Live an entire lifetime in a single year. In a completely new culture. At the forefront of the new world. Teach English in China. Learn Mandarin Chinese and use the money to travel all over Asia. These teaching positions are safe, exciting, rewarding and reputable. Thus opening up a world of opportunities that your typical grad-job can’t even come close to.
In this 12 month placement, you will become conversational in Mandarin, you will travel all over China, you will gain work experience in the far east and you will have international teaching experience to proudly add to your now not so ordinary CV. On top of this, you will earn good money at least three times that of the average Chinese salary. Our Teaching English in China placements are highly flexible and tailored to your own personal circumstances. You choose the start date, the location, the working hours and even the pay.
Apply now to Teach English in China
This is China
China is an ancient magical marvel and at the same time is now at the forefront of global politics and trade. The most populous nation on the planet is currently developing at a phenomenal rate and their keen desire to learn the English language is providing jobseekers with a lucrative opportunity.
I hear about China a lot. Why do these positions exist?
Demand for these positions are at their highest. China is an economic superpower and is developing a middle class. Consequently, Chinese families have more money to spend. So, what should this money pay for?
Well, Chinese culture places huge emphasis on their children’s education. You may have noticed a lot of Chinese students at your university. This is for the same reason. In addition to education, eastern philosophy gives China a respect for foreign cultures. Consequently, many Chinese yearn to learn English; the global language.
So, we have a perfect storm; demand for children’s English classes and money to pay for it. So, what’s the solution?
Well, to grab that money and meet market demand, English schools have opened in their masses. These are private schools teaching students outside of public-school hours. These schools eagerly compete for tuition fees to teach Children English. But, understandably, their quality varies greatly.
Schools range in size. From multinational corporations such as Education First, to a rented room in a shopping centre. Then it gets more complicated. For example, many Education First schools are franchises and ran independently. This is the same for many big school companies. In contrast other schools are run corporately and offer different work for teachers.
Comparing these jobs in China is confusing. There is no shortage of schools in China and no lack of potential employers. But many jobs sound similar and generic. So, it’s hard to compare jobs. As such, the challenge is finding a quality position at a reliable school. This is where we come in…
What kind of school would I work at?
These positions work with hundreds of quality assured schools in China that work with native Western teachers to create active and engaging learning environments for Chinese students to learn English. Many of these schools are in areas of outstanding natural beauty and others in huge cities with buzzing nightlife and endless things to see and do. You would work in a school for up to 23 class hours per week, on average, this would be less than 20 actual hours per week in a class room. As many of the schools are private institutions, most teachers work evenings Wednesday to Friday then all day Saturday and Sunday. The typical English teacher in China has a large amount of free time each week to study Mandarin, explore your local area and of course, travel!
Unlike standard recruiters, we at Noon Elite Recruitment know this opportunity well, because all of us here have done these positions first hand ourselves for 12 months or more. So not only do we know the job, we have walked the streets you will be walking and taught classes in schools that you will teach. We also have had more than our fair share of nights in Asian airports, parties in Thailand, beaches in the Philippines and luxuries in Singapore. So not only can we advise you on the job, we can help you with every aspect of your adventure, from travel plans to lesson planning. You name it we can help.
Job Description
Your job Teaching English in China
Native English speaking TEFL teachers are an essential and valued part of the English learning process for educational institutions in China. Here is an overview of what the position entails:
Your duties as a quality TEFL teacher:
- Teach English for 15-23 class hours per week in a quality English school in China
- Plan appropriate lesson and teaching content for your classes
- Maintain a high standard of quality lessons to your students
- Attend faculty meetings and participate in the schools cultural celebrations such as Christmas parties and other Western themed events
- Live and work in China for a 12 month period
What would my job be?
