this isn’t always necessary for teaching English in Thailand but it’s critical for landing the best TEFL jobs in Phuket. Applicants need to have good knowledge of TEFL jargon, teaching methods and classroom management. A successful applicant will have ideas for avoiding L1 in the classroom; they can spot a gerund when they see one, and they should be able to offer intelligent answers to hypothetical situations posed during an interview.

Look the part

Talk to TEFL employers in Phuket and they’ll tell you about the applicants who looked like they were on the way to the beach before stopping by a school to ask for directions. Teaching in Thailand means looking the part, and those who don’t are often turned away. A quick internet search will yield plenty of sites offering advice about how to dress for interviews in Thailand.

Know the culture

Speaking fluent Thai, mastering the wai and being able to eat spicy food are not necessary—though the first two will help. Foreigners aren’t expected to know everything about Thai culture and most Thais are very understanding of foreigners’ faux pas. Just don’t forget these three rules: look the part, expect the unexpected, and no matter the situation, never appear impatient or boastful.

Hit the road

Almost everyone will submit a CV by email and if the vacancy was advertised online, you can assume the school received close to 100 emails in the first 48 hours. Even if you don’t know if a school is hiring, drop in and submit your documents face-to-face. No appointments are needed and you’d be surprised how willing Thai teachers are to drop everything in order to speak with you for a few minutes. Finally, if the start of the school term passes without a job offer, don’t fret. The first few weeks of a term usually brings another push once those who can’t hack the job run for the hills or admin finally realize they need more foreign teachers.

 This article was written by our Course Director, Eric Haeg. He’s been helping trainees find  TEFL jobs since 2007. Apply online now or contact us for further information.

The post 6 Tips on Finding TEFL Jobs in Thailand appeared first on Teaching English in Thailand.

It was my first day teaching English in Thailand; I had just finished my TEFL certification course and I was petrified. But I knew from my TEFL training that my 8-year-olds would eat me alive if I showed fear. It was go-time whether I liked it or not.

I wanted to use an activity I did while on my TEFL course so I called up two students from the front of the class to do a demonstration.

Me: “What’s your name?”

Kid on my left: “Pee-sa.”

Me (dumbfounded): “I’m sorry, what’s your name?

Kid on my left: “Teacher, my name Pee-saa. You know. . .chomp chomp. I love
pee-saa!”

Through his effective miming and his pudgy little smile, it hit me:
Oh my, this kid’s name is Pizza.

Me: “Wow. Your name is Pizza. Nice to meet you, Pizza.”

Then I turned to my right.

Me: “And what’s your name?

The boy replied with something that sounded like, “Hud” or “Hot”, I wasn’t sure. So again, I relied on my TEFL training and asked what I was told to ask in these situations.

Me: “How do you spell that?”

Kid on my right: “My name Hut. H-U-T, Hut”.

It was my first experience teaching English in Thailand. How on Earth had I managed to call up two kids named Pizza and Hut? I looked around to see if my new co-workers had put the kids up to it. Nope. That moment proved to be just the beginning of navigating my way through the virtual mind field of learning Thai students’ nicknames.

Whether a student’s nickname seems strange in our culture, or we simply cannot begin to pronounce it, mastering Thai nicknames can prove to be a surprisingly difficult challenge. Let’s look at a few names that illustrate just how difficult this can be.

1) Santa and Man U

Yep, those are totally real names. I know because I taught these kids. Names related to Ol’ Saint Nic and Manchester United Football Club might be easy to say, but difficult to verbalize for the first time with a straight face. And as far as that goes, meet God and Benz, because those names are real too. 

More examples: Google, Pepsi, Sprite and London.

Lesson: Expect the unexpected and try not to snigger.

2) Poo and Porn

Who names their kids after feces and adult media? Thais don’t. It might sound like they do but the names don’t mean anything like what you think they mean. They’re simply troublesome translations and they’re everywhere: Poo means ‘crab’ and Porn means ‘blessing’. 

