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Teaching English in Asia |OT| We're back!

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Shouta

Shouta

Member
The old thread was made in 2007 and had a lot of old information that wasn’t particularly useful. This will be an updated thread with more relevant info. However, I’m not exactly up to date as I’ve been out of JET for 2 years now. I also only really know about Japan, so information on China and Korea would gladly be welcomed. Additionally information for Japan would be awesome too!

Teaching in Japan

The JET Programme - It’s a government program and one of the largest sources of English “teaching” jobs in Japan with participants from all over the world. I put teaching in quotes because while most people will be in the classroom to help students learn English, the primary purpose is mostly for cultural exchange. The E in JET is exchange, not English. Applications are taken once a year and go through a screening process. Successful applicants are then sent all over Japan. JET is school-based, not eikaiwa-based. So you’ll be in a school setting. The primary position is Assistant Language Teacher (ALT). They also have a few positions for Japanese proficient individuals called Coordinator of International Relations (CIR) and Sports Exchange Advisors (SEA).

Interac– An education consulting company in Japan that puts ALTs in many places in Japan. Unlike JET, this is a private company and has different benefits/drawbacks as a result. They recruit from all around the world to find applicants.

Aeon - A company that hires English speakers for their Language schools. They run eikaiwa, or conversational classes, aimed at a variety of ages. It’s different from what the experience you’d get into a school and may be a bitter fit depending on your own personal preferences and peculiarities.

ECC - Similar to AEON, they too run language schools and offer classes in English. They also provide courses in several other languages as well so they might take non-English speakers though I don’t know how abundant those jobs are.

Berlitz - Similar to Aeon and ECC, a language school. I’ve heard they’re a bit more selective but pays well in return.

Resources

GaijinPot - Portal site for foreigners in Japan. The jobs board has a lot of companies that are looking for individuals to fill their jobs. In most cases, it seems to be for folks already in Japan but exceptions will sometimes get posted up. It’s not a bad choice to look at, at the very least.

Teaching in Korea

Help fill this out!

caesar said:
Well, I only know about Korea but here goes:

As you are married, living together should be no problem. If you apply through the EPIK program, you will be placed together with no exceptions. However, you might not be working at the same school.

You have a degree in education and teaching experience, this means you are more than qualified to teach here and you shouldn't start on shitty paygrades. 2.2 million won minimum! Your wife would be fine to teach here most likely however she will be required to get some kind of TEFL qualification, I recommend either going all the way and doing a CELTA or doing a short 120hr course with classroom component.

As for non-teaching jobs, I wouldn't recommend it. Your wife wouldn't receive any special benefits and unless she can speak the language (I'm assuming no) they will be unlikely to even consider her.

Whereas being ESL teachers (with EPIK) you get the following:

- Reimbursement of flight costs
- 300,000 won settlement allowance
- A free apartment (You just pay for bills)
- Tax exemption, or if not the tax is very low anyway. 3%-ish
- Health insurance
- 18 - 21 days vacation (This is a workaholic country)
- A government run scheme = job security.
- 22 contact hours a week. (Easy hours for Korea)
- One months salary bonus at the completion of one year/great re-signing bonuses.

This means you basically pocket all of the money which you can use to travel or save etc. The cost of living is cheap so this is all possible. The other possible route is to go to a private school (a hagwon), although I don't recommend this for beginner for a few reasons:

- Great hagwons exist, however if you don't know the market you can end up somewhere shady.
- You will be worked harder, maybe 30 contact hours a week.
- Your vacation will be short as hell. 10 days a year is the norm.
- Non - government means you can be fired a lot easier.
- You may earn more money, however as I said, they are mercenary.

The biggest downside to EPIK is you can't decide where you will be placed, you can say your preference but it is no guarantee. If you want a chance to get to Seoul you have to be early. I've probably forgotten a few things so yeah, I'd recommend EPIK. They have a February and August intake, it's a little late for the Feb one now but it is very possible you could make the August one if you apply and get your documents in EARLY. I'm talking Jan/Feb.

I'd say your chances are pretty damn good though, I came here with a BA in English (which is considered a +) and no teaching experience. I got in pretty easily. Although remember this, Korea is a pretty judgmental society. They care a great deal about their appearance and judge others for theirs, if you are overweight or ugly you might not have a great time.That's the ugly side of Korea, heh.

