Top 10 Tips for Teaching English to Thai Kids
Three-Word Instructions. Clap Once.
Work With Phee Liang
I've lived in Thailand for 20 years, and from our office in Ban Lum I've watched a lot of new teachers find their feet. These are the ten habits I pass on: stay calm, keep it short, and work with your Thai colleagues.
01: Why Teach Thai Kids?
Warm classes, big classes, and a school that becomes your community.
"After 20 years here, I can tell you the teachers who do well are the calm ones. Short commands, a smile, one clap, no shouting. Say mai pen rai when the timetable moves, and work with your Thai co-teacher and phee liang, not around them."Matthew John : Co-Founder & Operations Manager, KET
Schools All Over Thailand 📍
Government, private and bilingual schools hire foreign teachers in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and smaller towns. Most want a teacher who gets children speaking.
A Real Community 🏫
You'll join sports days, festivals and ceremonies, and colleagues often invite you to eat with them. Soon people will know you as Kru plus your name.
Skills You Keep 🚀
Classes are often big, sometimes 30 or more. Running them teaches you to plan, stay calm and explain simply. That helps in any job after.
02: Ten Classroom Habits (1 to 5)
Timetables, manners and short instructions.
1. Mai Pen Rai When the Timetable Moves
Assemblies, sports practice, ceremonies and Buddhist holy days can move or cancel your class with little warning. Say mai pen rai (ไม่เป็นไร), "never mind", and mean it. Keep a short activity ready. Your Thai colleagues notice who stays calm.
2. Dress Smart. Keep Face.
Wear a collared shirt and smart trousers, or a knee-length skirt. Stay calm in public: anger makes everyone lose face. Correct mistakes quietly, one to one. Students will wai you; our Wai guide shows how to wai back.
3. Show, Then Tell
Young learners copy what you do. Model each game or worksheet with a student or your co-teacher before you explain it. Ten seconds of showing saves five minutes of confusion.
4. Three-Word Instructions
Cut your talking time. "Open your book." "Find a partner." "Look at me." Say it once, calmly, with a gesture. Then wait.
5. Clap Once. Don't Shout.
Raising your voice looks like losing control, and students switch off. Clap once and wait for quiet, or count down calmly from five. Give team points on the board and agree the routine with your Thai co-teacher.
03: Ten Classroom Habits (6 to 10)
Games, language, backups and fun.
6. Games With a Purpose
Use games to practise the lesson's words and sentences, not to fill time. Keep paper and board games ready, because not every room has a smartboard. Ideas in our online resources and ESL games guide.
7. English in Class, Thai in the Yard
Keep lessons in English so students hear as much as possible. Outside class, use simple Thai with teachers, cooks, cleaners and the guard. It goes a long way. More in communicating in Thailand.
8. Step Back When a Lesson Stalls
Levels vary a lot in one class. If an activity is too hard, go back to key words or choral repetition, then try again. Never show irritation when a child needs help.
9. Keep a No-Tech Backup
Projectors fail, and power cuts happen in storms. Have a no-prep backup ready: flashcard races, board Pictionary or Simon Says.
10. Sanuk: Make It Fun
Thais value sanuk (สนุก), fun. Greet classes with a smile, laugh at silly mistakes, including your own, and join in on sports and school spirit days.
🤝 Work With Your Phee Liang (พี่เลี้ยง)
Many schools pair you with a Thai co-teacher who helps with discipline, translation and school news. In kindergarten and lower primary there's often a phee liang too: a classroom helper who stays with the children all day. Some schools also call your Thai mentor teacher kru phee liang (ครูพี่เลี้ยง). Agree routines with them, ask before you change seating or rules, and say khop khun khrap/kha often.
🛠️ How to Run a Calm Class in a Thai School
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Say Mai Pen Rai When the Timetable Moves
Assemblies, sports practice and Buddhist holy days can move or cancel your class at short notice. Stay calm, say mai pen rai and keep a short activity ready.