More examples: Fuk. Pronounced more like ‘fak’, Fuk’s name refers to a squash-like called wintermelon.
Lesson: Keep your mind out of the gutter.

3) Ple and Kung

These are two great examples of confusing transliterations—this time, a bit more innocent.  Kung translates into ‘prawn’ and is said much closer to “Goong”. Ple is a name any new teacher in Thailand dreads.  On its own, it seems like nonsense but if you know the name is derived from the English word, ‘apple’, as well as Thai pronunciation rules (final ‘l’ sounds go to ‘n’ sounds), you’ll correctly pronounce it “Pbeun”. Crazy, eh?

More examples: Bum for “Boom”, Oil for “Oi” and Ball for “Bawn”.
Lesson: Don’t judge a name by its spelling.

4) Yaa and Mai

Moving away from English-language based problems, we find problems with Thai tones–something you cannot avoid if you’re going to be teaching English in Thailand. Yaa can be said with a short or long vowel and in a variety of different tones. While the nickname itself is usually a shortening of a longer name, depending on how you say it, you might call the student, Grass, Grandmother, Divorce, Medicine or a say a command to stop at once. Mai can come out as anything from Wood or New, to Burn or Silk, plus a few other meanings.

More examples: Wan, Pet, Maa, Yai and so many more.
Lesson: Watch your tone.

5) Ngoo and Deuan

These names also present a problem with pronunciation, but rather than tone this is all about making sounds that we don’t typically make in English. The second sound in Deuan is a vowel sound we don’t use in English–making it difficult for us to say. It sounds like the ‘u’ sound in ‘ruler’ but said while smiling. Ngoo is all about the ‘ng’ sound we make with -ng spellings. The difficult part is that we don’t start words with that sound, so Ngoo (the Thai word for snake) becomes Noo (the Thai word for mouse).

More examples:  Neung, Seua, Geaow
Lesson: Start learning basic Thai, or at least the sounds as soon as you can.

It might be tough but learning your students’ names as quickly as possible will do wonders for classroom management.

TEFL teachers need to get used to using students’ names if they are to move forward with classroom management, earning students’ respect and simply setting a good example as a language learner. From nailing the correct pronunciation, to understanding the English translation, students will be impressed by their teacher’s understanding of both their language and their culture.

Now if only the students could say their English teachers’ names correctly.

This article is written by TEFL Campus Course Director, Eric Haeg. The story about Pizza and Hut dates back to his days teaching upper primary science at Assumption College Sriracha, between 2005-2007.

For more information on TEFL certification in Thailand, contact us at info@teflcampus.com.

The post Tongue Thai-ed: 5 ways to bungle Thai students’ nicknames appeared first on Teaching English in Thailand.

Kathy’s classmate relaxes while doing some yoga looking over Phang Nga Bay.

Kathy has just finished Week Three of her TEFL course in Phuket.

In addition to attending lectures, she delivered two more lessons to real students, looked at different aspects of classroom management and learned about Thai culture from a retired Thai teacher who shared valuable lessons on how to make a smooth transition into her first TEFL job in Thailand. She also met with our panel of experienced teachers and learned
first-hand tips on how to get a great TEFL job.

Kathy’s 3rd installment of her TEFL course diary (be sure to read her diary for the 1st and 2nd week) indicate that the initial nervousness that naturally comes with EFL teaching has subsided, while her confidence and teaching skills are on the rise. She’s more settled going into her last week but she’s also anxious about getting a job after the course.

What did you get up to over your second weekend on the TEFL course?
The second weekend I checked out the beautiful island of Koh Yao Yai with some of the other trainees. We got great little bungalows on the beach and spent the weekend relaxing in the sun.

Sakul House owner (Nong) preps Kathy and Arlene for their first motorbike ride in the rain.

You’ve been at your accommodation now for two weeks. Are you still happy with your choice to stay at Sakul House?
Absolutely. I have already asked to stay another month. The environment is so welcoming and friendly that I’m just not ready to move out.