Anymore Qs, just ask!
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watershed said:
For anyone interested in teaching in Korea check out some of these programs/recruiter:

EPIK (English Program in Korea) Public schools.

TALK (Teach And Learn in Korea) public schools, if you are still in college.

Fulbright (if you are still in college). Public schools.

Korean Horizons (a recruiting company that fills public school positions across the entire country).
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Teaching in China

Help fill this out!

sohois said:
China:

Been here over 2 years now, though I haven't been in English teaching since the first few months. Still, can give a lot of info.

Pretty much all of the English teaching in China is private, basically the only exception is University jobs. There are a fair few very large chains that operate all over the country and a vast number of much smaller schools. Bear in mind this is not a school setting. The whole system is english training schools, which students take in addition to their regular schooling.

The most well known chains include the likes of EnglishFirst(EF), Wall Street English, Astor English, Disney English. You will hear a lot of bad things about most of these schools, just remember that they are franchise systems, so it's usually the case that one franchise owner is just a jerk. I would always recommend just doing a quick google search for any school you apply to. Of course the easiest way is just to look at the contract you are being offered and the visa they offer you. Only Z-Visas are legal for China but many schools will try to get you to come on a tourist visa or business visa. Don't trust those schools. The Visa laws have recently been tightened up a lot but in the end it is a teachers market and you should look around to find a reputable school. As for the contract, best advice I would give is to check the hours, you should never take a job with more than 20 class hours a week.

A particularly good forum I used when first looking is here:

http://raoulschinasaloon.com/index.php

You can also use the boards at DavesESL.

As for job websites, as already mentioned DavesESL is one of the biggest and easiest to use. I personally would recommend:
http://www.seriousteachers.com/
which is more focused on actual school teaching jobs but will also have lots of english jobs.
Another good piece of advice is to look on regional websites, i.e. Shanghai or Beijing specific places and search their job listings. Even somewhere like craigslist. A few shanghai websites:
https://www.careerengine.org/shanghaiexpat/
http://www.smartshanghai.com/jobs/
https://www.careerengine.org/cityweekend/

As I mentioned above, one option for teaching is to work at Chinese Universities. Universities have far fewer hours per week, typically 10-15, you are guaranteed to be teaching adults with a good level of english and they will also be more trustworthy than the private training schools. The downside is pay which is quite a bit lower. Universities are the best option for those who wish to study Chinese as one perk is that most will allow you to take classes at the university, so you have free access to Chinese courses. Universities tend to be harder to get into though, you will probably need both a Uni degree and a TEFL/CELTA certificate, plus they'll usually hire only at certain periods.

By far the best option, however, is to get a job at a High School International Program. These are essentially regular teaching jobs, just like working at an American or English school, and you will probably be teaching IB or A-Levels. This is where I am working currently. I get paid more than if I were working in England as a teacher, and thats not even taking into account living cost differences. But, as you can probably imagine, there are very stringent requirements to get into schools like these. Many will require teaching certificates and a few years experience. It is possible however, to get a position without a teaching certificate, just with a TEFL or CELTA. These are a good option for anyone who plans to stay a bit longer.

Requirements for teaching:
- Speak English. Basically, the demand is so great that so long as you are an English speaking adult you can find a job in China. A University degree will make things considerably easier, as would a TEFL cert. Normally one or the other will be required, both would b very good. Experience will also open up better offers. It's also worth mentioning that being from the USA, England, Australia, NZ, etc. is better for your prospects,as sadly is having white skin.

Requirements for Visa:
-25 years old, 2 years experience teaching, minimum of University degree, TEFL or equivalent.
As you can see, the visa requirements are technically very stringent. However, this is China, there are no real laws. You can always find a school with enough guanxi to get around the restrictions and get you a job. So make sure you do look around.

That should be a good starting point. Feel free to ask me any questions.
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Supermanisdead said:
In China, there are tons of "training schools" which are just after-school/weekend classes where you are encouraged to play games and sing with students teaching very basic English phrases. Aston English, Disney English, Kid Castle etc. Since they are franchised businesses, each city will have it's own manager and staff with a few company wide standards like the textbooks and CDs.

