This message is a comment on a post by Danielle 'Filipinos do it better'. I had to comment because this post is wrong on many levels. It seems to typify a common sentiment held by many Filipinos (as well as other nationality teachers) that they, as a group, are actually superior as teachers compared with anyone that they like to label as "so-called native speakers". This seems largely rooted in bitterness to do with school hiring policies as well as a reflection of thinking that can be seen in some of the questionable ideas found in the academic field of world Englishes.

I have worked with Filipino teachers, and it has been no easy task. The English material they produce for students is consistently riddled with grammar errors and inappropriate language. In addition to that, students have complained to me that they find their teaching confusing and tedious. In spite of these problems, the teachers are very conceited and like to throw their weight around in the workplace. It seems that they have a high opinion of themselves as teachers based on teaching qualifications they have attained which seem most likely of very questionable quality.

Thai educational institutions would, in fact, be much better off just using Thai teachers, as at least Thai teachers can explain things in Thai if students do not understand. If your average Filipino teacher cannot produce English accurately, then the advantage of hiring them over Thai teachers seems very questionable. Of course, there probably are some good Filipino English teachers, but my observation of the abilities of the teachers I have encountered is enough to show that the blanket statement 'Filipinos do it better' is not based on fact.

Jim Hensby

I get really tired of foreigners who constantly come out with the line "This is Thailand, if you don't like it then stay away".
Thailand earns a lot of money from tourism and is now losing ground to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, so wouldn't it be better to educate the Thais just a little bit rather than simply accepting the kind of behaviour that ensures many tourists will only visit once? How can any Thai think it reasonable behaviour to ride a motorbike at speed along a sidewalk, across a pedestrianised zone, or the beach promenade (right opposite the police station) when there are tourists with babies in pushchairs, elderly people, disabled people, children etc.
Do they honestly not realise how bad they make their country look? Pattaya's recent attempt to make the resort 'family friendly' will never, ever succeed when they allow their citizens to act like complete imbeciles.
Thailand is a great country and has many good things going for it - great food, some beautiful scenery, good transport, thousands of great hotels and resorts etc. etc. but they really should clamp down on the idiots who are destroying things for them on a daily basis.

John

I worked in Thailand more than a decade. Sadly, many schools in Thailand prefer native speakers over Asians, even to teach math and other technical subjects. I am a math teacher with several years of experience teaching high school math. I remember I had applied for a high school math teaching position in one of the schools in Thailand . As expected, I was not even called for the interview, perhaps holding a wrong passport. Later, one of my American friend with the acceptable skin color was hired for that position. At the time of hiring, he had a couple of years experience teaching grade 4 math, but had never ever taught high school. However, I had the opportunity to help him with questions from his students. I think schools in Thailand should strive to hire the best person for the job, regardless of their nationality

John

There are good teachers and bad teachers from all over the world. Country of origin makes no difference in your ability to teach. Your actual skills and how you are perceived, however, are different stories. There is a lot of understandable bitterness in this post ('Filipinos do it better', Postbox 13th November) especially if Danielle is as good as she thinks she is, and I get that. But you won't get far attacking people because the country you have chosen to work in, generally, prefers to hire NES teachers. Those institutions probably believe that doing so is good for their business.

Unfortunately, there are many things that aren't fair and aren't as simple as saying "X is better than Y". There are too many variables to consider. Better for whom? At what time? To achieve what goal? There are many amazing Filipino teachers who don't get their fair chance. Point taken, and I agree. You won't, however, get me to agree that one group is superior to the other; that is a very simplistic way of thinking.

Nathan

Danielle is correct about the native speakers teaching better pronunciation ('Filipinos do it better', Postbox 13th November) There are many students that have learnt with Filipinos that I had to correct with their speech. As for Filipinos being more dynamic and better grammar teachers, that is quite narrow-minded and selective. Did she do her sample of native speakers teachers from the backwaters of Nan? Again, a statement that most students choose Filipino teachers over English speakers - please! This post smells like a hidden agenda and someone who is bitter that they don't get paid (and to send as much money back home) like a native speaker. The real reason native teachers are better than Filipinos for the English language are because they feel the language, it is second nature to them, and it is natural for them. Some Filipinos don't even know the difference between a brownout and a blackout!

Karl

I have been teaching in Thailand for more than 10 years. I came out here for a year initially but that has turned into more than a decade (where has the time gone?). When I started my second year here, all my friends and family told me I should just go home and that English teaching isn't really a career. I was having too much fun to take any notice of this unsolicited advice.

