Teaching English in Thailand: Jade’s Story

Teaching English in Thailand gives you the chance to travel, grow in confidence, and build a meaningful career abroad. In this interview, Jade shares how TEFL Heaven helped her turn a love of travel into a life-changing teaching experience.

Jade’s experience of teaching English in Thailand highlights how stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to personal growth, confidence, and a completely new way of living.

PERSONAL PROFILE

What is your name, age and nationality?

Jade Scanlon. 23. British.

What is your education level and background?

I studied A-Levels of English Language, Sociology and Psychology. And I have a BA(hons) degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.

Have you travelled abroad previously, and if so where?

Prior to my TEFL in Thailand, I have lived and worked abroad once before. Between my second and final year of university, I worked for a travel company as one of their overseas holiday advisors. I lived in an apartment in the South of mainland Spain, and worked in one of their large Holiday Village hotels as an advisor to their guests, as well as working one day a week at Malaga airport. I lived in Spain for 4 months in total, and it was a lot of hard work. Despite not really taking to the role of a customer advisor abroad, I did thoroughly enjoy the travel and exploration aspects of it, and I grew hungry to travel once again by the time my final year of university was over. I just had to find a job more enjoyable for me that could also provide that travel lifestyle… That’s where the TEFL Heaven internships (Thailand) came in.

What motivated you to teach abroad?

I had always been interested in the idea of teaching, and, as my final year of university came to an end, I was attending a lot of postgraduate open evenings to enquire about doing a PGCE in Secondary English. However, I really wasn’t ready to enter that thing my parents like to call “the real world” yet. I had already had a taste of what it could be like to live overseas and immerse into a new culture, and I knew I I couldn’t settle until I’d tried more! I began researching online and stumbled across the TEFL qualification. A certificate that I can take around the world and find teaching jobs? Where do I sign up? The opportunity to work and travel at the same time is one of the most appealing factors about doing a TEFL course. No longer do you have to stay at home and work chunks at a time to save up enough money in order to survive a month or two jumping quickly from place to place as cheaply as possible. The TEFL Heaven qualification, and the amazing teaching position it has lead to, has meant that I can travel the beautiful country of Thailand more slowly and with purpose. And it means I get to explore the corners of Thailand the backpackers and holiday makers either don’t think to or have the time to explore.

What did you want to personally achieve the experience, and have you succeeded?

I was hoping to find an enjoyable job that I could combine with my hunger for travel. I believe I have succeeded, as my teaching job doesn’t feel like work 99% of the time and I’m travelling around an amazing country.

Did you apply for the program with a friend or on your own?

I initially applied for the TEFL Heaven Course with my best friend, but as I needed more time to prepare and save money I started the course a term after she did.

Did you know anyone who had taught abroad before you?

As I deferred a year, I knew my best friend who had 6 months of experience ahead of me. Aside from that this was all new territory for me.

What were some of your concerns before you began teaching abroad?

My main concern was that I wouldn’t like it and that I would miss home. I was gambling everything on going, and I left the UK with no plan B stored away for safe keeping. If it turned out that I hated teaching and didn’t have it in me to be away from home long-term, I didn’t know anything else I would want to do - and this added a lot of pressure and expectation to the experience which lead to a lot of anxiety. However, when I realised that the worst case scenario would be that of returning home (exactly where I was at the time of the anxieties), I realised that I had nothing to lose, and only an opportunity to gain. I could always make more money, and I could always go home, but I might not always have had the opportunity to leave home with no responsibilities or commitments tying me down. So I took the risk, and so far it’s paying off!

TEFL PROGRAM INFORMATION

What made you decide to do a TEFL course and choose TEFL Heaven?

I wanted to do a TEFL Course because I was hoping that I would enjoy teaching English as a foreign language as much as I now do. Having an internationally recognised TEFL qualification means that I can eventually think about other countries around the world that I might like to live and teach in. I chose TEFL Heaven because they offer a unique opportunity to train in the location you also want to teach in. The paradise location, and the opportunity to make friends with people on the same path as you has been crucial to my settling in, and it has made transitioning into a new job and life in Thailand that much easier.

What made you choose a face-to-face TEFL course over other options?

I wanted to invest in the best way possible into my learning experience of what it is to be an EFL Teacher. I had never done any teaching before the TEFL programme, so I was very nervous and unsure about what I would be like once I got into the actual classroom. The opportunity to do a face-to-face course, where you can regularly put what you’re learning into practice really helped to build my confidence. I started my new role much more at ease and with better understanding of my own teaching style and how to structure my lessons.

