FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q : When does the Thai school year start?
A : The Thai school year starts with term one: in early May. Term two starts in early November.
Q : When are the holidays?
A : The months of April and October are school holiday periods. These periods are normally unpaid, however, it's easy to find extra work such as teaching at English camps during these months. You will work through the Christmas period but you will normally have a 6 – 8 days break starting around 28th December to celebrate the New Year. There are also many public holidays in Thailand.
Q : Will the school have a curriculum?
A : Some schools will provide you with a curriculum and materials to teach from. Others will expect you to design your own lesson plans. We will offer you a lot of guidance with respect to this topic and we can provide you with a curriculum which makes for Teaching. There are usually internet facilities at the schools for printing off lesson plans and other teaching materials. Additional teaching aids, text books, CDs and quizzes are also almost always at hand.
Q : What kind of teaching will I do?
A : You may be required to teach in a variety of ways; a syllabus could be provided, basic teaching guidelines may be given or schools could simply ask that their students enjoy themselves in which case you will be able to teach whatever you like! There is usually an emphasis on spoken English to take advantage of having fluent English speakers in the school.
Q : How many students will be in a class?
A : Typically, a class is between 25-50 students depending on the age of the students. Classes are usually smaller if the students are younger. You should expect classes of around 50 for teaching at middle school and senior levels.
Q : How will my teaching schedule work?
A : The school day in Thailand starts around 7.30am. and goes through until 3.30pm. or 4pm. Classes are normally between 40 and 50 minutes and the Western teachers would teach approx. 18 - 22 hours per week. The working week is from Monday to Friday.
Q : What are the school activities?
A : Teacher is required to implement any supplemental programs provided to the school including to Gate Greeting (Gate Duty), Morning Talk and English clubs
Q : Will I be teaching alone or will I have an assistant?
A : You should be prepared to lead a class on your own from day one. There may be assistants in the lower age group classrooms but you will still be responsible for delivering the lesson in these instances.
Q : Can I extend my contract at the school?
A : Yes! If you are starting at the beginning of Term/Semester 1 or Term/Semester 2 you will normally choose a contract length of 5 months (1 term/semester) or 10 months (2terms/semesters). If you arrive during the first or second month of the term/semester you will have anywhere from 3 – 4 months until the ends of the current term. If you are unsure of whether you would like a long or short contract there is no harm in selecting a 5 month contract to see if you enjoy your placement as much as we know you will. As soon as you know you would like to stay longer with your placement school, notify us. We and our partner schools welcome teachers to stay longer than the 5 or 10 month contract that they initially selected.
Q : How will I get paid?
A : English In Touch, will help you set up your bank account.
Q : What is the dress code at school?
A : - For Male teachers, Males: Long pants, Business shirt (both short and long sleeves), Socks and closed toe shoes, A tie (dependent on school), A suit jacket is not normally necessary
- For Females teachers, Skirt or dress around knee length, Blouse/shirt which covers the shoulders and midriff - (no plunging necklines), closed toe shoes are preferable. Sandals are dependent on the school but no flip-flops
- For Females teachers, Skirt or dress around knee length, Blouse/shirt which covers the shoulders and midriff - (no plunging necklines), closed toe shoes are preferable. Sandals are dependent on the school but no flip-flops
Q : How much does the Non-B visa cost?
A : This will cost 2,000 baht and English In touch will provide documents for Non-B visa
Q : How long is the visa run process?
A : The visa run takes 2 working days for which you get paid a normal salary.
Q : When do I need to do the visa run?
A : The consultants will inform you about the exact date for the visa run. It takes at least 2 weeks to process the paperwork for you, and then they will schedule a date for you to conduct the visa run.
Q : How do I get there?
A : The exact route will depend on your placement location or starting point. You have the option to go with an agency that will help you with the whole process, or you can complete it on your own for which the consultants will be on call for you in the case you need an assistance.
Q : Where do I need to go to apply for the visa?
A : The majority of foreigners living and working in Thailand visit the neighboring country, Laos to apply for their visa. This is the fastest and most convenient way to obtain the Non-Immigrant B visa. And can apply for Non-Immigrant B visa at Bangkok Immigration too.
Q : Will I need to do a medical check? And when?
A : Yes, you need to do a medical check after the Non-Immigrant B visa. This is required in order to obtain the work permit. The consultants will email you the form and assist you with the process.
Q : Where are the schools located?
A : We have schools all near Bangkok, South and Northeastern Thailand, and where you’re placed depends on a number of things like what program/level you’re best suited to, if schools have any special education/experience requirements, and if you’re being placed alone or with a friend. But Thailand is beautiful – from North to South – so wherever you go will definitely have its own charm!
Q : What is the accommodation like?
A : Each teacher will have their own private bedroom in an apartment, house or university style dorm and will have to share a bathroom and living room with others. By western standards the accommodation may be considered basic but by Thai standards the accommodation provided to foreign teachers is spacious and of a comparatively high standard.
Q : Do I have to pay any bills?
A : Utilities, such as electricity and water bills are responsible by the teacher.
Q : How far is the accommodation from the school?
A : Most of our accommodations are within 5-15 minutes walking distance from the school. Many placements are within walking distance, but some places require you to take public transportation or ride your own motorbike.
Q : How are the buses?
A : Buses in Thailand are widely used. You can take a bus everywhere in Thailand. Regular schedule run throughout the day. Mochit Bus Station is the main station going to the North and Northeastern Thailand. Sai Tai Mai offers services to the south. Many people prefer the night buses for long trips as they are very comfortable to sleep on.
Q : How are the trains?
A : Like buses, trains reach all areas of Thailand, are inexpensive and are widely used. They have many schedules throughout the day beds are available for night trips. It's a beautiful way to travel giving you the opportunity to admire scenic views along the way. However, they usually take a bit longer.
Q : How is the transportation in Thailand?
A : It is very convenient and inexpensive. You can choose from a variety of modes, including airplane, bus, van, taxi, tuktuk, songtaew motorcycle taxi and train.
Q : What are the main airports in Thailand?
A : We have 2 main airports; Suvarnabhumi Airport and Donmuang Airport. And we also have international airports in some provinces; Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Krabi, Samui, Surat Thani, Udon Thani and UbonRatchathani. In addition, there are a large number of domestic airports, and you can be sure to find one very near to your placement for easy access to the rest of Thailand.