Was the start of Week Three any easier than the start of Week Two?
Week three was when it all got crazy! Projects, studying, teaching, so much to do, but budget your time and you’ll be alright.

Is English grammar starting to make more sense now, or does learning it seem like a hoop you have to jump through to pass the TEFL course?
It definitely makes more sense now. At the beginning of the course we did an overview of grammar which made it seem more overwhelming. Now we are diving deep into it, which makes it easier to understand. Also teaching a lesson on a specific grammar point makes you really understand it.

You might be a fluent speaker but can you identify an auxiliary verb, a gerund or the present perfect tense? You’ll need to be able to do this and much more before you enter the TEFL profession.

You’re meant to have become a bit more independent with lesson planning. Do you feel that is the case?
Definitely. I’ve started to get my own routine down of how I like to plan out the lessons. You also get faster at planning which can be a good or bad thing.

What have you found to be the most interesting part of lesson design?
I really love the board work. I don’t know why; it’s the most boring part. But I really like designing it to be the exact way I want it up on the board. If I have a successful demonstration of my last big activity in class,
then I love it as well. If not, the students turn into
the proverbial deer in headlights.

Are there any teaching skills you’ve found to be more challenging than others? If so, which skills?
Sometimes I take the lesson planning too seriously and my lessons are well designed and effective but they could be way more fun.

Sept ’15 TEFL Campus graduate (Zach) made a smooth transition from TEFL training to EFL teaching.

You had a lecture on TEFL jobs and job search strategies in Week Three. Do you feel more confident about your job prospects now?
Yes, we were given a lot of advice on places to apply and where not to apply. Good working conditions and not so good, as well as advice on the interview process.

Where are you hoping to get a job after the course?
Phuket Town, or Chiang Mai.

Did you find speaking with experienced TEFL teachers gave you insight into what it’ll be like to teach in a Thai classroom?
I feel the only way to prepare for the classroom is to be in it. But it was helpful to hear what the experienced teachers had to say, especially about class sizes, that’s what I think my biggest hurdle will be.

You’ve got an assignment coming up for Monday of Week Four and the final exam later next week. Any nerves with respect to finishing the course out?
Prioritizing my time, getting everything done, and making sure I’m prepared for the exam is definitely making me nervous, but I know I’m so close to the finish line!

Any plans for your last weekend of the course?
Two words: study and sleep.

Be sure to read Kathy’s diary entry for the last week of her course. For more information on taking a TEFL course in Thailand, please contact TEFL Campus Phuket. 

The post TEFL Course Diary: Kathy’s 3rd week in Phuket appeared first on Teaching English in Thailand.

Kathy poses for her official TEFL course photo.

Kathy has finally finished her TEFL training course in Phuket. She passed her exams, finished all of her assignments and completed her observed teaching practice. Although she’s too modest to say it, she excelled in almost every area of the course and we’re sad to see her go.

Was her TEFL training a success? Will she get a TEFL job in Thailand? Is Kathy happy TEFL Campus Phuket’s onsite training course? By the sounds of it, it seems everything worked out better than expected.

(Be sure to read Kathy’s diaries for Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3 before reading on.) 

You said you’d be sleeping and studying over the weekend leading up to Week 4; is that what you ended up doing?
I studied a bit but I also all meet up friends and explored Phuket. I also got my first case of food poisoning, but it was pretty mild.

Everyone took the grammar/phonetics mock exam on Monday; how did it go? Did it help prepare you for the real TEFL course exam?
I felt much more confident after the mock exam because it let me know exactly what I needed to work on and what I had already mastered.

Were you happy with your final teaching practice session?
It wasn’t my strongest lesson because I was pretty nervous and excited to be done with the course, and to find out what I had gotten on my exam. I was a bit distracted to say the least.

Teachers often need to conduct a demonstration lesson in order to land a good job. Do you think the course prepared you to successfully deliver a demo lesson?
It definitely gave me the framework to create a successful lesson. I will have to adapt it to young learners but with my experience working with children that shouldn’t be hard.

