Studying TEFL with ECC, SEE, Unitefl, Text & Talk or Cactus
Fancy becoming a teacher in Thailand
There are various TEFL courses offered in Thailand, both in Bangkok and in the provincial towns and if you are thinking of becoming a teacher in Thailand then consider enrolling with one at ECC, Text & Talk, SEE or Unitefl.
Most are very similar, with four weeks of instruction and classroom experience, for which you get a certificate recognised by the Thailand Ministry of Education and likely to help you land a job teaching English anywhere in the world. Thailand is one of the cheapest places to study a proper TEFL course, costing about 50,000 baht (£1,000/$1,600).
ECC is a national change of English schools that also run the CELTA TEFL – which is the most prized, though it costs more and has strict exams. Others, such as International House in Chiang Mai offer it. It’s a good qualification to have if you intend to make a career out of teaching, but for teaching jobs in Asia most schools will except a four week TEFL course such as those endorsed by TEFL International. Essentially they both involve a similar level of tutorial and class experience.
Chiang Mai is perhaps one of the more favourable places to study since it’s a cheap place to live for a month, and there are several places to take a TEFL there. Aside from International House, there is Siam Educational Experience which has run courses for several years. Cactus Language is aninternational franchise that recently established a branch there. The newest is Unitefl, established in late 2010.
The University of Chiang Mai previously ran a popular TEFL course for three years before it was abruptly and controversially terminated by the University rectorate in late 2010. The staff promptly took the programme and started up recently as Unitefl, essentially providing the same service independently.
With these TEFL courses in hand you land a teaching job anywhere in Thailand, though you might have to meet certain criteria (such as holding a degree) to get formally employed. Many others work on contract. These TEFL courses are generally recognised across Asia, but it’s what you learn and use in the classroom that counts the most.
