Job Discussion Forums

michalola · Joined: 25 Jun 2008 Posts: 4

Hi,

Has anyone taught with English First in China? It is a university teaching job and seems pretty good for 10, 500 RMB (without accommodation) but of course I would still like to have some information about other peoples experiences with them. They also want me to travel there on a tourist visa first then get a work permit when I'm already in the country. Sounds fishy but the recruiter assured me that no one in EF works illegally.

Thanks!

Michalola

Song&Dance · Joined: 04 Jul 2008 Posts: 176

Sounds like Shanghai Normal. Ha Ha Ha try the search function

In case anyone is wonderring why McEF took over the non-English major EFL program at Shanghai Normal, first read about the prior program "The Unqualified, Teaching (sic) the Unmotivated, In A Hostile Environment."

Second, consider that the First Deputy FAO, Mr. Ni, is a founding board member of McEF in China. I think this is called incest?

North China Laowei · Joined: 08 Apr 2008 Posts: 419

It must be that time of year again.

This board abounds with threads about EF in general and about this item in particular. Might kindly recommend the use of the search function to the OP? There is a plethora, and I mean a plethora, of threads on this subject.

Moon Over Parma · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 819

I second what NCL said. English First are a very well known franchise in China. You will turn up all kinds of information about them by simply using the search function.

Song&Dance · Joined: 04 Jul 2008 Posts: 176

Song&dance
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:32 am Post subject:
try the search function

North China Laowei
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:29 pm Post subject: EF
Might kindly recommend the use of the search function to the OP?

Moon Over Parma
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:19 pm Post subject:
simply using the search function

IS THERE AN ECHO IN HERE?

loboman · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 1:36 am Post subject:

Yeah i agree, use the search function...

ChinaLady · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:39 am Post subject: English First?

only one thing to say, , , RUN.
anytime you report to Chinese, it will not work for long.
find a school/company/etc. that has a non-Chinese you report to.
look at the employee list.
EF - 36 Chinese, 6 non-Chinese. in south China.
RUN!

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

one can only wonder why EF advertises here Rolling Eyes

senorfay · Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 214

you are right in thinking that coming in on a tourist visa is fishy. Never do it! Especially not now. Visas are a real pain in the donkey to get these days so if I were you I'd go for the Z visa right away.

most legit schools can get you all the proper paperwork in order to make a z visa before you get here.

teacherbel · Joined: 13 Jun 2008 Posts: 65 Location: Philippines

Hi!
My nephew is a Filipino who teaches English at EF-Wuhan. As far as I know it is not a university job. Perhaps then, we are not talking about the same EF.

My nephew is happy there. I still have to hear him say anything derogatory against EF-Wuhan. It however does not pay as high as 10,000/RMB. We heard that EF pays differently from one city to another. Wuhan is not an expensive place, so does the tuition that a language school can offer to its students. Consequenlty, the salary for teachers is also low, at least compared to 10,000 RMB.

I hope this information will help you..

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

Try using the search function. Laughing

englishgibson · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 4345

TexasHighway · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 779

jamesmollo said:

englishmaster · Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 118

I had a telephone interview with EF last year, after I had filled out their online application out of curiosity. They considered me DOS material for one of their China branches, since I have taught in China before. The pay was well under 10,000 kwai, although I do not recall the exact figure.
They sounded pretty professional over the phone, but that was, of course, over the phone. I was a little leery of going to China again, so I turned them down.

Can't tell you anymore about EF, I'm afraid!

TESOUL · Joined: 18 Jun 2006 Posts: 19

When was the last time any of you even went to an EF?

Have a look around. There have been some major improvements. If you want to actually come to China and teach, then EF can be very good. If you want to laze around on 10 repetitive 40 minute lessons a week at a university or middle school and pretend you are teaching, then take that option.

Funny how quickly other schools will recruit teachers who were let go by EFs.

Funny how I never see any EF bashers engaging in any serious ESL discussion on methodology, grammar, cultural context, interlanguage, or anything else related to actual teaching. Yet many are to go on and on about money and how much they should get paid. For What?? whinging.

EF has treated me just fine. Legally, professionally, provided training, oppurtunities, and let me develop creatively. Which is essentially what I want from a job- no matter how hard I have to work.

Bring on the negative feedback.