/ VACANCY INFORMATION

Section A

Information about the vacancy

Recruitment Responsibility / East Asia Recruitment Team / Date / 1st June 2012
Location / Bangkok, Thailand / DAC code / -
Job Title / Hourly Paid Teacher / Job Type / Teacher
Start Date / Ongoing / Closing Date / -
Advertise job / Internal and external / Number of posts / -

Job Specific skills, knowledge, qualifications & experience

We are now recruiting hourly paid teachers to work in our Teaching Centres.
To get a flavour of our teaching in Thailand and see what our premises and classes are like, see the teaching videos here: http://www.youtube.com/britishcouncilthai# The Bangkok Teaching Centres are expanding, and have a strong commitment to providing high quality courses, backed up by extensive training opportunities for teachers such as the Distance DELTA and CELTYL Extension. We aim to offer hourly paid teachers an average of 12 hours teaching a week which can include a range of general English adult classes, IELTS and young learners (aged 7-12 and 12-16). This is an excellent opportunity for enthusiastic teachers looking to develop their skills further, in a dynamic and rewarding environment.
To be considered, you will be TEFL-I qualified e.g. hold a Cambridge CELTA/Trinity DipTESOL or relevant PGCE with QTS. You should also have at least 2 years’ post TEFL-I teaching experience as well as previous experience gained from teaching Young Learners.
Internal applicants only - please include your most recent end-of-year-record and copy in both your line and centre managers when submitting your application.
Desirable criteria may be used during the selection process.
The British Council is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and is keen to reflect diversity at every level within the organisation. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. We guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria. British Council appointments are contingent on thorough checks. In the UK, and where appropriate systems exist overseas, these include Criminal Records checks.

Local restrictions on employment (if any)

Currently, the British Council Thailand can only obtain visas for UK passport holders. We are also unable to obtain visas for accompanying partners unless they are married.

Section B

Information about the Teaching Centre. A brief overview.

There are 5 teaching centres in Thailand, 4 in BKK with about 4500 students and 1 in Chiang Mai with around 1500 students. The largest centre ( 37 teachers, 4 Senior Teachers, DTCM and over 2,500 students) is centrally located in Siam Square. Our second centre is in Pinklao (1 Centre Manager, 1 Senior Teacher, 10 teachers and 1000 students) in the west of Bangkok. The third centre is in Ladprao in the north of the city (1 Centre Manager, 2 Senior Teachers, 14 teachers and 1200 students). Our fourth and newly opened centre, is in Changwattana. We are planning to open a fifth centre in late 2012.
We have 19 classrooms in Siam Square, 9 in Lad Prao, 7 in Pinklao and 9 in Changwattana. All rooms are fully equipped with an Interactive Whiteboard, TV and DVD. The centres also have class sets of laptops on a wireless network.
We also operate in a local demonstration school near Siam Square, where teachers work alongside Thai teachers to deliver the English language part of the school curriculum to primary and secondary children. The school is not as well-equipped as our own centres (without IWBs for example) and some rooms lack air-conditioning.
Our academic year runs over four 10-week terms; May through to March, with breaks between terms. From March to May we offer two 3-week intensive courses either side of Songkran (Thai New Year). Holidays coincide with term breaks and Songkran.
All centres run a range of Adult, Teen and Primary courses. We are commmitted to teaching excellence through the Quality in the Classroom initiative and all of our teaching team play vital roles in this programme.
We run an orientation course for the distance DELTA every March and run regular CELTYL Extension courses for staff, with financial support from the British Council.

Section C

Information about the terms and conditions of service (TACOS).

Whilst the information below was accurate at time of writing, specific details and entitlements are subject to change.

Job Overview

There are four teaching centres in Bangkok plus an operation in a primary/secondary school in central Bangkok, and teachers may occasionally be asked to work in more than one centre. They will, however, be based in one centre for most of their work. These positions are expected to be in the main Siam Square centre, which is in the heart of Bangkok.
We aim to offer hourly paid teachers an average of 12 hours teaching a week to adults Teens (12-16) and Kids (7-11). Teachers work a 5 day week, with either a Monday/Tuesday or Tuesday/Wednesday weekend. Working hours will involve some evenings up to 9.30 pm.
We offer extensive training and development opportunities for teachers, through the regular line management and Learning and Development Plan, weekly training sessions, CELTYL extension courses run part-time twice a year, and the Distance DELTA (with an Orientation course in Bangkok every March). There are also opportunities to get involved in projects such as classroom research, syllabus and materials development, as we refresh our courses and approach as part of the Quality in the Classroom project.
To get an overview of our teaching in Thailand, see the videos here: http://www.youtube.com/britishcouncilthai#
All classrooms, apart from those in the partner school, have interactive whiteboards, so teachers have the opportunity to develop their skills with these, and training will be provided.
Contract Length / Termly
Contract Type / Hourly paid
Contract Hours / Between 12-21 hours per week

Annual Salary

Personal income tax will be deducted at source.
Your starting point on the scale will be decided according to your qualifications and experience, unless you are already on the global salary scale.
HP / New hourly rate
TEFL-I / 947
TEFL-Q / 1,055
Admin / 631

Income Tax

Personal income tax will be deducted at source. All employees in Thailand are required to complete a personal annual tax return after which tax adjustments (rebates or additional payments) are calculated by Tax authorities.

Additional Information

Whilst the above information was accurate at time of writing, specific details and entitlements are subject to change.