Your role as a TEFL teacher will comprise as part of a multi discipline approach to teaching English in China. Typically, students in the majority of private English training schools in China have 3 lessons per week. For 2 of these, students are taught English by a Chinese native English teacher. These classes usually closely follow the school curriculum text book and teachers concentrate on grammar and sentence patterns and written English. The remaining one class per week is taught by a foreign TEFL teacher. As a foreign TEFL teacher you will be expected to support the topics and lessons of your Chinese colleagues and apply the vocabulary students have learned to new and creative exercises. As a native speaker, foreign TEFL teachers are expected to lead the classes oral English development and apply the written English content to real world English speaking situations.
What are the students like?
Student age and ability levels vary from school to school and can range anywhere from kindergarteners to adults. Prior to being offered a job candidates will be provided full details of the schools specific age and ability levels that teachers will be required to teach.
How are the school facilities?
School facilities in China are of a high standard with almost all schools providing multimedia in the classrooms. Additionally it is common practice for schools to provide TEFL teachers with a Teaching Assistant as standard. Teaching Assistants aid the teacher by helping maintain classroom discipline and communicating more complex instructions, such as rules to a game, to students.
What training will I get?
On arrival in China our teach English in China teachers will be picked up from the airport by a representative of your new school employer. Once you have been collected you will be taken to your accommodation and provided at least 24 hours to rest and recover from the Jetlag. Following this you will be guided through a number of formalities prior to starting your new teaching position. These will be:
- Register at the local police station
- Complete a health check
- Register at the provincial government and collect your residence permit
- Acquire a local mobile phone sim card (complete with data)
- Setup a local bank account and acquire your Chinese debit card
Once these have been successfully completed it will be time to be inducted into your new school. The school will provide around 1 weeks teach English in China related training prior to starting work. In this time you will observe other classes, attend lectures and training sessions and get to know the school facilities. Once your training is complete you will be assigned classes and briefed on the class ability level, curriculum and topics that you will be teaching.
What’s a typical work day?
Is lesson planning important?
Many TEFL teachers, particularly those with little or no prior classroom experience of teaching English in China find the amount of free reign that Chinese schools provide them difficult to structure effective classes. To combat this issue, TEFL teachers are recommended to dedicate a generous amount of time, particularly at the start of their placement planning and improving their lessons. Many previous TEFL teachers say that nothing can fully prepare you for what lies ahead teaching English in China, well planned lessons do help considerably.
TEFL Requirements
What is a TEFL Certificate?
TEFL stands for Teach English as a Foreign Language and is the required certificate for teaching in many English schools all around the world. It is also a requirement of all of our positions.
The TEFL certificate you obtain should be 120 hours or more. This needs to be clearly listed on the TEFL certificate.
Other acceptable qualifications include CELTA, DELTA & TESOL. All these qualifications are generally accepted and if you have one of these we highly recommend you apply for the job and confirm whether the course is acceptable directly with your school employer prior to enrolling on any additional courses should you require them.
TEFL is an unregulated body therefore the quality and consistency of course providers can vary greatly. In order to ensure your 120 hour TEFL course is acceptable. You should use a TEFL provider from a well-known awarding body. For this reason. Noon Elite Recruitment recommend https://www.teflcourse.net/?cu=LGOSC14 . The following link provides a 15% discount for our teachers to help assist with financing. TEFLcourse.net is well known by the Chinese government and their certificates are almost always acceptable for teaching positions in China.
Please note. As TEFL requirements vary so regularly in China we highly recommend applying for this position prior to enrolling on a TEFL course. Your potential employer will then be happy to confirm the correct TEFL course you should undergo.
How long does a TEFL certificate take to get?
The TEFL course lasts around 4 to 6 weeks studying part time. The course is done online on your computer and is assessed by either regular assignments or an end of course exam.
Are there exceptions for not needing a TEFL certificate?
TEFL requirements are set by the Chinese government at a provincial level and occasionally some provinces do not require TEFL certificates from English or English literature or education degrees. However, as the requirements vary from province to province we highly recommend all teachers to partake an accredited TEFL course to ensure you meet the qualifying criteria for a work visa.
What ongoing support does Noon Elite Recruitment provide?
