Thread: What should the requirements be for foreign teachers in Thailand?

We all are aware of the current requirements the Teachers’ Council of Thailand has set for foreign teachers working in primary and secondary education. Most, if not all members disagree with the current requirements. This can be read in the many posts related to the Culture course and the TCT tests.

The current requirements for ALL teachers are:

• -An education degree or equivalent

• -Certificate of the Thai Language, Culture and Ethics Course.

What do our members think? What should the minimum requirements be for foreign teachers in Thailand?

This is what I think:

• Grade 1 – Grade 6, Conversational English
  • High School + a TEFL/TESOL Certificate

• Grade 7 – Grade 12, Conversational English
  • Degree in any field + TEFL/TESOL Certificate

• Grade 1 – Grade 12, English Program
  • Education Degree or equivalent

All teachers with teaching experience in Thailand less than one year should do an in-school paid-by-the-school Thai Language, Culture and Ethics Course.

Please share your opinion?

Stamp

my 2-cents....


*language academy...TEFL or similar

*primary/secondary...BA + TEFL

*uni undergrads....BA with significant experience (minimum)....i'd say an MA minimum, but thats excluding an array of crossover professionals who can be excellent teachers.

*uni graduates...ph.d



when ya teach...gotta have the teachers education being at least +1 compared to the students. its fair, and its what every single primary/secondary educated person in the west had. every single teacher i had growing up went to college. how or why should we expect anything less?

a language academy is different. its a business, and if people can teach and generate revenue for the school, all the merrier i say.

ScienceGuy and stfranalum, thanks for the replies .

how does experience come in to play?

youre joking?

Just asking a question, because I am not so sure about Stamp's idea of needing a B.ed to be able to teach in English programs.

dont know.

i think the education specific thing is great, its just that no education program, besides a specific ESL prep program (within a language teachers education) will prepare anyone for EFL. it is its own monster.

learning state requirements on social studies standardized tests constitutes a part of B.Ed stuff. its within its own bubble. language learning, especially when your audience doesnt speak your tongue, is quite different.

even classroom management issues are different.

cant see why it would hurt- having a B.Ed. compared to any other major....but from my perspective, its difficult to argue that B.Ed. teachers (with no experience) are more prepared than other majors.

in fact, the expectations that they have been built up to have being a math or language arts teaching student, for eample, might be harmful to their patience levels, and other type of attitude adjustments that teachers need to make to survive here. we've all seen those eager beavers who didnt learn to teach to thais...they come with expectations and when they arent met, they will have great excuses as to why the thai didnt do this or that. its all adjustments and learning.

thats why the ajarner is a special breed. a multi skilled job.

At Mathayom level it would make sense to have specific BA's for specific subjects in English programs. But at Prathom level I am not so sure. Then again I don't believe in subject teachers in Prathom anyway.

maybe a suggestion: how about a cross between Straf and Stamp and amend Stamp's idea into:

English programs:
B.ed or equivalent or at Prathom level Ba with two or more years experience teaching ESL/EFL classes.

I see where you are coming from and point taken. Only wish all EP programs were so serious about education.

Originally Posted by daneel

Only wish all EP programs were so serious about education.

Yeah, true. That's going to change though. There's a MOE project (not TCT) going on to improve the current quality of English programs.

Originally Posted by kikiat

sorry to take the piss, but someone would've sooner or later anyway

It was expected. Several members PM-ed already when I started this thread.

Sad to see that it's you, kikiat. I expected somebody who isn't happy in his job, not happy in Thailand but still has some self esteem.

Stamp

Originally Posted by Stamp

Yeah, true. That's going to change though. There's a MOE project (not TCT) going on to improve the current quality of English programs.

It's right here where you started the piss taking yourself.

Just reporting, hvc. ........just reporting. Not intended to take the piss.