Job Discussion Forums

[Dan Meester]

I'm looking at some of the more major chain schools in China, like English First and Aston. Does anyone have any words of wisdom about which chain is the best to work for? Would I generally be treated better in smaller schools?

[frank d]

Often the problem with chain schools is that they aren't actually chains. For example, Canilx Modern English (where I worked two years ago in Nanjing) started out as a group of satellite schools based out of Beijing, but soon the owner/creator sold the Canilx name to anyone apparently for the right price. Within a year, the quality of Canilx schools varied wildly from city to city. Canilx Shanghai recently went bust after several months of non-payment of rent. I read on another FT website that teachers and students were forced to evacuate the premises immediately by the disgruntled landlord.

I have never worked for an English First (EF) organization. The one in Nanjing has a poor reputation among the FTs there, and I have read numerous horror stories about other locations such as Suzhou, where FTs report that they are not paid on time, and sometimes, at all. I believe EF is also a franchise which varies greatly in quality and condition from location to location. It all depends on the ethics of the local owner.

[tw]

[Roger]

- AES
- Linguaphone
- Berlitz

OFten they are franchisees!

[vikdk]

chain here often means the school has paid for the right to use a title - does chain equate to quality controll???????????????? What you do get from a chain is the fact, that after paying that money for a title, they like to flex their muscles - you get into a contractual problem with them, and it's likely you'll have that chain name stuffed down your throat!!!!!!!!!

[erinyes]

Yeah - about EF. Chinese people seem not to have learnt the lesson about reputation yet. Can you blame them? There are SO many consumers in China that you don't need to rely on word of mouth, and the culture here is that if you are ripped off, then it is your fault, so don't tell your friends or other people. So a bad reputation doesn't grow as quickly here. And a good reputation doesn't seem as important to the consumers here.

[clark.w.griswald]

The subject of chain schools has been discussed at some length and I am sure that you will find all of the information that you need on this very forum.

Let me summarize what I think is the jist of past discussions:

1. Some people are very much anti-chain. Some of them have had a bad experience at one school in a chain and then extrapolate this across as somehow being indicative of every school in that chain. Other negative voices come from those who don�t have any of their own experience with a chain school, but jump on the �bash the chain school� bandwagon as it is an easy one to get on and you can be sure to get support from some members of this forum for doing so.

2. Problems with chains that have been reported are generally in the nature of personal disputes with staff or management, a feeling that the school is being to restrictive as far as requiring teachers to follow a curriculum, heavy work loads, and sometimes low pay.

3. The upside to chain schools is that they provide a soft landing. They generally provide to you what they promise as far as accommodation, hours, pay rates etc. They generally provide a full curriculum as well as the resources to teach this curriculum which can save you hours of time wracking your own brain for things to do in the class. They generally provide a high level of support as far as having English speaking staff, foreign director of studies, training, and ongoing assistance. They generally offer positions in schools with more than one foreign teacher which can certainly help to make things comfortable. In most cases chain schools are situated in the center of towns which makes them convenient for shopping and going out. Finally, the school environment and classrooms are generally well equipped and well appointed with air-conditioning, white boards etc.

4. What is clear is that there are very , very few complaints about teachers being ripped off and not paid wages working for chain schools, nor are there very many complaints about teachers getting into trouble for working illegally at these schools.

NB: I use the word �generally� a lot as each school within a chain is generally independently owned and therefore experiences will vary. There are generally some great schools within a chain as well as some that should be avoided, while the majority are just average.

I think the choice of whether to go with a chain school or not depends upon what you want. If you want to know that you are 100% legal and are willing to accept a low wage (RMB3,000-4,500) and probably very basic accommodation and classroom assistance, then a government university is probably your best choice. If you are new to teaching and could do with some support and want to have a lifestyle that includes mixing with other young foreigners, going out occasionally, and earning enough money to save and possibly send some money home then a chain is probably your best option.

[vikdk]

[clark.w.griswald]

[vikdk]

why should issues be put to bed when firms like EF are still recruiting???

no positive feedback - well with all the chain bashing that goes on here you would think we could here at least a cry or two coming from the wilderness!!!

[frank d]

I have worked for three training schools (one being the aforementioned franchise, Canilx Modern English). Yes, they have this confidentiality clause, but the whole thing is so laughable because what the contract is referring to is not " to divulge the teaching methods of that training school" The problem, there is no teaching method!

Every FT is free to teach in whatever style they choose. And as for the "special" educational material (also laughable), it is usually up to the teacher to write, or at least supplement, their own material. Most of the lessons I gave were of my own creation, not from something the training center provided because the students hated them. For example, because they are locked in to some worthless computer lessons (all three training schools I worked for use the same, pirated software called "Tell Me More" -- please don't), the students must have a lesson called "Cocktail Party." How useful is that?!?!?

[frank d]

Wow! This forum *beep*ed "C**ktail Party"

[Babala]

I myself work for a chain school but I advise the OP to do their homework before signing on. Franchise schools can be a gamble. I would insist on talking to a current teacher (been there at least 6 months) before signing on. I have nothing but good things to say about my school but that being said there are at least 4 franchises of my chain that I would never work for.

[brsmith15]

I'd steer clear of English First, English Me (What a name!), Canilx, Wall Street, Delter/Telfort, Informatics. Although you might be lucky enough to find a decent place here and there, it's best to keep your distance. The biggest problem with most of these places is the lies they'll tell you. I've often said I can work with stupid people -- and all of them have that in abundance -- but not dishonest ones. Most have both coupled with another Deadly Sin: Greed.

[HunanForeignGuy]

Hello.

I am new on this board but an older-timer in China. Not quite as long as Roger, but longer than many.

I agree with one previous poster that there is no viable reason to put this issue "to bed". It is a very informative issue and should be discussed on the on-going merits. The quote from Seneca comes to mind, actually.

I exceedingly politely do not agree with Clark on some of his points. I would strenously encourage anyone considering a chain school in China to look elsewhere. There are numerous validated reports of teachers being stranded without pay (we have several in the University where I am now employed who were just tossed out on the street manu militarii and who were not paid for three months). I have this in many different parts of the country where I have worked, consistently. I would personally avoid any EnglishFirst, Aston, Canlix, etc., etc. Berlitz has survived the test of time, but honestly I know nothing of its operations in the PRC.

I am repeatedly made offers to work in chain schools at two-to-three times the salary that I am making now and always decline as the malodorous reputation of many precedes the offer.

Indeed, do do a search on this Board and you will be surprised at what you learn. An ounce of prevention, etc., etc.

All the best.


Hunan Foreign Guy