Teaching English Bangkok - Thailand - Volunteer reviews

Click here to go to the Thailand Teaching English Bangkok page

Patrick - 2012

“The project involved informal English conversation classes with groups of students from the Foreign Languages department of the college. Groups were generally 8-10 people and the age range was 16-19. Accommodation (effectively an air-conditioned 3 star hotel room without breakfast) was very near the college in the south of Bangkok and was very good - private facilities, TV and room cleaned each day. There was a laundry service on request. The college and accommodation are located in a southern suburb of Bangkok where there are virtually no tourists. That has the advantage of enabling volunteers to mix with local people and benefit from local prices. The nearest main road, some 250 metres from the college, is a haven of street food by day and night: quality is high and prices low since customers are entirely Thai. There is ready access to central Bangkok by Skytrain (about 20 minutes) or by bus. There are three main English teachers in the Foreign Languages Department. All are from the Philippines and are very helpful and supportive, organising the volunteer's time so that good relationships can be developed with small groups and effectiveness maximised. The mainly female students are extremely friendly and, after some initial reticence to speak English, become more confident to the extent that some will want to take the volunteer to lunch at the college canteen or to visit local attractions at the weekend or to continue in correspondence after the placement finishes.

The college canteen is open from 6am and is a good option for breakfast at low prices. Volunteers can expect 4/5 sessions per day starting no earlier than 9am with groups of students from years 2 (17/18), 3 (18/19) and the small number who stay on for a fourth year for a special diploma. Topics for conversation are largely at the volunteer's discretion by agreement with the permanent teachers. Volunteers are not expected to work beyond 4.30pm. There are usually two free periods per day plus a one hour lunch break (timing variable).

The placement is very suitable for those who may be uncomfortable with the prospect of teaching full classes and younger students. It enables genuine progress in conversational English to be achieved in an informal and relaxed setting with students who already have a reasonable command of the language (albeit often weak at the spoken word) and who present no behavioural problems. People should be aware that, unlike other placements, they are likely to be on their own at this one and will need to find ways of filling their time at evenings and weekends.

What did you find most rewarding? Developing relationships with many very friendly students, watching their initial reticence fade, and learning about their lives, families and culture in a way that would not be possible as a normal tourist.

What did you find most challenging? It was sometimes difficult to encourage students (generally the younger ones) to shed their inhibitions and have a shot at English. That apart, the only really challenging aspects of the overall placement were the unseasonably humid weather and finding things to do in the evening other than sampling the wonderful local food.

Why do you think others should volunteer abroad? To benefit from direct contact with real local people and to learn about their lives, customs, culture, food etc. in a way which would otherwise not be possible. To make a contribution to the education of local people who would otherwise have little or no access to native English speakers and thereby to assist in improving their employment prospects.”

Ami - 2009

"This is a great placement and I thouroughly enjoyed myself and felt that both the students and I benefitted wholly from the trip. I made some great friends and was introduced to the Thai lifestyle, language and cuisine (the best bit!).

The work is not easy and the days are long but the way of life in Thailand will surely captivate you and leave you wanting more. It was so interesting to see how another education system works and to not have to work within such tight constraints as we do in the UK. Students and teachers can openly be friends and the students at Bangna will look after you with whatever you need.

This is a great way to see Bangkok in detail as excursions are planned for you every day of the week and you also have evenings free to either relax or explore. The language barrier is severe but with perseverance and some comical acting communication is possible.

This placement is good for confident solo travellers but for those a little less sure it would definately suit a couple or best friends wanting to work together. As an English teacher I found this experience incredibly valuable and would recommend it to anyone wishing to expand their horizons. It really does put life into perspective for you. Pack light, try as much food as you can and embrace the heat. Enjoy!"

Samantha - 2008

"I had a fantastic time volunteering over the summer. The college is very close to the accomodation and the people at the accomodation are really friendly. It also feels really safe and secure, so no worries about property being stolen. Thailand is a wonderful place and the reputation of "land of smiles" is absolutely true.

Teaching at the college was a fantastic experience, it was good to get an idea of how Thai schools work and they are all very keen to learn. The students are all polite and friendly and make the experience. They are keen to take you out at the weekend if you want to and on my first weekend they took me to the ancient city in Bangkok. It's definately worth going out with the students at some point over your stay, firstly it helps with their English to spend the day with you, but it also means that you get a real experience of Thailand rather than just the tourist one!