Trainees tend to get stressed out about the final exam. Was it as difficult as you thought it would be?
There were parts of it that seemed quite difficult at the time, but they were also the parts that I did the best on for some reason.

Kathy and her cohorts celebrate passing the exams.

How did you and your fellow trainees celebrate the completion of your course?
We all went to dinner then came back and had beers at our Sakul House accommodation. It wasn’t the wildest celebration but everyone was in a great mood.

How does it feel to be a newly TESOL certified teacher?
It feels great and  I’m so happy to be done…now to find a job (she did, see update below).

Are you happy with your decision to take a TEFL course?
Yes, and I know it actually prepared me to teach English in Thailand. It was also filled with great people and we genuinely had a good time in class every day.

Now that you’ve been in Phuket Town for a while, how do you rate it as a location in relation to the rest of Phuket?
I do really like it but I wish I was closer to the beach.

Emily, Arlene and Kathy taking in a sunset over Patong Beach.

What was the toughest part of adjusting to life in Thailand?
I am constantly getting lost on my motorbike because I can’t use my phone for GPS while I’m on my scooter. But that is just me and my bad navigation skills, not really with Thailand.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
Maybe I should have put a little more effort into one of the big class projects. I just wanted to get it out of the way so I could study for the exam, but I could have done a better job on it.

Are you looking forward to getting out into the real TEFL world and find a job?
Definitely, and I’m really hoping for a kindergarten teaching position either here or in Chiang Mai. The job hunt will start this Monday.

Would you say that TEFL Campus lived up to your expectations—be honest.
It really did. The TEFL course was difficult but I knew it would be going into it. It was fun, and I made lots of friends through it. Which was exactly what I wanted.

UPDATE:
We’re happy to announce that Kathy was offered a job up in Chiang Mai and in Phuket. She decided to work for  the highest-paying entry-level school on Phuket. She’s earning more than 40,000 baht per month and that’s not too shabby for just coming off our TEFL course.

We’re very happy to hear our TEFL course exceeded Kathy’s expectations and that we were able to help her find a job.

We hope Kathy’s TEFL course diary helped illustrate just how easy is it so achieve your goals of teaching English abroad. Kathy’s story is similar to that of hundreds of trainees we’ve helped over the years.

To find out more about how we can help you achieve you reach your goal of teaching English abroad, be sure to contact us.

The post TEFL Course Diary: Kathy’s last week in Phuket appeared first on Teaching English in Thailand.

Kathy and friends out on Bangla Road in the “infamous” city of Patong.

Week two of our onsite TEFL course brings new challenges, fresh opportunities to practice teaching English in Thailand and critical lessons in areas such as classroom management and language awareness.

We wanted to help people learn more about our course from a trainee’s perspective so we asked Kathy (USA) to help us with a weekly diary. We already learned about her first week and it’s safe to say she settled into Phuket Town rather comfortably.

Was week two as impressive and challenging as the first week? Let’s find out…

What did you do over the first weekend of the TEFL course?
After a long week, full of new information, we decided we needed to celebrate. My classmates and I hopped on a bus and headed for the famous, or as some would say infamous, Patong. It wasn’t what I would call “a nice relaxing weekend at the beach” but we had a fantastic time!

Are you settling into the TEFL course routine?
I am. Class doesn’t start till 9:30 am which is pretty amazing coming from a job that starts at 7:30 am every day. When I’m not teaching in the evening I get to leave at 12:30 pm, grab a nice lunch, catch up on studying and relax. When I do teach I have two and a half hours to plan and depending on if I have the early class or late class I get a little break in between planning and teaching.

How did you feel before your 2nd observed teaching practice session?
I felt much more confident going into my second lesson because I understood the teaching strategy better, and I was ready to improve. In my first lesson I explained my main activity rather than demonstrate it (which is a big no-no in teaching ESL) so I wanted to focus on that. In my 2nd lesson I nailed my demonstrations and the students preformed the activity with clear understanding! As in any lessons there were strengths and weaknesses but overall I was very pleased with my lesson.

