Teaching Jobs in China

With such a rich culture, so much to do and a society that’s going to make a big impact in the future of the global village, what a great place to spend a year or two teaching. But are there opportunities for you as an English teacher?

Five or six years ago, you would be hard-pressed to find a teaching job in China over the Internet. Now, finding a job is beyond doubt. Look at the statistics. There are more than 1.3 billion Chinese learning English at this moment. There are over 150,000 foreign English teachers there teaching them.. and it’s still not enough. In the past 10 years, there has been an explosion of private language schools and public school English programs have opened their doors to native speakers throughout China. With China’s accession to the World Trade Organization and the approaching Olympics in 2008, it is now more than ever that young Chinese are seeking to learn English. Not only that, but in the last ten years there has been a great evolution in the service sector and China is now eager to attract foreign investment and improved trade.

There are entire websites devoted to job ads for ESL teachers. Postings come up in the dozens almost daily on big sites like Dave’s ESL Café and http://www.tefl.com . There are over 2,000 universities and colleges around the country and English is now being taught at a fifth of public schools including at the kindergarten level. Not only that, but private schools are chock full of business people looking to spruce up their language skills. So the question is not. So it’s not are jobs available, but where do you want to work. You can find listings for job ads for almost any major city if you do an internet search. Smaller rural areas are a little harder to find, but you can go through placement services such as Volunteer Overseas to help locate paid work in these areas. The more rural, low income areas tend to be found in “brown China” that contain many agricultural and industrial centers as opposed to “blue China” in Special Economic zones and coastal areas. These areas attract more teachers with often more pay., as more and more language seekers leave the countryside for the large cities and coastal areas. However, “brown China” will certainly offer a more cultural experience to teaching and more immersion into the language and culture. Some teachers report that the more economically viable areas like Beijing or Shanghai aren’t worth the better pay simply because they lack what’s most interesting about teaching in China – the low prices, honest and interesting people, exotic foods, etc. Although Beijing lists second in a recent survey on the top 10 places to teach in China. With the Pearl River Delta (Guangzhou-Zhuhai) being first and Ziamen being third.

Expectations of teachers

Most teachers work around 15-20 contact hours a week, especially if working with a university (that sponsor a lot of foreign teachers). Add onto that another 5-10 hours week in preparation time. Most contracts are one year from signing date. Hours are often from 8.30 am until lunch (around 11.30 am) and then back again from 14.30 to 17.00 in most private and public institutions. Chinese teachers, your colleagues at most institutions, are extremely friendly and interested in you and you will find quite helpful. They do an excellent job of teaching grammar, but students will often turn to you for help with pronunciation. Schools are very-well equipped in most major areas (even providing microphones for really large classes).

You have to be careful as some teachers report that the Chinese can renege on contracts with X clauses, so check your contract carefully before signing it. Ask other teachers if you are unsure. Well-traveled teachers state that China, more than many other countries, has much more that goes on “under the table” and foreign teaching posts may not be exactly what you expect once you get there. One common reported “change” by teachers is for the employer to register a vacancy for Shanghai or Beijing and change the location once you’ve bought your non-refundable airfare, telling you a transfer to the original large location will soon be available. The key element to keep in mind is that contracts are not valued as much in China as in western countries and that you are there for the cultural experience.

One tip to avoid such a situation is to sign on with smaller companies in smaller cities. The smaller the school and more rural the location, the more likely you’ll deal with an honest employer and work at an institute that values your teaching contribution. Larger schools in larger cities have more to deal with and more opportunities to fill vacancies and so interpersonal relations won’t be as strong or as helpful. Also, many teachers report that finding a job in a large company that doesn’t specialize in education (in-company teaching) can be a pleasant experience.

