Question:
I am seriously considering an offer to travel to China to teach English.
The pay is not great, but travel expenses are repaid. Housing, Utilities,
Internet and a job are all provided. Even a nice bicycle to commute with.
The only requirement is that I be a native English speaker. I do have a
degree in electronics and experience in computer network support and
computer hardware support.
I have no idea what I'm getting into but I'll give myself till September
before I leave. Has anybody done this? I'd like to spend 2 years. I can
continue my education at no cost if I go.
Answer:
If you will be teaching children, or beginner to intermediate learners, then
some experience or qualification in language teaching, together with ability
in appropriate Chinese, would be very very useful. You should also find out
what teaching methods or syllabi are used by the language school inviting
you, so that you can familiarise yourself with the teaching materials and
take additional lesson aids with you.
If you will be teaching advanced adult learners in technical or scientific
fields, then the work becomes more teaching them about the subject in
English, than teaching them English. However you should still have a clear
agreement over what is expected from you in terms of commitment to the job
and the results expected.
There are several good books about teaching English as a foreign/second
language which look at the main teacher qualification programmes, varieties
of teaching methods, how to plan lessons and manage classes, and things to
look out for when considering offers of employment. Often there's a
country-by-country summary of the main teaching opportunities, required or
desired qualifications, work permits etc, tax and insurance, and costs and
standards of living info.
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