In addition to the initial teach English in China training and orientation and your support from Noon Elite Recruitment, your school employer will monitor your classroom performance and suggest any suggested classroom improvements throughout the placement. Additionally, teachers will have access to senior teachers at the school for classroom and out of school advice.
What’s my apartment like?
Teaching accommodation varies depending on they school and city that you teach however conditions are a consistently high standard. Teachers are provided their own apartment either on campus or within 20 minutes walk from their school. Utilities may be additionally charged, in this case the school will be happy to pay the bills on your behalf and deduct them from your salary. Apartments are clean and fully furnished and will contain everything required for a comfortable life in China.
How long do these positions last?
Our teach English in China positions typically last for a 12 month period and although we have year round vacancies it is most popular for teachers to begin teaching at the start of term in September or after Chinese new year in January/February.
Representing yourself and your country
We take great pride in only accepting quality teachers we deem to be worthy of our ‘elite’ teacher status. Teachers considering this position should understand that they will assume a prestigious position. Teachers in China are treated with high status and in addition to representing our agency you will be an ambassador of your country and hometown.
What’s included?
The complete package
We pride ourselves on being THE UK agency for quality TEFL teachers and the best teach English in China positions. Our service to you starts from the moment you apply for one of our positions and remains long after you return from your placement in China. Full assistance before, during and after your China programme.
Our teachers can expect the following:
- Full support, guidance and advice before, during and after your placement
- Assistance with Visas, packing and preparing for your placement
- Connections to other teachers and expats in China
- Assistance booking flights, getting appropriate vaccines and purchasing travel insurance
- Constant availability to contact from China
- Regular visits from one of our agents to your position in China
- Careers guidance and support with reverse culture shock on your return home
- Membership into our alumni group of elite TEFL teachers
Locations to Teach in China
We have positions all over China!
We provide employment in quality schools all over China from the green mountains of Guizhou province to the busy metropolis of Shanghai financial district. Don’t worry, we appreciate that there is far too much choice to choose a city to teach. Once you apply for the position in general our agents will recommend the most suitable position for you based on your personal values and preferences. The below guides are just to give you a look at the vast places there are to see and experience in China:
Salary and Benefits
The best salaries & perks in China
As recruitment provider to a wide range of schools all across China we are able to drive the competition between schools to provide you the best possible salary and benefits. Consequently, our positions include the following as standard:
- 12000-27000RMB monthly salary
- 6 month fast track for raise based on performance
- Ten Days Paid Professional Training
- Teaching package including lesson plans
- 6000 RMB relocation fee
- TEFL fees covered
- Health insurance
- Airfare provided: 8,000 RMB payable after completing one year contract
- Personal Career Development Plan
- Working Visa provided as standard
- Support and Communication between teachers and centers
Living and travelling in China
China is a very different country to the west in numerous aspects. Candidates on this teach English in China position will need to be able to adapt to their new environment and lifestyle and cope with the associated culture shock. If successful in this there are numerous perks to living in China. This is a brief guide to life in China:
Daily life
Daily life in China holds many adventures for everyday pursuits; from buying groceries from the supermarket to commuting to work.
Supermarkets
Supermarkets in China are similar to those at home. The main difference is that they stock a large selection of live fish in various water tanks. Furthermore, Chinese supermarkets have a wide variety of different rice grains and noodles. The fruit and vegetables sold are also likely to vary slightly. The main supermarket chains in China are Walmart, Carrefour and Beijing Hualian. Using the supermarkets is the same as in the West with the use of trolleys and baskets to purchase goods, you then pay at the till and can pay with cash or with your chinese debit card.
Public transport
Public transport in China, although busy is extremely efficient, affordable and reliable. Larger cities have metro systems and a large number of taxis and bus routes. For intercity travel China has an extremely impressive, modern high speed rail network stretching across the country. Bullet trains are cost effective and rapid means of intercity transport. Additionally, an increasing number of people in China are using Uber and Didi Kuaidi to car pool. Using these services will require a Chinese online bank account.
