Many people relocate to Bangkok, Thailand each year with the hopes of teaching English. As most schools in Thailand now require a TEFL certificate (some people will tell you it’s not needed, but immigration is now asking for a TEFL when they process your work permit), most take a TEFL certification course in Bangkok pretty soon after they arrive.
With many schools offering TEFL certification courses in Bangkok, some are better than others, but the following are the best..
Text and Talk, Bangkok – Before I moved to Thailand, I researched many TEFL certification programs and finally signed up with Text and Talk through the recommendation of a friend.
The Text and Talk TEFL certification program is a 120 hour certification program (you need a 120 hour course as the shorter courses are not always recognized by Thai schools) and also offers teaching practice. The one thing I loved about the Text and Talk TEFL certification program was it was the only course in Bangkok at the time that specifically taught you how to teach Thais.
Thais have specific English language problems that, if you are not taught what to look for, you don’t always see them.
The Text and Talk TEFL certification program is also well-run, in small groups (mine had 12 people in the class), the instructors are very professional and at $1,495 is great value. (In fact, the cost has only increased by $100 in the 15 years since I took mine!)
For more information, contact Text and Talk at 089-823-7049.
Chichester College Approved Course – Run by Spencer International in Bangkok, the Chichester College Teacher Training Course for TEFL certification is well-known and quite well respected. They offer full-time and part-time TEFL courses as well as a TEFL distance-learning course.
Avoid the distance-learning course though, because it doesn’t include any practical teaching experience, and many schools in Thailand require that component on a TEFL certificate.
The Chichester College course teaches you to teach adults, teenagers and children and how to teach specific skills like reading. Course instructors are very professional and classes are small with no more than 9 students at a time.
Price-wise, they are one of the more expensive TEFL certification courses at $1,595 but they do have a good reputation and name, so it might be worth the extra $200. Contact them at 0-2693-2901.
Global Crossroad – Global Crossroad offers 4 week and 6 week 120-hour TEFL certification programs with 6-8 hours of teaching practice, and is fully accredited by Middlesex University in the UK.
Instructors are professional, the school has a good reputation and they offer TEFL certification programs in Bangkok almost every month. TEFL Thailand is also in a good location on Pahonyothin Road, so it is easy to travel around Bangkok from here.
With a price of $1,650, however, they are one of the more expensive TEFL courses in Bangkok, so keep that in mind before you register with them.
There are many TEFL certification courses in Bangkok. These three language schools offers prospective TEFL certification students a TEFL course that is licensed by the Thai Ministry of Education, professional staff, teaching practice and a fair price.
Taking a TEFL course in Bangkok is cheaper than taking one in the west and the courses are just as valid. If you are thinking of moving to Thailand to teach English as a Foreign Language (EFL), you might want to consider taking your TEFL course here too.
They are a great opportunity to meet people, especially if you have just arrived in Thailand, you will learn a lot about the country before you begin working here, and you will end up with a TEFL certificate you can use in other places in the world too.