Salary & Benefits

Teaching English is in a foreign country is a wonderful cultural experience, but don’t get into it for the money. Most foreign English teachers make a decent salary in the country. In China, the average ESL teacher earns around 4500 RMB, roughly US$550. Not even enough to cover rent in most places in the Western world. There are areas and jobs that can pay more – up to 10,000 RMB with a full-time contact hours, in a big city and some private tutoring work on the side (approx. US$1200). You can factor around 150 RMB per hour if you have experience and are in any of the big cities. Many teachers new to China start off earning 4,000 RMB a month and their salary increases annually after that if they stay with the same school. On 4,000 a month you can meet all your basic living amenities and still have enough to enjoy yourself. Keep in mind that 90% of the locals earn less than 10,000 a year and the minimum teaching wage for foreigners is set at 2,500 RMB. Most teachers report that 2,500 RMB a month is enough for out-of-pocket expenses, food, meals out taxis, drinks, etc. Although you’ll spend much more if you’re touring around China on your holidays.

The majority of jobs will also cover your return airfare and accommodation while in China as well. Besides wages, flight reimbursement is commonplace. One way for half a year and return tickets for a year contract. This is currently standard in the industry for teaching in China and you can expect it, so check with your employer and see that it is in your contract before you accept. If you’re already nearby, you may be able to get the money in lieu of the air ticket (around 4,000 RMB each way). Your best bet may be to negotiate for these benefits and a minimal of 5,000 RMB for full-time contact hours (more than 20 per week). Ask for overtime at 100-120 RMB per hour and be careful about extra duties for free like promoting the school with little trips to recruit new students.

When getting paid, keep in mind that you should be able to convert at least 70% of your currency into your own currency. If not, question your employer. Most teachers are paid in cash, in RMB, although some are paid by check.

Students

Teaching the Chinese is both a joy and a lot of hard work. A joy as a teacher because the children are well-behaved and they and adults put a high value on learning and are eager to take in what you are teaching. A challenge because traditional Chinese learning methods surrounding language followed lecture-type classes in the past. As the China Daily says, “the incompetence of many graduates…to communicate effectively in spoken and written English is related to the teaching method in China. Students are usually spoon-fed, listening and taking notes with teachers doing most of the talking”. So there is a great deal of work to be done with students in all the skills and language systems. Not only that, but with the country less involved in the global village as other Asian countries over the last three decades, students have had little exposure or practice of English.

Children, when motivated, will work diligently and hard, although not as eager to do homework as some other Asian nations. If you don’t have a good hold on classroom management, they can be noisy. They tend to be pushed a great deal by their parents, who want them to exceed in their language skills but don’t often realize the changes in language training over the past decade. However, most teachers report that the best thing about teaching in China is that the children are motivated and well-behaved as compared with many other foreign teaching posts. They have a great respect for elders (including the teacher), although you may find them a little reserved and shy during activities. Of course, you’ll have their attention – with plenty of staring – just because you look and talk so differently. Classes may be quite large, with up to 50 students per class.

Your Job Search

Your best bet to sorting yourself out with teaching work in China is to do so before you go, unlike many other teaching posts such as Spain or Costa Rica where finding jobs when you arrive is a better strategy. With tight foreign working and visa regulations, larger communication and cultural barriers, the more prepared you are before you arrive, the better. Teaching post vacancies in the private sector are available all year round.

China has just recently announced that any “foreign experts’ in teaching (as we are called) need to demonstrate their expertise with qualifications. That means that as of this year, teachers are required to have some kind of teaching certificate. So your best bet is to get a teaching certificate such as TEFL International, Trinity College or CELTA which you can find more about on the web.

You can then start applying for jobs as you’re undertaking your certificate and locate them on the Internet with a search for teaching in China. You’ll find some sites that list job opportunities in the “Resources” section of this site. Better yet, take your certificate in China to start getting you orientated. Unlike other countries, there are not many certification institutes in China, with the most well-known being TEFL International’s program in Southern China( www.teflintl.com ), who help find and prepare you for the job you’re looking for in the P.R.C.