The place to ask China-related questions!
Beijing Shanghai Guangzhou Shenzhen Chengdu Xi'an Hangzhou Qingdao Dalian Suzhou Nanjing More Cities>>

Categories

Close
Welcome to eChinacities Answers! Please or register if you wish to join conversations or ask questions relating to life in China. For help, click here.
X

Verify email

Your verification code has been sent to:

Didn`t receive your code? Resend code

By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .

Sign up with Google Sign up with Facebook
Sign up with Email Already have an account? .
Posts: 4

Governor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

Q: Being a non-native speaker,it's hard to be a teacher regardless of how good your English is!

....well,many non-native speakers speak fluently without that heavy accent,so does it come down to pronunciation?as Americans,Britishers,Australians,kiwis and other natives don't pronounce all the words in the same manner,is not that factor ruled out as well?So the point is,besides human error,if I am just confident that i won't be having any grammatical errors in my English,what do i lack now?(I'm brown skinned),How do I get a good paying job?

11 years 12 weeks ago in  Teaching & Learning - China

 
Answers (13)
Comments (55)
Posts: 19790

Emperor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

Yes, that's true! At many Chinese Schools English level of Chinese teachers is very low. They are hardly able to judge grammar in your English. 

 

But, Chinese parents like to have white skin, blue eyed English teacher, with native English passport. 

 

It is more about look, than anything else.

 

I cannot advice you on your chances to get 'good paying job', because that is truly individual thing. You can read here, native English black teachers and native English Asian teachers have problems at getting jobs in China. 

 

Start replying to job offers you are interested in, and you will get feeling about how difficult is to get 'suitable position with good pay'. Almost all Chinese Schools require photo in your CV.

 

Why do you think, School wants to see photo of perspective employee before interview?  

 

 

 

saswot:

thanks for your answer.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
11 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 2381

Emperor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

But you do have grammar errors.

981977405:

Miss A,

 

Do you mean "errors in grammar" or "grammatical errors"?  "Grammar errors" is also incorrect.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

I'm far too hung over to give a shit.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Traveler:

"Grammar errors" sounds fine to me. That's the trouble with non-Australians - poor English skills.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

981977405:

You are the roughest talking dame on this board -- that is for sure.

 

And no - "grammar mistakes" is blatantly incorrect, Australianism or no Australianism.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

TedDBayer:

anything for a dig, now you can go wank

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

981977405:

sorry Ted but I will leave that privilege to you.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

saswot:

enlighten me,point out the errors!!!

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Traveler:

She's a rough talking sheila. Get it right. Told you non-Australians have poor English skills.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

There are actually no words to describe how little I care about what you think, numbers.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

981977405:

One of my Australian colleagues at work told me to never use the word "sheila" not even in Ozzie slang because it has overtones of a public lady.  So I don't use it at all.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

"Overtones of a public lady" - oh, please!

 

If you want to call me nasty names, just go right ahead and do it. 

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

981977405:

I was commenting upon the use of the word "sheila".  There was no reference to you intended, veiled or otherwise.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Ashita76:

nothing personal but, Australian English is really ugly and hard to understand for most foreigners,  British English or even American and Canadian english is much more easy to understand. Maybe because of Hollywood...

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

"Nothing personal" does not stop that comment being somewhat rude. I note you've failed to mention your own home country, would you like others to critique your voice based on a biased geographical interpretation?  

 

Some English accents are nice, some are awful; my Australian flatmate actually avoids my English flatmate in part because her voice is so annoying (think Essex...). 

 

Some American accents are nice, some are very annoying, also. 

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Ashita76:

well sorry if i hurt your sensitivity, but there is always a lot of ranting around when a non-native speaker is trying to work as an english teacher and people starts to act as dicks. Given that most chinese just need english to communicate, if the guy got a standard pronunciation, where is the problem?  Many asians actually understand better canadian and american accent than aussie or kiwi (is that english?) accent

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

Ashita, a lot of people (myself included) feel little sympathy when people put up a badly written question saying they're being discriminated against when in fact their written English suggests they are simply not that good. 