Did lesson planning get any easier?
In the second lesson it was much easier to plan because I still had about 90% support from my instructor. On the third lesson I was given a little https://nygoodhealth.com/product/caverta/ more independence which had its challenges but that’s what I signed up for.

You received some tips on classroom management. Have you been able to use them in the classroom yet?
Definitely. All of the students I have taught have basically been no problem at all. Setting the tone at the beginning of class, keeping my lessons fun and engaging, and making sure everyone is participating is key to having good classroom management.

After 6 hours of lecture on English grammar, does it seem more or less daunting? More or less interesting?
The first day I thought, “Oh no, I have literally forgotten everything about the English language!” But after the six hours of grammar and detailed breakdowns of how different parts of speech work, I feel much more comfortable.

This is a schwa. During phonetics lessons, TEFL course trainees learn about this and the other 43 phonetic sounds of the English alphabet.

You’ve also sat through 5 or so hours of phonology lessons? What do you think of the Int’l Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)? Are you more aware of how we make sounds within a language?
I actually really like the phonology lessons; it makes me feel like I’m a code breaker. The lessons make it easier to hear all the different sounds and understand how to break down words and help students with their pronunciation.

School lets out on Friday at 12.30 every week. Is this enough time to relax over the weekend and have some time to explore Phuket?
I stay after on Fridays to take Thai lessons so I’m in class till 4:00 pm. But the weekend is plenty of time to get out and explore. It’s very easy to get to the beaches, and even catch a boat to a nearby island.

One of the many great views from Koh Yao Yai

So what’s the plan for your second weekend?
Some fellow trainees and I are headed to a nearby island called Koh Yao Yai. It’s supposed to be pretty chill so we’re all looking forward to it after last weekend in Patong.

To read Kathy’s entry for Week 3, click here. For more information on taking our TEFL course in Thailand, please be sure to contact us.

The post TEFL Course Diary: Kathy’s 2nd week in Phuket appeared first on Teaching English in Thailand.

Kathy tries the famously foul-smelling durian fruit during her first week here. Now that’s what we call adventurous.

Taking a TEFL course in Thailand is something that appeals to a lot of people, but fear of the unknown stops them from achieving their dream.

Moving to a new country to teach English abroad is a huge step and it’s not for everyone. Then again, it’s also broadened the horizons for hundreds of thousands of people who had the courage to take the first step–TEFL training…real TEFL training.

Before deciding if a TEFL course is the right step, it’s natural to want to know know more about the course, its location, who runs the training and who you’ll take the course with.

Rather than bore you with details about the course from our point of view, we thought we’d have a trainee share her experiences.

So then, without further ado, meet Kathy.

Kathy is from the States and having done a bit of teaching already, she wanted to try teaching English abroad. She contacted us back in February via email:

I am in the process of looking for a TEFL certification course in Thailand and I would love to hear more about your course. If possible I would also like to speak with a recent graduate of the program.

We replied by putting her in contact with four recent graduates. After that, we chatted on Skype so we could answer all of her questions; Kathy enrolled on the course a few weeks later.

Is she still happy with everything one week into the course? It certainly sounds like she is…

Not Kathy’s pic, but definitely a typical view while on a landing approach for Phuket Int’l Airport.

– Can you summarize your first week in three words?

Hot, sticky, and fun!

– What were your first impressions of Phuket when you finally arrived?

I had just spent three days experiencing sensory overload in Bangkok but seeing all the islands pop up while I flew into Phuket instantly calmed my nerves.

– Was getting from the airport to your accommodation difficult?

Not at all. I followed Eric’s (the course director) specific instructions on how to get a metered taxi and I hopped in my taxi. The driver wasn’t sure how to get to my accommodation so I phoned the owner, when he didn’t answer I didn’t panic because I had a list of contacts to call just in case. My next call was to Eric who was able to give my driver directions.

– Were you happy with your accommodation?

I honestly was. As soon as I pulled up the owner ran up to greet me and help me. He showed me to my room and told me everybody would be going to the beach that Friday and asked if I wanted to come along! My room was clean and comfortable, very basic, but that’s all I needed.