Here is one that I work at:

Teaching hours are minimal (no more than 20 hours in class a week). I have 10 classes a week, many of which are only 30 minutes. You'll have time in between classes to plan your lessons, but I'm not required to stay in the office if I don't have class. I teach Wed-Fri from 6:30pm-8pm and Sat-Sun from 9am-6pm (with 2 hour lunch).

There is a large number of Chinese employees that will help you to do anything and everything. You are basically only required to play with the students for 30-90 minutes at a time, while a Chinese teacher has already sat them down, done the attendance, collected/distributed homework and made sure everything is set for your section.

Classes are incredibly easy to teach. Younger kids (as young as 4) will learn very basic phrases (How are you? How old are you? etc.) for 30 minute sessions at a time. You are encourage to play games and have them run around while learning. There will be a Chinese teacher in the class at all times to translate and help deal with students. Classes range from 30-90 minutes. On Wed-Fri you can either have 2 30-min classes or 1 90-min class. Never 3 classes in a row.

Free rent, pay is great and allows you to live pretty luxuriously. I've been able to spend a week in Hong Kong and another in Beijing for less than 1 month's salary. Planning a 2 week trip to Shanghai and back to Hong Kong in a couple months too.

I work in a pretty small city (one-McDonalds-tier) and work for one of these training schools. The management staff is really great and helpful. Certain company-wide requirements like having to pay for my own utilities and sharing an apartment with 1 other teacher are able to be changed. I was offered a brand new single bedroom apartment as soon as I arrived. But it's definitely a city-by-city basis. The same company's branch in a city 2 hours away has downright terrible management. Make sure to google extensively and even try to get the contact information for one of the teachers already there so you can email privately away from the manager.

Because of the size of the city and the fact that it's smack dab in the centre of China, most people here have never seen a foreigner in their lives. You will get stares, pointing, laughing, photo-taking, etc. Every cab driver will ask you to teach his/her child English. Every restaurant owner will tell you they don't have "foreign chopsticks" aka forks as soon as you enter. Girls will clutch their boyfriend's arm when you walk by them. Highschool students will shout "Hello! (Ha-luo)" or FUCK when they see you. Get used to this and ignore it. You can make friends with local shop owners and your neighbours.

It's definitely worth it to get a job in a small town. Salaries will be incredibly high relative to the living standards and domestic flights in China are absurdly cheap. Live in a small city, travel extensively to large ones while also saving a shit ton for when you go back home.
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Shouta

Shouta

Member
image.php


Avatar Quote so appropriate.

I'm doing it for other folks, Adarumi.
 
L

lobdale

3 ft, coiled to the sky
As a four-year JET vet (Hyogo-ken) who just arrived back in the States in August I'll be happy to field any questions that you folks may have.
 
R

RM8

Member
I'd love trying this. I could actually teach English and Spanish :D

Is it impossible if I live in Mexico?
 
Shouta

Shouta

Member
Rm88~ said:
I'd love trying this. I could actually teach English and Spanish :D

Is it impossible if I live in Mexico?
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Are you of Mexican nationality? If so, it's not possible with JET as Mexico isn't one of the countries on the participating list. However, you might be able to with one of the private companies like AEON or Interac.
 
D

decaf

Member
Just back from five years on JET. Time of my life. Happy to help anyone out with advice here or via PM.
 
Z

Zebra

Member
lobdale said:
As a four-year JET vet (Hyogo-ken) who just arrived back in the States in August I'll be happy to field any questions that you folks may have.
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caffeinedreamer said:
Just back from five years on JET. Time of my life. Happy to help anyone out with advice here or via PM.
Click to expand...

Did either of you have teaching experience of any kind when you applied? Any certifications? If so, do you think it helped your chances of getting in?
 
Shouta

Shouta

Member
Zebra said:
Did either of you have teaching experience of any kind when you applied? Any certifications? If so, do you think it helped your chances of getting in?
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You don't need teaching experience or certificates to apply for JET. I didn't have any and was fresh out of college when I was with the program (for 3 years then 6 months with a private ALT company). It's probably a plus but it's not going to be held against you and is not needed to apply to it.
 
D

decaf

Member
Zebra said:
Did either of you have teaching experience of any kind when you applied? Any certifications? If so, do you think it helped your chances of getting in?
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Pretty much what Shouta said. I went straight out of uni and had neither teaching qualifications nor any Japanese. I get the feeling you need to show you deal well with adapting to new environments though.