Gym membership
Gym membership works the same as in the west with memberships costing as little as 150RMB per month for fully equipped gyms. Subscriptions vary depending on the city, gym company and level of membership desired.
Food & drink
Chinese food is world famous. Chinese restaurants offer a variety of affordable, delicious filling meals. To get the most out of your China experience it is highly recommended that you learn to use chopsticks as many smaller restaurants don’t have western cutlery. Beer in China is mainly lager. The common beer is ‘Snow’. this is a pilsner beer at 2.4% alcohol and is often regarded as weak beer by many western visitors. Wine in China is primarily rice wine, called ‘baijiu’. This is in fact a strong spirit by western standards with an alcohol content ranging from 37.5 to over 80% alcohol content. Red wine is growing in popularity but is regarded as an exotic product and is comparatively expensive.
Language
As you expect your students to work with you to learn English, a good China TEFL teacher will learn mandarin. Almost all school positions we offer include basic Chinese lessons as standard and there are numerous resources available to take your studies further. Language exchanges are a popular method to improve your basic Chinese, these work by meeting up with a Chinese person with a desire to practice English and you teach each other. Additionally your school will be able to suggest a number of tutors you can pay for private lessons and there are numerous excellent free online resources. China Central TV’s learn English section contains an excellent selection of free Chinese courses and videos series for a range of ability levels. You can visit their learn English section at http://english.cntv.cn/learnchinese/.
Internet
Many popular Western sites including Facebook and Youtube are reported to be inaccessible in China. A common method many foreigners in China use to access these websites is through a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPN’s work like a proxy, tunneling your connection to a server outside of China which can then freely access the local internet. There are numerous VPNs available as apps and computer software. Many basic VPNs are free of charge, more powerful VPNs offer faster speed and improved reliability for a small subscription. Based on itssNoon Elite Recruitment recommends Astrill as a very fast and reliable VPN to use within China.
Travel
China is a huge, wonderful country with an endless amount of sites to see and visit. With China’s high speed rail network, affordable hostels and low cost of living China is the perfect place to travel around. For travel ideas checkout our official China blog ChinaTEFLer.com.
Nightlife
China has a lively nightlife with a prominent Western scene. Many nightclubs in China offer free entry and drinks for westerners who sign up on the guestlist. China has numerous bars and late night restaurants. The staple drink in nightclubs is usually whiskey, with ice tea as the mixer.
Job Requirements
Qualifying criteria and requirements for Teaching English in China
All applicants according to Chinese regulations require to be from a native English speaking nation and speak English as their first language. You must hold a University bachelor degree and be willing to embrace a new culture and adventure. No TEFL certificate is required as this can be provided as part of the employment package.
Requirements
- Native English Speaker: from UK, US, Canada, Australia, Ireland or New Zealand
- Degree: Bachelor degree or above
- TEFL certificate required
- Teaching Experience Preferred
- Must love working with children
The full recruitment process
Here is a full explanation to the teach English in China recruitment process, from the moment you apply online to your arrival in China.
The interview- Stage 1
After applying to Teach English in China your application will be passed for shortlisting. Should you be successfully shortlisted for the position you will be invited to a stage 1 interview. This will be carried out by one of our agents and will be a semi formal interview getting to know you as an individual. The purpose of this interview is to learn more about yourself and how suitable this position is for you. The stage 1 interview is also a great time to ask any general questions you have about the teaching English in China and to find out more first hand information of what this experience has to offer.
The interview normally lasts 30 minutes to one hour and no prior preparation is needed. We ask that candidates dress smart casual ideally wearing a shirt (no tie is required). An example of the desired dress code would be; shirt and jeans.