Which TEFL program did you do?

TEFL Heaven Internships - Thailand (Koh Chang/April 17).

What did you enjoy about your TEFL course?

The training location of Koh Chang was stunning! I got to train with an ocean view and a beach on my doorstep. On the weekends (days off) we got to go snorkelling, on boat trips, and jungle trekking, which was obviously amazing. It was really great to train alongside a group of like-minded people all on the same path too. The days spent at the Cambodian Kids Camp were a great opportunity to put the training into practice and spend some time in a classroom before I stepped into my job placement at the end - this experience was invaluable to my confidence starting up as a teacher. My trainers were also amazing. Fully supportive and encouraging while remaining honest and genuine - they made sure we left the course feeling excited for the next stages of TEFL in Thailand.

How prepared did you feel for your teaching position?

I feel that I felt as prepared as I could possibly feel at the stage between finishing a TEFL course and starting as an EFL teacher. The TEFL qualification is essential if you wish to feel prepared and confident, and be successful as an English teacher, but you learn most of how to do that on the job when you’re in the classroom and in the thick of it.

How long have you been teaching in Thailand and how long do you plan to stay?

I have been teaching in Thailand for almost 4 months now, and I will be doing at least 2 terms in my amazing school in Nakhon Pathom.

How did you secure your English teaching job?

Through the wonderful efforts of TEFL Heaven.

What does a typical working week look like for you?

I teach 24 hours a week, mostly lower level Prathom classes (age 6 - 9 years old) with a few higher level classes dotted around my schedule. I also teach Maths in English to 6/7 year olds on a Tuesday morning for one hour. I am very lucky in that my school provides all of the workbooks, lesson plans, and teaching materials, as well as a team of amazing assistant Thai teachers to help in the classroom. So although I work more hours in the classroom than the average EFL teacher in Thailand, I very rarely need to work once outside of the classroom. My students are a lot of fun. My work week tends to involve a lot of board races, monkey ball, and rock paper scissor.

What age group or range to you teach?

I teach Prathom level. My students are age 6 - 11 years old and range from beginner level to intermediate.

What do you most enjoy about teaching your students?

I teach a lot of 6-7 year olds who are just too adorable. They are so eager to learn. They love volunteering the answers and participating in class. They are very respectful of their teachers but also very kind and affectionate. Very often I will walk through the school and be bombarded with high-fives and hugs whilst receiving a chorus of “Teacha Jadeeeee!” It’s the sweetest thing. The best feeling though is when you’re teaching them something they at first find difficult and hard to grasp, but then you watch as it finally triggers in their brain and they get it - that’s when you know you’ve done a good job!

How did you get your work visa?

With the wonderful and lovely help of TEFL Heaven and my amazing agency prior to my departure.

How did you find somewhere to live and what is it like?

My manager at my school helped me to find somewhere to live on my first day. I live in an apartment 5 minutes away from my school along with 8 of the other foreign teachers. It’s basic but perfect for what I need, and the rent is very cheap! I’ve been here for a few months now and I keep buying little things to decorate it and make it more my own. It really feels like my home away from home now!

COUNTRY INSIGHT

What are your monthly expenses?

Rent: 5500 baht

Food: 3000 baht

Other bills: 200 baht

Social life: fluctuates from 4000 - 9000 baht depending on if I travel on weekends

Transportation: 400 baht

Phone: 400 baht

Would you say you are able to live comfortably on your monthly salary?

Live comfortably and save some.

ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE ENGLISH TEACHERS

What advice would you give someone thinking about teaching abroad, and would you recommend teaching English in Thailand?

Do it. Do it right now. Stop thinking about it, wishing for it, considering it, just go. You won’t regret it. You may decide it’s not for you, but that’s okay. You just go back to where you started and try something else. You lose nothing in the process. But there’s a whole lot to gain if you realise it's everything you dreamed of and more. You can always make back the money that it costs you to set this up, and you can always go home if you end up missing it that much - but you won’t always have the opportunity to leave home and do this. You won’t always have the luxury of no commitments and a chance to try a different path. There’s so much more of the world to see and experience if we just have the guts to get out there and see it. I won’t go home the same person I was when I left. Travelling and living in a new country shapes you in spectacular ways, and opens your mind to how things can be different should we desire it.

Teaching English in Thailand gives you the chance to travel with purpose, build confidence, and create a life abroad. Jade’s story shows that taking the risk can lead to experiences that shape who you become.

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