I have heard that going on too much about teaching can be detrimental, as schools tend to want someone they can mould and shape themselves rather than someone who's going to stir up a fuss with Western teaching methods/psychology. Don't know how much truth there is in that though.
 
W

watershed

Banned
For teaching in Korea look up the EPIK program that recruits for public school positions with the Korean government. Otherwise recruiting agencies like Footprints or Teachaway can get you a hagwon (private school) position. Pros and cons but public is more stable.
 
J

Jarate

Banned
im assuming that you need some type of college degree to go about this?

I've always wanted to go abroad for a few years and teach people, but im going to school now and need money pretty badly for future endeavors.
 
S

Sarcasm

Member
Just did a parents night -.-

I get jealous all these people talking about having time of their life. I am not really having the time of my life, but its not bad.
 
L

lobdale

3 ft, coiled to the sky
Zebra said:
Did either of you have teaching experience of any kind when you applied? Any certifications? If so, do you think it helped your chances of getting in?
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I had just finished an MFA in writing with a pedagogy certificate. I can't say for sure that anything actually improves your chances of acceptance except being open-minded and flexible. I met people from every background and of all kinds of experiences, teachers and non-teachers, previous Japan visitors and first-timers, language ability fluent and non-existent. Virtually the only constant (with a few rare exceptions) was flexibility.
 
D

Delicious Waffles

Member
I was planning to apply to JET for the upcoming year but I realized I have really no one I could get a letter of recommendation from, let alone two. I was going to ask a principal and assistant principal at a school I student taught in (I'm a teacher) but I haven't been able to get a hold of them. :(
 
M

makingmusic476

Member
This thread is well timed. I've been working on a JET application for a few weeks.

I'm concerned my references will be pretty weak, and I honestly have little idea of what they're looking for, so I may shoot off some PMs or ask questions here after work.

Thanks for making this thread, shouta.
 
W

WoodWERD

Member
Hey, finally! The old thread got closed a long time ago. I just got to Sichuan province in China two weeks ago, so if you have any specific questions I can try to help. I'm at a private university working 12-15 hours a week. Hard to complain coming from the cube life, but things are so different here obviously.

I primarily relied on http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/ for advice, they have separate boards for countries all over the world. Plenty of job ads too.
 
C

chickdigger802

Banned
Not to sound like an ass or anything, but i'm just curious, what are the motivations for teaching english in asia? I know tons of people that do this after college, which on paper to me, seems a bit weird when you probably can find a better gig in the states. Why not just do that and go vacation to asia when you want? Thinking its probably a great and easy way to get a foot into a new culture/country if thats what you want though.
 
Jaffaboy

Jaffaboy

Member
Korea public school teacher, signing in. I've been here for just over a year and I love it! Got my job through Footprints recruiting who were great. I heard now that to get a public school job you need a TEFL/TESOL of 100 hours; 20 of which are done as a class. No more online only courses.

Anyone that's thinking of coming to Korea, you may want to look into eslcafe.com and waygook.org, though I wouldn't take everything you see on those forums to heart. Most of the people that post there are negative hermits who have nothing better to do than to troll the interwebs. My experience in Korea has been 99.9% positive, which helps by the fact that I like kimchi.

I'll post more later, but if anyone has any q's about Korea then feel free to send a pm!
 
W

WoodWERD

Member
chickdigger802 said:
Not to sound like an ass or anything, but i'm just curious, what are the motivations for teaching english in asia? I know tons of people that do this after college, which on paper to me, seems a bit weird when you probably can find a better gig in the states. Why not just do that and go vacation to asia when you want? Thinking its probably a great and easy way to get a foot into a new culture/country if thats what you want though.
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How old are you and what do you do? And define a better gig. My background is not in education, but I know plenty of teachers back in Texas who were worried about losing their jobs every time the new budget came out. I came to the realization that life is short and being miserable in a cubicle is not how I want to live. I came here to try something new and see where it takes me. I took 7-10 day vacations to other countries and that's barely enough time to get over the jet lag and see some sights.
 
