Job Discussion Forums

[kiwiheather]

Hey everyone!

My boyfriend and I are hoping to come to Hong Kong to teach ESL next year. I have a Masters in Science (and will have CELTA soon) and was wondering if in addition to ESL work, would there be opportunities to help scientific reseach groups translate their work into English for publication in scientific journals?

Especially in the area I work in, you read articles from research groups in non-English speaking countries (esp Asia) and the translation isn't that great (makes you wonder how they got acepted- and how many didn't get accepted!). Would that be a possiblity? I know there is less ESL work in HK than in other Asian countries...and there may not be much scientific translation work either...any thoughts woudl be appreciated!

Cheers!!

[Zero Hero]

You will need a PhD - perhaps some post doc research in the bag, too - and at least three or four publications in peer reviewed journals and/or conference proceedings.

The papers you have been reading have most likely not been translated, they were probably submitted in English, which would be why they may appear unidiomatic and awkward.

[once again]

I guess if you could speak Cantonese, you could help translate. My guess is that you actually mean edit, in which case you may find lots of work. But you would have to put ads in the right places. I have heard there is a lot of work for helping edit thesis and the like for uni students.

[Zero Hero]

There may well be lots of work, but that does not entail lots of money, or even a decent amount. University students - and I teach them here - do not tend to have the most disposable income of the people in Hong Kong. In fact, the university hires - on a very casual basis - the wives, sons and daughters of faculty members to conduct such work for pocket money.

Also, if you are serious about the work of research groups, it must be said that unless you have speciality in the area which you want to edit - you only state you have a Masters in "science", which is quite a large category - you will not be suitable. Also, most new generation primary and secondary school teachers here have at least a Masters, it is nothing special. At the university at which I work it is far from uncommon for teachers to have both an MA and an MSc (and often an MEd, too).

Furthermore, it is not clear how one would secure sponsorship - and thus a visa - for such work. Remember that there are no part-time visas available. This is another reason why such work that does exist is typically done by permanent residents.

[once again]

Interesting that the EMB do not recognise a masters as a relevant qualification for the net scheme, given