Angkana is an excellent mentor and is keen for you to get the most out of your time in Thailand. She is one of those people who will go out of her way to her you, even taking me round to her house so that her sister could give me a Thai cookery lesson! She is very proud of her country and helped advise me on places to go. I did cram things in at the weekend but with the Friday off, you can really get to see alot.

It was a completely worthwhile experience and is definately something that i'll repeat in the future. I'd love to go back to Thailand and visit the college but with so many other options for volunteer projects, maybe i'll try somewhere else."

Charanpal - 2009

"Overall the placement is very good, and in my opinion was a worthwhile experience. The students are friendly, polite and respectful, and eager to learn about English, and my life in the UK! The staff are helpful in general, and on a few occasions took me to various festivals and events within Bangkok. Angkana was kind enough to provide me with travel and other advice whenever I required it. I would have liked it if there were other volunteers at the school, as there are very few English speakers in the local area.

Teaching itself ranged from quite simple listening exercises for 1st year students up to more conversational lessons for 3rd year students. It would have been nice to see some progression in the English standard of the students, however given the large class sizes and short duration of my placement, this was difficult to achieve. Teaching a foreign language was a novel experience for me and I learnt a lot about teaching and the difficulties in studying English as a second language. I also enjoyed learning about Thai culture and picking up some of the language!"

Peter - 2008

"I really do recommend the programme as it is a most worthwhile experience. You don't need to have a degree in English or be a trainee teacher to do it – you just need a good standard of English, some patience, and a willingness to help .... and a sense of humour helps too!

The placement is in a large government business and commercial school and most of the students who come to English classes are either studying foreign languages or logistics (import/export, transportation etc). The students are generally between the ages of 16 and 24 and are mainly female. Class sizes are quite large by UK standards, averaging around 45. All the students are well behaved, polite and respectful and are generally speaking eager to learn.

The teacher, Angkana has an excellent knowledge of English and the focus of her lessons is mainly grammar tuition. There is a great need for conversational practice with native speakers and that is where volunteers come in! The class usually divides into groups of around 10 students and you spend most of your time moving between the groups and communicating with the students using stencils and worksheets prepared by the teacher beforehand, or you simply sit and listen to students reading their 'self introduction 'to you in which they tell you about their family, hobbies and interests, music they like (one sweet looking girl adored Johnnie Rotten and the Sex Pistols!) and dreams for the future – many want to be tour guides and flight attendants (one young guy simply wanted to be a super star!).

The accommodation provided is in an apartment block just a few minutes walk from the college. It is clean and secure and the manager Miss Tan is always willing to help and advise you. There is a lovely roof garden and restaurant there where you can relax when not at school. It is also just a few minutes walk to the local high street where there are lots of small shops and eating places; small supermarkets; convenience stores such as 7 Eleven, Tesco Lotus Express and Watsons (the Thailand equivalent to Superdrug); The Pizza Company and a bank where you can easily change currency and traveller's cheques with no fuss (the staff there are far more efficient and helpful than UK banks!).There is also a cheap internet cafe behind the Big C supermarket – just 20 bahts for 1 hour (that's around 30p!).

You have long weekends free to go sightseeing and travel around Thailand as you only go into school from Monday to Thursday. The students and staff are happy to advise you and help you make plans for your free time and if you wish to sightsee around Bangkok they can even take you! Central Bangkok is not too far away from the college – it is just a short taxi ride to the skytrain system which takes you into the heart of Bangkok – shopping, restaurants, cinemas and sightseeing galore!

I will be sad when the time comes to leave the college and return to England as I have really enjoyed my time here. The placement has been a valuable insight into the Thai educational system and I have helped many students with their English. I have made many new friends too and discovered lots about Thai culture and lifestyle."

Emily - 2008

"I would like to thank everyone at PoD for a very well organised and thoroughly enjoyable placement! I spent an amazing six weeks in Bangkok and really wish that I was still there... the students at the college were lovely, very friendly and very eager to learn. I would definately recommend this project to others, it is certainly great preparation for anyone thinking of embarking on a teacher training course. It can be challenging at times but everyone at the college is very friendly and eager to help in any way they can. The college is also in a very good location to explore the rest of Bangkok, and the long weekends allow lots of opportunities to explore Bangkok and go further afield. I can't believe how much I managed to fit into my time here."

Anastasia - 2008

"We came back to the UK from Thailand last Sunday and I would like to thank you for all the help and for organising such a great placement for us. We had a really wonderful time and Angkana, the teachers and all the children made us feel very welcomed there. We would definately recommend this project to others!"

Click here to go to the Thailand Teaching English Bangkok page

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