Teaching English as a foreign language

Hello!

I'm looking to start my travels by teaching English in China. Starting a journey teaching English seems like a really good situation (if your up for it!) as you can get benefits such as airfare to your country and housing while your there! Was wondering if anyone was currently doing this (or has done it before)? I'm ready to start looking for a job and I was wondering the best places to look and what companies/schools had good/bad reputations.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

It's twenty years since I set out and found myself a job in just-post-communist Poland.
It's four years since my husband was unable to take a job in China because we had too many kids (8).
So I will be of little assistance to you.
But this will help: www.eslcafe.com

What's your degree in?

Any teaching experience?

Do you have a TEFL, TESOL or CELTA?

The answer to the above questions will have a bearing on what schools will hire you, the wage you will get & perks offered such as paid airfare etc.

The link mama supplied is good for job search but for actual info on what you're getting into try this http://www.ajarn.com, although it deals mainly with Thailand it's a good yardstick for all SE Asia.

BTW China would be one of the last places I would choose, but that's just me.

I have a bachelors in Communication and a TEFL certificate from an accredited school where I got actual teaching time with English language learners and everything. So while I'm not as qualified with someone with years of experience and a teaching degree, I'm pretty confident I can get hired in most places (except maybe the Middle East).

Yeah, I know China doesn't appeal to everyone but it does to me! I know the downsides, which is why I'm looking for people who've been hired there. I'm interested to see which schools and/or recruiters have good reputations! Unfortunately, tracking down people who have recently taught in China, much less Chengdu, where I want to go, is proving to be a little difficult.

Thanks for the help and links, though!

You shouldn't have a problem getting a job then. The main thing would be timing your search for the beginning of a term.

Don't know of any China specific links, as they warn on eslcafe, beware of any online agency requesting an upfront fee.

God luck.

I taught for a year and a half in Shanghai, from early 2009 to late 2010. Had a fantastic time and plan to go back to China next year. Never made it to Chengdu or Sichuan though, although i know plenty of people who visited there and loved it. The Sichuan food across the east coast of China was fantastic and i'm sure it's even better in Chengdu.

Recruiters and schools are hit and miss. It might be easier to go there first and then get a job. There are lots of opportunities when you arrive in these cities. I had a job lined up in Shanghai before I left (applied direct to private English school via internet), but i changed jobs a couple of times in Shanghai. Lots of companies will simply hire teachers who are available locally.

Not sure the current situation, I suppose, but I'm not sure that China typically provides flights and apartments for English teachers. I think South Korea is the only place that consistently does that. Some of the bigger chains in Taiwan also seem to offer housing now too, and some jobs in some countries will offer a fixed stipend (usually payable AFTER the contract is completed) towards your airfare costs.

Not a lot of "real" rules in China and a lot of the jobs are going to reflect that. Don't let a recruiter or company rush you into a decision before you're completely comfortable.

Hapy teeching!

Note that anyone over 60 is SOL in China.

It's easy to find EFL jobs in China. It's not easy finding a good EFL job in China.

If you check eslcafe.com you'll find plenty of schools looking for white faces to fill the classrooms. Don't expect to be treated like a professional by any job you find there (but you may get lucky).

Every now and then raoulschinasaloon.com has postings--usually recommended by forum members.

You can also search for city-specific message boards. I know Chengdu has one (just can't remember address), as do all the major cities in China. Just be sure that the school will provide you with a legal residence permit and FEC. If they tell you to just arrive on a tourist visa, they're lying--it is no longer possible to convert a tourist visa to a residence permit in country.

and harking back to the original post....if you want to teach English you might like to brush up on your apostrophe use
Hint: contraction of "you are" is "you're"

Teaching English abroad is a great way to see the world while earning enough income to support your travels. Of course, certain countries pay more than others, but the service is always in demand as countries always seem to be innovating. Personally, I earned my TEFL certification in Prague, Czech Republic and had plans to teach in Spain, Germany, and Italy (where my roots are), but I ended up happily employed in Prague. With my certification, I make enough money to take weekend trips and pay rent, but not really enough to save. If you want to save money, I'd recommend going to Asia, most notably South Korea.

From the experiences of my friends and co-workers here in Europe, it's a great idea to earn your certificate overseas, so then you can get the ball rolling and start teaching right after you earn your certificate. So far, I've gone to Munich, small town throughout the Czech Republic, Bratislava, Budapest, Warsaw, and London, and I have more plans to visit other places such as Istanbul Turkey, Ljubljana Slovenia, and more.

If you want to do this, I'd recommend researching TEFL Certification programs as well as legal requirements from each country. Speaking from experience, I can assure you that it's a lot of fun and really allows you to get to know yourself and immerse yourself in other cultures. The program I got certified with is TEFL Worldwide Prague, and is definitely worth checking out!

-Justin (TEFLXpat)

I have to agree that Prague is an excellent city to become TEFL/TESOL certified in. It's an awe-inspiring sort of lush grazing ground for newbie qualified teachers and very flexible too.

Regarding China, we have some experience in that area - although we mostly concentrate on sending our graduates out to S.Korea, Japan and South East Asia. This is partly because China can be so hit and miss whether you land a good teaching position or not.

A degree is now officially required to teach in China and while actual scheduled teaching wages are low, it is possible to pick up lucrative private lesson classes (especially in the bigger cities in the East). My brother for example, who taught there for a year, would teach a standard 20 hour week and then teach a few weekly private classes and bring home more on his privates.

There are many agencies helping teachers relocate in China. At ITTP we have worked very closely over the years with English First and our graduates have good feedback on their placement service.

Hope it helps!

Neville