The world’s largest TEFL market can be found in China, where opportunities can be discovered right across this huge country, for boththe first time teacher and those with experience teaching abroad. There are so many varied positions available for TEFL teachers in China - from public schools to private language institutes, kindergartens to universities, business language schools to fun summer camps - there’s an English teaching job to suit everyone.
Whether you opt for a giant chain or an independent language school, your experience in China will very much depend on the exact branch you work at, what the DoS (Director of Studies) is like, and what level of quality and professionalism is required of the teachers.
Read on to find out more about the three main types of teaching jobs in China.
Public schools
Searching for a stable, Monday – Friday teaching job with a lot of holiday time in China? Teaching at a public school might be exactly what you’re looking for! While public schools in China aren’t the highest paying jobs for English teachers, they usually have other benefits.
TEFL teachers can expect set working hours on weekdays only, around 20 hours of teaching time per week and all school holidays off. Teaching semesters run from September to January and March to July. An offer to teach English at one of China’s public schools will also usually include flight reimbursement and either a free apartment or a housing allowance.
There are three age-group options for teaching at public schools in China:
- Elementary schools – (5 to 10 years of age)
- Middle schools – (11 to 13 years of age)
- High school – (14 to 18 years of age)
One of the best things about teaching at a public school as a newly qualified TEFL teacher is the set curriculum. Teachers are assigned their own TA (Teaching Assistant) which, along with pre-set coursework, makes teaching at a public school very easy for a new English teacher.
However, it’s worth keeping an eye on class size (some public schools have classes with up to 60 pupils!) and contract length. English teachers at public schools in China have been caught out by 10-month contracts in the past, which would mean your holidays aren’t paid.
Private Language Schools
The majority of ESL teaching done by foreign teachers is at private language schools. They predominantly teach children, and sometimes have teen or adult classes too.
The job might be geared more towards fun and games, with plenty of singing, dancing and craft, or you might be somewhere that provides professional lesson plans and materials and has structured goals for students.
Chinese students are great fun to teach. Young learners can have a cheeky or naughty streak, but they’re chatty, enthusiastic, hardworking, and competitive. Teens can be quiet and reserved, and in general, you’ll find that older students are less opinionated, preferring activities where there are right and wrong answers.
Private language schools are ultimately run as businesses rather than educational facilities. Class prices are high and only wealthy families can send their kids there. As such, they expect results. This is something you’ll discover if you try and give a student a negative grade or comment on their report – parents don’t pay thousands of RMB and expect this sort of service! If you’re dedicated to academic excellence, you’ll find plenty of challenges working in China, from fake grades to keep parents happy, to squeezing extra kids into overcapacity classes. It can be very hard to turn a blind eye to this sort of thing, but if you accept the experience for what it is, private teaching roles can be fulfilling, fun, and provide you with a firm grounding in your TEFL career.
Most full-time positions are for 20 – 28 teaching hours a week, with some office hours. Teachers will usually get good holidays and contract perks like bonuses, free flights and accommodation, but some weekend working hours and overtime might be expected.
Recruiters
Looking for a job in China but not sure where to start? Teachers approaching China for the first time may want to go with a well-known chain company, particularly if they have never worked as a teacher before. A large franchise that provides its teachers with plenty of lesson materials and support on the job will be a huge benefit if you’re new to the TEFL world. Franchise schools and language institutes also usually have a large teaching staff, meaning there will be plenty of other expats around as you settle into this strange new world of being an English teacher in China!
After a 12-month teaching position at one of the chain English-learning companies, you may decide to chase a higher-paying job. This might mean applying for a role at an international school if you have the relevant qualifications, or perhaps taking on a specialised role teaching young learners at a kindergarten or adults at a Business School.
Finding a teaching job in China can sometimes feel overwhelming. Type ‘TEFL jobs’ into Google and you’ll get millions of pages of results. This can make it difficult to know where to start when it comes to applying for jobs or contacting recruiters. To make things easier, we've listed a few of the most well-known recruitment agencies, schools and franchises which are popular with new TEFL teachers below:
- Berlitz requires a degree and TEFL qualification, as well as, preferably, some experience, especially in Business English. 18,000 – 25,000 RMB per month. Job contracts are for one or two years, working 40 hours a week.
- BFSU offer one-year job contracts teaching young learners in their English training centres in Beijing, Nanjing and Suzhou.
- Popular Chengdu Golden Apple Child Education Group runs more than 30 kindergartens in Chengdu. You need a degree and 2 years of postgraduate experience to land a job here, and further qualifications for their IB accredited kindergartens. 10,000 – 12,000 RMB per month plus a furnished apartment. 20 – 28 teaching hours a week, one-year contract.
- EF English First is a global education company, with over 300 schools in China across 60 cities. You will need a degree and TEFL qualification. Contracts are for one year, with the ability to extend. Many teachers decide to stay on and progress to Senior Teacher jobs within several years. Between 12,000 and 15,000 RMB per year, plus 8,000 RMB flight allowance, CDP such as a TKT qualification, and other benefits. Teaching predominantly young learners, some teen and adult classes depending on the branch. Lessons are often mornings and afternoons on the weekends, and from around lunchtime until 9 pm on your three working weekdays.
- Save yourself the trouble of trawling through job listings by approaching an agency. Gold Star Recruitment employs numerous teachers to send to China every year. Degree and TEFL preferred, experience is also useful, for positions of around 9,000 – 17,000 RMB per month.
- Shane English/Saxoncourt hires teachers for positions at dozens of schools across China, with salaries around 16,000 – 20,000 RMB per year.
If you want to find out more about the biggest recruiters in China and browse the latest TEFL jobs, visit TEFL jobs in China