China Faces English Teacher Shortage

Steven Schwankert | Apr 28, 2015 5:37 pm | 10 comments | 14736 reads

You couldn't tell by hanging out at Cafe de la Poste, but China is now facing an English teacher shortage.

With at least 4,000 native-speaking English teachers needed nationwide for 2015-16, and foreigners wanting to come to China increasingly insistent about remaining in their own industries, fewer candidates to fill those positions are available.

"Chen Lin, who is responsible for recruiting foreign teachers at the Fujian branch of the state-owned China Services International, said many of the foreigners seeking jobs in China are looking for positions related to their qualifications or previous working backgrounds, rather than teaching work. Most expat teachers in China teach languages, [regardless] of past experience," reported ECNS.

This lack of interest, combined with almost draconian regulations released in 2014 that require five years of experience plus teaching certification in the language or languages they wish to instruct has put a squeeze on demand.

"A more effective approach would be for schools in China to establish ties with teachers associations in other countries, which would increase the probability of finding good, experienced foreign teachers," Chen told ECNS.

You can always try our Classifieds section.

Photo: Etramping

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britomart's picture britomart Submitted by Guest on Mon, 06/06/2016 - 16:27

conno ralfson wrote:

I'm a (soon to be) 21 year old student studying Journalism in the North East in the UK, currently in my 2nd year of a 3 year course. Im looking to teach in China for part of the summer, with the time and money left over being spent on traveling (though thats a different subject)

However, id only be looking for a month or two around June/July/August Is this ridiculously naive or is this possible? I know pay isnt amazing, but I'd be looking for a mixture of payed flights, payed wage and/or accommodation.

It's been a while since I've been in the teaching scene here, but I believe paid flights are not really part of a summer teaching package. Wages and accommodation might be.

Though are you sure teaching English is really your thing? Just... it's not spelled "payed".

Doubt wisely; in strange way / To stand inquiring right is not to stray; / To sleep, or run wrong, is. (Donne, Satire III)

britomart's picture britomart Submitted by Guest on Mon, 06/06/2016 - 16:22

TheShadowBroker wrote:
Thank you for the detailed write up. I am starting a position in Shenzhen for a year. If they dont provide a proper apartment, what can be done? What are the consequences if I just walk?

Since your visa is tied to your employer, just walking out on a contract can be really difficult; if you leave on bad terms with the employer, it's likely you won't get the document from the school stating that you've ended your employment with them; without that document, it's tricky to get a work visa from another employer in China.

Handling these things is very tricky; it requires a great deal of patience and absolute self-control. If you lose it and get angry, then face is involved--their face. They can't give in to displays of anger, not to you, the new foreign teacher. You are not yet part of the community there, and so there is not much motivation to treat you well, unless you happen to have somebody handling your affairs that is just a very upright, moral-type person. Not always the case in schools hiring foreigners, since unfortunately the motivation for hiring foreigners is to make money--and if that's the primary motivation, you'll find some pretty sleazy people involved in making hiring/firing decisions.

One thing to try, if they don't fulfill the terms of the contract, such as failing to pay your salary or provide something that was promised in the contract, is to show up for work, very friendly and nice -- but don't go to teach when it's time for class. Just sit in the office. When someone comes to ask you about why you're not in the class, you simply smile and say, "No salary/apartment -- no teaching" (and have your contract handy to show them). You'll at first be dealing with the lower-level employees, who will try to convince you that you should be understanding or "you see in China...", but if you continue to be patient -- and SMILE as you restate your position -- you'll eventually get to talk to someone higher up the totem pole, who may actually have the authority to do something about the matter. Don't waste any energy getting mad at the low-level people who will be the ones taking care of you; they have no authority to make any changes, and making them dislike you will not help your case. Be super friendly to them, simply explaining that your contract states "salary/apartment/etc in exchange for teaching -- and if you can't give me what was promised, then I can't give you the service I promised." I call it the "Chinese wall" method -- a wall isn't pushed around, a wall doesn't get mad... It just IS. Just be that wall -- unmoved, never angry, just there.

The key is remaining absolutely friendly at all times; do not ever let your temper take over. The moment you get mad and stomp out, they've won. If you've said your piece, then just sit quietly, smile, and see what a bit of awkward silence will do.

Doubt wisely; in strange way / To stand inquiring right is not to stray; / To sleep, or run wrong, is. (Donne, Satire III)

Steven Schwankert's picture Steven Schwankert Submitted by Guest on Wed, 04/29/2015 - 08:54

Godfather,

I'm fairly familiar with what a native English speaker is. I'm not the one hiring. Considering the number of, for example, Dutch friends I have whose English is equal or superior to mine, I'd hire them in a second. But in a country where images of identity are rigid and qualifications are most determined by pieces of paper, including passports and birth certificates, that won't be a solution to the problem for a while.

TommyG's picture TommyG Submitted by Guest on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 21:51

How about stop dicking around with the internet, for one thing? You want people to come to the other side of the planet, away from everyone they love and everything they are familiar with, and you can't even let them use Facebook? Is your government so fragile that it's going to be toppled by pictures of kittens and the latest amateur assessments of Hillary Clinton's election chances? Not to mention the fact that the air is giving us all cancer, the water needs boiled, the onions are full of cesium, you can't buy shoes or clothes here in sizes that fit a man with some actual height and mass, etc. I can't speak for other countries, but it's such a poor experience in the U.S., being a teacher, that less than five percent of University students have aspirations of becoming one...let alone putting up with the extra burdens inherent in working in China. Knock off the B.A. requirement - it doesn't add to or take away from a person's ability to work the pre-determined curriculum you all have in place, already, and the majority of B.A. holders are recent college grads just here doing a year and then moving on. Clean up the pollution, make visas easier, you know, actually get proactive about attracting talent that will stay, long-term.....

OurGodfather's picture OurGodfather Submitted by Guest on Tue, 04/28/2015 - 19:53

Read the lines of this article very carefully; the writer probably doesn’t know what Chinese schools mean by “Native English Speaker” it simply means anyone with white skin and blond hair. -----

Give non-native English speakers a chance; Are you kidding or what? Count how many schools that have the native English speakers and count how many that have Russians, Ukrainians, and Siberians etc then you decide if enough chance is been given or not

Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself.

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