C

chickdigger802

Banned
WoodWERD said:
How old are you and what do you do? And define a better gig. My background is not in education, but I know plenty of teachers back in Texas who were worried about losing their jobs every time the new budget came out. I came to the realization that life is short and being miserable in a cubicle is not how I want to live. I came here to try something new and see where it takes me. I took 7-10 day vacations to other countries and that's barely enough time to get over the jet lag and see some sights.
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23, developer. Is teaching in Japan much better than the states?
 
Shouta

Shouta

Member
chickdigger802 said:
Not to sound like an ass or anything, but i'm just curious, what are the motivations for teaching english in asia? I know tons of people that do this after college, which on paper to me, seems a bit weird when you probably can find a better gig in the states. Why not just do that and go vacation to asia when you want? Thinking its probably a great and easy way to get a foot into a new culture/country if thats what you want though.
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Because living and working in another country is an entirely different experience? The type of interaction you have as a result is on a whole other level. Plus, you can save serious cash with the job.
 
Trickster

Trickster

Member
What kind of requirements is there in terms of being able to explain and teach english?

I figure I'm probably not someone suitable. I can pretty much speak english fluently. But I can't really explain the grammatical rules of the language.
 
Shouta

Shouta

Member
Trickster said:
What kind of requirements is there in terms of being able to explain and teach english?

I figure I'm probably not someone suitable. I can pretty much speak english fluently. But I can't really explain the grammatical rules of the language.
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Most of that explanation stuff is handled by the actual English teacher. The most important element is to provide a clear example of English through your voice and provide fun activities to get the kids interested when needed. That's the role of ALTs for the most part and why they don't require an education background.
 
K

kodecraft

Member
chickdigger802 said:
23, developer. Is teaching in Japan much better than the states?
Click to expand...


You already got a gig. This doesn't sound like something for you.

I am a <developer> myself , giving my military (U.S. Navy) background I find going abroad to Asia teaching is very interesting to me. Glad this thread popped up.
 
L

Lavalamp1138

Member
Cool that this thread's come back when earlier today I got a chance to speak to someone who returned from Japan through the JET program. He was really cool and answered a lot of questions I had. I'm seriously considering the program but if I decide to pursue it there's still a lot of things I'd have to do in preparation.
 
S

Sectorseven

Member
I've heard China hires westerners to ride up and down elevators all day in a business suit, just so the country looks more international.

Hey, it sounds ridiculous enough to actually be true.
 
W

watershed

Banned
For anyone interested in teaching in Korea check out some of these programs/recruiter:

EPIK (English Program in Korea) Public schools.

TALK (Teach And Learn in Korea) public schools, if you are still in college.

Fulbright (if you are still in college). Public schools.

Korean Horizons (a recruiting company that fills public school positions across the entire country).
 
P

Poyunch

Member
I'm an art major that wants to travel. I think post-graduation, this would be a good thing to try. How viable is this as a long-term job?
 
G

Gentleman Jack

Member
chickdigger802 said:
23, developer. Is teaching in Japan much better than the states?
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Define 'better.' Students in Japan are generally much better behaved than the ones in the United States, but matters of discipline for those who do not march to the same beat will make you just as uncomfortable as schools at home, maybe moreso if the language barrier makes it hard to understand why the student is getting chewed out. There is a high expectation of conformity in Japanese schools as well, so students who are well-behaved but otherwise just don't make any friends get separated like they're handicapped. You may get asked to help these students a little bit with their English skills and it's deeply rewarding.

At no point is teaching in Japan a walk in the park. You will be expected to come up with weekly lesson plans and if you're assigned to more than one school (very, very common with JET) per semester you will end up needing between 4-6 different lesson plans, all depending on how much help and cooperation you get from the school's English teacher. It's a fun job, but it's still a job and you may not find yourself getting patted on the head for working 10x harder than you think you have to.

Edit: I just realized I'm speaking from the perspective of someone who taught in relatively rural districts. Anecdotally I was told students get less cooperative the closer to a major metropolitan area you are.
 
V

Valkerionseven

Member
Great and timely thread!

Was thinking about applying to JET (and most likely other companies just to be safe) for this since I (hope) to graduate this Spring. Super nervous about applying but so far everyone I've talked to about it has been supportive.