 

Now, as per your second point, I've said on here a number of times that I have a number of non-native colleagues who are excellent teacher, and that anyone who is equally good as a native speaker should be full opportunities. 

 

 

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

.... and of course language learners just want to communicate. That's what language is about!

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Ashita76:

Understand it perfectly, but it would be actually helpful if you explain your statement about the OP by highlighting his mistakes. I don't see any serious grammar mistakes but I am not native, so i might be wrong. It's his writing style, punctuation?

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

Ashita, I am not going to spend my holidays doing what I get paid to do through the whole year! 

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
11 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 3292

Emperor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

It is difficult for even a native speaker to be an effective teacher without proper training as a teacher, regardless of how good they believe they are. That really doesn't matter, because the teaching methods used by the Chinese for teaching English (Grammar Translation Method) were phased out in the west in the 1930s. English education in China is a farce, so you just do the best you can do. It makes little difference.

 

As for getting good paying jobs, it has all been said before. Most schools look for physical appearance, not teaching skills. In many instances, it is just the luck of the draw.

MissA:

This is a very good answer.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

saswot:

so true,racism prevails all around china!

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Traveler:

There is too much emphasis on racism. Other forms of discrimination are equally heinous, including sexism, ageism and disability discrimination. All of these are rampant in China, not just racism. If you happen to be an old African-American woman with one leg, you have no chance.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

981977405:

Traveler, perhaps you are not as attuned to things here at you would cause the average reader to believe.  I mean it, i.e.,

 

(1)  Age discrimination for foreign teachers.  Theoretically yes, in some provinces more so than others.  There are so many simple workarounds in place for this here -- and the commonest takes the form of what is called an "exclusionary request" to the local FEB or the provincial FEB.  If the school or the language center can justify employing "x" foreign teacher over a given age, then an exclusionary order usually issues -- up until the age of 65, and sometimes until the age of 67.

 

(2)  You wrote somewhere else that insurance is not available for older teachers.  Not so -- at the urging of SAFEA Beijing, a special insurance plan was brought into effect for older teachers through PICC (People's Insurance Company of China).  Some employers pick up the full cost per person (around RMB 2,500 per year); others pass half along to the employee.

 

(3) Discrimination based on national origin.  OK, this has been evolving and not favorably.  Before the financial crisis hit Europe and when it was still really difficult to staff all the positions in China with lily white faces,yes, indeed, ABC's and CBA's and Africans and the rest could find work in China.  Now with the hordes of Europe's under-25 employed showing up around here, they have made the rules more difficult.

 

Perhaps it suits your form of journalism to find everything wrong with China.  I don't know and really don't care.

 

Then again, the Washington Post recently carried an exceptionally negative article on Australia as the new site for international drug trading, the latest hot spots for the world's whores, hard-and-heavy living, etc., etc.  Go read it -- it was hardly eulogious.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Traveler:

For the majority of foreigners, these are not realistic options.

 

Do you have a link to the article about Australia?

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

Sounds fun. 

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Traveler:

Always exciting when there's a story about Australia in an overseas newspaper 

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

Makes my day every time. It was particularly fun when I lived in Scotland - I'd never have known what crazy antics the wild animals of Oz were up to without the BBC.

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse
11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

981977405:

No, you didn't find the right story.

 

The story actually was carried by Reuters, that famous little British organization (I think that you call them "pommies" downunder, don't you?).  Anyway, here's the reference and yes, it was picked up by the Washington Post, by Yahoo, and a host of other major international newspapers:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/sex-drugs-rock-roll-australias-other-boom-022542747.html

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Traveler:

And once again, totally off topic, and not even about China. But a mostly flattering article about Australia.

 

It describes our boom economy, the fact that we are a developed economy, that our dollar is stronger than the American dollar, that our wages are extraordinarily high, that more international rock bands and singers come to Australia than other countries, and that workers from all over the world are coming here to capitalise on our good fortune.