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Show, Then Tell
Model each activity with a student or your Thai co-teacher before you explain it. Gestures and pictures work better than long explanations.
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Use Three-Word Instructions
Give short commands like "Open your book" or "Look at me". Don't shout. Clap once, wait for quiet, then speak.
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Give Team Points and Work With Your Phee Liang
Give team points on the board for effort and good English, and agree class routines with your Thai co-teacher or phee liang, the classroom helper.
04: Schoolyard Thai for Teachers
Titles and polite words for colleagues and school staff. English in class; Thai in the yard.
| Use | Thai | Say It | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite ending (men) | ครับ | khrap | Polite ending for male speakers |
| Polite ending (women) | ค่ะ / คะ | kha | Polite ending for female speakers |
| Teacher | ครู | Kru | Title before a teacher's name: Kru Matthew |
| Director | ผอ. (ผู้อำนวยการ) | Phor Or | The school director |
| Older colleague | พี่ | Phee | For an older colleague or staff member |
| Younger colleague | น้อง | Nong | For a younger colleague or helper |
| Classroom helper | พี่เลี้ยง | Phee liang | Classroom helper or Thai mentor teacher |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณ | Khop khun khrap/kha | Thank you |
| Sorry | ขอโทษ | Khor thot khrap/kha | Sorry, excuse me |
| Never mind | ไม่เป็นไร | Mai pen rai khrap/kha | Never mind, no problem, you're welcome |
05: Degree, Non-B, Work Permit
What you need to teach legally. TEFL helps.
🎓 Degree and TEFL
You need a bachelor's degree. A TEFL helps: many schools ask for one, and it prepares you for your first classes. Your teacher's licence, or a waiver, is handled through your school. See our teacher's licence guide.
Degree needed. TEFL helps.📜 Non-B Visa and Work Permit
To teach legally you need a Non-B visa and a work permit, arranged with your school. Teaching on a tourist visa or a visa exemption is not allowed. Read our Non-B visa guide and work permit guide.
No teaching on a tourist visaTwo Apps You'll Use Daily
For school messages and getting around.
Teaching Thai Kids Questions
Why do timetables change so often in Thai schools?
Assemblies, sports practice, ceremonies and Buddhist holy days can move or cancel classes at short notice. Say mai pen rai, stay calm and keep a short activity ready. Your Thai colleagues will notice.
How do I keep a Thai class quiet without shouting?
Don't shout. It looks like losing your temper, and students switch off. Clap once and wait, count down calmly from five, give team points on the board and agree routines with your Thai co-teacher.
Should I speak Thai to my students in class?
Keep lessons in English so students hear as much English as possible. Use Thai in the yard, the staffroom and the office. Greetings, thanks and titles go a long way with colleagues.
What is a phee liang?
A phee liang (พี่เลี้ยง) is a classroom helper who stays with the children, common in kindergarten and lower primary. Some schools also call your Thai mentor teacher kru phee liang (ครูพี่เลี้ยง). Agree routines with them and thank them often.
Do I need a TEFL to teach English in Thailand?
A TEFL helps, and many schools ask for one. To teach legally you need a degree, a Non-B visa and a work permit. Your teacher's licence, or a waiver, is handled through your school.
Can I teach on a tourist visa?
No. Teaching on a tourist visa or a visa exemption is not allowed. You need a Non-B visa and a work permit, arranged with your school.
Where can I find a teaching job in Thailand?
You can apply with us at KET or look at established job boards such as Ajarn.com. Whoever you go through, make sure the school will arrange your Non-B visa and work permit.
Matthew John
Co-Founder & Operations ManagerI'm Matthew, co-founder of Kids English Thailand. I've lived in Thailand for 20 years and work from our office in Ban Lum, Sukhothai. Since 2009 we have placed over 1,500 teachers in Thai schools, and the calm, patient ones are always the ones the schools ask us to send back.
