Job Discussion Forums

[milarka]

Hi everybody
A friend of mine is looking to teach in China. I heard some rumours that you don't need a degree to teach there. Can anybody guide me to a site where they advertise these kind of jobs? She is a native speaker, but South African, and would really just like to get out of her current job. A good salary is thus not the most important thing. Also, if you don't have a degree, do you need some kind of TESL training?
Thanks a lot, anything would help. I am currently teaching in Korea and don't know much about the situation in China.

[latefordinner]

milarka, I'm gong to assume here that you aren't trolling. (Gods, please be forgiving if I'm wrong)

There is a world of difference between what you think you can get away with and what you think you can accomplish. I would go so far as to say that there are 2 kinds of people; those who want to do something, and those who only want to get away with something. Your mileage may well vary of course, but for me that's one of life's primary watersheds.
Hey, I've got this friend here at the old bar and grill who's pretty quick on what he thinks is right or wrong (after he's had a few), but doesn't have a law degree or even a BA; can he set himself up and hang his shingle as a lawyer? Hey with enough money we can go to Texas and get him made a judge. Well, do you want him responsible for your affairs if things ever turn south for you?
Hey, I've got this other friend, he thinks that blood is red, but can't keep this A, B, O business straight. Never finished secondary school let alone pre-med, but wants to hang his shingle and practice medicine. Do you want him to be your surgeon?
Hey, I've got this friend who's never been to uni, never earned a genuine teaching degree , not a CELTA nor even a quick and dirty TESOL. Do you want him teaching your kid a foreign language? Moreover, do you want him at a uni, where this untrained fool's impulses and uninformed opinions partially determine the academic and career paths that determine who eventually graduates to become the doctor or engineer or lawyer or political leader your own welfare depends upon?

Make no mistake; the fragile and overstretched educational quasi-system in China has suffered enough from unqualifed hacks, snake-oil salesmen, charlatans, flakes, pederasts and substance abusers. A significant few of them have even been foreigners like ourselves. Why throw another wrench into the already discombobulated machinery? And if your friend really wants to learn the trade, to become a responsible and contributing member of an under-apreciated and generally misjudged semi-profession, why encourage him/her to come to such a muddled kingdom as this without any training to fall back on? Read Sheeba's excellent thread and give some thought to how difficult it is for those of us who are really trying our best. Why throw such a lamb into such a wolves' den, if you really care?

[Calories]

blah, blah, blah. Now it's time for the short answer. YES! Just get a TEFL certificate before going. Obviously, if this is something your friend wants to do for more than a year or two, a degree is a good idea.

[milarka]

Thanks Calories
To that other person: I didn't really ask whether you want my friend to go and teach, no did I? Please don't insult people you don't know anything about. If you grow up in the slums of a third-world country, it doesn't matter how hard-working you are or how good a person you are, getting a degree is a dream, and just that.

[tw]

This question has been asked SO many times, there ought to be a sticky for it since many people don't bother with the search function, or don't know how to use it.

This is the most recent thread regarding the topic: www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=42029

[milarka]

Thanks!

[Steppenwolf]

[milarka]

[englishgibson]

[sheeba]

latefordinner is spot on . . I wouldn't advise any untrained friend of mine to ccome here no matter how bad his circumstances. You could at least suggest somewhere where she'll keep her head above water . I came here with a CELTA and that is nowhere near enough to help me effectively teach here . I'm currently upgrading my qualifications as it is necessary in my opinion especially when surrounded with minimal help .

The OP insults real teachers to some extent . So your friend's life isn't so good he has to resort to teaching in China . Like this is the place where we all flee when we have nothing to turn to .She just wants to get out of her current job so hey why not flee to China and life will sort itself out . Yeah right

[Shan-Shan]

[englishgibson]

Yes, but can those ones you're talking about up there deal with CHINESE ORAL ENGLISH and their EXPECTATIONS

[GS1981]

milarka: I think the 'jobs' where you don't need teaching experience may well be the TEFL courses that are available. There are a fair few of these available, usually in larger cities, but they usually require a large investment to start with to pay for the course, although some do provide re-imbursement for teaching hours, and most offer some sort of support/ job opportunity on completion.

I do know people who have gone out and taught without experience, but this has been with a company which provided some training beforehand, and not in China. It used to be a lot easier to go out with no qualifications and get a job, but as the countries which offer these jobs develop, they are introducing stricter controls on who can teach where.

TBH I would say you need the TEFL qualification at least to have a decent chance of getting a job anywhere now, how you obtain that is up to you (there are a variety of courses available for obtaining a certificate), believe me, teaching is not as easy as a lot of people make out, and there are a lot of things you need to be aware of when you go into the classroom. And even when you finish the course, you will still be learning from your colleagues: every job I've done, I've learnt someting new, sometimes do's, sometimes don'ts, and it all helps!

[sheeba]

[/quote]I'm curious to know how a CELTA proved inadequate for simply doing what the course is designed for -- teaching English. TESL isn't a mind-bender. Having some training, ability to use English, imagination, and interest in reading work in TESL research after training has been completed ought to be enough for a teacher.

[sheeba]