– What did you see and do before the TEFL course started?

When I got to Phuket I wandered the streets near my house, found the local park, sunbathed at Karon beach, and went to some of the bars Eric had recommended with my new classmates.

– How did the first day go?

The first day went well. I was excited to jump right in and start learning. It was an immense amount of information, but I already knew the course wasn’t a walk in the park. We were told we would be “earning” not “given” a TEFL certificate.

– What do you think of your classmates?

They’re great. I had already met many of them the days before the course started. We drank a few beers, tried a bunch of new foods, and got to know each other better. I felt an instant community between us—we are all people who want to have a good time together but who will also support and cheer on one another as the course continues.

– What did you learn from watching experienced TEFL teachers in the classroom?

I learned that you can have a really fun time teaching adults, especially Thai adults. That you have to be prepared to laugh at yourself. Plan well and accordingly but don’t take yourself too seriously while teaching. And most importantly, I learned the ESA (Engage, Study, Activate) method is a very effective way to teach ESL if done correctly.

– How did your first observed teaching practice go?

Even with my previous teaching experience I was incredibly nervous. I had never taught a classroom full of adults and I had very limited ESL teaching experience. My teaching topic was “body parts”; Simon (my trainer) walked me through my lesson and helped build my confidence.

I planned out my lesson and when the time came to turn in my plan and materials I felt ready. Before I knew it my students were walking into class.

When it was over, I felt okay with what I did but I knew everything I had messed up on. At the end Simon called my fellow trainee and myself out onto the balcony to discuss our lessons. Still nervously waiting to be told what I did wrong, Simon told me all the things I did well. And I thought, “Oh, yeah, I did do a good job with that!” He told me specifically what I needed to work on for my next lesson and told me overall to be very happy with my first lesson. I left feeling confident of my teaching abilities, and aware of what I needed to fix.

Trainees attend our general orientation session before we get into the heavy stuff.

– What are your impressions of the lectures so far?

Obviously some I like more than others. Sometimes I start to daydream about how lovely it would be to go to the beach that day, and then I hear my name called and I snap back to attention. They are dense with valuable information and interactive which really helps solidify things in my brain. They are filled with laughter and questions which keeps me focused and energized.

– What surprised you most during the first week?

That I would be teaching my very first lesson on the third day.

– What’s your best advice for pre-arrival preparations?

1) Follow the very specific directions that Eric gives you.
2) Learn a little Thai, being able to say “hello” and “thank you” goes a long way.
3) Don’t over pack.
4) Bring light and comfortable clothes, it’s very casual here.

Kathy and her fellow trainees sitting down for a bite to eat and a few well-earned drinks.

– What’s your best advice for the first week of the TEFL course?

1) Meet your classmates before the first day.
2) Bring a notebook and pencil. Be ready to learn.
3) Drink a delicious iced coffee every morning.

Read about Kathy’s 2nd week here.

Apply now and receive US$ 50 off course fees when you mention this blog entry. 

The post TEFL Course Diary: Kathy’s first week in Phuket appeared first on Teaching English in Thailand.

Transitioning from a TEFL course to teaching young learners can be challenging. I teach young learners in Thailand and I am constantly trying to improve my skills. At first it was a challenge, but over time I found myself settling in to the job and becoming a more effective teacher.

Here are 5 tips I feel can help new teachers quickly transition from their TEFL course to a young learner’s classroom.

Learn your ABC’s…Phonetically

The ABC song is generally the first song young learners will learn. However, after completing a TEFL course you soon realise that this song doesn’t really help young learners when it comes to important skills like articulating sounds. One of the main focuses when teaching young learners is showing them how  and where sounds are made. You may not have a clue what I mean by this, but I gained loads of valuable information about phonology from my TEFL course, which helped me get focused on improving my students’ pronunciation.

