About Teaching in China
"The Chinese nation is huge and hungry for the English language. For over two decades there has been a flow of native speakers from the West to teach at schools and academic institutions around the country. But the past few years have seen a remarkable explosion in the number of private language institutes and companies in China, something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. The emerging middle class in China aspires to send their children for private tuition just as in the capitalist countries of Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. So a great many opportunities are opening up in China and are being advertised abroad especially via the Internet." Susan Griffith reports in Teaching English in Asia.
Teach in China and you're on your way to gaining first-hand knowledge of one of the world's longest continuous civilizations. Centuries-old pagodas stand in stark contrast to towering skyscrapers, ancient traditions mingle with contemporary thought, and remnants of an old-fashioned lifestyle are juxtaposed to the most modern conveniences. Teaching English in China is much more than a trip overseas; it is a total immersion experience affording the opportunity for cross-cultural interaction and involvement in a local community, the opportunity to make friends in a new corner of the world, all the while contributing to the language and cultural education of your students.
Teaching English in China however will not make you rich. The average foreign English teacher's pay is about 4,500 to 6,000 RMB per month. The wage is high though by local standards. Many English teachers go to China to experience the culture, learn a little Chinese and feast on the endless variety of exotic foods. Food and taxes are next to nothing in China.
Salaries may be lower in smaller cities, but then again so will be the cost of living . Generally speaking, teaching English is a year-round business with no particular calendar or holidays. Even if schools employ teachers at the start of their academic year, teachers leave or additional positions are created, so job opportunities are available during the course of the year. It is true, however, that in China there is a particular demand for teachers to start in September or October.
So, sign up now, get TEFL certified and fly off to China!
