Special Thai Project
Posted by admin on May 3, 2010 in ESL Jobs Thailand, Special Thai Project, TEFL Certification, TEFL Course, Teach English Thailand, Teachers Experience |
The Special Thai Project which is organized by the American TESOL Institute is an incredible offer which has to be taken up. If one sign up through the Special Thai Project, they will not only be able to do a TEFL course in exotic Thailand but also sponsor their trip by earning there as a teacher. Special Thai Project or STP as it is also known as not only gives you an opportunity to work in Thailand but ATI makes sure that an eligible person gets a placement in China or Korea. By doing ESL jobs in China or Korea and the course in Thailand, the trainnees can see two countries in Asia.
I chose to join the ATI Project mainly as a way to spend time actually living in Thailand and learning about the culture first hand through teaching.This project allowed me to do both.It gave me 3 weeks to get used to the climate and the culture before i start work,unlike doing a TESOL in England then coming to Thailand .
I would say this Project is a good way to travel and make money while keeping it fun.
Traveling to Thailand and knowing its treasured sights, vibrant culture, diverse terrains have been a lifetime achievement. And this has been made possible by ATI by getting me enrolled for its Special Thai Project which gave me the amazing scope to travel this wonderful country and work there for five long months giving an extra punch beyond my expectations. Thanks ATI:)
I simply loved the time I spent while doing the Special Thai Project in Phuket. The place was wonderful with great and warm people around. I have made two great friends, Christopher and Derrick who have been great fun to be with while doing the course. I loved the Thai culture and the little knowledge that I got to learn while doing the Thai Orientation program. The 3 weeks of TESOL were intensive and involved teaching practices at local Thai schools which was a great experience and my first teaching stint began from there. The trainers were really great and amazing teachers and gave detailed observation reports on how we all taught during our teaching practice sessions which helped me a great deal to improve where I went wrong. I am now happily placed in a primary school by ATI, loving every bit of it.
Special Thai Project or STP is very successful in recent years. The candidates are requested to apply fast and book your seats as there are very few seats left for 2009. September is a perfect time to be in Thailand as the weather is very good and American TESOL Institute has a STP program in this month keeping in mind its students.
I attended the Special Thai Project in Summer of 2008 in Phuket. The best thing about the course was meeting people in my situation and preparing me for my school experience. The thing about the course that needs the most improvement is training needs to be specific to age range. Overall the course was useful and helpful to my teaching experience.
My expectations about the course have been met and the trainers were really highly qualified, this was a different approach of teaching in my case and I am sure it will help me to go developing in my teaching career.
It was a great time in Phuket with all the helpful members of ATI. I would like to thank the faculty members who are competent enough helped me lot for gaining the confidence of ESL Teaching in class. The thing which requires immediate attention in the course is some more details in each topic.
The program is worth doing for people who have never taught before. I have no idea how I would have walked into a classroom otherwise but the course changed my weakness into confidence to teach any where in the world. The entire credit goes to the American TESOL’s excellent arrangement and highly qualified faculties who can guide you step by step. Thank you ATI.
Well to begin with the learning environment of American TESOL in Phuket was great and I feel that I was supported greatly by the faculty members who were professional and who changed my perception regarding English teaching. Accommodation provided by them was great.
It was a great time in Chiang Mai where I really enjoyed .The best of part of the course was Practice teaching under the guidance of professional faculties of American TESOL though I felt that class time could have been used in better ways to prepare us. Still I should say the course in really good for them who want to teach English.
I have been looking looking around for this kind of information. Will you post some more in future? I’ll be grateful if you will.
My overall training experience was good because it made me more comfortable in the classroom. However I have been placed in a school teaching M1 and M2, (12-14 year olds) with 50-60 students per class that have had no prior native English speaking training or vocab. I do not have a Thai teaching assistant so disciplinary and classroom control is very difficult. I have to remind myself daily that I am here for the students but get frustrated daily as there is little to no assistance. Not to mention the classroom/lesson training provided by ATI gets very boring and loses the students attention very quickly.
The lack of communication regarding our placement made me feel very vulnerable and I felt like I was not being told the truth. I found it odd that whenever ATI requested any information from us we always had a prompt response. ATI told us that we had 5 potential locations for placement none of these places were used. The placement we received is less desirable and our accommodations have not been provided nor did we receive a stipend for the cost of living as we were told in our contract. If it is difficult for you to place couples together you should not make the agreement to do so before they accept/apply for the program.
I would not recommend this program to any couple that was interested and feel like the school that I have been placed in is not similar to the others that were in the program. That being said I would tell anyone interested that my experience was not that great but others really enjoyed it.
love the program. I have had more of an enlightening experience then I had imagined. My school placement is a perfect fit, and my students are wonderful. I feel the staff and trainers are enthusiastic, helpful, and available if needed. I would recommend the program to anyone interested in completing their TESOL certification and a semester that will change their life.
I had an amazing 3 weeks doing the course. Although it was hard work and the teaching practices were nerve wracking, I met a great group of people who made the experience very enjoyable. I’m enjoying my teaching placement, and although my town, Pathumthani, isn’t a very interesting place my school, teachers and students are really nice and I’m enjoying the experience of living in a typical Thai town with no tourists.
The training alone was an experience of a lifetime. It was a great opportunity to learn and train to become a teacher but it was also an amazing opportunity to meet like-minded people who share common interests and goals…all in a beautiful setting in a beautiful country. The program is well worth the cost because it’s repaid several times over in the experiences, the knowledge gained and through the teaching assignment.
I found that the ATI teaching course was really beneficial for me and I felt much more confident going into the teaching world with a realistic idea of what was to come. I am really enjoying my teaching as well as the school that I have been placed and I feel that the ATI course was really helpful and gave me an orientation that was needed for my teaching job
Well worth it! I almost opted to do the course online but have now realised that if I had have done, I would never have had the amazing experience and met so many new friends from all over the world
The Location, the accommodation and the course itself was great!
They course was enjoyable and conducted well, however once my placement began I felt under-prepared and unexperienced, due to the fact i was placed teaching a number of subjects such as sience, maths, home ec etc, which had not been previously discussed in the contract. ATI need to be clearer about the placement proceedure and their communications with the school. Due to the lack of trust in i-solutions it may be unlikely that I would reccommend this course to a friend.
The best thing about the Project was :The networking of each other as participants in order to bounce ideas off each other even after the course was complete!
I really enjoyed this opportunity to take a TESOL course and put it to use in Thailand. After taking the course and teaching for a semester I believe I have been lucky to experience something that few will get the chance.
The thing about the course that needs the most improvement is :”Would be nice if it was a bit longer, just for friend purposes”
When I first signed up, I was a bit nervous that it might be a scam or something,
the website isn’t the most professional-looking, and the recruiter Alex seemed
to be pressuring me into joining quickly. After talking to others from my group,
apparently he does that to a lot of people.
As far as I’m concerned, that makes it seem more like a scam. If we’re interested
in joining, we would like some time to think it over and consider it. I still would’ve
signed up even if he didn’t get me to sign up within 2 days.
As far as the course was concerned, I was very happy with it. The training kept
us occupied and interested the entire time. We learned important bits about the
Thai culture, and I felt that we got some really good training to be ESL teachers.
After the 5 teaching practices, all of us felt much more comfortable as far as
going to our jobs and being in front of a class.
As far as job placement, I’m very content with where I was place, as is Lauren.
I heard from other trainees that there were some iffy situations, but they all
got worked out I guess.
Overall, I’d have to say great job all around and thank you!
The course itself was great, I met some good people who helped me through my time here. The teachers were comitted and were integral to the development of all the teachers.
Here is where my good experience seems to end. The proceedure for assigning people to placements and the way in which people are treated here on in is not very good and i was disappointed. I felt like I was thrown into a school, made to sign a contract beofre seeing the school etc and left completely alone. Luckily i’m the type of person who can cope in these situations but I find in extremely unfair how some people get looked after, with certain agencies running visa trips, orientation and providing them with transport, nice apartments etc. where as some people were given inadequate accomodation and told to like it or lump it. The course was grwat but the placement experience was a let down because of the other agencies unorganised involvement.
A beneficial and exciting experience
Training in Phuket was awesome, we have made some new friends for life! Highly recommend training over in Thailand
Take a deep breath and let Thailand embrace you, and be ready to develope some patience if you don’t yet have any
The actual training in Phuket was a blast. The people I met were fantastic. But I must say, that is where the good commentary stops!
