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Expert TESOL training in Thailand with TravelBud
Travellers wanting to teach English in Thailand are required to first complete a 120-hour In-Country TESOL course. The course takes place over 4 weeks in the beautiful beach town of Hua Hin, Thailand. The course provides applicants with a major advantage over other TESOL courses as it fully prepares applicants for living and working as an English teacher in Thailand.
The In-Country TESOL course in Thailand also includes a 2-day real real teaching experience at a non-profit English camp where teachers have to prepare lesson plans and conduct their own lessons to classes at the camp. This gives them a great feel for what to expect teaching English at a school in Thailand as well as a great opportunity to use and practice all the theory they have learned during the TESOL course in a practical teaching setting.
The one week Cultural Orientation section of the course is specifically tailored to preparing Westerners to moving to Thailand to live and work. To ensure this, it includes lessons on Thai history, language, politics, culture, as well as various cultural excursions to visit elephants at nearby parks, famous Thai monuments, Muay Thai classes and more.
Our TESOL team in Thailand provide 24-hour assistance for teachers in Thailand should they have any questions or concerns during their stay in Thailand. The Thailand TESOL course also provides a great opportunity to meet and befriend like-minded travellers from around the world and form a close-knit network of Western teachers which will benefit teachers a great deal in the future.
Course Outline
The TESOL course takes place over 4 weeks (5 days a week) and is broken down in great detail below:
If you have any questions about this program, please don’t hesitate to enquire and we will get back to you!
Full Course Outline
Week 1
The first week of the 120-hour In-class TESOL course is an introduction on many different levels. There are introductions from the instructors and the students. The majority of the first week is spent on an introduction to Thai language and culture that lasts several days. The following topics are covered in the first week:
Thai Society (4 hours)
- Overview of Thai history
- Social Institutions
- Gender relations
- Major ethnic groups and relations
- Regions of the country and distinctive local cultures
Thai Geography (2 hours)
- Neighbouring countries and relations
- Regions of the country
Thai Politics (2.5 hours)
- Political situation
- Major social movements and developments
- Political institutions (Thai Monarchy, military, political parties)
Thai Culture (4 hours)
- Cultural views on social life
- Cultural views on work life
- Do’s and Don’ts when living in Thailand
- Adapting to your new work life (building relationships with colleagues and bosses in the Thai context)
Thai Language (20 hours)
- Basic introductions
- Basic vocabulary
- Vocabulary for shopping, bargaining, communicating with students and interacting with colleagues.
Homework (4 hours for the entire week)
There are light homework assignments each evening. These include reading Thai newspapers (English version) and reporting to the class on current events in Thai politics and society and discussing the relevance to the individual’s journey as a English teacher in Thailand.
Week 2
The second week of the TESOL course is a deeper exploration of theory in the discipline of English as a second language and how to teach grammar. Students learn about the structure and key elements of a lesson plan. Every lesson requires a detailed lesson plan that lays out the procedures of the class, and also forces the teachers to consider the challenges, technology resources, and other factors that can have an impact on and English teacher’s success in the Thai classroom. During week two, students will also learn how to teach grammar. Grammar can be challenging to teach. One of the reasons for this is that it has been a long time since native English speakers have reviewed grammar rules, so TESOL students have their English grammar skills refreshed by the TESOL instructors.
The major assignments for week two are to:
- Create a lesson plan for teaching grammar
- Present a full lesson just as a teacher would in a classroom
Week 3
The third week of the TESOL course focuses on how to teach reading, listening and speaking. Reading can be a fun activity to teach in the classroom. It is also extremely beneficial for ESL learners for a whole host of reasons. These include being a good model for language production, increasing vocabulary, and allowing students to work at their own pace. Believe it or not, there is actually a strategy for how to teach reading. It involves building key reading skills and practicing with students to hone and improve those skills.
The major assignments for this week are to:
- Create a lesson plan for teaching reading and
- Present a full lesson just as as a teacher would in the classroom.
Week 4
The final week the class is dedicated to classroom management and preparing for and conducting the English camp. This may be the last topic discussed, but it is in fact extremely important, especially in cross-cultural contexts. Classroom management is about setting ground rules, applying them consistently, getting to know your students, and earning and maintaining their respect and commitment. Students spend several days preparing their lessons for the English camp. The camp generally lasts 2-3 days.
During the final week there will also be a multiple choice and short-answer final exam.
Graduation Ceremony
After the final exam at the end of the fourth week of TESOL training, festive graduation ceremony is held for the now TESOL graduates and qualified English teachers.
TESOL instructors hand out TESOL certificates to the new graduates before the graduates celebrate on the beach reminiscing about the fun times they have had together over the past month, the friendships they have made, and for the teaching and traveling which awaits them.
Course Objectives
Our 120-hour In-Class TESOL course for Thailand is designed specifically to meet the following objectives:
- To develop an in-depth understanding of the concepts and principles of teaching English as a second language. This includes understanding the different theories of, and approaches to, teaching English, and particularly understand how the process of second language development occurs.
