Being an English language teacher: a narrative analysis of ten foreign teachers in Thailand

Abstract

This study reflects upon the common narratives of ten foreign teachers relating their teaching experiences in Thailand. Thailand is often admired for its culture, people, environment and many can regard it as their second home. However, there are issues and challenges which they have to face such as, racial discrimination and prejudice, foreign teachers' high expectation toward students, teaching materials and the long teaching hours and the remunerations that they encounter. Although foreign teachers can settle happily in Thailand, there are real challenges that make up their day to day existence. In addition to those already mentioned there are problems with their visas and of course the language barrier. The complexity of involvement in the education processes in Thailand has other aspects that can be identified through the narratives in this study such as the attitude towards native and non-native teachers and perhaps more subtly the color of a teacher's skin.