Once I arrived in Phuket I was told that my placement would revolve around a woman named Pat and a company called Innovative Solutions. My initial reaction to that was, “Who the #$%2#$ is that???” I can not emphasize enough that EVERYTHING that this woman told me was a COMPLETE LIE!!! She told us that our performance during teaching practices would determine our placements and that she would be our liason to intergrating into life in Thailand as a teacher. My school then informed me that my placement had been confirmed for at least 6 weeks prior to even beginning the course! I was told I was teaching kindergarten in two separate e-mails from PAT. I was told that I would have a week of orientation before I actually began teaching. I was given less than 24 hours to move from Phuket to Bangkok, find a place to live (with no help from Innovative Solutions even though they assured me they would find me a suitable place), and start teaching. I arrived at my school to be told that I was teaching grades 6 and 7 and that I started in 20 minutes and I had 5 classes to teach just that day, which was equal to the amount of classes I had taught throughout the entire TEFL course!
Did I enjoy the TEFL course? Yes! Because I met great people and I had a lot of fun. But did it prepare me to actually be a teacher? Well, I taught 5 classes in total during my entire training. The largest class I taught was 12 students. The smallest class I teach now is 36 students and I teach about six classes per day. Yeah. . . . .right. . . . . . I can totally see how teaching 12 students in a guarded facility can prepare you to teach 36 12 year olds five times a day. . . . . .think about it.
Oh yeah, Innovative Solutions and Pat have caused more horror stories, tears, bad water under the bridge, and misunderstandings than I could have ever imagined. I would sooner get H1N1 than refer anyone I liked to use their services. Some people do get taken care of well with their placements. Perhaps 1 out of 15 are happy?!? or happyish. . . But I would say that about 60 percent of the participants in my program would agree that Innovative Solutions was an absolute nightmare. If you are going to pay for a service I would suggest one that guarantees what it is offering instead of one that just acts as a lottery as to who they are going to take care of and who they are going to allow to get dragged through the bowels of Thailand. Sawadee Kah
The trainer was not really making any effort to integrate to the group of trainee and did not share much of her personal experience!
I can not teach you if you’re not inteested in learning.That’s true both for students and teachers
The best post-college decision I have ever made!
fantastic experience alittle more empathy at times for othersthat were not so confident would have helped.For example a contact who was english or who could understand western culture would have helped at times. Would def recommend to others.
The best thing about the Project was : How professonal the staff were and how I received the information and training and course skills that i signed up for. Thank you.
The thing about the course that needs the most improvement is : Could always be more in depth with actual teaching practise and lessons to present to a wider range of age groups.
Your short quote about your experience :A one off experience that will give the best chance to settle in to Thai culture before the real work begins”
The course was helpful in preparing me for my teaching assignment. It gave me the confidence I needed to be successful
Good experience, really enjoyed meeting other people. Helped me develop myself as not just a teacher, but a indervidual as well.
I enjoyed my experience of the course and am now in a teaching placement that I am very happy with.
Good times, good people. Wonderful experience to help gear one up for teaching abraod.
Enlightening, rewarding, and challenging all built into one.
The hotel that we stayed could have been different.
Yes, it was really nice, but the cost of the course could have been lower if we have stayed to a cheaper place.
The program was a great way to prepare me for my teaching job and it was a great experience all around. I wont soon forget Nai Harn and the friends I made during training.
Great experience, met lots of really great people which has made living in Thailand feel very homely. I learnt a lot and felt the organising a job in Thailand for 4 months for someone who has not worked in the country before was good. I would recommend this program to a friend however there were a few issues that could be improved upon.
People were placed in areas without anyone else they knew which could have been improved on as it makes a big difference having people you know in the same school/town as you. More attention given to who people wanted to be placed with and where they wanted to be placed could be implemented as many people felt that got the opposite location/placement to what they requested.
The initial placement could have been improved upon as I arrived at my school for a meeting on Wednesday without non-immigrant visas or correct documentation from the school and was told I needed to go to Laos sort this out and get back to start work on Monday. There could have been some easing into this process, if the placements could be organised on the second week rather the last day people would have more time to understand where they are located, who they are teaching, the level of understanding, talk to the school about expectations, lessons before arriving there, find out who was placed near there etc.
Overall the course was enjoyable, I learned a lot and my experience was good, more attention could go into the placements and transition time between finishing the course and starting at the school.
I had a blast in Phuket and felt like I got a good introduction to teaching ESL. Stress management, learning Thai, and preparation need to be strongly improved in this course. The hardest part of teaching is figuring out how to make it easy on yourself. Knowing even a little Thai really helps. The difference in class level is incredibly hard to deal with and you need to be prepared for anything.
The ATI program is a once in a lifetime unique experience….go for it!
Now that I have experience what it is like to be a teacher in Thailand I realize there are many questions that just don’t have answers. While “It depends on the school” makes sense to me now, it seemed like you were being vague.
I am pleased to have completed the TESOL certificate course on Phuket. It was the perfect location to spend three weeks of training. Plus, was nice to get a little vacation time in before transitioning into my teaching experience. The trainers were friendly and informative. I would recommend the course to anyone interesting in such an experience.
I really enjoyed being a part of the Special Thai Project. The most beneficial thing about the training program was getting into the right mind set to begin teaching. One of the best things about the whole program was getting to meet other teachers that are in Thailand. The comfort of having acquaintances in the country that are sharing similar experiences has made the transition a lot easier.
I loved learning with ATI. THe classroom experiences made me feel much more comfortable with teaching in a foreign country, and the lesson planning guidelines were easily adaptable to many other curriculae.
Thanks!
The thing about the course that needs the most improvement is :Let us prepare for our placements a little earlier. Having to find out and be there a day later was very stressful
This is a great program because you are instantly connected with 30 other trainees and soon to be friends that are going through the same experience. You are also given a lesson model that you can always fall back on.
My time during the ATI training process were some of the most valuable weeks in regards to my preparation for teaching abroad.
It was a great experience. I got to meet people from all over the world while learning tools to help me in the classroom. When I was not teaching I enjoyed the beaches of Phuket and surrounding attractions. I have made life long friends from the project.
I enjoyed the course training and felt that I gained a lot of information about different teaching techniques. I also enjoyed the last week of training when we had to teach in different school settings. The course allowed me to open up as a person, as a professional, and as a foreigner.
It was a fun and new experience and the people that I met were great and I look forward to teaching each new group of kids
The training could focus more on teaching in large classes. “I wish I could speak Thai”
Chaing Mai was a great city. The course was useful and as informative as if could be for a three week class. I enjoyed my teacher. She was very knowledgeable and supportive. The course touches on techniques for teaching english, but not for other subjects. I am a teacher in a class room and I teach Health, Science, Math, English, and housework. Tips for people who will be teaching other subjects would be useful. Also, the games and techniques get old quickly when you teache the same students 4 classes eveyday. maybe throw in some additional teaching methods that involve more than just A B dialogue exercises. additional simple fillers and warm ups would be nice as well.
Other than a slight lack of communication, I personally didn’t really have any problems with the program and am happy with my placement. I really enjoyed our time in Phuket. However, from what I have heard from the some of other teachers, there was a MAJOR PROBLEM with the lack of communication and direction from the certain staff that handled our placement. I have however recommended ATI to friends who have actually signed up for upcoming programs, but have emphasized that particular problem to them
Because of my TESOL training I am now able to travel to all the places I have always wanted to visit, sure in the knowledge that I can find work as a teacher of English in almost all foreign nations. Because of this I can do everything I’ve always dreamed of!
Phuket, the perfect place to study, on a tropical beach where you can go swimming between classes, I wish all my education has been this idylic.
I would have appreciated an opportunity to request a placement preference.
My placement location is good but the school and its organization in the english department is quite poor. They did not know how to handle my visa which was the cause of much annoyance and they are very bad at communicating with foreign teachers.
The 20 hours of teaching per week, as advertised on the ATI website is quite misleading, i “teach” 20 hours a week but i’m working 45 hours, thats a BIG technical difference. I felt quite deceived by that statement and was disappointed to realize that i would be inside 45 hours a week (much of that time spent sitting around in a teachers room)
Overall the experience was good, i was placed in a rural part of Thailand which was initially beyond my comfort zone but I was able to adapt to the situation and am now very glad for the experience. I’m very much a city girl so living this lifestyle (sans hot water, a/c, western food) was life changing experience and I really feel that I got an authentic Thailand experience.
I found the ATI special Thai project to be a very enjoyable experience. It was a good start on my path to becoming a competent ESL teacher.
The ATI course was a good way to meet new friends
This experience was rewarding both personally and professionally. I acquired a new skill and meet a group of great people at the same time.
It was great. i learnt to teach simply and with confidence and discovered talents I never knew I had.
My experience is not what i was expecting. I though that i would be teaching kids English out in a small village surround by rice fields. But instead i am in Bangkok teaching Biology, Science, Health, and Ecology. I have been able to live comfortably in the big city and still go explore jungle on the weekends. The teaching has been fun and very easy going.
I’ve taught before, but the course prepared me very well to teach here in Thailand, and I felt very comfortable by the end. Plus I met a bunch of people who are now friends.
