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Steve_McQueen
Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Posts: 37
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 5:21 am Post subject: University teaching while studying Chinese |
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Hi everyone,
I will be making the move to China in September 2011 and wanted to post this question to those of you who have taught at Chinese universities.
My plan is to get a full-time uni gig and study Chinese at least part-time/maybe full-time at the same university. Is this possible? Or is it better to take Chinese language classes at a different university in the same area?
Do you think the FAO would have any problems with FTs learning Chinese and taking classes at the university?
Any comments would be much appreciated
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keeperofpythons
Joined: 28 Jan 2010 Posts: 152 Location: zhu san jiao
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 5:33 am Post subject: |
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I know for a fact that the majority of the English teachers at Shanxi (山西) University do just this. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:10 am Post subject: |
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Ditto for some Dalian Maritime teachers - not cheap though I recall. |
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MisterButtkins
Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Posts: 1221
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:54 am Post subject: |
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I met some foreigners who work at a private school and they can get language classes as part of their contract. Now I know a lot of schools say this, but apparently they were getting private tutoring (as in one on one with a professional teacher) for 5-10 hours a week. I was impressed with their Chinese skills. |
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Priesty
Joined: 08 Feb 2011 Posts: 11
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Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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I currently have a job lined up at a public university and it is written in the contract that I get a free 4 hours of Chinese classes a week. Actually most of the universities I applied to work at offered the same thing. I also always made a point of asking, because learning to write and speak Chinese is one of the main reasons I've decided to teach in China.
So I'm pretty sure you shouldn't have a problem lining up free Chinese classes, if your working at a public or private university. |
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ooragnakkangaroo
Joined: 28 Jan 2011 Posts: 33
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:12 am Post subject: |
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Please read the rules and regulations online regarding student visas and employment. You are not entitled to work, receive pay, etc. while attending a training program on a student visa. |
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The Ever-changing Cleric

Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:11 am Post subject: |
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ooragnakkangaroo wrote: |
Please read the rules and regulations online regarding student visas and employment. You are not entitled to work, receive pay, etc. while attending a training program on a student visa. |
Read again. Steve Mcqueen plans to work full time and study on the side, not the other way around.
Steve_McQueen wrote: |
My plan is to get a full-time uni gig and study Chinese at least part-time/maybe full-time at the same university. Is this possible? Or is it better to take Chinese language classes at a different university in the same area? |
Steve_McQueen wrote: |
Do you think the FAO would have any problems with FTs learning Chinese and taking classes at the university? |
You can easily find a teacher at your university to teach you, for a fee or maybe even for nothing, or you can find students to help you. |
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clownshow

Joined: 19 Dec 2010 Posts: 181
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:18 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Please read the rules and regulations online regarding student visas and employment. You are not entitled to work, receive pay, etc. while attending a training program on a student visa. |
I understand from my Chinese partner university that if employed on the campus where the student is attending Chinese language classes a certain number of work study is allowed, much like US colleges. |
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Steve_McQueen
Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Posts: 37
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Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:08 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for all of the posts guys
Yeah I'm either looking to study full-time or part-time.
Has anyone or does anyone know someone that has studied full-time (20 hours of Chinese classes / week) and worked full-time (let's say teaching 16-18 hours / week)? I believe this is doable, but at the same time it will take a serious commitment to do both.
Also, if anyone knows, how do teachers currently teaching/studying schedule their course load?
Here's a site that I found that has a pretty comprehensive list of affordable Chinese language programs:
http://www.cucas.edu.cn/HomePage/2010-05-26/page_764.shtml |
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Steve_McQueen
Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Posts: 37
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Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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UPDATE:
I'll be teaching at a uni in China this September. During my interview I specifically requested to be enrolled in the uni's Chinese language program for foreign students. I also asked if there would be a charge for the classes. The FAO rep checked with her boss who confirmed that I could sit-in the classes for free. They're also willing to set me up with some private tutors at a reasonable cost.
When I get to the uni, I'll let you all know how things are set up. I'll also write about the difficulties/challenges of teaching a full course load while studying Chinese full time. |
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sainthood
Joined: 15 Nov 2010 Posts: 175 Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
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Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:13 am Post subject: |
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I was going to mention that before your update.
I've found (at my 3rd tier uni I pretend to work in), that it's pretty normal for people to want to just come and sit in class from time to time to learn.
Now, whether the teacher is willing to give you some form of assessment - or if you can get a piece of paper at the end of it - that's a completely different matter!!! I'd suggest, the teacher maybe willing to do an 'assessment' to give you an idea of where you're at, but I'd you'd have to do some nice diddling of finances (and red envelopes, or nice dining-sprees, etc) to get anything beyond that. |
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Steve_McQueen
Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Posts: 37
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 4:11 am Post subject: |
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Sainthood, thanks for the info.
I was thinking about that as well. Ultimately I need to achieve a certain score (I think 6) on the HSK, so as long as I can take the classes and pass the HSK levels, I should be good. But I still want the college credits, let's see if I can build up some guanxi with the Chinese language dept. staff  |
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therock

Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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The problem with this kind of set up is that you're employed as a teacher and the school will expect your teaching duties to be number one priority. You're going to miss a lot of Chinese classes due to teaching at the same time. When they said "you can sit in the classes" they mean you can attend when you're not teaching. But they're not going to bend over backwards to allow you to attend. I'd say your chances of getting the perfect no clashes schedule are slim.
If your uni is located in a 2nd or 3rd tier city, then they might be more accomodating in regards to scheduling. As for studying part-time, you can forget about that, the classes at unis are designed for full time students, attending occassionally means you'll be missing quite a lot and fall behind quickly. Your best bet is to ask the uni for a tutor who can teach you in your spare time. |
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TexasHighway
Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 779
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:37 am Post subject: |
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My advice is to skip the Chinese classes and find a Chinese girfriend (or boyfriend) to teach you for nothing. I first came to China as a full-time student long before my teaching career began. I made far more progress outside of the classroom than inside (in my language skills, that is). My classroom exprience consisted of reading the Liberation Daily newspaper, addressing everyone is comrade (tong zhi) while reciting boring dialogues, and suffering through my Japanese classmates horrible mispronuncations of Chinese words. That was back in 1989 so I am not sure if language instruction has improved any since then. |
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xjgirl
Joined: 02 Feb 2010 Posts: 242
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 4:19 am Post subject: |
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working a teaching job while studying chinese from beginner to hsk 6 level
considering the work will drain your mental energy, 90 minutes of intense study a day is about your limit
so i'd reckon u will need 3 years to achieve your goal unless u have a natural ability for language
hsk 6 is pretty much fluent in all facets of the language |
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