Job Discussion Forums

[roadwalker]

Your experience will be your own, depending on your personality and those at your school. You will probably be asked to teach 'oral English' or 'English conversation' depending on what they call it. 'Western culture', literature and writing are also possible, but generally speaking, the Chinese prefer to teach those themselves.

You can expect a class size as low as about 30 but more likely over 40 and it will be predominantly girls. (Don't call them women or you will depress them.) They probably will never have been anywhere before arriving to university and won't have much in the way of social or job experience. Pop culture and family make easy conversation for them. Bring pictures of anything. They will probably be well behaved but many will just want to be entertained. It's okay to disappoint them.

Relax, it's usually an easy gig, if not for everyone. It's okay not to be a model foreign teacher. Say no with a smile. It's been posted before, but there is a good handbook for teaching and living in China. Take a look at it: http://middlekingdomlife.com/guide/index.htm Good luck.

[daveups]

[englishmaster]

I would strongly agree with China.Pete and cps. I taught at two key unis in China over 10 years ago, and found the students to be overwhelmingly silent. I did all the talking, even in "conversation" classes. My charges did a bit better in writing, but weren't too creative. I was treated OK by my Chinese colleagues, but only got to know several. There were few, if any, materials provided with which to teach. I had to make up most of the class content.

If you don't have any training, teaching may be a challenge for you. However, you may find within yourself the ability to ad lib as you go along.

Amazingly, I am considering a return to China.

Good luck.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Wow, that's a flash -

"'Western culture', literature and writing are also possible, but generally speaking, the Chinese prefer to teach those themselves. "

I truly do think I should retire now.

Western culture taught by a greasy haired geek with Chino's. Come to Vegas kids.

[theincredibleegg]

About lack of teaching materials.
You will have problems with making your own materials as access to a copying machine will be limited. In the end, you will end up not teaching at all. "Foreign teacher" is a missleading word. "Foreign staff" or "english speaker" would better describe what FTs do at unis in China.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Conversationalist sums it up.

Has the cat got your tongue superstitious geek?

[dialogger]

I'm worried about the OP's comment that he/she would be the only FT.
At a public university?
I wouldn't risk it when there are plenty of other jobs around at universities that have corps of FTs you can talk to before committing.
Accomodation is a big issue in my experience.
Avoid ones that state 'hotel type'.
Alright for a couple of nights away but not for a semester.
Look for apartment accomodation - one FT per apartment.
In the classroom you probably will need your own resources as students have usually been forced to buy some unsuitable text which may only be OK for a comprehensive English course. You will be there to teach oral skills only.
Make students work in study pairs and provide two-person dialogues - that way they teach each other.

[rmcdougall]

Uni teaching is alot easier than private schoo teaching because the students aren't paying just for YOU.

I got tossed from 4 private schools and within a month got hired as a director of a uni program.....and still going strong!