Fast forward to the present day and Thailand has definitely taken it's toll on me. Not even two trips a year home and numerous trips to neighbouring countries are enough to alleviate the feeling I have. I have also realised that the only thing that matters in this life is relationships, and all the people I love are back in Blighty.

I am not a qualified teacher in England (BA and TEFL only) and have no intentions or desires to become one. Teaching in England seems like such a draining career.

With all that being said, what is left for me? My BA is pretty useless and my experience doesn't really count for anything if I'm being brutally honest with myself. So where does that leave me in terms of work opportunities?

I have been living in luxury condos in Bangkok and enjoying 10 weeks of holiday every year with what I would call a nice salary of 60k (£1,500). Going back to England to stack shelves or sell insurance over the phone sounds horrible considering I'd be making less than £1,500 more than likely and struggling to make ends meet in a housing estate.

There must be some others in a similar situation to me. Where they want to return home for family reasons and/or had enough of Thailand but just can't see a decent life for themselves back home. I understand this is something I can only work out for myself, but hoping Phil posts this on his social channels so others can offer their insights?

Bangkok

I have been teaching English for 8 years and I started from a small English academy owned by a Korean. The truth is 'native speakers' can only teach pronunciation and communication. Of course, English schools across Asia prefer 'native English speakers' because Filipinos and even Singaporeans cannot teach American and British pronunciation. Honestly, in my experience, native English speakers are only hired as a marketing strategy, only as a face to attract more students. In reality, they cannot teach grammar to students who are learning English as second language or even as a foreign language. Most students choose Filipino teachers over native English speakers because the former are more creative in delivering classes. They are also dynamic compared to some NES teachers who just depend on their passports. I am not saying all but mostly as a basic observation.

Danielle

It seems that many schools in Thailand follow the pattern of asking you not to leave the premises in between lessons, even if you have huge free periods such as three hours or more during the day. They say you should use it for planning. However, I find that the environment is not always the best for planning and I like to organise my own time and planning when it suits me.

There is an irrational, feudal style loyalty model of being where the boss wants you, regardless, yet as some teachers have said, it is flouted in more roundabout ways and, yes - if you want to get away with it, never be confrontational (opposite of union style). Whoever says go to Vietnam and sample a better mode is right. You don't need all the extra 'padding' and really it's about obedience and qualities which aren't ideally suited to teaching or lecturing as a profession.

Elisha

I remember being a 16 year old in Scotland looking for work during the summer. I walked past a building site and asked if they needed any labourers. The guy looked me up and down and asked me if I was reliable...... I got the job.

"Can you start on Monday?" is what I'd expect someone looking for a labourer or kitchen hand to say. There are zero qualifications needed and you can't really do much damage. If you're crap, you're out on your ear by the end of the day, but there's no real risk taken by the employer.

"Can you start on Monday?" isn't something you should be hearing from a school, or any place, where your job is to take care of 'children'. If you have someone start off so quickly without doing at least some basic checks, you're putting those children's safety at risk. If my Thai wife knew that we were sending our daughter to a school who weren't doing a police-check on their teachers, our daughter would be pulled out quicker than you can say, "gross negligence". Yes, we can afford to send our kid to a good school, but that still doesn't make it okay or justifiable for others to be doing this.

If schools here don't mind employing any Tom, Dick or Harry who applies, that's up to them. I won't actively protest it. But dear God, don't celebrate it. It's up to schools how to run and manage themselves, but if you're employing random people without due diligence, you are putting children's safety and well-being at risk. That's a fact.

Celebrating (please note that this word has more than more definition) someone's right to put a child at risk because, "that's how they do it" isn't being open-minded and adaptable. It's actually looking down your nose at the local culture. Or to articulate it better, "it's the soft bigotry of low expectation".

John

Dear Ajarns, I made the mistake of working for an agency after many years of avoiding them. As they moved me from school to school I did not realise they were burning up my waivers as they did so.

An international school contacted me about a position that had opened up (I was on file with them) and I jumped at the chance. Whilst processing my work permit for the new job, the Thai MoE said I had been at three schools in a year and they were refusing me a permit. I (and my two children) were dismissed without compensation the same week and before the end of the month.

Does this mean I can never teach in a school again, or is there a time period which must pass before I can try again and hopefully get my license then?

Sincerely yours.

Ajarn D.