Teaching English – in an Asian or other foreign country

English in Asian Schools
The standard of English teaching at primary and secondary school level in some Asian countries, certainly Indonesia, Thailand and the Lao PDR, although improving, is generally still very low. Teachers in government schools are low-paid civil servants, teaching with very limited resources, whatever the subject. They have the most rudimentary training and knowledge themselves, especially in English. Text books are usually written in the local language, then translated into questionable English – unchecked by a native speaker and containing spelling and grammatical errors. These obviously get passed down to the students.

Due to the lack of English conversational abilities of the teacher, concentration is mainly on reading and writing. Grammar and vocabulary skills may be quite well developed, but students cannot (or are too shy to) converse in English, or ‘role play’, amongst themselves. Many Asian school students reach adulthood without ever meeting or trying to speak to a native English speaker. When they do, conversation is all but impossible. They only know what they learned from their books and cannot actually ‘think’ in order to ask or understand a question or answer one. The limit is usually reached after two or three: “What is your name?” “My name is …..”. “And where do you come from?” “I come from [country]”. “How old are you?” This can draw a blank or even desperate look for help from a friend, or maybe they will revert to their own language. After that the going gets tougher!  

Commercial Training Facilities
In recent years, private commercial colleges have opened in major centres to improve the standards of education, especially English tuition and computer training. Parents who can afford it are willing to pay relatively high prices to give their children better opportunities for future employment. Many schoolchildren attend classes after school has finished. Not all teachers employed in these schools are truly ‘native English speakers’; some will be from countries where English is a second or third language, such as Malaysia, Philippines or Singapore. Some will not have a formal teaching qualification or classroom experience, but they are a definite improvement on the home-country-trained teacher. The commercial colleges use modern training methods and materials from professional British, American or Australian sources.

Teaching Position Availability
There are often vacancies for part or full time teachers in many countries and schools. Age is not a barrier either – many teachers are in their fifties or more!

Your chances of finding employment are greatly enhanced if you have or obtain a teaching qualification from an accredited facility.

Teaching English in Thailand
Certification is now almost obligatory. You may even need a university degree as well. Previously the school or employer could employ a foreigner without a degree but this is now the exception rather than the rule. Production of an original degree and transcript is required and documentation may be checked before a position is offered.

The days of buying a fake degree or teaching certificate in Khao San Road in Bangkok are virtually gone and Thai employers have become wise to these tricks. They now face a hefty penalty for failing to ensure teachers are suitably qualified, especially where educational work visas are involved.

While qualified teachers in quality schools can earn 120,000 Baht or more a month. That's currently $4000, now that the Thai baht is at its highest level against the US dollar for years.  Some teachers will earn 30,000 Baht ($1000) a month and others with minimal qualifications and experience working ad hoc for dodgy language schools get 150 Baht ($5) per hour.

There are however, many teaching opportunities for properly qualified applicants with some classroom experience, as uncertified 'English teachers' have been forced out by the drove in the last few years. If you are interested, or just want to see if you are suited to becoming an English teacher, click on the banner below and take a 10 minute free test. You may surprise yourself! Learn all about inexpensive online TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) courses, certificates and diplomas by clicking below:

Become qualified in four weeks – even if you're overseas already
If you would rather attend a formal training facility, there are organisations that run TEFL courses for potential English teachers in several overseas locations including Sydney or Bangkok, with a guaranteed job in Thailand on completion (4 weeks).

Teaching English in Laos (Lao PDR)
Lao is a different story. Whether you are qualified or not, jobs are available but good jobs are hard to find. Few foreigners who have taught English in Vientiane or other areas would disagree. Most of the language schools are privately owned, set up as businesses to make money from the parents of students, rather than providing an efficient teaching service. Many will hire almost anyone who speaks English, with or without a strong accent; preference is given to white skin and Caucasian features. Pay is usually between US$5 and $10 per hour, but this is while taking a class only. Time has to be spent preparing lessons and reports. Teachers are treated with little respect by management, although Lao students are well-behaved and polite, if inattentive! Many 'English teachers' leave after a short time, to be replaced by the next short-of-cash backpacker. An English Teaching diploma or other professional qualification may enable entry into one of the better establishments such as Vientiane International School, Vientiane College or Lao American College. Some full time positions pay $1000 or more per month, but that will probably involve long hours and extra-curricular work in addition. Voluntary posts in Lao rural areas are possible too, if income is not an issue. Accommodation is usually provided.

An example is a school in Vientiane recently advertising for a "beginner class" English teacher. It's a "3.5 hour per day position, from 8.30am to 12 noon. US$300 cash in hand paid each month. Any teacher with qualifications and clear, crisp diction may apply". Do the math. That's less than $4.50 per hour. Check out Mark's ESL World.

English for Business and Industry
Governments and private businesses in less developed Asian countries including Thailand and Lao PDR, are realising the increasing importance of being able to communicate in English. International meetings are held between countries, and importing and exporting of products. This is made easier with the development of commerce over the internet. Customers and suppliers can be found, orders specified and placed, deliveries arranged and payments made, all using the internet. It is likely that most of this will need to be done in the English language. Local staff all need to learn some English. Administrative and technical personnel need to know the English equivalents of technical words and jargon used in their particular office or factory. This is a more difficult issue to address. Companies are generally reluctant to spend money on training or allow staff to be unproductive for too long.

On Line Training for English and other subjects
Apart from using traditional classroom methods to teach English, computers and the internet are providing solutions to these problems. On line courses are available for a host of activities, many free or at low cost. Click on the link at the left. For some, getting a book is a good first move into learning to become a teacher, especially of English to foreign students. Click on the links for some recommendations and more information about the titles.

Language Training Software
There are also computer programs that enable foreign students to learn English, especially vocabulary, either alone or under a trainer’s supervision. Some can be ‘tailored’ by the trainer to focus specifically on terminology and vocabulary that is required by a particular organisation – be it government, non-governmental (NGO) or in the private sector. Ideally explanations and translations should be available with audio sounds of the English word or phrase, together with explanatory text or translation into the local language as well – this may well be a foreign character set such as Thai, Lao, Chinese, Japanese or Korean for example, whereas Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines all use the Western alphabet.

"Vocaboly" Vocabulary Training Software
Several programs are on the market, but not all have the features described above. We can recommend an inexpensive Windows-based software program which caters to a variety of English teaching needs and also addresses the above commercial issues. Read a review of the excellent Vocaboly program here, then visit the publisher’s website at http://www.vocaboly.com where you will find additional information and user forums, and can download and try out this software for free.

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