ESL Jobs Description in Thailand, Teaching Jobs Description
If you are interested to teach English in Thailand, keep reading for the information regarding job types and description.
Most teachers end up teaching either at a private language school or at a public school. There are also ample opportunities available for teaching at preschools. TEFL certified teachers in Thailand normally teach about 24 classes per week but not more than that. Most schedules vary between 20-22 hours per week. Classes are 50-60 minutes long depending on the school. Most teachers will be required to teach each class once per week. English teachers with TEFL qualification will be required to hand in a lesson planning every month at the end of the month.
For Thai Schools Teachers will work at the school Monday-Friday from the hours of 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. (Timing may vary with school. General timing is mentioned.)
For Language Schools, teachers have teaching sessions mostly during the evening and weekends.
Teachers will not be required to teach on Thai National holidays. Saturdays and Sundays there is no class for Thai schools but Language Schools are busier during the week ends.
Teachers will attend the morning assembly which usually begins between 8:00 am depending on the school.
Teachers will prepare (hopefully creative) lesson plans each week for each level/grade that they teach. Teachers will likely be asked by the school and us to provide examples of lesson plans.
Teachers will act in a professional manner both inside and outside of school. You will be a representative for us, your country, and most importantly yourself. Remember to maintain the following:
Attendance / Punctuality
Smart / Neat Appearance and dress
Organize lesson plans
Adaptability to Thai culture
Relationship with Thai teachers
Teachers will dress in an appropriate fashion
In schools, males are expected to:
Wear dress pants (no jeans or cargo pants) and a button-up/collared long or short sleeve dress shirt (no golf shirts)
Ties are required on Mondays and all special occasions/days/festivities (e.g. Teacher Appreciation Day)
Ties may be required by some schools on a daily basis
Brown or black dress shoes are accepted (no running shoes or sandals)
Males are expected to be clean shaven
Facial hair is allowed only if it is properly trimmed and is presentable on a daily basis
Earrings or visible facial rings (eyebrow, lip, nose, chin, etc) are not accepted
Visible tattoos are not accepted and hair should be short and presentable
Males with long hair may be expected to wear it pulled back and presentable.
Outside schools, males are free to wear what they please, with a reminder that no matter how hot it is, it is not acceptable (in Thai society) to not wear a shirt in public (unless at a beach, etc).
In schools, females are expected to:
Wear knee length or longer skirts with a presentable blouse (no low cut or revealing shirts)
Shoes should be dress shoes - open toe and high heel shoes are acceptable (no sandals or running shoes)
Visible facial rings (eyebrow, lip, nose, chin, etc.) are not accepted
Earrings are accepted providing that they are not worn in excessive numbers (E.g. 4 earrings in each ear)
Hair should be presentable
Visible tattoos are not accepted
Outside schools, females are free to wear what they please, with a reminder that revealing clothes are not considered acceptable for female teachers at any time (in Thai society).
Dress codes in Thai government schools may seem strict at first, but appearances and first impressions are extremely important in Thailand. If you are a teacher, you will be expected to:
dress accordingly especially in school.
participate in an English club for students once per week. This is scheduled during school hours at the same time as various other clubs available to students. This can usually be done as a group with any other foreign teachers at the school.
respect all rules and regulations of the school unless otherwise notified by us.
keep organized records of student's weekly attendance as well as grades and additional notes.
evaluate the listening and speaking skills of each student throughout the year.
perform the greeting activity once per week. This consists of simply greeting students and parents at the school front gates from roughly 7:30am - 8:00am. All Thai teachers rotate this responsibility as well.
perform the English 1-minute activity once per week. This consists of planning a short (2 - 3 minutes) speech/message to present during the morning assembly in English. Topics may include ideas such as public service type announcements, riddles, tongue twisters, idioms, slang, nursery rhymes, etc. This can be done as a group with any other foreign teachers at the school.
perform the Star Talk activity for 5 minutes before starting each class. This consists of teaching the students a short introduction and then having them introduce themselves to the class using the format you provide.
attend 1 English Camp for their school per semester. The dates will be arranged by the school. There is little to no preparation required, just attendance and participation. English Camps generally fall on a Saturday and run from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
conduct an after school English class for the Thai teachers. This is generally done once per week and can usually be performed as a group with other foreign teachers or split with other foreign teachers. This does not count towards the limit of 24 classes per week.
be at school for all Non-Thai national holidays. This includes Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Easter, Valentine's Day, etc. Most schools have special celebrations on these days and you will be asked to help organize them as you will be the resident expert on Western holidays.
Possible job types and details at a glance:
Institutions |
Average Salary |
Schedule |
Requirements |
Public Schools |
800 - 1,000 USD per month |
Monday - Friday; 40 hours per week |
A bachelor's degree and fluency in English. A TEFL certificate is an advantage. |
Language Academies |
600 - 1,500 USD per month |
Varies; nights and weekends often required. Average hours are 18 - 25 per week |
A bachelor's degree and fluency in English. A TEFL certificate is an advantage. |
Private International Schools |
3,000 - 5,500 USD per month |
Varies with school |
Valid teaching credential within home country |
Universities |
similar to the salaries of public-school teachers |
10 - 12 teaching hours per week |
A bachelor's degree, usually higher. A TEFL certificate and/or a teaching certificate is a plus. |