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TEFL CHINA /TESOL in CHINA
TEFL jobs in China and teaching English in China
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| At a Glance - teaching English in China |
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Welcome to the biggest English language learning market in the world. And it is still growing! China is Asia’s second largest country (after Russia) and, with 1 in 5 inhabitants, the most populous country in the world. After the end of the Cultural Revolution and the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, the country has evolved quite dramatically. The doors of this centrally run state have been gradually opening to outside influences and a degree of commercialism has taken hold. Since the Chinese take over of Hong Kong in 1997 China is in the interesting position of a country running 2 different political systems – democracy for Hong Kong and central control for the rest of the country.
There has never been a better time to experience China, a country where TESOL opportunities exist in abundance. This makes it an excellent place to earn money and gain invaluable experience within the fascinating framework of a unique culture. School students learn English as part of the curriculum and are generally thought to be very friendly and welcoming to foreigners although you may have to moderate your more adventurous lesson plans. You may still find that politics and religion are not to be discussed in class and you will need to be prepared for large student numbers, perhaps accompanied by less than adequate resources. The good news is that Chinese students are hardworking and teaching them is a rewarding experience. You can expect to be greeted by friendly curiosity from the locals outside of the school environment, hopefully leading to positive exchanges and friendship. Although the system is very bureaucratic, by working within state guidelines you should certainly be able to live well by local standards and you can obtain paid holidays, cheap travel and free medical care. Expect more perks if you have higher qualifications, such as the Global English Level 2 TESOL with business.
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Global English works in conjunction with Wall Street Institute in Beijing and Shanghai in teacher placement and career development.
Click to visit their website. |
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Teaching positions for China appear just about everywhere at the moment, but most commonly on the Internet. Jobs sometimes still appear in the TES (Times Educational Supplement) on Fridays and the Guardian EFL pages on Tuesdays. If you have a degree then your job prospects are significantly enhanced, but demand is high and even without a degree most native English speakers should still be able to find work. There are literally millions of English language learners in China – so it is an ideal first destination for you. Nevertheless we would recommend at the very least you take a Global English Level 1 TESOL before you go.
There are two types of teacher in China, a ‘Foreign Teacher’ (F.T.) or ‘Foreign Expert’ (F.E.). The latter are likely to have at least a Masters Degree and will get extra benefits including higher salaries and return airfares. However, demand has grown so much that increasingly we are seeing many F.T. positions coming with flights and transfers, although it is a big country and journeys can be arduous. If you hold a B.A. or B.Sc. degree then it is possible to teach from primary to university level.
Most contracts are for one year and are fairly standard throughout the country, unless you are arranging things privately outside the state system. Prospects are good for teachers trying to arrange work prior to travelling. However if you arrive in China without a prearranged contract don’t worry as it appears that many of the larger organisations are unable to fill the number of positions they advertise. One such organisation contacted us recently requesting over 1000 teachers.
If you are well organised and are able to secure a position and sign a contract before your departure for China, you may be able to obtain a long-term work visa from the appropriate Chinese Embassy or Consulate (details in Useful Numbers below). You will also require a medical certificate to secure this. However most people enter China on a tourist visa and rely on the work institute to arrange the necessary permits. Most foreigners who are working as teachers are given a document (sometimes referred to as a Foreign Experts card), that provides discounts at hotels and tourist attractions. The idea is that as a worker you will then pay the same price as the Chinese and not the inflated prices charged to tourists. Conservative dress for interviews and teaching is recommended. See one of our staffroom pages on finding work overseas for more general information and tips on your CV.
One-year contracts are the norm and you will find that most schools also provide adequate health insurance and cover up to 80% of the cost. Accommodation is generally provided although conditions vary greatly. It is worth trying to negotiate for a better place if you think the rooms being offered are substandard.
Pay for F.T’s is around Y2500 – Y4000 per month so at the lowest level you will be earning around £165 p/m. ‘Foreign Experts’ can expect to double this at least. This may not seem like much but remember that the cost of living is very low in China and this salary will qualify you as one of the higher earners. Salaries are rising as demand grows, however, so today you may be able to live much more comfortably than even 2 or 3 years ago. In the cities such as Beijing and Shanghai you can earn Y10,000 per month. A Foreign Teacher can expect to benefit from 3 to 4 weeks of paid holiday each year. Although the teaching week may seem short (16 hours of teacher contact) beware; large classes, additional marking and other responsibilities (such as delivering lectures on life in the West) may also be expected.
