Teaching Teachers

Who Teaches Teachers to Teach?

Where do teachers turn if they want to improve their teaching skills? In other words, where can teachers continue their training? 

As a teacher or educator it is important that we do not fall into a complacent state but continually motivate ourselves to know more and learn to be more effective in our role as instructors. It is easy to settle by “just doing enough“.


However, it is more rewarding both personally and monetarily if we ensure we are providing our students with the most full- filling learning environment possible. If we are not motivated while teaching or enthusiastic regarding our subject matter as we have taught it the same way so many times already, the students will not be motivated to learn.

So what can you do to improve your teaching in Thailand? For serious international teachers who are interested in pursuing a successful long-term and well-paying teaching career at international schools worldwide, here is what you can and should do:

TESOL Certificate

For starters, individuals who have no teaching experience but want to start teaching at Thai schools, a TEFL or TESOL certificate is a must. Look for a 120 hour course that is graduate level to insure it is academically sound and furthers your education by earning you graduate level credits, which you can use towards a US Master degree in education.

TESOL in Bangkok

The TESOL certificate provides you the necessary tools to deliver an informative and well-structured lesson.

The UEC TESOL certificate taught exclusively in Bangkok, Thailand, provides you with the necessary tools to deliver an informative and well-structured lesson in a variety of educational settings, from teaching one learner to teaching 50 Thai students at a local Thai Government school in ninety degree heat with no air conditioning.

You will be able to gain valuable teaching practice and an in-depth understanding of cultural differences so you can connect better with your learners.

This will get you to learn and adjust your teaching carefully according to the learning environment. Every student learns differently, and you will become more aware of all of these nuances and learn to use them for the best possible learning outcome.

Learn the latest teaching methodology. Deliver your information effectively in a way that empowers students to create their own learning and allows them to engage in critical thinking skills. This enables students to not only retain the information better, but also provide them with motivation to become life long learners.

Finally, what could be better than helping others learn while you are learning yourself?

The UEC TESOL course gives you the opportunity to do good and truly make a difference while improving your own teaching skill set.

Part of the course includes teaching at the Fatima Center, a home and vocational training center run by the Good Shepherd Sisters for more than 600 females of all ages in one of Bangkok’s poorest areas. UEC has been committed to weekly English language training since 2004, and we are proud to enable you to experience this very positive environment and help re-instill hope and confidence in our learners.

TEFL in Thailand

TESOL Reviews

Language School

Take for example, a UEC TESOL course graduate, Elizabeth M, from the US: She completed the 120 hour UEC TEFL course but wanted the freedom that work at a language school provides, so she applied for a teaching position at one of the oldest and most prestigious language schools in Bangkok, and has been working there happily for the last three years.

Government School

Or take Lee M, one of the UEC 120 hour TEFL course graduates from Manchester, UK, who wanted to work at a Thai Government school, secured employment within one week after his graduation, and within one year, was put in charge of all the foreign English language teachers at his school, and has been teaching at that school happily ever since.

Private School

Another example is Nathan, who had completed his Bachelor degree in Psychology back in the US but had no teaching experience before taking the UEC TEFL course. Upon graduation, he was hired to teach at a Thai Government school, which he did while completing his US Master degree with UEC in Bangkok on the weekends. Upon completing his degree, he changed schools to teach at one of the well known Thai Catholic schools, where he has been for the last four years. Nathan’s focus was that he wanted to both learn and earn more, which prompted him to pursue the next level in education, namely…

The US Master Degree

For individuals who have been teaching for a while and are ready to further their education, having a US Master degree will put you in a different pay bracket and open a whole new world of opportunities as an international educator. This is because you have advanced academic standing with a graduate degree, and have the knowledge and tools to create and provide a more rewarding learning environment for your students.

US Master degree in Thailand

The good news is that no matter what your major field of study was as an undergraduate, a Master degree in education along with teaching experience enables you to be a candidate for some of the most prestigious and rewarding international school positions in some of the most exotic locations on this planet!

• US Master degree Program

Reaping Monetary Rewards

Financially speaking, having a US Master degree in education while teaching can mean earning TWICE (or more..) the teaching salary than when teaching in Thailand with a Bachelor degree. This generally entails changing employing schools, especially when moving from a Thai government school teaching position to a private or Christian school teaching post in Bangkok.

Example: Eric K, (US) who made the switch to a private school upon graduating with the US Master degree, stated that within one year at his new school, he had made the money back he had spent paying for his graduate degree coursework, so it was well worth the investment.

Securing International School Positions

Twice a year, international teaching employment fairs are held in Bangkok, Thailand. Headmasters and principals from international schools worldwide gather in Bangkok, where suitable candidates are screened, contracts offered, signed, and teaching applicants decide where in the world (literally) they will spend the next two years, which is the usual length of an initial contract. Overseas hire teaching contracts generally include annual round trip flights home, a generous moving and housing allowance, health insurance, and a very generous monthly salary, also depending on, you guessed it, your highest degree earned.

Teaching in Thailand

A number of UEC 120 hour TESOL graduates who completed the Buffalo State, State University of New York, Master degree with UEC have attended these recruiting conferences and secured rewarding teaching positions at international schools in places such as Turkey, Korea, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.

What if there is just not enough time for a whole degree program?

Professional Development Courses

Many international educators do not have the time or finances available to dedicate fully to a degree program, so they explore professional development options to keep their teaching credential up to date and stay on top of the latest educational trends.

There are international educator conferences offering short courses in a workshop or job-alike session format, where educators network, exchange views and experiences, and get to hone their teaching skills.

Taking a single graduate level degree course can accomplish the same positive result while enabling participants to earn actual academic graduate credits that are letter graded, not simply “professional development credits” (pass/fail). This distinction is very important since credits earned with letter grades (A,B,C etc.) may be used as transfer credits towards the completion of a graduate degree program, while professional development credits cannot be used in that manner.

Teaching workshops in Bangkok

UEC has been offering professional development workshops for international educators in Bangkok since 2004, and you are certainly invited to take advantage of the Buffalo State, State University of New York graduate degree courses offered in Bangkok. Have a look at the course descriptions, pick out the course you want, then look at the course calendar to see when it is offered, drop us an email and we will send you registration details.

Stop by for a free Education Consultation on how you can get started or improve your teaching skills.