The course and all the help provided has been perfect!!
The course needs to expand its curriculum toward a wider variety of subjects.
It would be beneficial to inform future participants that there may be the possibility that they will be teaching not only english but math science english art health boy scouts PE computers guidance and housework.
A suggestion to any teachers already certified and looking for an abroad experience:
Overall I am glad that I went through and agency because it allowed me a HUGE network of friends that I will have for a lifetime. Because I hadn’t traveled on my own before it was amazing to meet people to go places with right away. I loved living in Phuket on the beautiful beach BUT
Having a certification in Thailand is like having a golden ticket. Going through the ATI program I was placed in a school and under contract was guaranteed a certain salary with my school paying fees for the service of finding me….. Looking for a job on my own I am seeing starting salaries for my credentials 3 times what I am currently being paid.
Because I have my degree in English Secondary Education I thought the course material was a very big waste of time for me. There were only a few days in which I was thankful for the course. I enjoyed having fun with my friends but it is a huge amount of money to pay to make friends.
As soon as my contract is up I will be disconnecting from ATI and Innovative Solutions and finding my own job in Thailand. I love this country.
If you are a certified teacher looking for something new…I would weigh your potions before looking into an agency or an on site course. I do believe you can take the course and then disconnect from the agency to find your own job. Be careful what you sign.
Long working days but the weekends more than make up for it. Beaches, temples, phad thai, drinks on Khoasan and much more. Thailand captures your heart form the very start. No better place to start the adventure than Naiharn, Phuket where you meet all the wonderful people who do the TESOL course with you, friendships that will last longer than your three weeks in the classroom together. The TESOL course is good for people wanting to travel or teach abroad but nervous to do it on their own. We were all in the same boat and helped each other out, having some increddible adventures in the mean time. Friendships and memories that will last forever.
“The best post-college decision I could have ever made”
I thought the program was very helpful. I would not have wanted to go straight into teaching 30+ Thai teenagers. However I really think that the double line is pretty much useless, much more time should be spent on showing the future teachers how to discipline their students and manage the classroom. Also it would be helpful to see the instructors teach a class of kids so we can watch and learn from them.
I have traveled through SE Asia and wanted more than just a tourist’s experience. I am considering the teaching fellowship and this project provides me with a chance to explore whether teaching would be a good career choice for me. My most recent career has been as a pharmacist. However, before that I was a pediatric nurse. I enjoy working with children and have missed that in recent years.
I have traveled extensively through out Thailand and SE Asia and became aware that there is an extreme need for native English speaking teachers here. I discovered this program online and it seemed to offer everything that I was looking for that will prepare me to live and work as a teacher in Thailand. Also, I have a very strong interest in Thai culture and religion and this is a wonderful opportunity for me to give something back to Thailand while I live here and immerse myself in the culture.
This has been an amusing experience! I had no teaching experience coming into this and I now feel prepared and confident to go to my school and teach! I really had a great time with this course.
As a scuba instructor and coach I have always gained great satisfaction from teaching others. As an experienced world traveler I have enjoyed learning about other cultures while trying to teach people a little about mine. Through this program I hope to gain a greater understanding of the other cultural experiences that we don’t have in America while imparting knowledge that will help my students later in their life.
I had a great time in Chiang Mai. The training, facility instructors were awesome.
I chose the Thailand, Chiang Mai TESOL Project because it is a compilation of things that define me as a person. I am very interested in emerging myself in different cultures and learning about my own culture. I feel this project will give me the necessary tools to do that within a school setting but also a public setting in order to help me be more culturally aware.
I choose to take on this project after researching about opportunities to work abroad. In my undergraduate studies I concentrated on international affairs and development and after a year of working in office I was looking for hands on field experience working with kids as a teacher, tutor and summer camp counselor. This seemed live a wonderful opportunity. Last year I traveled to Thailand for three weeks and fell involved with the people and the beautiful landscape. After some contemplation I decided to try and find the best program in which I could gain some training and work experience and see if I lined teaching abroad. The American TESOL Institute STP program seemed like the best fit. I am hoping that this will be a great experience where I can learn and grow as a person and find out if I am cut out to be a teacher in a foreign land.
I have always wanted and known that I needed to do something in this world to make a difference. Traveling to a foreign country to help improve individuals live is a huge challenge itself. I chose this project because I want to see the smiles on the student’s face when they have a brake through and understand. I feel it is also a great and exciting way for me to learn as well.
Great new friends and found my profession.
I have considered teaching abroad since I graduated from college in 2005. However I wanted some experience in the business world before I adventured abroad. I love travel and have wanted to sit Thailand for years. I believe living somewhere is the only way to truly experience a culture and to travel in the style and love the best.
I also believe teaching is something which allows much personal growth and I have always thought I would enjoy it. With a break in my career, this seemed the perfect time to accomplish all these goals. I am thrilled to be here and excited to get started.
ATI really got me excited about teaching. The practice teaching especially was extremely valuable. I am looking forward to getting started.
I choose to take this project because I had been working a desk job that was not fulfilling my craziness to travel, experience working directly with people. This project provided the opportunity to travel, have a direct impact on people live in a positive manner, and explore a new culture.
Very intense course in a beautiful place.
I liked the contracted teaching aspect of this program. I wanted to teach in Thailand for 6 – 12 months and this came with a guaranteed teaching post.
I have a great interest in traveling and also in teaching I thought that this project would be prefect for me so that I could tech and also experience Thai culture. Having not traveled much before it is a great project as you meet new people with the same interests and have contacted with tutors that can help you out.
Thailand is a country that has a very different culture to the western society which I am used to. Doing this course gives me that opportunity to find out if I like to teach and to experience eastern culture first hand.
An intensive, though course that really brought me out of my shell.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience here and am very much looking forward to teaching.
I took this project for the following reasons:
• A good friend of mine from home is an English language teacher in Korea. He loves it and I have talked to him about his life and experiences and it sounds amazing.
• Why Thailand? I traveled here to Thailand earlier this year for and loved every minute of the trip. The food, the culture and especially the relaxed way of life.
• Why ATI? From my research ATI STP looked very professional and is one of the few courses that guarantee work placement.
Just a really good, well organized, tough and extremely rewarding experience.
I have prior experience in working with children who are learning English, which I enjoy very much.
I have aspirations to become a teacher and to work all across the world as an English teacher.
The project was a great opportunity to gain a teaching qualification, gain teaching experience and experience a brand new culture.
Was much better than I was expecting (to be honest I did not know what to expect).
Really helped me a lot.
I have had a strong desire to travel to travel and experience new culture for some time. By participating in the Thai project I feel that I can truly immerse myself in the culture of Thailand while earning money at the same time. I believe the project provides opportunity for self development as well as enabling me to develop the English language skills of the Thai children. This I believe will be very rewarding.
The past few weeks have been very enjoyable and the course has been very useful. I am glad I decided to sign up!
The elements necessary for teaching permeate into all aspect of life; therefore a solid foundation will prove beneficial to one’s future no matter the path chosen.
Additionally I hope to explore teaching as a future career choice and hope that the experience gleaned from TESOL will help in deciding.
Primarily for job assurance. After researching job listing, I notice that many, if not jobs required a certification acronym of some sort. ATI was cheap, quick and easy to apply to.
I chose Thailand in particular because I have its culture. The food is great, the culture is rich and history is profound.
I chose to take this project because I was looking for a transition from the pace of life I was previously living. I wanted to find an opportunity to work abroad and teaching English seemed to be the most established method. I chose Thailand because I wanted a warm and positive climate (land of 1,000 smiles) and I chose ATI because it offered a shorter time commitment than did most other projects.
It was better than I expected it to be.
I wanted to live and work in Thailand for around 6 months and this experience allowed me to do that. I wanted to live in a community and experience Thai culture firsthand. After tutoring recently back in the states I realized how much I enjoyed working with kids and teaching so this program allowed me teach and work with kids while experiencing Thai culture and daily life. I am very excited to be here and am looking forward to the experience.
I have been to Thailand before and fell in love with Thailand and needed to come back for a long period of time. Teaching seemed to be the profession that was most needed that I could provide to the country. I have heard wonderful things about Chiang Mai and wanted to further dive into the culture in this setting.
I chose to take the course in Chiang Mai as I liked how the course has set at. The idea of going from the course into a placement with achieved assistance appeared less daunting than ‘going it alone’.
Live found it really enjoyable – feel that I have gained a lot.
I spent some time in Bangkok and was very interested in people and culture. I felt that participating in the TESOL project in Chiang Mai would be a great way to be mow involved with the culture rather than living solely as a tourist.
I have been fascinating by the studies of language (both my native language, as well as other), and thought it would be interesting to learn how language can be taught. I have also considered a career in teaching and feel that this program could be a good opportunity to explore and challenge myself to see if I have the characteristics necessary to make a good teacher. I also really love to travel and they seem like the perfect opportunity to do that.
