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Posts: 4421

Emperor

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Q: New, Stricter Policies for English Teachers Coming Soon, AGAIN!?

The state administration of foreign experts' affairs is set to release a set of guidelines designed to ensure that unqualified foreigners are not employed in schools and educational establishments. The old criteria no longer applies. China is now demanding better qualified, more competent English teachers, and by the end of the month the nation's top regulator of expat employment is expected to further raise the bar by implementing a tough application policy.

"Expats who want a job as an English teacher will have to obtain a teaching certificate in China, just as Chinese teachers do," said Qiu Xusheng, a senior official with the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

The new policy has been designed to meet the ever-rising demand for high-quality foreign experts, Qiu said. Although he declined to reveal further details of the upcoming regulations, he said regulators at the provincial and municipal levels will be required to fully implement the new policy.

"Once we confirm that people have been hired illegally, we will report the facts to the relevant administrative departments, such as the public security department," he added. So this means there's going to be training and a test in the near future?

7 years 40 weeks ago in  Visa & Legalities - China

 
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Shifu

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nothing has changed , all non-native English speaking teachers still can extend their work visas and no problem Smile

ironman510:

Yes we can of course for NOW, because the semester is over or coming to an end, so it's next year that we have to be ready and prepare for a test that might never come.

7 years 39 weeks ago
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7 years 39 weeks ago
 
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Governor

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Maybe they'll let go of the native requirement for a test requirement ?

I mean they obviously still want experience and fluent english but if there's a test now can't they determine non-natives to still be good teachers ? 

Careful here i'm not saying they'll be more laxist, simply that they might wish to change from an “american etc ... only” to a “qualified people only” set of mind. For after all your teaching ability in languages does not come from nativity but study and understanding.

ironman510:

I see your point. I only hope they start it soon, so we can study, prepare and get it over with.

7 years 40 weeks ago
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RandomGuy:

The native requirement exists because the government is very well aware that Chinese HRs' English is not good enough to accurately identify fluent speakers and Chinese English teachers' English is... well, how to put it? Crappy at best.

 

The passport-based identification of a native speaker is complete bullshit too, knew a guy from Quebec, French speaker, god-awful English, who was considered native since he has a Canadian passport.

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Governor

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 It's hard to say, but it looks like they might introduce an exam for ALL foreign  ESL instructors in China. If so, I would be glad to get it done and over with. It's at least some kind of an attempt to regulate the market, and I'm sure the government  will enjoy the cash flow. 

@ Ironmen: Me too. In all honesty, all this commotion over the course of previous moths changed nothing, at least for me - I could renew my contract easily and I could've switched to other Uni, if I wanted. However, it this means we are going "fully legal", so to speak, it will end ambiguity concerning non-native ESL instructors and increase mobility within China. I'm getting tired of Dongbei, dammit, I want to live in Xiamen.

ironman510:

And I hope after we study, prepare and pass that exam than that's the end of the madness for awhile and we can use that certificate for changing jobs and less stressful at the same time.

7 years 40 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

And what is your opinion of those of use who already have internationally recognised teaching qualifications? Do we also have to do a stupid test by people who don't even know the language well enough,a nd use out-dated teaching methods?

 

It's a ridiculous ploy to get more money, and to blame the foreigner for everything!

 

The Simple way to fix the problem is to a) only allow those with good, relevant qualifications, and b) show evidence of English ability (either having studied at university using English, or an IELTS/TOEFL/PET piece of paper at the appropriate level. (however, China can't do this, cos it would lose face by admitting it has to use a NON-Chiense test of English - oh-noes!!!)

7 years 39 weeks ago
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7 years 40 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1142

Shifu

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If it's like any other certification in China, we all know it is just a question of bribes and guanxi anyway.

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7 years 40 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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Typical f**king nonsense. Why not come straight out with the new regulations in a press release? Why not post the new regulations on expat websites and FEB websites? No... That would be too f**king sensible and straightforward. Instead do a vague press release to a newspaper that gives clues as to what might happen with absolutely no details.

 

Well done FEB. Making things as opaque as possible. I'd contact the FEB except no one speaks English there and no one has a clue what is happening. Too busy sleeping on their keyboards or playing Candy Crush Saga.

ironman510:

The best thing they can do is kick us all out and start over again. And require Phd for any ESL job. Problem solved.

7 years 40 weeks ago
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7 years 40 weeks ago
 
Posts: 402

Shifu

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Just more government BS, more regulations, more bribes to pay and more guanxi to have, but it keeps the government employees occupied a little while longer to think of more changes. Soon no one will want to teach or work in China. The Chinese test for English is a joke as any Chinese teacher can tell you.

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Governor

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so new teachers will have to come on a tourist visa to sit the exam. Then go home and apply for a z visa. That is not going to work is it?

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Shifu

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will they have a different tests for different age groups?if you teach 2-3 year old children what will that test be like?

or is it one test for all teachers?

Shining_brow:

Dude! You're thinking!!! Stop it!

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Posts: 1198

Shifu

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so the test will be: count to 3?

