Chinese Students Are Looking Abroad
More Chinese students are studying abroad than ever before.
How does this affect us ESL teachers in China?
It gives us a golden opportunity for taking part in something great.
One of the major problems with the education system in China is that there are too many students and not enough schools. Currently, only about 25% of Chinese students who apply to university are accepted. That means there are a whole lot of very capable students who are not getting access to a higher education.
It is for this reason that students are beginning to look abroad for their university study. The number of Chinese students going abroad is increasing every year and I can’t see it slowing anytime in the near future. See what China Daily has to say about the increasing number of Chinese students going abroad (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-01/17/content_6399780.htm).
The number one tool a student needs for an education abroad is English speaking ability. So who is here in China teaching these students English? We are! We are nationals of the countries these students are flooding to see. We are the ones in BEST position to help these students realize a dream they have of a higher education.
Keep this idea in mind next time to step into your classroom, or next time a student asks you for extra help. You might just be on a vacation traveling in China, and teaching English is a good way to get by while doing so. However, to many of your students you might be a shining beacon of hope connecting them to better opportunities in life. Sorry, sometimes I’m a bit dramatic, but you get the message.