I have had amazing experience so far with ATI. The training is well organized and informative. Chiang Mai is beautiful.
I chose to take the special Thai Project because I love Thailand and I wanted to have a chance to work in and amongst Thai people. I feel that teaching is an enormously important job. Education is a way for people to be able to unlock their full potential and being able to see my work have a positive impact on young people would be very rewarding. I have always had a natural tendency towards teaching and the opportunity to teach in Thailand, where education is respected, is project for me.
It is a worthwhile experience.
To gain teaching experience while expanding my international experience to help me achieve future goals.
After I graduated from college, I was looking to travel abroad. I plan on becoming a teacher, so I also was looking to gain teaching experience. The program offered a solution for each, and seemed like a wonderful opportunity. I also hoped to experience Thai culture as well. I had a friend who taught in Thailand 5 years age, and he raved about the country’s beauty and culture. I wanted to experience it first hand.
Overall, my experience was positive. Unfortunately, I felt that guest lectures were a complete waste to my times but the TESOL was effective and interesting.
I graduated from college in May, 2009.I wanted to do something different before I started looking for a job and starting on a career path. I love to travel, and wanted to find a way to really immerse myself in a culture. This program allowed me to do that while giving me the opportunity to earn money at the same time.
I was interested in Thai Culture and to see and live in Thailand. Teaching people is rewarding to me.
Provided me with the opening to travel and see Thailand whilst learning new skills which will be invaluable to my teaching and other future careers.
The 4/5 month teaching practice post offers me the chance to experience teaching for a short period, allowing me to decide whether I enjoy it and wish to like it further, with extended teaching contracts or net.
I chose to do the speed Thai Project to get work experience in an exciting location after graduating college. I have some experience teaching yoga and wanted to expand that to English teaching because of the demand for teachers in Asia. I loved my time studding abroad in India and wanted to live in another culture that values religion highly. I am also interested in Thai massage, cooking and Buddhist meditation so living in Thailand was appealing to me in terms of personal growth. I hope the teaching experience will help me learn what I want to do for long term work.
TESOL training in Chiang Mai has been an excellent experience. Great city! I am excited to begin teaching.
After studying abroad in college and having the opportunity to see a few different countries around the world. I developed a strong interest in travel photography. Being able to submerge myself in a culture is a great way to not only broaden my mind but get familiar with a new way of living. I hope to rally enjoy seeing the learning process of teaching first hand and also capture everything on film.
Felt that I receive a lot about lesson planning that will be helpful in the future and become more confident in the classroom.
After studding in China for a semester, I have been trying to find a way to live in Asia.
The American TESOL Institute seemed to be the perfect choice. It allows me to work, live and learn in Asia. Chiang Mai was also a selling point because of the positive feedback I received about living there.
I was teaching English in Cleveland and had found memories of studding abroad; TESOL was the obvious way to carry two interests. After doing some research on places and programs, I found ATI and it just seemed like a very good fit for me.
It was hard wasting so much time doing remedial activities for two weeks, but in class experience is what I signed up for and it was great.
I was always interested in doing the peace corp. and this program reminds me of that. This program was ideal due to the short contract time, experience of cultural emersion, place and after researching and companying other programs, it was the best culture for what is offered/presented.
It’s exactly what I needed to build my confidence and be ready to start school.
I enjoy learning about other culture. As a tourist you don’t really get to experience much of the culture. I love to travel and experience new things. I know that changing my life and moving to Thailand would give me an opportunity to travel, learn a new culture and experience a people that are so different from me. Everyone I have ever known from that has come to Thailand loves the culture and the people of Thailand. I want to make an impact that I was here. I loved many of my teachers and they had a large impact on my life, I hope I have the same.
I have enjoyed the process, but more so I have loved the time with my instructors. I have learned more from their style and patience rather than the info.
I decided to take this project for two reasons. The first being that the job market in Reno was very small, I could not find a teaching job. SO I found an alternative to be to teach abroad. Since this course did not require that I was already TESOL certificate I thought it would be good, to look into. After talking with people at my university I found that these programs are a very good way of teaching in another country and experiencing the culture.
This course was great. It was short and to the point with great ways to teach.
For a long time I have wanted to gain exposure from a new culture, while maintaining an enjoyable and interesting employment. Thailand and ATI classes are to offer me the best of both worlds in allowing me to learn from as well as teach to another portion of the world.
ATI catered to everything.
I needed in preparation for teaching.
I have been teaching English as a Foreign Language for the last year and a half. Unfortunately most at my experience comes from either apprenticeship or simply experimenting with techniques and material. I wanted to try to expand my knowledge at teaching methods and philosophy, while at the same time gaining the experience of teaching English to speakers of a non Latin language. I was also looking for the opportunity to learn and teach in an environment which was completely foreign to me (Asia) and to broaden my teaching abilities to our teaching English in any country to speakers at any language. The final selling point to the program was the relatively short duration compared with similar projects.
I’m very glad that I found other people with more or less the same goals of me who are interested in trying to teach and be positive progress in kids’ lives.
I want to do something effectual and important while learning about different places and cultures. For years, I have been in the service industry doing work that is unfulfilling and meaningless. I chose this project because of the guaranteed immersion into teaching in classrooms while still having access to the teacher trainers. Having practical teaching experience before starting my teaching career journey will be extremely beneficial.
Everything about this program was wonderful. I am confident that I will be an effective teacher. Thanks to our wonderful trainers. The course was challenging, but fun.
Teaching has always interested me. I also have a passion for traveling. When the opportunity presented itself to the both I jumped at the chance.
I chose Thailand as the country to do this program because I felt it had a very exciting and rich culture. I am very glad to have made this choice. I feel that I’ve learned so much in only a few days and thrilled to continue doing so.
A very enrich knowledgeable course applicable in move than just teaching.
I have taught in the United States for a new and a half and was not quite fulfilled with my experiences. I have always wanted to travel and see other parts of the world and learn about other cultures, so I felt this would be a great opportunity. I would like to continue to challenge and push myself to experience new things. I would also like to take what I have learned from the TESOL course and the reaching experience in Thailand back with me to the United States and apply it in my own classroom.
I enjoy my experience. I was a lot of hard work but I think it was well worth it and I am glad I did it.
I’d been looking into coming to Chiang Mai for Thai massage training, but wanted a transition from such a physically demanding career for at least a while. I love language and have tutored and taught in various situations for a long time, and started considering pursuing a masters in Education in TESOL. U thought this program would provide a relatively gentle transition into TESOL because of the hospitable culture and the shot time commitment. My sister was also going to do this program, so that finalized my selection of ATI one, CELTA, Oxford and the other options.
Once I got to Thailand my confidence in the program was solidified. I have no doubt that I am prepared to effectively teach and facilitate a pleasant and structured learning experience in any level classroom after having completed this course.
This particular course attracted me because it offered visa and job placement assistance, as well as substantial teaching practice hours in the course. The time frame of 6 months overall fitted into my traveling plans.
I wanted to teach EFL because I considered becoming a teacher. My degree is English Literature and I enjoy using the language and as such I was interested in learning a new way of looking at the English language and the other languages. I also wanted to have a challenging experience in a foreign country and gain some more qualifications.
I feel that the Special Thai Project has turned out well. Although at times of training has been slow and insufficient, overall I feel the course has been structured and conducted well.
My friend, Churls Hughes strongly recommended it. I wanted to try something new so it seemed like a wonderful new step in my life. I love trying new things and I love teaching. So it seemed liked the perfect choice.
I am excited to teach! I have enjoyed getting familiar with Thailand through this course. I love Anjana and Sangeeta…..they are very supportive and encouraging. I am excited to teach and be a part of the schools and Thai community here. Thank you for every thing, you all have done a great job.
I want to learn how to live abroad/internationally, and I need viable vehicles for living and employment as well as for integrating with and contributing to the communities in which I live.
I originally chose the Phuket, May 2009, program but there were complications (father’s health), so I delayed.
I chose Chiang Mai over Phuket the second time because I had gotten used to living for from the ocean and because in college, long ago, I had a dear friend from Chiang Mai.
It was lovely to experience Chiang Mai and to study TESOL with such nice people.
Originally, I wanted to be a part of the Phuket Project. But a day in Chiang Mai really changed my min. I was looking for a really culturally submersive opportunity to learn about a country completely foreign to anything I’ve experienced. My background in school focuses on Africa, but an opportunity presented itself to be in
Thailand and I absolutely have no regrets. It has been a welcoming experience I know I will continue to enjoy.
This has been an interesting and challenging experience. Not only did I learn more about teaching, I learned more about myself. An extremely rewarding.
