Option C: 120 Hour In-class TESOL

Overview

Teach Travel Asia’s flagship course is a 120-hour in-class TESOL course at our office next to the beach in Hua Hin, Thailand. It is a four-week program that provides cultural orientation, teacher training, and participation in a non-profit English camp for disadvantaged kids. The first week is an orientation to Teach Travel Asia (history and approach), the town of Hua Hin, Thai culture and language. We will have several fun activities outside of the classroom. Week one will also include an introduced to the background and theory in the disciple of teaching English as a second language. The second week of the course is a deeper exploration of theory and also covers lesson plan and how to teach reading and listening. The third week of the course covers grammar and teaching speaking and the final week is dedicated to classroom management, and lesson preparation and teaching at the Teach Travel Asia non-profit English camp.

Benefits

• Clients receive high quality educational experience and mastery of English teaching techniques from a in-class
• lecture format with multiple presentations and peer and instructor feedback
• Clients experience a smoother adjustment to a new culture and living environment from comprehensive support of Teach Travel Asia instructors and managers, who speak fluent Thai and have extensive academic and real world knowledge of Thai culture and society
• Clients build lasting friendships and important fellow teacher network that can provide professional peer support and travel partners

Learning Objectives

This course has the following key learning objectives:

• To develop a in-depth understanding of the concepts and principles of teaching English as a second language. This includes understanding the different theories of, and approaches to, teaching English, and particularly the TTA method and its roots
• Understand how the process of second language development occurs
• Understand how the teacher’s role changes depending on the type of student
• Develop a repertoire of routines, skills and strategies to teach English to people of all ages
• Develop the ability to plan structured lessons
• Gain confidence and familiarity with teaching ESL through significant in-class and practical training

Eligibility

The Teach Travel Asia 120 hour in-class TESOL course is recommended for clients planning to teach English in Thailand. However, anyone is welcome to take this course, even if they plan to go on to teaching jobs in other countries.

Cost

This course cost is 23,000 Thai Baht.

Schedule

Below are the course start dates for the MixLearn TESOL in 2012.

Additional Details

The TTA 120-Hour TESOL consists of the following modules:

• Module 1: Introduction to TESOL, Teach Travel Asia, and Thai culture and language training.
• Module 2: Theory and Lesson Planning
• Module 3: Teaching Grammar
• Module 4: Teaching Reading
• Module 5: Teaching Listening
• Module 6: Teaching Speaking
• Module 7: Classroom Management

Week One
The first week of the Teach Travel Asia in-class TESOL is an introduction on many different levels. There are introductions from the instructors and the students. The majority of the first week is spent on an introduction to Thai language and culture that lasts several days. The following topics are covered in the first week:

Thai Society (4 hours)
Overview of Thai history
Social institutions
Gender relations
Major ethnic groups and relations
Regions of the country and distinctive local cultures

Thai Geography (2 hours)
Neighbouring countries and relations
Regions of the country

Thai Politics (2.5 hours)
Political situation
Major social movements and developments
Political institutions (Thai Monarchy, military, political parties)

Thai Culture (4 hours)
Cultural views on social life
Cultural views on work like
Do’s and Don’ts when living in Thailand
Adapting to your new work life (building relationships with colleagues and bosses in the Thai context)

Thai Language (20 hours)
Basic introductions
Basic vocabulary
Vocabulary for shopping, bargaining, communicating with students and interacting with colleagues

Homework (4 hours for the entire week)
There are light homework assignments each evening. These include reading Thai newspapers (English versions) and reporting to the class on current events in Thai politics and society and discussing the relevance to the individual’s journey as a English teacher in Thailand.

Week Two
The second week of the course is a deeper exploration of theory in the discipline of English as a Second Language and how to teach grammar. Students learn about the structure and key elements of a lesson plan. Every lesson requires a detailed lesson plan that lays out the procedure of the class, and also forces us to consider the challenges, technology resources, and other factors that can impact upon our success in the classroom.
During week two, students will also learn how to teach grammar. Grammar can be challenging to teach. One of the reasons for this is that it has been a long time since native English speakers have reviewed grammar rules, so students receive a little bit of a refresher. The major assignments for week two are to create a lesson plan for teaching grammar and to present a full lesson just as a teacher would in the classroom.

Week Three
The third week of the course focuses on how to teach reading, listening and speaking. Reading can be a fun activity to teach in the classroom. It is also extremely beneficial for ESL learners for a whole host of reasons. These include being a good model for language production, increasing vocabulary, and allowing students to work at their own pace. Believe it or not, there is actually a strategy for how to teach reading. It involves building key reading skills and practicing with students to hone and improve those skills. The major assignments for this week are to create a lesson plan for teaching reading and present a full lesson just as as a teacher would in the classroom.

Week Four
The final week the class is dedicated to classroom management and preparing for and conducting the English camp. This may be the last topic discussed, but it is in fact extremely important, especially in cross-cultural contexts. Classroom management is about setting ground rules, apply them consistently, getting to know your students, and earning and maintaining their respect and commitment. Students spend several days preparing their lessons for the English camp. The typically camp lasts 2-3 days. During the final week there will also be a multiple choice and short answer final exam.

Awards
Upon successful completion of the course with a passing grade of 83% or better, students will receive a certificate demonstrating that they successfully completed the 120-hour in-class TESOL with Teach Travel Asia.