Upon a successful interview you will then hear back from your agent and given details of the next steps in the process. Prior to engaging to stage 2 your agent will request the following additional documents:
- Picture of your university bachelor degree certificate
- Picture of your passport photo page to confirm your nationality in line with current Chinese working visa requirements
- Picture of your TEFL certificate and P.G.C.E certificate (If possessed)
The interview- Stage 2
Should you be successfully put through to stage 2 interview you will be contacted directly from your potential employer in China. This will once again be a Skype interview and will give you an opportunity to ask specific questions regarding your employment opportunity. During the interview your assessor will test your knowledge of classroom management and ask a number of teaching related questions preparing you for working in a TEFL classroom. The interview is not necessarily a single interview and can comprise of up to 3 interviews depending on the schools procedures.
Post interview
If successful you will be sent a job offer to teach English in China. This will be sent via email. This offer will comprise of a contract of job offer written either in both English followed by the same offer in Chinese or alternatively only written in English. Once you receive a job offer it is important to take the time to carefully read your offer and we suggest doing your own research into your potential employer to check that you believe the location and school will be suitable for you. In order to do this we recommend asking the school for contact details of other Western teachers either currently working at the school or who have recently returned home. Our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/chinateflers/ is also a good way to find other teachers to ask for a second opinion.
Here are a few suggestions to check for in the contract before signing:
- Pay and salary
- Does the school agree to provide the relevant visa?
- Any insurances & bonuses included
- What are your contracted class hours? Are there additional office hours?
- What is the overtime rate?
- Are flights reimbursed? For how much and when are they reimbursed?
For a second opinion your agent at Noon Elite will be happy to check through your teach English in China contract with you and help you negotiate any amendments in the agreement should they be required.
Visa preparation
Once you have accepted your job offer you can begin the process to applying for your work visa. In order to apply for your work visa, you first require your invitation letter to come to China. This invitation letter is issued by your school, however, as of February 2017 prior to being issued an invitation letter your school requires 3 of your qualifying documents sent and notorised. Full details on what documents and how to notarise them can be found here https://www.nooneliterecruitment.com/notorisation-documents-getting-chinese-work-visa/.
Visa
The visa process to teach English in China as stated in the contract will be lead by your school, you will then need to work with your school employer to finalise and receive your Visa sticker . In order to successfully be granted a Visa, your employer will file numerous forms and applications within their province in China. Once these have been successfully processed, they will be issued an invitation letter which the school will then send to you via international mail. Once you receive the invitation letter to teach english in China you can start your application at the relevant Chinese embassy for your Visa. You can apply for your visa either by post or in person.
To apply for a Visa direct either in person or by post go to the official site www.visaforchina.org and follow their step by step instructions.
If you would like additional help with your visa application you can use a Visa agency to process your application on your behalf. Using an agent incurs an additional service fee but is often useful for tight deadlines as an agency will check that your application is correct before sending it which dramatically reduces the chance of your application being rejected.
Should you wish to enrol an agent’s assistance we can recommend the following agencies:
www.chinesevisadirect.co.uk – London based agency for applications in London
www.travel-direct.com – Edinburgh based agency for applications in Edinburgh
Note: Due to recent changes in Chinese visa law you are now required to apply at the embassy specified on your invitation letter.
Insurance
Our teach English in China positions generally include basic medical cover and this will be outlined in the job offer contract. Additional insurance is optional and at the candidate’s doing.
Vaccines
For latest information about suggested vaccines for China you can check out the government China travel page at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china/health .
Booking flights
Flight price comparison engines such as skyscanner.com are useful for comparing flight prices for your flight out to China to find the best flight. We recommend applicants only book a one way flight when coming to teach English in China as this leaves them flexible to book a flight home at a later date. This allows you to stay flexible with your plans for when to return home and where to travel on the way home from teaching once you have finished your teach English in China placement. Once your flight is booked and confirmed, you should forward a copy of your flight itinerary to your school employer to help them pick you up from the airport on your arrival.
Apply to Teach English in China
Interested? We hope so. If you would like to be considered to teach English in China or any other opportunity then apply now for an interview with one of our agents.
Topics: #Teach English #China #TEFL #Teach English China #Teach English in China