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Many of our graduates have gone on to work in China. Here is a brief selection of comments:
Laura Whalen completed our Global English Level 2 TESOL and comments…
I taught English in China for 4 years (Sept. 99- Sept. 03) and had an amazing time. When I think of my experience, I remember streets filled with bicycles, living amongst a population of over 1.2 billion people, students very eager to learn English and meet a “foreigner,” an endless variety of wonderful Chinese food, eating with chopsticks, frequent Karaoke parties, road signs in Chinese characters, learning to bargain in the markets, a very noticeable growing economy, a country changing with foreign influence, constantly being welcomed into someone’s home for a meal, being taught how to make dumplings, learning about the local holidays and customs, always being helped because I was a “foreign guest,” how time revealed the differences and similarities in culture, fun with Chinese/English language barriers, great travel opportunities, and meeting wonderful people.
I was an International Relations and Chinese Studies major during college, and as part of my studies I spent about 8 months living in Beijing. When I graduated I decided to go back and teach in China. With help from an American University, I was placed in the International Division of a combined middle school and high school in Shanghai. I stayed there for one year teaching English literature and Beginner/Intermediate ESL for grades 4-6 and 7-9. After that year I decided to move to Beijing. Relying on contacts from my original placement, I found a part time job at a middle school teaching Intermediate ESL for grades 4-6. Once in Beijing, through talking with other teachers and reading the local expat magazines it was easy to find out about different schools and teaching opportunities in the city. A friend told me about the Wall Street Institute and I applied and worked there for the rest of my time in China. At WSI I taught Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced ESL classes for adults.
In general, I think there are many opportunities to teach in China. Therefore, teachers usually can choose if they want to be in the city or country, if they want to be teaching children or adults, and if they want to be in the school system or with language centres. Some teachers even create their own schedules through part time jobs and private
tutoring. Some things to keep in mind:
- You must have a BA. All schools will ask for a copy of your diploma or proof that you have graduated from college.
- I strongly recommend getting a TESOL certificate. It is becoming more necessary to have one and it may help secure a higher salary. More importantly, it is very practical because it will help you teach more effectively and handle the variety of questions the students will ask.
- Salaries will vary from school to school and each school will have different benefits. For example, some will provide roundtrip airfare from your home country if you stay for 1 year.
- Because there are different laws and regulations for living and working in China, your school should help you with the VISA requirements, housing options, necessary paperwork, and registration procedures.
- Living and teaching in the main cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen is very different than being in the countryside. The cities have received a lot of foreign influence and are more internationalized than the countryside. Therefore, your living conditions, food options, activities, school resources, etc. can greatly vary depending on your location.
- Each school has its own setup for the English classes. Some schools have the foreign teacher team-teach with a local Chinese teacher. In this case the foreign teacher practices pronunciation and conversation while the Chinese teacher focuses on grammar, reading, and writing. In this setup the foreign teacher will probably spend shorter amounts of time (maybe just once a week) with the same students. On the other hand, some schools put the foreign teacher in charge of all components and he/she is the sole teacher of the class and meets everyday.
I truly enjoyed my experiences in China. Now I am back in the U.S. continuing to pursue my interests and teaching ESL to adults in Pennsylvania. The combination of my experience in China and my certificate through Global English definitely helped me get my current ESL job.
I have enjoyed teaching abroad, as well as in my home country. I may go abroad to teach again in the future, but I'm not sure yet.
Laura has kindly offered to answer any questions by email. If you would like to contact Laura, please email info@global-englsh.com in the first instance.
Global English Graduate Jason Sheets is teaching in China:
You can usually get higher salaries if you show up here and then look for a job. In all of China, the salary figure of Y2500-4000 is accurate, but in Beijing and Shanghai the salaries are much higher. The average is probably Y10,000 a month. You can earn even more money doing part-time work, with hourly wages ranging from Y100-200 an hour and part-time work is very easy to come by. Jobs are advertised in the local English magazines in the big cities.