 

As far as the drugs you mentioned, your article mentioned the $246 million bust of drugs from China that I referred to, as well as 69,500 other drug busts ( the highest number of drug busts in a decade). That sounds like the police are getting on top of it.

 

Prostitution isn't really a problem, because it is legal in Australia. It also provides an essential service for the fly-in, fly-out workers (many from China) that work in isolated mining areas. Many of the sex workers are also from China. But again, perfectly legal.

 

I see a lot more positive about Australia in this article than negative. Thanks for sharing

11 years 12 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
11 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1968

Emperor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

To the OP, this is going to come down to the proverbial Chinese "rush-through-the-door" hiring season that occurs about the last week of February or the first week of September. At those points in time, Chines employers are looking for a body, almost any "body"  just to put in front of their children and in front of the parents who are paying money for the "laowai".

 

You grammar is not the best -- that is evident -- but then again you might just be required to teach "oral English" -- in which case a lack of concision in grammar wouldn't matter at all.

 

Finally, the third factor is going to be "passport" and the ability of the employer to deal with those issues and any other issues involving country of origin.

 

You need to search carefully, consider the different portals, etc., etc.

Report Abuse
11 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 263

Governor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

 Why does no one question the qualification of the local Chinese teachers? They're not native speakers either. Besides, most of them do not have a good command of English.

Hulk:

I miss you! cool Come back to us! cool

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

icnif77:

'meiyou' soliciting, here. Get a towel

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
11 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 827

Shifu

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

Over the past 2 years, and especially the last year, I have noticed many non-caucasian English teachers. I think the schools are attempting to cut costs.  I really don't know how much these people are paid but it seem to me that it would be easier to pay a lower salary to a person who is coming from a country with a lower standard of living than in China. Just a thought. I know many non-English caucasians in Canada who have better English skills than most. Even they would be hard pressed to find a well paying teaching job in China.

icnif77:

I don't think, 'cut cost' and 'lower salary' are the real cause for hiring Non-natives. Number of Native English teachers applying for job in China is low, IMHO.

300 M English students in China need 300 000 Native English teachers, if each FT teach 1000 students every month. Most Training centers have much less students per FT.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

mike695ca:

I do think some of it is cost cutting as well.  Mixed with the fact that attitudes are changing in China and starting to become just a little less racist.  When I first came to China it was super common to hear of parents getting pissed because their kids teacher was an African or from the Philipines. I remember co-workers getting really upset that their ( quite good) classes, werent being recognized at all because of how they look.

 

It seems that in the last few years, parents have calmed down a bit more about that and seem more willing to accept a non native teacher.  So you know these schools, If the parents can accept it, then hell yeah, why not save money?

 

Im not positive thats the reason, but it seems logical.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
10 years 13 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1

General

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

"It doesn't matter whether a cat is white or black, as long as it catches mice...

MissA:

Sorry man, I just went to give you a thumbs up and hit the down button instead... oops. 

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
10 years 13 weeks ago
 
Posts: 17

Governor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

nothing personal but, Australian English is really ugly and hard to understand for most foreigners,  British English or even American and Canadian english is much more easy to understand. Maybe because of Hollywood...

 

 

 

icnif77:

T.'s English was good, buTT....he was from Vanuatuangel.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Ashita76:

tt is who? Me dont understaing good...

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Hulk:

I have the worst hearing in the world, or something. I have no trouble understanding aussies, so as long as there isn't too much background noise.

 

Now, people from Scotland.... errr..... uh....

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

Hulk, some Scots are very easy to understand, some are very difficult. Women tend to be easier, for some reason. 

 

My mother in law grew up in one of the more understandable areas of Scotland and I never have any problems following her, even over a crappy skype line. My father in law grew up in Glasgow.... whole different story!

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

Ashita76:

Miss A, you are a native english speaker, of course to you every regional variation on your mother-tongue will be eventually understood..

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

MissA:

Actually, ashita, the end of my comment to hulk was that I often don't understand my father-in-law. Why on earth are you so hell-bent on trying to pick a fight with me?