- Understand how the teacher’s role changes depending on the type of student.
- Develop a repertoire of routines, skills and strategies to teach English in Thailand to people of all ages.
- Develop the ability to plan structured lessons.
- Gain confidence and familiarity with teaching TESOL through significant in-class and practical training.
If you have any questions about this program, please don’t hesitate to enquire and we will get back to you!
Week 1
Week 1
Week 1
The first week of the 120-hour In-class TESOL course is an introduction on many different levels. There are introductions from the instructors and the students. The majority of the first week is spent on an introduction to Thai language and culture that lasts several days. The following topics are covered in the first week:
Thai Society (4 hours)
- Overview of Thai history
- Social Institutions
- Gender relations
- Major ethnic groups and relations
- Regions of the country and distinctive local cultures
Thai Geography (2 hours)
- Neighbouring countries and relations
- Regions of the country
Thai Politics (2.5 hours)
- Political situation
- Major social movements and developments
- Political institutions (Thai Monarchy, military, political parties)
Thai Culture (4 hours)
- Cultural views on social life
- Cultural views on work life
- Do’s and Don’ts when living in Thailand
- Adapting to your new work life (building relationships with colleagues and bosses in the Thai context)
Thai Language (20 hours)
- Basic introductions
- Basic vocabulary
- Vocabulary for shopping, bargaining, communicating with students and interacting with colleagues.
Homework (4 hours for the entire week)
There are light homework assignments each evening. These include reading Thai newspapers (English version) and reporting to the class on current events in Thai politics and society and discussing the relevance to the individual’s journey as a English teacher in Thailand.
Week 2
Week 2
The second week of the TESOL course is a deeper exploration of theory in the discipline of English as a second language and how to teach grammar. Students learn about the structure and key elements of a lesson plan. Every lesson requires a detailed lesson plan that lays out the procedures of the class, and also forces the teachers to consider the challenges, technology resources, and other factors that can have an impact on and English teacher’s success in the Thai classroom. During week two, students will also learn how to teach grammar. Grammar can be challenging to teach. One of the reasons for this is that it has been a long time since native English speakers have reviewed grammar rules, so TESOL students have their English grammar skills refreshed by the TESOL instructors.
The major assignments for week two are to:
- Create a lesson plan for teaching grammar
- Present a full lesson just as a teacher would in a classroom
Week 3
Week 3
The third week of the TESOL course focuses on how to teach reading, listening and speaking. Reading can be a fun activity to teach in the classroom. It is also extremely beneficial for ESL learners for a whole host of reasons. These include being a good model for language production, increasing vocabulary, and allowing students to work at their own pace. Believe it or not, there is actually a strategy for how to teach reading. It involves building key reading skills and practicing with students to hone and improve those skills.
The major assignments for this week are to:
- Create a lesson plan for teaching reading and
- Present a full lesson just as as a teacher would in the classroom.
Week 4
Week 4
The final week the class is dedicated to classroom management and preparing for and conducting the English camp. This may be the last topic discussed, but it is in fact extremely important, especially in cross-cultural contexts. Classroom management is about setting ground rules, applying them consistently, getting to know your students, and earning and maintaining their respect and commitment. Students spend several days preparing their lessons for the English camp. The camp generally lasts 2-3 days.
During the final week there will also be a multiple choice and short-answer final exam.
Graduation Ceremony
Graduation Ceremony
After the final exam at the end of the fourth week of TESOL training, festive graduation ceremony is held for the now TESOL graduates and qualified English teachers.
TESOL instructors hand out TESOL certificates to the new graduates before the graduates celebrate on the beach reminiscing about the fun times they have had together over the past month, the friendships they have made, and for the teaching and traveling which awaits them.
Course Objectives
Course Objectives
Our 120-hour In-Class TESOL course for Thailand is designed specifically to meet the following objectives:
- To develop an in-depth understanding of the concepts and principles of teaching English as a second language. This includes understanding the different theories of, and approaches to, teaching English, and particularly understand how the process of second language development occurs.
- Understand how the teacher’s role changes depending on the type of student.
- Develop a repertoire of routines, skills and strategies to teach English to people of all ages.
- Develop the ability to plan structured lessons.
- Gain confidence and familiarity with teaching TESOL through significant in-class and practical training.
Specifically for Westerners who wish to teach English in Thailand
The Internationally Accredited TESOL in Thailand course we offer has been specifically designed to meet our clients’ needs.
Whereas many other TESOL/TEFL courses found online have a generalized curriculum which doesn’t focus on preparing Westerners to teach English in any specific country, our TESOL in Thailand course is focuses specifically on preparing applicants to teach English in Thailand.
Other TESOL/TEFL courses unfortunately tend to not adequately prepare applicants for the circumstances they will encounter when teaching English in Thailand.
English teachers in Thailand need to motivate Thai children to speak up and interact in the English classroom
Thai children can be quiet and reluctant to speak up in the English classroom. This puts extra pressure on English teachers to come up with lessons that get students to speak up and express themselves – a fundamental skills to have as an English teachers in a foreign country.