When I was 5-6 years old, I lived in Bangkok, Thailand. I always wanted to go back but never thought I would have the opportunity to do so again. I read an ad. on the internet for teaching in Thailand, and I thought to myself, wow….what a chance to go back to Thailand. I also enjoyed children, so this seemed like a natural for me. The 3rd reason is I love to travel and explore new cultures. These are the main reasons I chose the Thai Project.
I enjoyed the class, teachers were professional. I would recommend it.
I had a very strong desire to completely immerse myself into another culture and to throw myself into a new educational environment which would force me to grow as a person. I wanted to experience life from a different perspective, to gain experience teaching, and to travel. I am very, very happy with my decision.
I already knew that the next 5-6 months is going to teach me more than I learned in college in the past 4 years.
I just graduated from college and am not sure what I want to do. I wanted to visit/experience Asia. I saw an advertisement for the program and it seemed ideal. It seemed challenging exciting and different. I also love language and thought I might enjoy teaching it.
It was a great experience full of fun and learning I thoroughly enjoyed the course.
I just graduated from university and wanted to be able to work and travel at the same time. I have worked with kids for years and was a part-time preschool teacher but have never done any school age classroom teaching so I thought this would be a great way to get experience as well as to help me decide if classroom teaching is for me. I know I will gain so much not only professional experience, but also experience and learn about a culture I know little about.
Although there were some tiring days I can honestly say that this has really sparked my interest in classroom teaching and if I can teach kids with a language barrier I can teach kids under many other circumstances.
I just graduated from my university as an Elementary and Special education teacher, I wanted to travel and gain more experience with teaching in other culture. I taught in China last summer and enjoyed communicating with different language learners. This is in turn mode me invested in getting certified in TESOL, so that I can do my 2 loves, traveling and teaching.
Great people who came here to learn, instructors here to teach are inspirable.
I chose this program in order to enhance my teaching experiences in the future. I have one year of teaching experience in South Korea but I had never had any training in teaching before that year. I hope to learn more about class management and have a chance to discover more teaching techniques.
Exploring the possibilities.
I chose this project because it seemed like a great way to live and experience a new culture. I have always wanted to come to Thailand and teaching English here seemed like a great opportunity to live and work. The TESOL training will be a valuable tool for teaching English in Thailand and abroad in the future.
I will definitely take a lot from this course and it has helped me immensely in preparing to teach.
The project offered an opportunity to develop teaching skill which I hope to pursue further what I return home. I am also a very keen travel so the chance to see and experience Thailand and learn about a large culture was definitely a factor.
The short-term commitment appealed to me as well as I am unable to commit to long contract due to my obligations to long contract due to my obligations is Australia. Finally this project I believe will be challenging so I hope I am able to gain some valuable new skills.
Because I enjoy traveling and meeting new people and although my past experience is not in a teaching school position, I have held jobs that involved teaching skills, such as communi9cation and anger management skills and have really enjoyed it. I am always open to new people and experience and look forward to this challenge.
I am always wanted to travel Thailand because I have heard great things about all aspects of the culture. I have never thought but look forward. This program was appealing since I got an excellent job placement. They have been extremely helpful.
As it was only 6 months contract and I wanted to experience Thailand.
I wanted to challenge myself and do something new and was feeling broad at my job in NY. I had heard about this project through friends and wanted to give it a shot. I always wanted to talk some time to travel a bit. I am so happy I made this discussion!
I liked the location. I wanted to be completely submerged into another culture. I liked how we have guaranteed placements. I liked that because it was only 4-5 months, not a year.
Because I wanted to experience a different culture from my own and be completely immersed into it. Also I know that it wanted to be a great learning experience and a great time all around. Also, I think I have a welcoming personality that is good fir teaching and I think that I would be a lot to a foreign school.
I like children and have always wanted to teach English to people that can not speak the language well.
I wanted to experience a different culture and to be around others doing the course, meeting and increasingly with new people.
Thailand has always appealed to me.
I have never done anything live this before and thought it would be a great experience.
Because I love Thailand I chose to do the course here. I chose Phuket because I have been here and I know it’s a great place. I chose the project because of the guarantee of a placement. I have been impressed with everything. So far I hope my school is as good as the project has been so far.
I knew I wanted to work with kids in other cultures and go to a new place I have never been before. I wanted to go somewhere that I could assist students in their rearing and thought. Thailand would be a great place to go!
It was the best option for me that found available in Thailand, which is where I wanted to be and teach. It was also the cheapest and provided training in addition to placement.
I wanted to try teaching abroad, a new trait for me. I was also very excited about taking the course in Phuket.
First, if all I wanted to travel and when I discovered this project it seemed like a perfect way to explore a new country and work at the same time.
This way you get have a better understanding and experience of Thailand by living here for 4-5 months and teaching children of Thailand. I found this project especially appealing for the fact that the course is based in Phuket and the placement is a shorter period than most foreign teaching assignments. I thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you!
I always wanted to live in another country. I chose ATI because it was only 5 months long, and I can decide to stay if I like it.
I wanted to do some traveling and spend a good amount of time in Thailand. I did some substitute teaching back home and liked it, so I thought this would be a good way to travel and make some money. I picked this program without much research, so I am glad it worked out!
I chose this project because I wanted to get experience of teaching and I wanted to travel some sore so thought the two were a perfect combination. This course was cheaper than others were and offered more in-school teacher training.
I heard many good things about Thailand and when I saw the opportunity to care here, I knew it was for me. Furthermore, the guarantee of a job played a par in my deciding to choose this project. The price was reasonable to so that a certificate.
I want to add value to my like and others led me consider teaching as I get a well people and have a high confident level. ATI allowed me to gauge whether I could actually be a teacher. It was reassuring.
No regrets!
I wanted a chance to see another part of the world while still having some stability. This provided both a stay in Thailand as well as orientation and guaranteed income.
Well, South Korea program did not accept me, but I knew I could count on ATI and Thailand. I wanted to check out Thailand and the culture ATI provided that for me! Phuket was a great location good people, nice beach fun bars, was the time of my life!
I just graduated from college. I had absolutely no idea what to do with my life, when the economy and the poor job market for international job market majors, I decided to take the opportunity to travel and explore some different career option. I had always thought of Thailand as a top travel destination, so it just seemed to fit.
I choose this project because of having cultural experience being close to the beach. I am trying something new in my life. Getting a job since I could not get at home.
I chose the special Thai project because I wanted to expand my work experience with kids’ primary. For an extra challenge, I wanted to expand that scope of knowledge in a different culture. I have always wanted to travel to Asia and primarily Thailand. Therefore, with overall this project was a dream comes true for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience here. It was quite humbling and scary at first but I feel that prepared me well for what I will face at my upcoming placement.
I choose to take up this project of price, location, terms of conditions.
I have always wanted to teach abroad and this program appealed to me because it was a shorter time period/placement. I was also interested in your training as it provided culture training relevant to the country. I would be working in where some programs did not offer that. Lastly, the guarantee placement after training gave me a sense of comfort.
I chose to take up this project, as I wanted a change of career and was interested in teaching and in working abroad.
I chose Thailand as it is somewhere I have always wanted to visit and I loved the idea of teaching here. I also liked the idea of studying and training in the country, which we would teach.
I wanted to have an opportunity to use my teaching talents to satisfy my hunger of traveling. My two passions in life are traveling and teaching. This was a chance to do both. Moreover, what is better place to do it than Thailand! Thank you for this amazing adventure. I will remember it for the rest of my life!
Cheap way to come, travel and see the world. Good way to immerse myself is a new culture and new people. Love working and kids.
I liked Phuket and the job placement opportunity.
I heard about it from a friend. I was always interested in getting to Thailand. Teaching English is a great opportunity to travel and help people around the world.
I loved the fact that the course as such a beautiful location. I chose the special Thai
Project as I was guaranteed a placement, which was very appealing. I really enjoyed the course and I shall recommend it to everyone.
I chose to take up this project because I wanted to use my English skill to teach young to use my English skills to teach young students while at the same expose me to, and South East Asia in general. I believe that I should use my knowledge and talents to help others and I admire the fact that the Thai people are so respectful and that they hold teachers in such high esteem. I am very excited and honored to have the opportunity to teach in such a beautiful country and teach is a nation where education and teachers are so highly valued.
I chose to do this project because it was the better alternative to online learning. It is based in Phuket, which was a major draw card and did not disappoint. The practical element was a necessary aspect of achieving a TESOL certificate and I do not think I would be prepared if I had not experienced this. The fact is that it is American funded and also comfortable as ATI understands western amenities, lifestyle, culture etc.
The content was relevant and very informative.
The materials were helpful but I could have used more information lesson plans.
The teacher and my peers were doing watching the lessons. In addition, the observers were very helpful.
The hotel and villa were both very nice.
Mac and Daniel went out of their way to help me many times. They helped with teaching, speaking to Thai people and adjusting to Thai life.
The content of this course is very good. I feel very well prepared to teach class students.
