This simple activity is great for the first day of class and can be adapted to many different lessons by changing what the students are saying about each other. Put the students in groups of two (some boy-girl combos usually make for a few laughs along the way). Explain that each student must introduce his [...]
In China, the term, “school”, can refer to a kaleidoscope of educational institutions, from nurseries to universities, from government-funded establishments to those paid for privately. This article looks specifically at the differences between public and private schools. Here’s a primary one: money. With few exceptions, you’ll get more of it at a private school. Public [...]
Recruitment agency or direct applications? Seems easy initially: why wrestle with multiple schools when you can send one CV, then sit back and play video games while a recruiter finds you a job? Well, don’t break out the Nintendo just yet. Using an agency can save you hassle, but there are drawbacks. You become just [...]
Start investigating the paperwork required to teach in China, and you’ll quickly find yourself paddling in an Alphabet Soup of bureacracy. Should your visa be X, F, Z or L? Do you need your FEC before or after getting your visa? At what point do you encounter the PSB? In theory, the procedure is this: [...]
So you’ve got the job. You’ve signed the contract, unpacked your case, and now you’re standing outside the classroom door. You are an officially designated Foreign Expert, and up to 50 souls are sitting inside, waiting for you to bestow your wisdom upon them. What the hell do you do? Firstly, if you’re just asking [...]
Landing in China without a job teaching English: calculated risk, or foolhardy gamble? Depends who you ask – some people get a job with little difficulty, while others spend weeks traipsing round schools with no luck. It might help to know that the people in the former group are almost certainly those who did their [...]