Becoming An English Teacher in China

We know that English is our universal language. The English language is considered as a ligament that holds different people from different countries together. It has become the common language that connects us to the world.

Gone are the days when people are afraid to go to a foreign land because of the language barrier. If you travel to a foreign country, the first concern that you wanted to address is the language barrier. The fear of not being understood by the locals, the fear of being alienated because of the absence of common understanding.

The issue of the language barrier is a thing of the past. Today, more and more people focus their attention on learning how to speak and understand the English language. People of all ages go the extra mile to take English lessons with the help of certified English teachers.

In the past, people learn English only inside the four walls of a classroom. English students are only able to get formal lessons if they enroll in an English class. The English language also became a regular subject that students need to take. With the continuous innovations and breakthroughs in technology, and in the field of teaching, you can learn English in the comforts of your home.

Learning English became a huge part of a student’s or a person’s life. Let us take China as an example. Before, there were limitations when it comes to learning this language. If Chinese people wanted to enhance their English speaking abilities, they have to enroll in a school that offers English lesson classes. They go through the theories behind the language. It was focused more on the technical aspect of the English Language.

Teachers and students will go through a theoretic learning and teaching approach. English teachers would discuss the rules in grammar and vocabulary usage. This was a good approach as it reinforces the basics in the English Language. It focused on the structure and how to properly use the language.

The only downside to this approach is that it became too technical, which eventually veered away from the main point of enhancing a person’s ability to fluently use the English language through the actual conversation. It lacks the opportunity to use and practice the English through a two-way communication process. The lack of teachers who can facilitate the actual spoken English process paved the way for English teaching jobs in China.

Today, there are a lot of traditional and online English schools in China who look or qualified English Teachers, who can effectively and efficiently facilitate an oral English class.

If you are an aspiring teacher, or if teaching is your passion, and you have the necessary skills to teach English, then why not consider getting a teaching job in China? Yes, you heard me right. You can teach in China or even be able to teach remotely. Before you prepare your resume and write your cover letter for an English teaching job in China, think about these things first.

First, to be an effective English Teacher, you should be able to function not just as an English Language Teacher, but a facilitator, mentor, and a language coach.

Second, do you have the appropriate English language skills? Do you have a degree in teaching, or at least finished a Bachelor’s Degree? What is your spoken English level?

Third, can you communicate effectively in English? Are you able to clearly and confidently communicate using the English language?

These are just the basic questions that you need to consider before jumping on the English teaching bandwagon.

Are you interested? Who won’t be, right?! Just imagine how you can influence and help improve a Chinese student’s spoken English abilities. You might be thinking, how will you get a teaching job in China? There are a lot of ways on how to get an English teaching job in China.

There are ways on how to find an English teaching job in China. You can either work remotely or work physically in China. Some agencies and schools are always in need of English teachers, the question is, are you ready to take the big responsibility, and willing to face the challenges associated with teaching?

There are certain aspects that you need to consider before you make the final decision in taking a teaching job.

First, you need to choose whether you will teach physically or remotely. If you want to work in China as an English teacher, you need to check on the schools that are in need of English Teachers. Some schools in China are in need of English Teachers who can teach physically in their schools. If you have the necessary credentials and a passport, then you can apply directly to the school, or through an agency. The application for the visa will be dependent if you got hired.

If you want to teach remotely, either in the comforts of your home, or an on-site English teacher, then you need to check on the different Chinese online English schools. The demand for online English teachers is massive thus there are bigger chances of getting an online teaching job immediately.

Second, when you decide to work as an English teacher, are you willing to devote your time and effort to improve your teaching skills? Keep in mind that teaching is not just a job, it is a profession. Many tried, but failed primarily because they found teaching as a tedious task. You will spend time in studying and understanding the subject matter so that you can teach the material effectively. Also, you need to have the ounce of patience while teaching, and when providing feedback to your students. Your students will not improve in a span of one week, or one month. It will take months for you to notice the improvement of your student.

These are just two of the many things that you need to consider when deciding to be an English teacher in China. Remember that as a teacher you just do not teach, but you make an impact on the lives of your students.