Materials were very helpful in giving ideas and structure for good lesson planning.
Peer teaching and teaching practices were most useful exercise for me.
Teachers have always been well prepared for the classes and knowledgeable.
Facility used was great, air-conditioned and in a beautiful convenient location.
I always wanted to live in another country. I chose ATI because it was only 5 months long, and I can decide to stay if I like it.
The aspects of lesson plans and methods and tools to teach were most useful.
The trainers were always prepared for classes.
The site was great.
First, if all I wanted to travel and when I discovered this project it seemed like a perfect way to explore a new country and work at the same time.
This way you get have a better understanding and experience of Thailand by living here for 4-5 months and teaching children of Thailand. I found this project especially appealing for the fact that the course is based in Phuket and the placement is a shorter period than most foreign teaching assignments. I thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you!
Aspects of teaching in the schools were most useful.
The trainers were always prepared.
All sessions were good – air conditioned, clean.
Whitney and Amrita are very professional, helpful and always answer our questions!
I wanted to do some traveling and spend a good amount of time in Thailand. I did some substitute teaching back home and liked it, so I thought this would be a good way to travel and make some money. I picked this program without much research, so I am glad it worked out!
The course content was extensive and very helpful. The materials were useful and can be used in future.
The aspects of peer teachers, the foreign lessons and practical teaching were most useful.
The trainers were always prepared for the classes.
The site was excellent, air-conditioned room with water right beside Nai Harn beach. How could you complain?
I will miss it.
I chose this project because I wanted to get experience of teaching and I wanted to travel some sore so thought the two were a perfect combination. This course was cheaper than others were and offered more in-school teacher training.
The material of this course was great. Being in the class with the kids was the most beneficial. I am also glad; I have some structured lesson plans before I go into a class.
The teachers have been well prepared for the class.
I loved being on the beach – nice for breaks. Great area!
I heard many good things about Thailand and when I saw the opportunity to care here, I knew it was for me. Furthermore, the guarantee of a job played a par in my deciding to choose this project. The price was reasonable to so that a certificate.
The materials of the course were very good.
The aspects of lesson plan and school training were most helpful.
The trainers were always prepared for the class.
The site of training was good.
I want to add value to my like and others led me consider teaching as I get a well people and have a high confident level. ATI allowed me to gauge whether I could actually be a teacher. It was reassuring.
No regrets!
The content was relevant and very informative.
The materials were helpful but I could have used more information lesson plans.
The teacher and my peers were doing watching the lessons. In addition, the observers were very helpful.
The hotel and villa were both very nice.
Mac and Daniel went out of their way to help me many times. They helped with teaching, speaking to Thai people and adjusting to Thai life.
I wanted a chance to see another part of the world while still having some stability. This provided both a stay in Thailand as well as orientation and guaranteed income.
The material was great and easy to follow lesson plans.
The teaching practice really prepares you for what ahead is.
The trainers have been well prepared for class.
Great hotel, conference room and a great beach resort.
Well, South Korea program did not accept me, but I knew I could count on ATI and Thailand. I wanted to check out Thailand and the culture ATI provided that for me! Phuket was a great location good people, nice beach fun bars, was the time of my life!
The material was great and easy to follow lesson plans.
The teaching practice really prepares you for what ahead is.
The trainers have been well prepared for class.
Great hotel, conference room and a great beach resort.
I just graduated from college. I had absolutely no idea what to do with my life, when the economy and the poor job market for international job market majors, I decided to take the opportunity to travel and explore some different career option. I had always thought of Thailand as a top travel destination, so it just seemed to fit.
The aspect of practical instructions and insight from people who have taught here already was seemed to me most useful.
The trainers have been always well prepared for the class.
I choose this project because of having cultural experience being close to the beach. I am trying something new in my life. Getting a job since I could not get at home.
The aspects of peer and actual practice were most helpful.
The trainers were always well prepared for the class.
I loved the site. It was nice to have our own villas. It would be nice to be closer to the beach. I loved all seasons’ location and proximity to teach.
I chose the special Thai project because I wanted to expand my work experience with kids’ primary. For an extra challenge, I wanted to expand that scope of knowledge in a different culture. I have always wanted to travel to Asia and primarily Thailand. Therefore, with overall this project was a dream comes true for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience here. It was quite humbling and scary at first but I feel that prepared me well for what I will face at my upcoming placement.
Culturally appropriate tips for teaching were most useful.
The trainers were always prepared for the class.
The training site was with good set up. May be provided wireless for students.
I choose to take up this project of price, location, terms of conditions.
The material was good. The aspects of teaching practice were the most useful.
The trainers were always well prepared for the class.
I thought this was an amazing place to take the course. The facilities exceeded my expectations. Phuket was great.
Thanks for everything.
I have always wanted to teach abroad and this program appealed to me because it was a shorter time period/placement. I was also interested in your training as it provided culture training relevant to the country. I would be working in where some programs did not offer that. Lastly, the guarantee placement after training gave me a sense of comfort.
The course was very informative.
The aspects of teaching practice and learning the different teaching models seemed to me useful.
The teachers were very well prepared for the classes.
It is good site. Cool water was provided.
I chose to take up this project, as I wanted a change of career and was interested in teaching and in working abroad.
I chose Thailand as it is somewhere I have always wanted to visit and I loved the idea of teaching here. I also liked the idea of studying and training in the country, which we would teach.
The course contents were very good.
The aspects of peer teaching and practice teaching but most classroom work led into prepared for both. I also really enjoyed and appreciated the cultural and language components.
The site was fantastic.
‘Ya’ deserves mention as well. Her language course was great and she was always approachable for questions. The country, culture, language are also very fun.
I wanted to have an opportunity to use my teaching talents to satisfy my hunger of traveling. My two passions in life are traveling and teaching. This was a chance to do both. Moreover, what is better place to do it than Thailand! Thank you for this amazing adventure. I will remember it for the rest of my life!
I think taking the course was an excellent idea. However, I wish that we could go over the content that will help in our placements.
Tools of classroom management from Thailand perspective seemed to me useful.
The trainers were well prepared for the classes.
Cheap way to come, travel and see the world. Good way to immerse myself is a new culture and new people. Love working and kids.
The aspects of teaching practice were most helpful. The trainers were well prepared for classes. The training site was very comfortable.
I liked Phuket and the job placement opportunity.
The aspects in school training were most useful. The trainers were always prepared for the classes. The training site was fantastic.
I heard about it from a friend. I was always interested in getting to Thailand. Teaching English is a great opportunity to travel and help people around the world.
It was very helpful.
The practice teaching is most helpful for me.
The trainers were always ready for the classes.
The training site was very nice. I had a great time and was very comfortable.
Great course and Ya was a big help as well!
I loved the fact that the course as such a beautiful location. I chose the special Thai
Project as I was guaranteed a placement, which was very appealing. I really enjoyed the course and I shall recommend it to everyone.
The materials and course contents were very good. Group work and demos seemed to me most helpful.
The teachers were always prepared for the classes.
I have done TEFL Teaching before but this was in South Korea where you do not necessarily need a TESOL qualification. I decided I would like to try teaching in other countries such as Thailand and therefore decided it would be good idea to get a TESOL certificate. I also thought the ATI course in particular would be a good introduction to teaching in Thailand through meeting other teachers and being placed in an initial job.
I am a RN in the USA, but have been living in Germany for the last year. I have always wanted to become a teacher in nursing in Germany. I have been unable to get a nursing position. I hope to return to Germany and teach/ or tutor English, gaining educational experience that will help me in my future.
I have chosen to do an English teaching course because it seemed like a great opportunity to make money and travel at the same time. But also to teach a language, that people do not know and want to know, to them and to so also broaden their horizons. I also wanted to do a course so as to not start teaching, so to speak, blindly. The course, I assume, will help me to teach a structured and proper English class.
I would love to travel & see this as a way to contribute to the community. It allows me to experience the community more than just a tourist. Plus it’s a way to learn money while seeing the world.
I chose to do an English Teacher Training course, because having the basics and fundamental aspects of teaching would make me feel more confident and knowledgeable about what I am doing. It also opens up more doors in the Global arena of teaching English, and makes it easier to get a job.
I will be residing in Thailand for about eleven months. By taking an English Teacher Training I will be able to learn about the people and the culture.
I love to help others and I love to be international. I have had some casual experience teaching English, but I have never had formal training. I led a conversation club in the US, & my international students were wonderful. We had a lot of fun,’’ So that’s one of the main reasons, I decided to purse English teaching, I have had experience lining in Southeast Asia. So that’s why I picked Thailand. I love the food & culture here.
I am interested in cultural exchange and learning about others ways of learning. Working directly in another culture and learning their lifestyle appears to be the best way of learning about a culture, teaching English is a great way of facilitating this. I am also interested in community information and knowledge sharing programs, particularly, regarding health. Further in my career I would like to be involved in these programs and I view this to be a valuable experience to gain skills in teaching within a foreign culture.
