Job Discussion Forums

[SIH]

So my girlfriend and I are thinking about coming to China to teach for a year or more. The thing is she is from Quebec and her first language is French although she speaks almost fluent English. Apparently we've been told that she could even teach English in China with her accent. She also doesn't have a University degree but has been to University for a year. We've had two recuiters say they can get her a job teaching French.

Would there be much of a problem for her to get a job teaching French in China?

For me it's no problem because I've taught in Korea for 2 years and lived in Hong Kong for 18 years so have been around a bit and would have no problem getting a job. But this would be the first time for her outside of Canada and America.

So do you think there is much need for French teacers in China and do you think she could actually get a job in China to teach French?

[Roger]

There are indeed colleges that offger French and I can tell you most graduates have an excellent command of the language of Voltaire, this probably being for two reasons:
They teach French in a more intelligent way than they do English;
and those that enroll for French must have suitable Engllish skills.

In major cities such as Tianjin, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xi'an, Guangzhou and even Shenzhen you can find universities that teach foreign languages other than English, especially French, Japanese and German.
In Guangzhou there are at least 3 institutions that have French classes. In one of them, native French speakers are routinely hired and paid roughly twice the going rate for English teachers. The extra money is supplied by France; of course this safeguards French interests but they won't hesitate to hire a suitably-qualified Quebecker.

Your girlfriend can also try to get a job via Academie francaise, which runs cultural centres or language centres in a number of Chiense cities.

[SIH]

Thanks for the info. My girlfriend will be happy about that. Yeah so far a job in Wuhan apparently has been offered but will have to wait until october and November for the hiring season for her.

We'd rather have a job lined up before going out there because she won't go unless everything has been sorted out before we leave Canada. Hopefully going to be in China in Feburary.

[erinyes]

I met someone from an agency who works for Shinyway, and I know they teach French at their language school.


www.shinyway.com.cn

pm me for the email.

[Brian Caulfield]

Beijing is the place to teach French . Problem for you is that there is a saturation of English teachers there at the moment . French is the language of diplomacy and along with KOrean is more popular than learning English with the locals .

[SIH]

Anyone got any recuiter info then to get a French teaching job in China? Even if it is in Beijing? Would rather stay a little further south to be a little warmer.

[JadedMenhir]

French teaching jobs are far fewer than English jobs. I have done French tutoring but have had trouble in securing a full-time French teaching position in the past.

I have heard of people getting better access to non-English teaching jobs once on the ground though.

[HunanForeignGuy]

[SIH]

She is neither of those sorry so i guess you couldn't help her out.

[mount real]

[quote="HunanForeignGuy"]

[SIH]

Yeah Quebec French while different is similar to French French and therefore not too hard to polish up on.

[Henry_Cowell]

Even I could understand every word of HunanForeignGuy's French -- which means it must not be very authentic at all.

[HunanForeignGuy]

Sorry, Menhir, I don't agree. East End Montreal French is pure joual. Ottawa Valley French is dialect unto itself.Canadian French has undergone a great deal of English influence and so to speak linguistic corruption. The tonic accent has become "deplace" as for my French, well, I am sorry but then again it's only Paris French, Menhir, 16ieme arrondissement, 135 rue de la Pompe. Je suis navre. BTW, check the spelling and accent on "regler", it's incorrect. And the use of requiert is a pure "anglicisime" at best...en France on dirait plutot "demander". When French Canadian movies are shown on the Continent, they have to be subtitled as the French-speaking Europeans cannot understand them. Additionally, since I don't know you at all, so please be kind and remain with the "voussoiement" and not the informal. Remember who the original settlers of French Canada were. Have you ever read the book "Les Filles du Roy" (and yes, it's the pre-1789 spelling of Roy in the book title?)

And the issue is not my French, mon bien cher Monsieur, but how to get a good French-paying job in a Chinese university. And they do exist and they are there for those that make the mark. It is an issue of both less competition and higher standards. And nearly all of those that I know, and I know many of them, that teach French in China are from France.

Voltaire disait "revenons a nos moutons"..and that is from Candide.

[SIH]

I think you'll find that when a French Canadian film is shown in France and they subtitle it, it is because the French are too lazy to try and understand what they are saying. So i've been told. Would be like that anywhere in the world i guess