Volunteers | Gap Years | Working holidays | Volunteer work abroad | Voluntary work abroad

Teach on a tropical island - Thailand

Teach English to Primary school children on the stunning and fun tropical island of Koh Phangan, off the South East coast of Thailand.

Start date	2009: 3 January, 22 May, 23 October
Duration	2 months (can be extended)
Price	£995 / £1350
Number of volunteers	Normally 4-10

About the Schools

We work with 9 schools on the island of Koh Phangan. They are all Thai government primary schools with children aged from 4-12 years old. Schools range in size from 50-300 students.

Introduction and training phase (in Bangkok)

We will meet you on arrival in Bangkok and your first week will be based in this fascinating city. We will help you to acclimatise and arrange some Bangkok tours, before you start a 5 day teacher training course with an internationally recognised TEFL school. We will also give you Thai language lessons and Thai culture training.

At the end of the course our staff will take you down to the island on the overnight train. When you arrive we will settle you into your beach bungalow and do an island tour before introducing you to your schools.

A typical week

A normal week will have around 10 hours of English lessons from Monday to Friday. When you include the planning and preparation time as well, this is plenty. You may teach on your own or in a pair with another volunteer (gap volunteers usually teach in pairs).

Your role is to focus on improving speaking and listening skills and building the children's confidence to communicate with foreigners. This means lots of fun and interaction, including games, art, songs (the Thais love karaoke!) and any other creative activities that get the kids using English.

The school day starts at 8.30am and finishes at 3.30pm. You are not expected to be in school when you are not teaching but you are expected to ensure that you plan and deliver good quality lessons.

You will have plenty of free time after work and at weekends to explore the local area.

Lifestyle on the island of Koh Phangan

The island is a dramatic mix of dense jungle and hilly terrain in its interior and granite outcrops and sandy beaches along the coast.

You will have your own Thai beach bungalow right on the beach, with restaurants and other facilities nearby.

At the weekends you will be free to explore the island or, if you fancy a change, take a ferry over to one of the other islands. As well as stunning beaches, there is great snorkelling and diving, and jungle and temples to explore inland. The island is a popular traveller destination and there is a lively social scene with many bars and restaurants and of course the infamous full moon party!

What our volunteers say

"I would, without doubt, recommend PoD as a fantastic way to teach abroad. I really can't explain how amazing the time we spent on Koh Phangan was - there was the perfect level of training and support throughout and the people and place were absolutely fantastic. I doubt that there are many other schemes which allow you to so fully immerse yourself into the life of a school and community, whilst having enough time to have loads of fun and make the most of the amazing island and its surroundings." - Kate

For more views from past volunteers please see our testimonials.

Prices and what's included

The Inclusive package is £1350 and includes the following:

A comprehensive information booklet
Travel advice and assistance
Being met in Bangkok
Thai SIM card for your mobile phone
PoD polo t-shirt
5 day teacher training course (TEFL) in Bangkok
Thai language and culture training
Accommodation in Bangkok for 7 nights (shared room)
Transfers to Koh Phangan on the overnight train and ferry
Accommodation for 2 months on Koh Phangan in your own beach bungalow
Daily transport (by private taxi) to and from your school
Activities
- Bangkok - welcome dinner, river trip, visits to Jim Thompson's house, the Grand Palace and temple of Wat Pho
- Koh Phangan - island tour, Thai cooking class, night food market visit, temple visit, herbal sauna, beach BBQ
Full support, help and advice from our local staff

Not included - The following estimates are given as a guide for your budgeting: flights (£450-£600), travel insurance, visa (£45), general living costs (£150-£250 per month).

The Standard package is £995 and includes everything in the Inclusive package but with two significant exceptions:

Accommodation is only provided for the first 2 nights on Koh Phangan (with recommendations for accommodation after that)
Daily transport to schools is not included

Benefits

Teaching in Thailand is an unforgettable experience and the Thais love to have fun. You will develop your communication, organisational and teaching skills, while living an amazing lifestyle.

For the Thai people, English is important as it's the number one language in tourism. A native English teacher is really valuable, building student confidence and quickly improving speaking and listening skills.

Challenges

Teaching English and, in particular, managing young children is often more difficult than people expect and it does take time to settle in. It is a challenging but very rewarding role!

Requirements

Volunteers often worry that their English may not be good enough or that they don't know how to be a teacher. This is not a problem - teacher training and support is provided and we can assure you that your skills are very valuable. There is no need to have any previous teaching experience, just enthusiasm, energy and a love of working with children.

Next steps and how to apply

Please contact us if you would like to discuss the placement, or go to the how to apply section where you can apply online or download an application form.