I have always enjoyed traveling and wanted a way to continue doing so. Teaching English seems like the perfect way to combine both passions of travelling and working. Teaching English will allow me to become part of a community and learn more about a culture. I also hope to learn a new language while sharing my own. In order to fulfill this plan, I decided to take an English teacher training course so that I shall be better prepared in the classroom.
This will provide me with the experience in language teaching structures that I can use in remain employment opportunities. I will also be refused in my teaching.
I enjoy traveling to different countries and experience different cultures. I also enjoy helping people, and teaching in general for several years I have travel extensively and thought about teaching English. Last December I volunteered to teach English and geography to Tibetan refugees in India. I enjoyed the experience teaching English in foreign countries seems like a good, enjoyable way to combine travel with experiencing foreign cultures and making a living getting training not only certifies employment requirements, but also will give me skills to improve my teaching skills.
I have chosen this course. Reason being I love exploring new cultures, a real people person and I think this will be the ideal building block for a new teaching career ever since a child I have wanted to teach, and by completing this course. This will give me the knowledge I need and will prepare me for my future in the classroom as a teacher. My previous job working in Australia was very physical and did not really have a future, so I decided this program can help me a lot. All in all I am very excited and cannot wait to be out teaching.
I graduated in Fine Arts at the end of last year and I decided to combine my first year after University while seeing another country. I chose to do the TESOL course in addition to my travelling as I aspire to teach contemporary Fine Arts as well as practice it internationally eventually. The TESOL course enables me to gain teaching experience as well as engaging with teaching cross- culturally.
I have chosen to do the ATI TESOL course because I believe this gives me the best opportunity to get a good teaching job in a lot of Asian countries. I have always wanted to travel and experience new and different cultures, and for the time being Thailand seems to be the most awarding place for me. I see my life as an exploration of creativity on many different levels, and I feel that teaching English in Thailand will test my creativity in a whole different way. And last but not least I believe this will be a fun filled, crazy experience.
I chose the TESOL course because my sister chose to do this course and because it appears to be a good course.
I wanted to experience a change in lifestyle as well travel in a foreign country where I could test my comfort levels and see and learn new things. I also wanted break free from my shallow career of advertising and make a difference with what I do for work
I am considering pursuing a career in teaching, so I figured this would be a chance to gain particular experience while also getting to experience another culture. I plan to do a lot of before I settle down into a career so this also affords me a way to finance my travel, wherever they may take me.
I decided to obtain a TEFL certificate and complete a teacher training course in order to be able to work while experiencing cultures other than my own. After going to school to get a Master’s in counseling psychology and working in three elementary schools I realized I wanted to continue working with children in an educational setting. I understand the importance of speaking and learning English and I believe that as a native speaker of the language, I have something to share. I always wished I grew up speaking a second language or had bilingual parents but I have had to learn Spanish on my own and educate myself.
This opportunity will give me the chance to express my abilities as a leader. Since graduating University, I have not had the chance to lead and give direction. I feel with my outgoing personality and patient persona, I will truly make a difference in these children’s lives.
I have been interested in teaching and incredibly interested in exploring Thialand, so this program seems to be a perfect marriage of the two. Also, having never taught before I believe that is a necessary program. Here hopefully I will gain the tools to lead the most successful class that I can.
Ever since I can remember I wanted to teach English in Asia after graduation from University. My parents did the same in Japan and my encouraged me to pursue a similar adventure. The last year I have worked to put myself in a position to pursue this goal and ATI seemed like a practical choice (I also knew an ATI alumnus who could vouch for the program). Additionally, I have recently considered entering the teaching profession. I figured this would be a fun and rewarding experience, and perhaps it would help me decide whether I want to be a teacher.
I was actually working in the oil industry, in Canada doing exploration for the liquid gold and I was looking for something new, I wanted something more intellect to, and I always wanted to go to Asia. I actually did not know about the TESOL program. Until I talked to a friend that I did not see for like 4 year and he told me that he was in Thailand Teaching English. so I did all my research on the subject, and I find the opportunity perfect for the change that I was looking for, I also like travelling and I am good at handling kids and also I think that it is going to provide me a sensations of good action in the world helping other culture with the communication with other culture, also after I guess I could go teach in other countries and learn more about the whole world.
The reason I have chose an English Teacher Training course is to build on my life experience. Another reason for me choosing such a course is to better my C.V.
I have chosen to do an English Teacher Training course because of my interest in Thai culture and Thailand as a country. This will give me an opportunity to meet new people and experience new surroundings. Also I will gain valuable Teaching experience, which I can develop, further into a career in Thailand or elsewhere.
I have chosen the Teacher Training course to be able to pass on my experience of the English language, developed through education. I see this as the perfect opportunity to develop my social, interpersonal skills along with furthering previous teaching experiences.
I have chosen to do the English Teacher training course for three reasons. First, I have career ambitions to become a teacher in my home country and either home state of IDAMO or neighboring state of Eastern MONTANA, or North-Eastern Oregon. To facilitate this ambition, I will be advantaged to have acquired Teaching experience prior to a job application.
I am looking to peruse a career in primary school teaching and having taught for a project in India. I knew that I wanted to get some more world experience first. This seemed like the perfect option combining both teaching and travel experiences.
I would like to experience the Thai culture. I have had an interest in Thailand since I was young and knew about Thai immigration to the US. I would also like to share some of my own culture with the people of Thailand.
I love to travel to experience new things & to teach so I am excited for the program, a friend from home went through ATI last year & recommend if highly.
I chose to do this training course because I desire a career in education. The special Thai project seems to provide an excellent opportunity to get in front of student and begin that process.
I have chosen to take this course because I wanted to learn how to teach English. I wanted the chance to live and work in another country, and have a culturally rich experience.
I have chosen to do this course as I think it is a great way to learn more about the English language whilst learning that the fact you can immerse in a different culture is a great aspect of the course.
I have chosen to do the course because I think it will be a great way to have a positive impact in a foreign country, while also having an opportunity to get to know a foreign culture from a more local perspective.
As I am almost 30 years old, I have decided to do something out of ordinary
Plain simple! I love teaching! I love to travel and meet people as well. I want to teach in various countries and not only share my passion for learning, but also learn from them. This course will give me the skills to be successful in my teaching endeavors. I see it as a springboard for a future of many amazing, challenging and rewarding journeys. This particular course presents a unique opportunity to have much training after the program.
I would like to overcome my fear of public speaking as well as help others. I want to learn more about the Thai culture and take more responsibility as an adult. I want to make a difference in people’s lives as well as making people smile for the better.
I wanted to go abroad and teach English in another country to experience another culture and to gain valuable teaching experience. I enjoy working with young people and want to help them learn however I can.
I love to travel. Experiencing other cultures and seeing new and exciting lands is quite an exhilarating feeling. Being able to teach English offers me the opportunity to travel longer, as well as immerse myself in a new culture for an extended period.
I love children, I love teaching and I love Thailand. I feel that I can have a far greater positive impact on the world in Thailand than in America. I also feel that it is impact to know one’s own language proficiently and this course will assist me in recognizing and appreciating the subtle points of English that I might have missed, skimmed over, or don’t currently grasp.
I want to experience a different culture to it fullest, not just as a tourist. I also want to contribute towards the country & believe education to be the best form of contribution. I have a valuable skill/ knowledge that most western people take for granted (English) and I want to share it.
I have always wanted to go to other countries and really experience the culture. This program and teaching opportunity allow me to so.
I have chosen to do an English Teacher Training course because I have always wanted to be a teacher and I think the experience abroad will be especially rewarding.
To travel, meet new people and gain new experiences.
To learn more about teaching English as a second language. Get practice.
So I could teach in a lot of countries.
It seems like a good way to gain teaching experience and hopefully will turn into a full time career.
To see the world and get paid. Also, learn another culture.
After traveling for a while, I have decided that I need to give back to society. I have realized the importance of communications and am excited to help others who want to learn.
To learn about new culture.
I chose to take the course so that I could fully experience another country other my own. I wanted the opportunity to fully my self in another culture.
I chose to do an English Teacher Training course because I thought it would be a great learning experience as well as a good way to travel.
I have chosen to do this course as an opportunity to do constructive work & gain new, positive experience.
I think teaching is an honest profession and I did like to contribute more to society.
I want to be a teacher and also do some traveling. Once I am back in the UK I am going to start my PGCE, so would like to get some experience before that. Thai course lets me do both with perfect timing.
I want to learn more about the culture and lifestyle of Thailand, and to actually be able to teach children English with in a school environment.
I enjoy people and travel. I also think that if I help people understand English then I am doing a good deal. If I can make a difference then that is what I want.
