Job Discussion Forums

[Wiganesi]

Hi again all,

I’m making good progress in trying to find a first job, but might be being a bit too picky with trying to select a non-existent near perfect job.

I realise that this is the kind of question that has probably been asked a million times, and I have tried searching for the answer but there seems to be nothing conclusive.

I’ve been told before that there are no general rules for teaching in China, and a lot varies case by case. However I would just like to ask, in your experience, are online TEFL certificates valued in China? Will they give you an edge in finding good employment? Or is it like other countries where they are not valued?

On an related side note, I’m currently trying to find work with various recruiters and schools, and some are telling me there are few cities open to teachers without any experience, whereas others are offering me jobs in great sounding cities such as Hangzhou, Wuxi and Dalian. Can anyone out there clarify this?

The more I read about China the more I want to teach there, so a modest salary isn’t really an issue anymore. I kind of wish I didn’t pass up some of the offers I had a few weeks ago because I was set on working in a tier 1 city for 10000RMB or over.

Thanks

[Javelin of Radiance]

[johntpartee]

To the best of my knowledge, TEFL certificates of any kind are of no value in China. I've never been asked for one. I submitted my cert to my current employer when I applied and they asked me what it was.

[choudoufu]

this is china. but you already know that.

some schools require certificates. those i assume are mostly the
real international schools, in which case a real tefl is needed.

some schools advertise tefl certificate preferred. in those cases, any
old online cert will do. it certainly won't make you a better teacher,
but it 'may' give you the edge over the other unremarkable native
speaker and breathing applicants.

[Non Sequitur]

I never felt that my cert was a key factor in GETTING A JOB, but I do feel it was useful to me as a framework on how to DO THE JOB!

[haleynicole14]

[Wiganesi]

Thanks for your replies. This is what I thought previously but as someone said; I have seen a lot of "TEFL certificate preferred" notes on various job offers.

Do you think maybe it could secure you a higher wage? Or is this specifically proper TEFL courses with an element of actual teaching?

[Non Sequitur]

[Wiganesi]

I'm speaking with an agent that was recommended by a lot of people here on Dave's.

He's offered me great jobs in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, I just need an online TEFL. Apparently it's for VISA reasons.

Do agents accept taped over parts?

[Non Sequitur]

[Denim-Maniac]

I voted no.

Two reasons really. The first is that an employer who accepts an online certificate is just as likely to accept someone else with nothing. Or accept something you have made yourself with photoshop and the back of a cereal packet.

The second is that an online certificate isnt likely to prepare you in any real meaninful way, or equip you with any of the skills needed to do the job effectively. Yes, you can learn something from an online course, but buying a course text book, a 'how to ...' book, or subscribing to a decent TEFL website is likely to be cheaper and more informative.

There are employers out there who recognise and appreciate real qualifications and quality teachers ... but they are few and far between I think.

[Mr. Leafy]

[Non Sequitur]

My Cert was part class and part online i.e the grammar section.
The class instructors were great although neither had China exp.
BTW I voted 'No' as that was the most accurate answer in terms of the way the question was put.

[Toast]

Some schools / provinces claim they are required for the visa application process, which like many things in China is likely the official Beijing dictated decree which is ignored or implemented at the whim of the local head honcho.

The vast majority of schools and PSB officers don't give a crap if the thing comes from a recognized peer reviewed classroom setting, some random online website, or "Mr Poo's Best Engish School Degree and Driver License" desk down on Khao Sanh Rd. It's just another piece of paper to put in your visa application folder, box to check and piece of bureaucratic red tape to keep someone in a job half-assedly enforcing after a 3.5 hour lunch break nap.

I was still doing an online one as I was looking for a job, and my current school stated it was necessary. I told them I was almost finished, and they said "Very urgent - send us a copy of the certificate when you get it finished", and never heard anything more about it....likely they just handed in some faked photocopied docs, or used up some guanxi to have it bypassed.

If your school recruiter are steadfastly requiring one then there are several online ones that can be knocked out in no time (there's a Brit one ITTT or something that most people claim took a whopping 10 hours to complete the 100 hour course - next to useless, but it gets that required piece of paper). There's even some free ones out there that will provide a certificate on completion.

If you're actually serious about taking something out of the course bear in mind not all are created equal. There's a teacher training forum on here that has a lot of threads discussing the most useful programs. I did a basic 100 hour one through a Canadian company called ONTESOL and felt I learned a lot from it. Mostly based around strategies to organize your class time and activities, lesson planning etc. You get a private tutor who is required to answer all your emails and grade your work within 24 hours. Have to do 10 assignments or tests. I ended up going all obsessive compulsive on the thing, doing a lot of additional reading and stretched the 100 hours out to about 250 haha. Obviously it's no substitute for a CELTA, Trinity etc, but if you don't have the time or money to do one of those and are willing to put in the work you'll at least get something from one of these. It's kind of up to you what you choose to take out of it.

Whether the Chinese teaching environment will actually allow you to implement much of what you've learned (not likely) is a different story, however.

[Non Sequitur]

As most of us in the uni sector in China, are teaching Oral English the oft repeated stricture on my course about TTT was a great starting point for working here.