Our TESOL in Thailand course focuses on pushing teachers to be creative in lesson plan construction with the goal of creating engaging, relevant lessons that get Thai students to speak up and express themselves in the classroom. This in turn creates greater reward for English teachers and better results in the classroom.
English Grammar vs English “Speaking” in the Thai classroom
The traditional mainstay of most TESOL/TEFL courses is English Grammar, however, the Thai government only wants native Western English speakers to teach English “Speaking” to Thai children.
English “Speaking” makes up 75 % of the focus in the classroom and Thai schools employ Thai nationals to teach English Grammar to the children. Although English Grammar is still taught to our TESOL students, our TESOL in Thailand course is tailored to more specifically focus more on teaching English “Speaking” in the classroom.
This will ensure that our TESOL students are 100% prepared for what they will experience teaching English at a school in Thailand.
Thai classrooms are low-tech
It is hard to find classrooms in Thailand where you will have high-tech resources. We therefore focus on training teachers to produce lesson plans as low-tech as possible.
This is not the case with other TESOL/TEFL courses as they focus on preparing teachers to teach second language foreigners all over the world. This causes them to ignore the low-tech setting in which English teachers will find themselves teaching English in Thailand.
The Thailand Cultural Orientation Program
There are many challenges associated with living and working in a country which has a foreign culture and language to what one is used to back home. That is why we have included a Cultural Orientation Program specifically suited to familiarize TESOL students with Thai culture, language, history, politics and cultural traditions.
The Cultural Orientation Program for Thailand has been designed to best meet the cross-cultural challenges associated with living and working as an English teacher in Thailand. It will fully prepare applicants for living and working abroad in Thailand and will ensure a smooth transition into the new environment applicants will find themselves in.
It is always beneficial to adapt to new ways of living when immersing oneself in a foreign culture. In Thailand, it is crucial for English teachers to immerse themselves in Thai culture as it adds to the unique cross-cultural experience of teaching in a foreign country such as Thailand.
It also helps English teachers navigate their new environment better with regards to communicating with others and making new friends, purchasing food and other goods, and travelling through Thailand. The Cultural Orientation Program will ensure that you are easily prepared for this aspect of your journey ahead.
The Cultural Orientation Program takes place over the first week of the TESOL in Thailand course and covers the following:
Introduction to Thailand
The first step to introducing TESOL students to Thailand is to introduce culture shock by investigating the underlying reasons for Westerners who come to live and work as an English teacher in Thailand. This reinforces the unique benefits of the Teach English in Thailand experience and is aimed to remind you of why you are here. The introductory phase encompasses “ice breaker” activities that will allow you to get to know your peers, put aside any cultural biases, and help realize expectations.
Thai Culture & Politics
Michael Volpe, currently completing his PhD in Thai politics and originally from the USA, will provide an interesting in-depth history of Thai society and culture and address gender relations, major ethnic groups, and local religion in Thailand. Michael will give a great account of his experience moving to live and work in Thailand as well as many great tips on navigating one’s new environment. The valuable insight into Thai culture offered by Michael will benefit you immensely an can only be learned and taught from living and working in Thailand.
Thai Language
It is always a challenging task trying to communicate to locals in a country where English literacy isn’t very high. We therefore look at Thai language and teach TESOL students how to communicate on a basic level in Thai. Our experienced Thai language instructors lay a foundation of conversational skills ranging from ordering food, learning the numbers to gain a firm understanding of shopping and bargaining, basic introductory greetings and helpful common phrases for interacting within the local community.
Cultural Excursions & Activities
- Visit wild elephants at nearby parks
- Interact with the local farmers of a pineapple plantation that were negatively affected by floods in 2011
- Visit a Buddhist temple and observe amazing history while receiving a blessing from a monk
- Charter a long tail boat ride through a protected mangrove forest and visit a local fishermans’ village
- Volunteer at a Hua Hin animal rescue centre
- Visit the King’s Royal Palace
- Participate in authentic cooking lessons
- Participate in Muay Thai lessons
- Attend a fun and social beach barbecue at the end of the week
Online TESOL
Although our In-Country TESOL course is highly recommended for its practical benefits, we do provide an online TESOL option for those wanting to teach English in Thailand but cannot afford take complete the course in Thailand.
Our online TESOL option for Thailand provides applicants with the flexibility to keep earning money at their jobs while doing the entire course in their home country. Although the majority of the online TESOL can be completed in one’s home country, applicants are still required to complete the one-week Cultural Orientation Program which takes place in Hua Hin, Thailand prior to job placement.
Applicants require far less savings prior to departure to Thailand as the time from arrival to being placed at a school is just a matter of days after completing the one-week Cultural Orietation Program. It is a cheaper option to the In-class TESOL course, however, if one can afford to complete the In-Country TESOL in Hua Hin, it is highly recommended due to the advanced preparation it offers applicants. Video skype based lesson presentations by students.
CULTURAL ORIENTATION OUTLINE
- Introduction to Thailand
- Thai Culture & Politics
- Thai Language
- Cultural Excursions & Activities