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

icnif77:

I knew brothers from Glasgow in US. Younger one would always 'adjust' his talk, when he referred to me. I couldn't understand anything, he would say in 'Glassg twang'.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

mArtiAn:

  Och, yis a canny mare n'true. Na'er a Scottish wurd'll pas f'pipes a'blast, aboot lassy, urgle, burgle, wurgle, blugle, fnart, spinach.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

icnif77:

@Mars:  Does this talk come from 'Celtic' or 'Rangers' fan? They promised me, they'll take me to the Loch. I'll go to Fl and 'demand' to see the 'monster' immediately. @Ashita: 'If you can find poster with letter T on the beginning of his handle, you are there…….

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
10 years 13 weeks ago
 
Posts: 17

Governor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

so where are those "grammatical mistakes"? ...

mike695ca:

Perhaps it was the BritishERS part. That kinda stuck out for me.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
10 years 13 weeks ago
 
Posts: 4421

Emperor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

In China you have to be a qualified native English teaching fashion model! If you know what I mean by the term "fashion Model" then you know why 85% of none native speakers don't get high paying jobs, because you can't model while teaching to sell the idea to your customers that you are in fact a native speaker.

nicholasba:

well in 2008 i was an italo-american guy from NY, and in 2010 i came from a small town called dickville...and no one gave a xxxx about...cheers

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

icnif77:

@iron: 'Is '92000 Rmb yearly and free apartment' for 10 (60') hours per week high pay?'

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

mike695ca:

no, it doesnt matter how much you work. It cant be considered high pay.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

icnif77:

I agree. I came here off Dalian, with some 28h per week (3 different Schools&privates), and I was guessing, I can make 'tone' here with so low hours at my prime job.

BuTT, I was wrong! Area is Gov. subsidized, so none of the Schools hire part-time. Kindergartens or Language Schools are non-existent.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

ironman510:

@icnif77, It's OK, not too bad, it's kind of like a part salary in the U.S annually now with that new Obama care system.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

icnif77:

But, we're not in the US. I spent less than 1/3 of US salary for Mac G4 in 2003. Same machine costs one yearly salary here.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

mike695ca:

what? I was just in Dalian this week, I saw lots of training centers. Theres a Web on zhongshan road, they always take on part timers.

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse

icnif77:

Dalian = Past Tense

 

Xinjiang (ref. 'here') = Present Tense

 

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
10 years 13 weeks ago
 
Posts: 10

Governor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

how can any one in their sane mind call someone elses language ugly. There is your answer to where you were wrong with the grammar. You may be ugly but any language is sweet as long as you you can converse in it. ---even Swahili for that matter. 

mike695ca:

i dont know man, some languages definatly sound better or worse to me. Like for example, your hippy talk right now sounds kinda ugly

10 years 13 weeks ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
10 years 13 weeks ago
 
Posts: 10

Governor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

so it is subjective,  as you agreed.

Report Abuse
10 years 12 weeks ago
 
Posts: 10

Governor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

so it is subjective,  as you agreed.

Report Abuse
10 years 12 weeks ago
 
Know the answer ?
Please or register to post answer.

Report Abuse

Security Code: * Enter the text diplayed in the box below
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <img> <br> <p> <u>
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Textual smileys will be replaced with graphical ones.

More information about formatting options

Forward Question

Answer of the DayMORE >>
A:  "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "S
A: "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "Shenzhen agent can connect you with an employer, who's authorized to hire waigouren ... and can sponsor Z visa." It's not like every 10th person you meet in Shenzhen's hood can sponsor work visa ...  The only way to change from student to labourer visa is just a regular way by: 1. Finding an employer, who'll apply for an Invitation letter; 2. Exit China and apply for Z visa in your home country's Chinese embassy; 3. Enter China in 30-days after Z visa was stamped into your travelling instrument ...As I am aware, you won't be able to switch to Working permit by remaining in China....,so make ready for a return to your home .... -- icnif77