Job Discussion Forums

[Kenny Kimchee]

Hi kids,

In China, do they teach English in public schools (e.g. elementary, junior high, high school)? If so, from what grade? Is it mandatory or optional?

Cheers,

KK

[Roger]

I think English has been made compulsory a few years ago. All primary schools I know offer English. In some primary schools English is on the timetable of grade one students, but in the majority of schools it is from grade 3 or perhaps grade 5 on.

Kindergartens, which are not obligatory for children to attend, have jumped on the English teaching craze too.

But in spite of all superficial enthusiasm, English proficiency is remarkable by its absence. This reflects ineffectual teaching methods, poor resources attirbution and a backward mindset.
For instance, no one questions the wisdom of having one teacher to 50 unruly primary school kids! Doing English with 14-year olds for the first time can be truly taxing!

[MyTurnNow]

Amen. Roger, if anything, may be understated here. That "50 unruly primary school kids" can be more like 70 or 80. You may meet people here who speak poor, halting, wildly incorrect English, only to be amazed to learn that they are a public-school English teacher. The texts and methods may seem to you to be literally designed with failure in mind. Many curriculum, method, staffing, and other decisions are made by red-stamp functionaries who speak no English themselves.

English education here (and indeed ALL education here) isn't all bad. But it's mostly bad.

MT

[wangtesol]

Is it allowed by Education Law in China for an uncertified teacher (eg., a foreigner) to teach English in a public school?

I know in Taiwan it isn't.

I know in Japan it is because they changed School Education Law in Japan to include "Assistant Language Teachers" due to the JET Program. Alhtough some of the contracts (the gyomu itaku service contracts) are.

[wangtesol]

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[wangtesol]

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