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China2 · Joined: 04 Jun 2015 Posts: 56

I am currently teaching in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province at a university full time. I am a current IELTS examiner but as this no longer seems to be an option I am thinking about offering IELTS preparation classes.

1.Do you think there would be much demand for these classes?
2. If there were, what should I charge the hour?

Thanks

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

I used to work with an IELTS examiner, and she charged 300 an hour for tutoring.
But, that was in Fujian.
My guess is that you could charge more in Suzhou.

danshengou · Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2017 12:59 pm Post subject:

If you find the students yourself, 300-400 rmb per hour. Be sure to collect the cash up front and have a clear cancellation policy, etc. If you work at a school, obviously you will get less. Good luck.

JB140767 · Joined: 09 Aug 2015 Posts: 135

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

OP presumably you will maintain your 'day job' for visa purposes?
I expect the first step would be to see what time you can carve out of your uni timetable plus of course your employer's attitude to outside work.
I like the idea as the improved scores of your students are personal feedback AND a helluva good marketing tool.

jimpellow · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 913

There is certainly demand in China, and for that matter around the world. Suzhou has a decent sized Korean community too that pays for results.

I used to ponder in my China days if I would make more money offering quality IELTS tutoring, or going over brain dumps with the students and assigning 100 pages a night from some incoherent Chinese written IELTS cram book. The students usually come from well-to-do parents who have succeeded by gaming the system and seem to assume their children should do the same.

I would charge a high rate and turn down the students who you know are beyond help. Not only will this protect your reputation from poor results beyond your control, but nobody will spread news of your services like the parents who have had their little emperor rejected. Other parents will line up to see if their little emperor can make the cut.

China2 · Joined: 04 Jun 2015 Posts: 56

Thanks for the above replies.

I will find out the best way to advertise and get cracking!

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

China2 · Joined: 04 Jun 2015 Posts: 56

Maybe 6 or 7 hours a week - providing I get anybody obviously!

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

I never taught IELTS prep, but commute time should probably be factored in.
That is unless the students come to you or to a neutral location suitable for both.

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

I taught IELTS writing for eighteen months. I have degrees in English studies, and that really wasn't enough. One really needs formal training to teach it.

fpshangzhou · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 280

Right here in Hangzhou, there is a great demand for IELTS/TOEFL classes. Some teachers/tutors charge anywhere between 300-400 yuan an hour doing privates, maybe 250 yuan working for a training center. I wouldn't mind getting doing it but no formal training as Bud as advised. Anyone know where to get such training? I've seen online courses, but don't know how legit they are. Maybe someone can drop some ideas on how to either certified or self-study to maximize student's success.

Cheers,
Aaron

OhBudPowellWhereArtThou · Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Posts: 1168 Location: Since 2003

Not only does one need training but one also needs textbooks that are produced ONLY for IELTS prep.

Elicit · Joined: 12 May 2010 Posts: 244

As well as the standard fare course books, lots of resources on the IELTS website too You only need the public band descriptors to ascertain what you should be focusing on for the productive skills.

jimpellow · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 913

I agree that IELTS is specialized ESL, and even a well meaning and otherwise qualified ESL teacher is likely going to not do a great service to his student.

Nevertheless, in this day of ample information at one's fingertips, there are oodles of IELTS videos and articles that focused teachers can digest and learn from to walk the walk with dedication and a commitment to serve the student in a productive way.

The vast majority of Chinese students are a 4.5 to 5.5 (excluding brain dump score inflation). I don't think I would start out clueless with a sign on my door saying IELTS miracle working for 400 rmb an hour, but getting up to snuff and helping this group is more than doable for a self-starter with benign intent.

Trying to improve the chronic 2.5 lan zhu's and getting that rare 7 up to a 7.5 is where the real expertise is needed.