Job Discussion Forums

Yabanci · Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 30 Location: China

Hiya,

I've got a question. I'm a Dutch female with a Masters and TESOL certificate and with quite an extensive experience in teaching.
What are my chances as a non-native speaker to find a job in China?

Even though my English is not flawless, I'm convinced that my pronounciation is better than a lot of native speakers. (no offense)

Thanks

nolefan · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1458 Location: on the run

you'd be just fine.

I have a number of friends who are not so-called "native speakers" teaching all over China in Universities and private schools.

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

Sinobear · Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269 Location: Purgatory

Yabanci: You'd probably have no problem getting a position in China; however, your passport would be a problem. In Guangdong, officials are being very strict with NEW applications for visas and work permits. Those who are not carriers of passports from either the U.S, Canada, Australia (incl. NZ) or the U.K are scrutinized. I know of three people - one Italian, one Greek, and one person from France - who were asked to provide proof of English competency AND their schools were asked to explain why they were not hiring from the above "preferred" list.

Good luck!

HunanForeignGuy · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 989 Location: Shanghai, PRC

Brian Caulfield · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 1247 Location: China

Don't come the China government now is checking mothers and grandmothers to see what language they spoke . For some reasons related to applied linguistics, the fathers language is not important .

clomper · Joined: 07 Oct 2003 Posts: 251 Location: Beijing

I can confirm with Guangdong as well. It's not just from which country you are from but also if you have the 2 years required teaching experience.

Two American teachers who doesn't have any teaching experience with a bachelor's degree was denied of the RPF because they can't get a FEC.

A Kazakhstan teacher was also denied when she applied this term for the FEC even if his husband who's also from Kazakhstan was given a visa when he applied late August due to the reason she's not from a native english speaking country.

Brian Caulfield · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 1247 Location: China

I don't think you will have problems with the rest of China . People in the know realize today that there is no such thing as a native speaker. Too many people like yourself with higher English abilities that the so called native speaker . I think is is called the Kissenger Effect .

Malsol · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 1976 Location: Lanzhou

Many Chinese unis are now using their foreign students to teach English.

Most of these foreign students are not L1 English speakers and they work cheaply.

Girl Scout · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 525 Location: Inbetween worlds

While you may have trouble working at the top universities here in China, many of the private schools are more open-minded. There may be trouble if you want to work in the corperate structure. These clients pay a lot of money and have very set ideas on what their teacher should sound like.

My college hired a non-native speaker last year and is currently planning to hire another one this year. It can be done and without a lot of difficulty.

China.Pete · Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Posts: 547

Interestingly enough, your qualifications and experience in TESL may be one of the least important factors in getting a job in China. The really important things would appear to be (1) how much you cost them, and (2) how useful you are as a marketing tool. Given the paucity of resources you are often expected to make do with in your classroom, it does not seem that most schools give a fig about quality teaching at all anyway - or even understand what this means in connection with foreign teachers' classes. What's really important is how white (European) you look. Qualifications are only significant if they can put them up on their school website, or otherwise market them to the students. Absent possible pressure from the Foreign Experts Bureaus, some schools will try to hire teachers from non-English speaking countries if they think they will work for less. This may be less of a problem for people from European countries - quite possibly because the schools will assume you're less desperate. How well your qualifications and experience are put to work in China will largely depend on your own initiative.

Yabanci · Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 30 Location: China

Thanks so much for your encouraging postings.
Maybe deep down inside I wanted to hear that it was going to be very hard for a non-native since I had decided to try to stay at home for a while, but after your comments I realize that I don't want to be home.
China, here I come!

Chris_Crossley

A former female colleague of mine from three years ago was born and brought up in Bordeaux, France, yet she had spent six years of her life in Edinburgh, Bonnie Scotland, before coming to China.

The result was that she had native-speaker English competence and an Edinburgh-like accent that was indistinguishable from that spoken by native-born Edinburghers. (She could SWEAR like them sometimes if the need arose ... Shocked

)

She had no problems either getting into China or teaching at the school I was at. I once met her mother, since she came all the way over from Bordeaux to visit her daughter, only she did not speak any English! Quite a contrast between the two women linguistically!

pandasteak · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 166

I've known a few dutch english teachers here. they've had no problems.

Paul Barufaldi · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 271 Location: Beijing

Absolutely. From the ones I've met, I'd venture to say that the Dutch are the best non-native English speakers in the world. In fact, I'd personally be inclined to consider Dutch applicants over what can often get drudged up from the "native" countries. Unfortunately though, I'm not an employer and can't say how widely held my view is.