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PistolPete
Joined: 23 Feb 2013
Posts: 9
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 Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:02 am Post subject: Experience with WEB International or English First? |
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I'd like to hear from people who've worked or work for WEBI or EF. How do you like it? I currently teach at a public but I'd like a little higher salary and also smaller class sizes.
Some of my questions:
How reliable is it getting a Z Work Visa from these organizations? This is an absolute must.
For WEBI: Do you still need to do lesson planning? I know they say they provide a curriculum but does this just mean they give you some broad guidelines and you must still create your own lessons? I'm looking for already prepared lessons, really prepared, so as to save as much time in China (I want to maximize my time for Chinese language study).
Does the "housing allowance" actually come out of your salary? So for example if I'm paid 8000 yuan, will I get money on top of that for housing, or is it taken out?
That's about it, if there's anything else I should know please comment! Thank you. |
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creeper1
Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 481
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan
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| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 2:55 pm Post subject: EF |
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I can answer for EF.
1. Yes, they provide a Z-visa
2. Most of the lesson plans are pre-done at this stage. However you may have to tweak and in some cases throw out and re-write the plans given to you.
3. Yes! Housing allowance comes out of your salary. |
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kungfuman
Joined: 31 May 2012
Posts: 1749
Location: In My Own Private Idaho
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| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:48 pm Post subject: Re: Experience with WEB International or English First? |
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| PistolPete wrote: |
I'd like to hear from people who've worked or work for WEBI or EF.
Does the "housing allowance" actually come out of your salary? So for example if I'm paid 8000 yuan, will I get money on top of that for housing, or is it taken out?
That's about it, if there's anything else I should know please comment! Thank you. |
depends on the contract wording. my contract states salary and then an additioal figure for housing. my salary negotiations were specifcally salary - housing was the secondary discussion. |
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PistolPete
Joined: 23 Feb 2013
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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kungfuman, you were also with EF? And to clarify you got a housing bonus on top of your salary? Was it enough to cover a decent apartment? I don't know because now my housing is provided by my school. I think I see about 1000-1500 yuan provided by some company's for housing, I'm not sure if that's enough for a decent Western style apartment or whether I'd also need to take more out of my salary.
How do you guys feel about the teaching? Can it be pretty exhausting or does it go quickly? I only teach 16, 40 min classes but this is to large public school classrooms so it is quite exhausting and basically glorified babysitting at times. 20 or even more hours may be a breeze for me if it's very low key. |
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PistolPete
Joined: 23 Feb 2013
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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| creeper1, lesson plans mostly were pre-done for EF as well? For EF anyways, I'm seeing that you need to do your own lesson planning, though maybe it depends on the particular EF school? |
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Denim-Maniac
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238
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| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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| PistolPete wrote: |
How do you guys feel about the teaching? Can it be pretty exhausting or does it go quickly? I only teach 16, 40 min classes but this is to large public school classrooms so it is quite exhausting and basically glorified babysitting at times. 20 or even more hours may be a breeze for me if it's very low key. |
I cant speak for EF or WEB, but I work in other training centre environments with adult students and small classes.
In my experience and comparing work in a vocational college to training centres / adults / small classes, the large classes and vocational work was the breeze. The small classes require much more from the teacher in terms of planning etc. You are also unlikely to be able to simply repeat the same lesson 10 times a week (or more) like many do in the public sector. You may have to plan 10 (or more) different lessons each week, and that takes more time too.
Ive seen a few teachers come from the public school environment and struggle a bit TBH. Depending upon how well resourced you and your emloyer is Id say its definitely harder (but for me, far far more rewarding in terms of my work). Ive seen ideas for conversation classes that might work OK in a uni and take up a full lesson, but in a class of 6 you are looking at it being a 15 minute warm-up activity. And then you have another hour to fill. And then you have to see the same class the next day and need another new lesson, and then another and then another etc. |
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PistolPete
Joined: 23 Feb 2013
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:47 am Post subject: |
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| do you only teach adults? |
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creeper1
Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 481
Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:03 am Post subject: mmmmmmmm |
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| PistolPete wrote: |
| creeper1, lesson plans mostly were pre-done for EF as well? For EF anyways, I'm seeing that you need to do your own lesson planning, though maybe it depends on the particular EF school? |
Well I think the story is they provide "teachers notes" and you write your lesson plan based on that. In practice you'll be so busy that the teachers notes will become your lesson plan. |
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PistolPete
Joined: 23 Feb 2013
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:15 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Well I think the story is they provide "teachers notes" and you write your lesson plan based on that. |
Is that what you did? You worked for EF right? |
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DanDoesESL
Joined: 08 Oct 2012
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:56 am Post subject: |
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I work for EF right now.
Yes on the Z visa's
You are given extremely detailed teachers notes. Basically step by step instructions on how to teach the lessons. You are not required to adhere strictly to the notes, and still have to lesson plan.
Housing depends on contract wording as kungfuman mentioned. I had the choice of a provided apartment (they had a deal with a landlord) or a housing allowance in addition to my salary.
I've not been with EF very long, but my particular location seems to be quite good. As with any franchised school management can make or break. |
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kungfuman
Joined: 31 May 2012
Posts: 1749
Location: In My Own Private Idaho
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 3:11 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| kungfuman, you were also with EF? |
No. I did work for Web in the past however my comment was a general one based on how the contract specifies housing.
Some adverts specify salary PLUS housing and others inclusive. EF and WEB are locally operated so the contract wording for Beijing may be totally different then for Shanghai.
So the point is to read the contracts and question those offering them - make sure the answers coincide with the contract. |
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PistolPete
Joined: 23 Feb 2013
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 3:20 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I did work for Web in the past |
Kungfuman, how did you like WEB? Do you do any lesson planning?
My basic concern is if I'm going to be studying Chinese two to three hours a day I'll be exhausted if I have too much work outside of class. I only teach 16 classes now but I already feel I have little time to study because of lesson planning. The "prepared lessons" are what makes WEB especially appealing to me. |
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Denim-Maniac
Joined: 31 Jan 2012
Posts: 1238
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| Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:31 am Post subject: |
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| PistolPete wrote: |
| do you only teach adults? |
In China yes. I may occasionally have a 17 or 18 year old student, but the average age is 25+. Adult students dont tend to accept the nonsense that younger students may do. They want and expect lessons to be delivered according to their goals. 'Lets sing a song / watch a movie' doesnt tend to go down well in my experience.
If studying Chinese is your main goal or interest, I feel you are better staying in the public sector. Training centre work invariably involves more hours and should certainly involve more planning. Even if someone gives you lesson material, I would expect to spend a considerable amount of time planning on how to use said material. 3 hours of teaching a day involved around 3 hours of planning a day when I first started to teach adults in China. (I am a bit of a planner though!)
When I worked in a vocational college, I did one term teach 12 classes of the same level. At that time I planned one lesson and taught it 12 times. Planning time roughly one hour per week. |
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unesco
Joined: 18 Jan 2008
Posts: 27
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 9:31 am Post subject: |
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I worked at WEB in two different cities in Jiangsu. Conditions can vary according to location but from my experience is that all lesson plans are set for you except for English Corners. Again how many of these you do each week can vary, for me between 2 and 5 each week. Once you adjust to the curriculum its very easy. Students were mostly motivated as they were either paying for lessons or their company was. As to housing allowance I got 1500 pm on top of salary.
All in all I would much prefer to working in the public sector.
cheers |
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PistolPete
Joined: 23 Feb 2013
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 9:55 am Post subject: |
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hey unesco, thanks that's helpful.
just to clarify, you are saying you would prefer to work in the public sector rather than WEB? |
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