Demonstrate, Don’t Explain

Introducing a new activity to young learners is practically impossible to explain in a language they barley know. They often cannot ask questions so it’s important to get your demonstration right. My TEFL training taught me the steps involved in effectively demonstrating a new activity without verbally explaining it. This may sound like an easy task but I assure you, perfecting a demonstration takes careful analysis. It also requires an outside perspective to see where you’re going wrong and how to improve your technique.

Total Physical Response (TPR)

TPR is an effective technique for teaching most beginners, particularly for teaching English to young learners. Combining movement with language is a great way to keep the class active, focused, and from my experience, speed up the learning process. For example, we don’t just teach words like ‘close’ and ‘door’; we get students to get up and close the door while they say the words.  Miming shapes, getting up and pointing to colours on the wall, all of these actions help young learners remember new language faster. We didn’t use a lot of this in my teaching practice but at least my TEFL course let me know about this approach so that I could use it in my classroom.

Classroom Management

Managing a class of 30 four-year-olds can be challenging at the best of times. You never know what mood they will be in; sometimes they can be little angels and other times little devils. Consistent enforcement of an effective reward system will do wonders in a young learner’s class, as well as a good seating plan. A TEFL course will lead you through various classroom management techniques. My course even brought in a panel of experienced teachers who shared their tips and techniques for classroom management.

Lesson Planning

You will learn how to lesson plan while taking your TEFL course but you’ll need to make some adjustments for teaching young learners. Pre-schoolers cannot sit still for more than a few minutes and are usually sat on the floor as opposed to having desks and tables. Regular use of songs works wonders when trying to refocus the class, and don’t worry, you don’t need a beautiful singing voice! My advice with young children is to keep activities short and be prepared to improvise if the students are not responding well to your activity.

After graduating from TEFL Campus in April 2014, Abbey went on to teach at English camps in the UK before teaching at a language school in China. Now she’s back teaching young learners on Phuket. For information on how to get certified and begin teaching young learners in Thailand, please contact TEFL Campus.

Teaching young learners does require you to have a lot of energy but the students help by giving a lot smiles, love and energy back to you. This is one of the main reasons why I love teaching young learners. A TEFL course cannot mimic a kindergarten setting all the time but it will give you a base from which to develop into an effective teacher of young learners.

A NOTE FROM TEFL CAMPUS:
Did you know that you can get a FREE 50-hour online course in teaching English to young learners? Apply today to find out how.

The post 5 Tips for Teaching Young Learners After a TEFL Course appeared first on Teaching English in Thailand.

So there I was, sat in a kindergarten class with thirty little faces staring at me. This was my first time teaching young learners in Thailand and probably their first official English lesson too. I had no clue how they would respond to me. Would they laugh, cry, be frightened or produce any English at all?

Naturally, the first thing I said was “Hello”, hoping and indicating that they should repeat “Hello” back to me; nope, no response, just thirty little faces looking at me curiously. I repeated this many times but no luck. My brain was rattling with ideas before I finally started to clap my hands. Sure enough they started to clap with me. Their faces lit up, giggling and smiling thinking this was the best thing ever. I slipped in a “Hello!” whilst clapping and eureka: they repeated that golden word. The rest is history, they are now like parrots and repeat everything. There’s much more to do but this is a good start.

A kindergarten teacher might be a student’s first experience with a foreigner who is teaching young learners in Thailand. This is an extremely important stage which I feel privileged to be a part of. In addition to good lessons, generating fun and laughter will hopefully bring about the enthusiasm required for learning English–something I feel most Thai students desperately need. Making a difference, even if it’s just a small one, is what keeps me motivated to teach English in Thailand.

It’s now the end of my first week and I am now greeted with my students waving ‘Hello’ with massive smiles on their tiny faces.

 After graduating from TEFL Campus in April 2014, Abbey went on to teach at English camps in the UK before teaching at a language school in China. Now she’s back teaching young learners on Phuket. For information on how to get certified and begin teaching young learners in Thailand, please contact TEFL Campus.

The post Teaching young learners in Thailand appeared first on Teaching English in Thailand.