I believe it is important to go out and explore different culture to gain a better understanding of your own. It is also important to give back. This course gives me the opportunity to travel while giving back to the community I am visiting.
I had the opportunity to teach English in South Korea. After I finished, I wanted to get my TESOL certificate so I could find a better job as a teacher.
Because I taught English in the States, but did not want to over the summer. I found this a great option to teach and overall, be enlightened by a new culture.
I am a teacher back in Canada and I love to travel, so it seemed a logical thing to do. I also think that this experience in Thailand will make me a better teacher when I get back home in Montreal.
Having enjoyed learning language my self and also having worked in an environment in which I have given presentations and offered support and training to colleagues- teaching English seemed a good idea. In quickly industrializing parts of the world, English is an important commodity and the demand for teachers is increasing. I have always wanted to travel and work in Asia, in particular by living somewhere and working there, as opposed to a visit or holiday, one can really become immersed in the culture and even become part of the community. Though many Asian countries do not require their teachers have a TESOL or TEFL qualification, I believe that having the correct tools for the job are a must. To conduct a class entirely in the language being taught surely requires tried and tested techniques. To be taught by someone who has worked as an ESL teacher should be an advantage.
After working in the media industry for almost six years, I decided that I wanted a fresh change in my life, and a break from the city lifestyle in LONDON. I have traveled around Asia before and have always wanted to care back, so the TESOL program seemed like the perfect opportunity to re-locate to Thailand. I have also worked as a tour guide, in the past, and very much enjoyed giving educational talks. I am very much looking forward to teaching and giving something to the Thai community and the certificate and teaching experience that I will obtain from TESOL will allow me to teach English as a foreign language in many other countries.
I want to learn how to be an affective teacher. Last year I spent a year teaching in Korea and although I found it very rewarding I also felt that I could have done a better job with some training. I want a TESOL so I can work in Thailand as a qualified EFL teacher.
The reason I decided to an English teacher training course in Thailand is because I wanted to gain experience of teaching in a foreign country on a short term basis. I decided to choose Phuket as well because I had seen pictures to it previously and I always wanted to visit it.
The reason why I choose to do English teacher training course is because I love traveling. I have travelled in Europe but I have always thought that there in more out their. I believe that the best thing in life is meeting new people with different ideas and background. Everyone is here for a reason. To become a teacher in another country I feel will be as rewarding as I will get to know the ins and outs of another culture. I hope to learn a lot from this experience and be part of another culture. My aim is to grow as a person and I think that every person I meet aids me in their aspect. I have been to Thailand once before and I loved it, this is the reason I want to learn more.
I have found that I enjoy communicating with people from different cultures & to learn from the experiences I gain. Moreover, this teaching English presents a unique opportunity for me to convey my knowledge to others while simultaneously achieving education for myself. Also, teaching is an endeavor with amazing rewards in terms of job satisfaction. I come from a family of teachers and understand a bit more about how important that is in life. With that, I am aware that at times being a teacher can be an immensely challenging profession.
I am currently in a crossroad in mu life. I am looking for a new adventure. Also I am interested in Thai Culture and love the food.
I was interested in teaching in my own county and was looking for something to gain experience. The ATI project seemed an ideal opportunity to make a start on this in a new, exciting way. I have always wanted to travel a bit further of ideal and see some new places too, so by choosing this project I was able to do all of these thing.
I think becoming a teacher of English to speakers of another language will be very rewarding and provide me which some worthwhile experience that I wouldn’t get in normal day job.
I like teaching. I don’t know how to teach. I heard Thai kids are well behaved compared to American kids.
I am interested in teaching English in other countries than the United States. In order to do this I feel obtaining a certificate through an English teacher training course would be more reputable than simply taking equivalency exams at different embassies. I also feel that obtaining this certificate would open more opportunities for me through-out my life and in the future.
I have heard from people who have previously done this course that it was a positive experience. It has been sometime that I have been considering for teaching English and I believe that being certified will help to prepare me for my teaching experience as well as getting me a job.
I have been looking for a career change and I am considering teaching. Before I made a decision though, I wanted to do some traveling. I stumbled across the idea of teaching in Asia because it allows me to travel and gives me a chance to see if I want to teach when I go back home. I like the idea of teaching because I enjoy public speaking and want to inspire people the way my teachers inspired me.
I have always been interested in exploring different cultures and finding a way to travel. My background is in art education so I have always known that I love interacting with people and finding a way to be creative. When my good friend Katie (who is actually in this program with me) told me about this amazing experience, I knew I wanted to be a part of it.
The reason why I chose this TESOL program was to experience new cultural, learning abilities and challenge myself to something new.
I have chosen to be an English teacher and I realized that a TESOL teaching course is the best way to become certified to teach anywhere. I have always wanted to combine my love for travel and teaching and actually becoming immersed in Thai culture and traditions. This is the best way to truly learn about places as well as continuously learn things from others.
I’d like to teach because I like working with young people and I also like the idea of working abroad in a different culture. Teaching is something I wanted to get into and I think this course will be an interesting and fulfilling way to begin my career in teaching.
I wanted a chance to travel more. I have spent some time in Europe and can also speak Spanish so acquiring this certificate will increase my chances of teaching in other countries such as Spain. I enjoy learning and also was not content with my job in the states.
I always wanted to go to Asia and this seemed like a good way to see a lot around Thailand and the continent.
I have been working in education for while now I was looking to “spread my wings” I love to travel and learn. It is a great opportunity to do that and hopefully change some lives at the same time. English has become such a universal language, so programs such as these will really benefit Thai student.
I wanted to help people out instead of working for a big faceless corporation. Thailand was appealing to me as I had not been before, and felt that teaching was a worthy vacation.
I thought teaching English would be an excellent way to travel and really emerge myself in a different culture. My sister is a teacher and I have really enjoyed helping her in class. I thought it was really rewarding.
I chose to teach English as a second language in Thailand because I felt that it was a great opportunity to travel and gain work experience at the some time. I also love to learn about different cultures and experience new things. I also love to meet new people and get out of my comfort zone to better myself. I am grateful for this opportunity.
I enjoy traveling and experiencing new cultures. I am a primary school teacher and have taught in Australia and England; however I believe that an English teacher training course will enable me to travel, experience new cultures and teach.
My career goal is to work in international development with a focus on children and education. I felt that taking on TESOL course and teaching in Thailand would be beneficial for me both personally and professionally. Most importantly I wanted to gain overseas work experience in an effort to build my resume. Furthermore, I love Thailand and I spent a month here lost full and couldn’t wait to return!
I want to work as a school psychologist when I go home so thought it would be a great experience in meeting and collaborating with other teacher and strengthening my communication skills and cultural sensitivity so that when I go home I will have developed a deeper understanding for children who come from diverse cultural backgrounds.
A year ago a good friend of mine took this some course here in Phuket. After the course he was given a position teaching in Bangkok. He told me that this experience was one of the best things he has ever done, and I believed him. For the past three years I have been working in a very corporate environment and grew tired of this. I wanted an experience that would start a new career as well as introduce a new culture. It has been a life long dream of mine to live and work in another country. Thailand seems to be the perfect place to accomplish my dream.
I wanted a change in my life. I was looking for an opportunity to explore another culture, learn another language and to teach others to speak English. I have always wanted to learn, to teach and to learn how to teach people English as a second language. I am excited to take a position and get involved directly with student. Their culture had helped them to learn.
I‘ve chosen to take part in an English teacher training course to broaden my knowledge of the English language, enrich my understanding of language as a function and develop skills related to teaching.
It is in my hope to find a placement where I can practice these newly developed skills.
I chose to teach English because of prior experience that helped me in working as a councilor or teacher at ESL youth camps. It was a phenomenal experience that opened my eyes to a world outside of my international Business major and revealed to me an opportunity to travel the world and with hope, impact the lives of many children of the world.
I am working towards my PHD, I want to teach at university, but I want to take break from studying. Teaching English seemed like a good way to get teaching experience and a chance to travel outside Canada.
I was teaching was Korea for 2 years and enjoyed it. I studied in Korea for 6 months and applied to graduate school for February. So I needed something to fill the time now until then. I also would like to teach again after graduate school so the certificate will help me gain a better job.
I honestly just happened to stumble across the website while searching for different opportunities abroad. After applying, ATI called me back quite quickly and were very interested in me .after doing some research, I decided to take the job and have not been more grateful for such a great experience
I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and found it to be extremely useful. I am so thankful for having found and taken this opportunity.
ATI has a great website. It has certainly a competitive price. Most importantly, it guarantees a job.
Fantastic & well run course. The team here looks after you. I have learnt an amazing amount in 3 weeks. Great…
I am interested in this American TESOL Institute. Has anyone taken the class in Chiang Mai in July? Would like some detailed feedback. thank you very much.
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anyone doing the cours ein chiang mai in sept?!