It is extremely easy to get a visa after arriving in China. You can come to China on a tourist visa, and then change after finding a job. Sometimes, people might need to travel to Hong Kong to get the visa, but that is simple too and takes a day at the most. So visas are no problem.
However, contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on. The school will try to cheat the teacher, so it's better for the teacher to not put too much faith in the contract. The legal system just isn't that developed. Don't work for Universities or public schools as they pay almost no
thing and the conditions are deplorable. Private schools are the way to go.
Former Global English student Stephen Gardiner provides a cautionary tale about working in China…
The company I worked for was Tuha Oil Company, in Hami, near Urumqi China.
They offer either a 5mth or 10mth contract. All correspondence is done via email prior to going out to China. They inform you that flights, visa etc will be arranged, but as I found out two days prior to leaving, that they hadn't arranged any flights or visas. This you need to organise a work visa not a tourist visa for. Flight you can either fly direct from London to Beijing or take several different flights to Urumqi. If you fly to Beijing you then have to get on another flight to Urumqi (3hrs), once in Urumqi, you then have to have your medical, which is very invasive and also, as it is in a hospital I was very concerned, coming from a medical background their hygiene policy was I little frightening.
After your medical, you then have to endure a 9-hour train journey to Hami. Once in Hami you have a further 20 min. taxi ride before getting to the Oil base which is in the middle of the Gobi Desert. None of this was explained to you.
Your contract states, 16 hrs p/w and accommodation for a family to live in with all equipment. We found that the accommodation was very poor and there were no cooking instruments, which you had to buy yourself. Toilets are a squat facilitate and often blocks. Heating is only on from Oct through to Feb when temperatures drop to – 30 degrees, yes very cold. Prior to this happening, your hot water will be disconnected in September to store it up ready for the winter months.
Salary is 4500RMB per month, this is paid in cheque form, and you have three days to cash this otherwise you can not claim it. With you salary - before it gets to you, you will have 10% tax and 10% good will money taken from you. This 10% is for if things are damaged in the accommodation, problems with China law etc. Also with your pay you are entitled to 500RMb pm extra if you are a qualified TEFL teacher, as not all teachers there are EFL trained. This money you don't get, as I found out when asking, unless you have to been in a TEFL job for 10 years or more and have a MA in TEFL. This again is not mentioned in the contract.
Working hours, as mentioned should have been 16hours per week, 5 teaching children from the age of 10 - 19. But in fact we were all teaching anything from the age of 3 - 19 in school and then managers in the evening. I was luck here as I had completed the business English course, no one else had. You were working more than 16 hrs with lesson plans that had to be submitted along with designing your programme of teaching and course design for the whole year, write examinations for the students as well, and working seven days a week from 7am up until 10pm. On top of this you were also teaching the Chinese English Teachers.
The organisation of the company is very poor. You are supposed to have a link with a Chinese teacher, but this never happened. The company was in breech of contract on several accounts and when informed they said they would look into this but nothing happened.
Since returning to the UK I have found out that this Company is poorly paid and the standards as you can see are not good. Also that they lose on average 45% of their Foreign English teachers per year.
If you have any experience of working in Bangladesh and would like to share it with us, please email us at info@global-english.com.
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British Council http://www.britishcouncil.org/
British Council in China: http://www.britishcouncil.org/china.htm
Chinese Embassy UK: http://china.embassyhomepage.com/
Chinese Embassy USA: http://www.china-embassy.org/
Chinese National Tourist Office: http://www.cnto.org/
Need more info? Go here: Teaching English Abroad
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DISCLAIMER
These pages are for general information only and whilst every effort has been made to ensure information is correct, it is up to the individual to thoroughly investigate the conditions of entry to countries and the legal working regulations. If offered a job, please carefully vet all terms and conditions. Inclusion of potential employment opportunities does not in any way represent a guarantee of employment.
When travelling overseas, please refer to your government’s own advice on current conditions in each country. The British Foreign Office website is a good resource for travel advice. Please follow the link: http://www.fco.gov.uk/
If you find a broken link or if you have an experience you would like to share with others about working in a particular country, please email us.
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