Already been talking to a few others online about this and they all told me to go for it! Talked to one of my professors and she totally ninja'd me into opening up about it (im pretty reserved when it comes to talking about myself lol) and ended up in this 30min super excited convo about going lol. She totally has my back with the letters of recommendation. Finally just need to actually bring it up with my parents and see if they will back me if I do get accepted... or just in general have my back on this.

Between all the stuff thats happened this week just considering applying to something like JET... signs are pointing to "go for it" it seems.

Just need to get my personal confidence up lol. Which hopefully won't be a problem because (unrelated story incoming but I cant make a thread about it because of jrness and I really have to tell ANYONE) today I was walking to my Art History class minding my own business, but bypass the room since I need to hit the trash can first and throw a wrapper away, and the super cute, German exchange student in the same class is walking my direction to the class as well. Pass each other but I notice something, SHE TOTS checks me out. Like not a simple smile like passing someone you kinda know, but like top to bottom check out and smile and stare as I walk by. At first I was like OMG is my fly down, did I step in something, do I look fat ,wtf. It wasn't any of that so I'm like... well that was awesome, and its not the first time shes totally given me the flirty eyes. Totally want to go for it, but im a complete bitchboy when it comes to this stuff. Wrong thread, but related because pretty much all this stuff happened this afternoon in this whole post lol. #gooddayforme

But yeah... JET... going to try and get the Letter of purpose... or statement w/e. Anyone have some example letters I can use as a jump off point? I know its mostly gotta be about myself and why I wanna go. So far I'm planning on just doing a bit of free writing and see where it leads me, but I would like at least a basic guideline.
 
T

twentytwo22

Member
Speaking for ECC, they do hire speakers of German, Spanish, Korean, French, and Italian, but you must also be fluent in Japanese. These jobs are (obviously) not nearly as abundant as ESL jobs.

Worked for ECC for two years as an English teacher -- would do it again if I didn't have a family and that sort of responsibility/financial need. If anyone has any questions about ECC in particular feel free to PM me and I'll be more than happy to answer.
 
B

Bodacious

Banned
I was in JET for two years, 1991-93 ... back when it had just started. Before JET there was a program called Monbusho (I think) that was like a one-year sabbatical program for professors. Someone finally figured out the kids weren't getting much from interacting with 50-something geezers. It's great to see the program is still going strong, although I'm a little jealous of you guys who got four or five years out of it - back when I did it 3 years was the max, and it was increasingly difficult to renew every year. I asked for a transfer to a different prefecture (I was in Hiroshima) for my third year and got turned down, so I came back home and went back to school.
 
V

Valkerionseven

Member
Seems like most people who actually put in some effort get asked to stay 3 years + and a fuck ton of people who just go to go get sent back after the first year. Personally hoping for at least 3 years and willing to bust my hump for it. Mostly because I really want to learn the language, more than I want to teach kids. Luckily though, the two can be synonymous.

Also Bodacious love your Hamada avatar lol.
 
S

sohois

Member
China:

Been here over 2 years now, though I haven't been in English teaching since the first few months. Still, can give a lot of info.

Pretty much all of the English teaching in China is private, basically the only exception is University jobs. There are a fair few very large chains that operate all over the country and a vast number of much smaller schools. Bear in mind this is not a school setting. The whole system is english training schools, which students take in addition to their regular schooling.

The most well known chains include the likes of EnglishFirst(EF), Wall Street English, Astor English, Disney English. You will hear a lot of bad things about most of these schools, just remember that they are franchise systems, so it's usually the case that one franchise owner is just a jerk. I would always recommend just doing a quick google search for any school you apply to. Of course the easiest way is just to look at the contract you are being offered and the visa they offer you. Only Z-Visas are legal for China but many schools will try to get you to come on a tourist visa or business visa. Don't trust those schools. The Visa laws have recently been tightened up a lot but in the end it is a teachers market and you should look around to find a reputable school. As for the contract, best advice I would give is to check the hours, you should never take a job with more than 20 class hours a week.

A particularly good forum I used when first looking is here:

http://raoulschinasaloon.com/index.php

You can also use the boards at DavesESL.