Section E

Information about the place

Country Overview

Thailand is a beautiful country, covering some 517,000 square kilometres, about the size of France. Of the sixty million population, some ten million live in Bangkok. The predominant religion is Buddhism (about ninety per cent of population). It is a land of contrasts, from the mountainous north to the glorious beaches and islands of the south.
English is the major language for regional as well as international communication, so is highly valued as a tool for academic and professional advancement. Degrees from universities in Europe, Australia and the United States are highly-prized by ambitious Thais.
Thailand has a multitude of good things to offer. The people are polite and friendly, the food is delicious and the temples and ancient monuments are interesting and attractive. Thailand has some of the most beautiful beaches and countryside in the world. With the regular breaks between terms there are plenty of opportunities for teachers to get out of the city and explore. Many teachers do cheap scuba diving courses while they are here, or take up sailing, golf or horse-riding.

City Overview

Bangkok is Thailand’s sprawling, dynamic capital. Bangkok suffers from a high level of traffic congestion and there are problems with pollution. However, the opening of the city’s Skytrain in December 1999, and the recent opening of the new underground, has made travelling around Bangkok a lot easier and quicker. Taxis are air-conditioned and cheap and available at all times of day and night.
With over ten million residents Bangkok is never dull, often noisy and at times frustrating. While not to everyone’s liking, Bangkok has a lot to offer: magnificent temples, great shops (and even Boots and Marks and Spencer's), countless, affordable restaurants with superb food from everywhere in the world, diverse nightlife and, what many foreigners,describe as some of the friendliest people in the world. The infamous red light district only actually occupies a few blocks of the city and is easy to avoid.
There is also very little violent crime in Bangkok, making it a very safe city especially for women, although one should always look out for scams which can catch unwary tourists interested in buying cheap gems, for example.

Climate

The climate is tropical, with a rainy season June to October, a cooler season November to January and a hot season March to June. Hot means 35C+ with high humidity. The combination of heavy traffic (thus pollution) and the hot, humid climate can complicate certain medical conditions. Offices, shops and homes are air-conditioned to compensate for the above and there are many high rise apartment blocks allowing one to live beyond the noise and pollution.

Accommodation

Many teachers currently live in apartments in small blocks within easy reach of work. Apartments are usually fully-furnished and access to a small swimming pool and maid service are the norm. Average monthly rent paid is approximately 12,000 Baht to 18,000 Baht.

General living costs & conditions

In terms of the standard of living expected on a teaching salary, this obviously depends on individual lifestyle and priorities. Teachers are able to enjoy a good standard of living though some do not save much from their total baht+ sterling salaries. A lot of teachers, for example, eat out most days, as local food and drink is relatively cheap and of excellent quality. While some imported items, such as wine and cheese, are expensive, imported spirits and local beer are relatively cheap and locally produced goods, such as clothes, household items such as plastics, electrical goods and furniture, and especially food, are very affordable. Top class restaurants and good hotel accommodation are also much cheaper than the equivalent in the UK.

Transport & Communication

The rapid growth of the city has given rise to world-renowned traffic congestion. If you come to Bangkok you will spend time in traffic. However, you will probably also acquire some degree of Thai tolerance and "jai yen" (cool heart). Taxis are plentiful and, most importantly, air-conditioned. Motor cycle taxis also sweep people around the city but are not recommended. Bangkok has an intricate and incredibly cheap bus network and the new underground now complements the excellent Skytrain in making it easier to get around in comfort. Internal flights around Thailand are numerous, and there are new airlines offering cheap regional fares, too. There are very cheap, comfortable and regular bus connections to all major cities and holiday destinations in Thailand. Many teachers take a bus and ferry to Koh Samet, the nearest island, with soft, sandy beaches, at weekends (bus about two hours for 100THB, currently less than £1.50).

General Health, Medical & Dental Care

There are several high-quality English-speaking hospitals used by British Council teachers. Hospital staff are often graduates of overseas training (usually in Australia or north America) and the quality of health care available is excellent. There is a wide variety of good quality dentists to choose from, several very good ones near the Council's main branch in Siam Square, but they can be found all over the city.

Job Opportunities for Partners

Employment opportunities for a partner would obviously depend on skills and experience. However, supporting a partner on a teaching salary would be problematic and unemployed spouses and partners could easily become isolated if they have no job and do not speak Thai. You are strongly advised to consider employment opportunities for a spouse before arriving in country.
It is not possible for The British Council to obtain non-immigrant visas for your partner, if you and your partner are unmarried.

Schooling & Childcare

Pre-school care is relatively cheap and easy to arrange and there are a number of very good international schools. However, these are very expensive and beyond the salary of a senior teacher or teacher.

Any Other Information (Shopping facilities, entertainment, leisure.)

Thailand is a shoppers' paradise. Bangkok has an immense array of modern shopping centres stocking the latest designer clothes and accessories, as well as more traditional markets with Thai handicrafts and cheap clothes, jewellery and furniture. It is very cheap to have clothes made, too.
Entertainment is similarly varied. There's a very lively pub and club scene, state-of-the-art cinemas (tickets currently about one pound fifty!), masses of affordable restaurants and other choices that you'd expect from a large vibrant modern city.
The English Premier League is shown live on cable television in pubs all over the city, or you can have cable television in your flat. Participatory sports are also well catered for with many teachers joining fitness clubs near their centre. Some teachers enjoy golf, sailing, salsa lessons, fishing, horse-riding or even ice-skating at the weekend!
We have a British Council football team.

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Page 1 of 5 Updated: April 2008