Clearly the chinese english teachers cant do more either.

 

If they require a test, there will be very very few new english teachers. Not because the test is hard, just because all the hussle not worth to teach in a shithole

ironman510:

So, back to Korea we go? haha. Joke..

7 years 40 weeks ago
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seansarto:

I up voted this...but it registered "down"...it isn't worth it and seems to becoming worth less and less  as the chinese stubbornly advocate towards war with the known world of freedoms, integrity and sound reason

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Emperor

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There are probably millions of Chinese (particularly men without girlfriends) who get off venting frustration at expat teachers. If they spot anything against the rules, some launch a petty little crusade, continually informing authorities.

Authorities get a clear message that angry citizens wants some form of satisfaction by seeing their targets punished. To accommodate them, nationwide "stricter measures" are continually announced. Of course they are only rarely enforced, due to bureacratic inefficiency and "corruption".

It's not nearly as direct a consequence as the Red Guard wannabe would have liked, but the measures need to simultaneously achieve the following two goals:
1) Give the informant a sense of vindication, having been in the right, so that his crusade is brought to an acceptable conclusion. Any sort of rejection might cause more resentment of the government.
2) Give the informant the feeling that his efforts, although successful, were not worthwhile, nor did they achieve his desired result. It should hopefully prevent him from bothering the gov't with more of his little crusades against people.

I think the system employed by the government fits the situation perfectly, and caters to the needs of everybody as best as possible.

ironman510:

You are right. My American coworker friend one day was in the GYM working out with his Chinese GF just like normal people do, and out of no where a Chinese man attacked him from behind and it was because he said foreigners steal their girls. Yes of course his GF was very beautiful.. So we came to help because we live next to the GYM & I have a car and we drove him to the hospital the next day the police brought the man back to the police station because his Chinese Hukuo file information from his GYM membership was on record there and he was forced to pay for the injuries and fines, but no jail time. So yeah guys don't like us here.

7 years 40 weeks ago
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ironman510:

BTW, I totally agree with your points. Thanks for sharing.

7 years 40 weeks ago
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coineineagh:

Heh. No witnesses wanted to come forward to identify him, but his gym membership couldn't stay silent. I love it. The Chinese tried to give the assailant "racial pride" discount, but he still had to pay some idiot tax. Too bad he wasn't sent to jail for assault. TIC.

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Any links/articles to support your statements?

ironman510:

Yes Detective Spoon, add this wechat news provider ID: GuideinChina
Than look for last Wednesday, posted at 7:12. Good luck with the case sir.

7 years 39 weeks ago
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Posts: 352

Shifu

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nothing has changed , all non-native English speaking teachers still can extend their work visas and no problem Smile

ironman510:

Yes we can of course for NOW, because the semester is over or coming to an end, so it's next year that we have to be ready and prepare for a test that might never come.

7 years 39 weeks ago
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Posts: 759

Shifu

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My boss recently informed me that in order for my residence permit to be renewed, my uni degree will need to be "legalized". I had to do quite a bit of research to find out what that entails. As far as I know, there are 3 types of legalization/validation/etc.   A document being notarized,  apostilled, or certified.  A website specific to China said specifically that the document will need to be certified.  Lastly, the secretary of your particular state (assuming the person is from the states) will have helpful info and services as well. 

ironman510:

You still need the chinese embassy sticker after everything is signed by the State or Uni

7 years 39 weeks ago
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silverbutton1:

@iron. ok, good to know.

7 years 39 weeks ago
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ironman510:

BTW, can you tell us when you are teaching in China. It would help us all to know the cities that are asking for this new requirement. Thanks.

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Emperor

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Dear foreigner,

 

Your Bachelor/Master/PhD degrees in Education are meaningless to us, because you didn't get them at a Chinese university. Your CELTA/DELTA/Trinity College etc ESL teaching qualifications are meaningless, because you didn't get them at a Chinese university.

 

We Chinese know English MUCH better than you native speakers, and we know how to teach MUCH better than you ever can. Cambridge University and Trinity College actually rates very low on the (our) university ranking scales. (Harvard and MIT only just scrape into the top 13,000 list!!)

 

Our 2-week China TEFL course in Beijing will give you all the skills you need to be able to teach Chinese students good English to pass tests.

 

Our test of English teaching - given to all our great Chinese teachers of language - is much much better than your silly practicums to real students. Our Laozi and Confucius know much more about teaching than your Krashen or Swain.

 

Our senior party member in SAFEA went to Hong Kong once, so we know his English is better than yours. (He even had a conversation with a waitress for more than 1 minute, and ordered his own food!).

 

And, every one of our university students ALL speak good English! It is a requirement before finishing university - and we have tested them with CET...

 

NO other country has such good English tests and speakers and teachers.

 

So, you foreigners should stop complaining and be happy to be here to learn from us!

 

Signed,

 

SAFEA

 

 

(sorry, I couldn't be arsed dumbing it down into Chinglish.... my brain would explode. Feel free to give the real version)

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