As for job websites, as already mentioned DavesESL is one of the biggest and easiest to use. I personally would recommend:
http://www.seriousteachers.com/
which is more focused on actual school teaching jobs but will also have lots of english jobs.
Another good piece of advice is to look on regional websites, i.e. Shanghai or Beijing specific places and search their job listings. Even somewhere like craigslist. A few shanghai websites:
https://www.careerengine.org/shanghaiexpat/
http://www.smartshanghai.com/jobs/
https://www.careerengine.org/cityweekend/

As I mentioned above, one option for teaching is to work at Chinese Universities. Universities have far fewer hours per week, typically 10-15, you are guaranteed to be teaching adults with a good level of english and they will also be more trustworthy than the private training schools. The downside is pay which is quite a bit lower. Universities are the best option for those who wish to study Chinese as one perk is that most will allow you to take classes at the university, so you have free access to Chinese courses. Universities tend to be harder to get into though, you will probably need both a Uni degree and a TEFL/CELTA certificate, plus they'll usually hire only at certain periods.

By far the best option, however, is to get a job at a High School International Program. These are essentially regular teaching jobs, just like working at an American or English school, and you will probably be teaching IB or A-Levels. This is where I am working currently. I get paid more than if I were working in England as a teacher, and thats not even taking into account living cost differences. But, as you can probably imagine, there are very stringent requirements to get into schools like these. Many will require teaching certificates and a few years experience. It is possible however, to get a position without a teaching certificate, just with a TEFL or CELTA. These are a good option for anyone who plans to stay a bit longer.

Requirements for teaching:
- Speak English. Basically, the demand is so great that so long as you are an English speaking adult you can find a job in China. A University degree will make things considerably easier, as would a TEFL cert. Normally one or the other will be required, both would b very good. Experience will also open up better offers. It's also worth mentioning that being from the USA, England, Australia, NZ, etc. is better for your prospects,as sadly is having white skin.

Requirements for Visa:
-25 years old, 2 years experience teaching, minimum of University degree, TEFL or equivalent.
As you can see, the visa requirements are technically very stringent. However, this is China, there are no real laws. You can always find a school with enough guanxi to get around the restrictions and get you a job. So make sure you do look around.

That should be a good starting point. Feel free to ask me any questions.
 
B

Bodacious

Banned
Valkerionseven said:
Also Bodacious love your Hamada avatar lol.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Like I said I spent two years in Hiroshima in the early 90's, but I married a Japanese girl in 2000 and whenever we go back it's usually to Tokyo and her home in Tochigi. Kyoto trip is in the works for 2015, but this summer we spent a month in the Tokyo & Tochigi area. Went to see a Yoshimoto show in Tokyo and while Downtown didn't appear (they're too big for such things now) we had frontrow seats and did get to see Taka and Toshi do their manzai act, and Fujiwara just being foolish. I also bought an AV Famicom and a Super Famicom Jr., both in the box. Great trip.


6H5prVk.jpg


H6L5TDT.jpg
 
J

Jintor

Member
Beginning my JET application process. One reference letter received, one reference letter promised, letter of expectation of graduation received, academic transcript on its way. Need to fill out the forms, copy in triplicate, and get it all recognised/certified by a justice of the peace.
 
S

Supermanisdead

Member
In China, there are tons of "training schools" which are just after-school/weekend classes where you are encouraged to play games and sing with students teaching very basic English phrases. Aston English, Disney English, Kid Castle etc. Since they are franchised businesses, each city will have it's own manager and staff with a few company wide standards like the textbooks and CDs.

Here is one that I work at:

Teaching hours are minimal (no more than 20 hours in class a week). I have 10 classes a week, many of which are only 30 minutes. You'll have time in between classes to plan your lessons, but I'm not required to stay in the office if I don't have class. I teach Wed-Fri from 6:30pm-8pm and Sat-Sun from 9am-6pm (with 2 hour lunch).

There is a large number of Chinese employees that will help you to do anything and everything. You are basically only required to play with the students for 30-90 minutes at a time, while a Chinese teacher has already sat them down, done the attendance, collected/distributed homework and made sure everything is set for your section.

Classes are incredibly easy to teach. Younger kids (as young as 4) will learn very basic phrases (How are you? How old are you? etc.) for 30 minute sessions at a time. You are encourage to play games and have them run around while learning. There will be a Chinese teacher in the class at all times to translate and help deal with students. Classes range from 30-90 minutes. On Wed-Fri you can either have 2 30-min classes or 1 90-min class. Never 3 classes in a row.

