People who are unable to find work at home and who are interested in experiencing life in another country are increasingly going to nations such as China for employment opportunities. This is because the global economy is now in such a poor shape. Teaching English in China is a possible alternative for entry options, needing often very little more than the ability to speak English as a prerequisite most of the time. On the other hand, a market that has minimal barriers to entry will draw more than its fair number of rivals, and it will also make instructors more susceptible to being taken advantage of. The current trend toward de-emphasizing the relevance of English test results on the Gaokao has added another layer of complexity to the “dangers” that English instructors confront. Is there still a market for English language instruction in China?
Understanding teaching English in China
The pay and working circumstances of various English teaching positions are quite different from one another and cannot be compared to one another. Historically, being able to speak fluent English was seen as an appropriate qualification for jobs in language centers, pre-school education, public schools, and universities, where the bulk of foreign workers were employed. In more recent times, however, the threshold has been lifted significantly, and there are now age limitations, academic criteria (a bachelor degree), work experience requirements (at least 2 years), teaching credentials (a TESOL or TEFL certificate), and country-of-origin requirements (from a country of native speakers). However, it is not unheard of for schools with sufficient amounts of guanxi (connections) to get around these requirements. However, since there is a lot of competition for inexperienced instructors, the earnings in this category are kept at a modest level. Teachers who work in language centers, on the other hand, might earn more depending on the number of hours they work. On the opposite end of the scale, professional English teachers have the opportunity to live abroad for extended periods of time while working in foreign schools or as examination experts abroad (for example, GCE “A” Level or SAT instructors).
Increasing the benefits of doing so
Overall, having objectives other than monetary gain would make it easier to determine whether or not teaching in China would be beneficial. Aside from that, the following are a few pointers that may help boost your chances of having a pleasant experience while teaching in China.
It may seem like basic sense to make sure you have the appropriate visa and a Foreign Expert’s Certificate, but some foreigners are just too trusting, too anxious to wait for the correct paperwork, or believe they can get away with it. Make sure that the school will supply you with the visa and pay for it while you are in the process of negotiating the contract with them; if they are unwilling to do so, you should look into enrolling in another school.
Check to see whether you are required to work “office hours”; this might have a significant impact on your hourly rate of compensation.
Google your possible workplace; if it is a large language center, you may find this to be a very beneficial tool.
Improve your skills in non-verbal communication and train yourself to see the telltale signals of irritation or weariness. Many organizations place a significant amount of importance on “consumer” feedback.