Free rent, pay is great and allows you to live pretty luxuriously. I've been able to spend a week in Hong Kong and another in Beijing for less than 1 month's salary. Planning a 2 week trip to Shanghai and back to Hong Kong in a couple months too.

I work in a pretty small city (one-McDonalds-tier) and work for one of these training schools. The management staff is really great and helpful. Certain company-wide requirements like having to pay for my own utilities and sharing an apartment with 1 other teacher are able to be changed. I was offered a brand new single bedroom apartment as soon as I arrived. But it's definitely a city-by-city basis. The same company's branch in a city 2 hours away has downright terrible management. Make sure to google extensively and even try to get the contact information for one of the teachers already there so you can email privately away from the manager.

Because of the size of the city and the fact that it's smack dab in the centre of China, most people here have never seen a foreigner in their lives. You will get stares, pointing, laughing, photo-taking, etc. Every cab driver will ask you to teach his/her child English. Every restaurant owner will tell you they don't have "foreign chopsticks" aka forks as soon as you enter. Girls will clutch their boyfriend's arm when you walk by them. Highschool students will shout "Hello! (Ha-luo)" or FUCK when they see you. Get used to this and ignore it. You can make friends with local shop owners and your neighbours.

It's definitely worth it to get a job in a small town. Salaries will be incredibly high relative to the living standards and domestic flights in China are absurdly cheap. Live in a small city, travel extensively to large ones while also saving a shit ton for when you go back home.
 
K

Kanyon

Member
I'm looking at applying through Interac to teach in Japan, aiming for the September 2014 intake... Heard lots of good things about doing this and I've got a few friends already over there doing it and they say it's a great opportunity to do something different.
 
H

H.Protagonist

[-_-]/
Another ex-JET here. I did 3 years in Yamaguchi-ken (a.k.a. boondocks). JET was a blast. Great experience and great way to save money. Ace for the most part, but a lot of JETs freaked out and plenty had less happy experiences, so to any who are applying: It's a dream to be sure, but it's also a job and you need to go in with your head out of the clouds.

I also taught twice in China for 2 month stints at a time. First time was lovely, second time a nightmare. Good stuff. :D
 
B

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
watershed said:
TALK (Teach And Learn in Korea) public schools, if you are still in college.
Click to expand...

I'm probably going to do TALK in the new year. I have an ex-girlfriend who's been beckoning me to come stay there, and she even used to administer the TALK program and recommends it. It seems great.
 
Shouta

Shouta

Member
Updated the OP! Thanks for the info on China and Korea guys. Keep it coming!

Poyunch said:
I'm an art major that wants to travel. I think post-graduation, this would be a good thing to try. How viable is this as a long-term job?
Click to expand...

Depends on what your needs will be and what organization you're with.

JET is very good for for both working and traveling, IMO. All of the standard holidays in Japan + your own 20 or so vacation days per contract year. Pay is solid and the support is good thanks to various JET groups. The max is 5 years for it now which is more than enough to see all of Asia.

You can save a lot as well if you're really looking to get funds going for your life back in your home country. I ended up with a huge savings as a result of my time with the program.
 
Banjotanooki

Banjotanooki

Member
lobdale said:
As a four-year JET vet (Hyogo-ken) who just arrived back in the States in August I'll be happy to field any questions that you folks may have.
Click to expand...

Applying for it this month for next year, couple of questions though:

1. Letter of recommendations. Do they REALLY want one from your job? I ask this simpl because Disney refuses to give out recommendation letters.

2. Can you pick the city you want to teach in?

3. When would you know if you got accepted?
 
Shouta

Shouta

Member
linkman26 said:
Applying for it this month for next year, couple of questions though:

1. Letter of recommendations. Do they REALLY want one from your job? I ask this simpl because Disney refuses to give out recommendation letters.

2. Can you pick the city you want to teach in?

3. When would you know if you got accepted?
Click to expand...

1. Ideally one from your job but two people you trust works too. I had one from a previous job and a professor at my university.

2. You can put requests for areas but you may not get it. Typically, JETs are distributed all over, even in the rural areas. For reference, most large cities have ALTs from private companies where the smaller cities and towns will be with JET.

3. Usually April or May for the August arrival date, as I recall.
 
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