Teach in a Kindergarten

For teachers who are looking to further their careers in early childhood education, a Kindergarten in China is a great place to pick up valuable experience of working with very young learners, whilst also teaching English at a beginner level. Most Kindergartens in China provide their teachers with a competitive salary, as well as a generous amount of winter and summer holidays. At least one year of teaching experience (preferably with very young learners) is typically required in order to be considered for a Kindergarten position in China.

Teach English in a Training Centre

‘Training Centre’ is the name given to Private Language Schools in China. Training Centres are where young learners come to learn English after school and on the weekends. They are extremely popular in China, due to the high demand by parents for their children to learn English. Most Training Centres provide all of their new teachers with extensive training during their first month of work, and the average class size in Training Centres is much smaller than those found in other school types in China, with usually no more than 10 students per class. This makes a Training Centre the perfect environment for those with no previous teaching experience who would like to teach in China. It also explains why the majority of English teachers who travel to China typically work in a Training Centre during their first year in the country.

Teach in a Public School

For teachers who are looking to challenge themselves in a completely foreign environment, then teaching at a Public School in China is the place to start. Here you’ll teach very large class sizes of Chinese students, and get to experience modern-day Chinese culture to its fullest, as the majority of your co-teachers will be Chinese. Public School positions in China come with a good salary and a large amount of winter and summer vacation. Due to the large class size, and the high teaching standards set by Chinese schools, at least one year of teaching experience is required for this type of teaching position.

Teach in a Private Bilingual School

At Private Bilingual Schools in China, native students are taught in both English and Chinese. Just like International Schools, Private Bilingual Schools have impressive facilities and high academic standards, due to being privately funded. These schools aren’t tied to one set curriculum, with many using a mixture of curriculums to suit their academic objectives. Working at a Private Bilingual School, teachers can expect to receive a salary and benefits package that is somewhere in between Public and International Schools. The basic requirements for this school type do vary, with a fair few preferring to only hire officially licensed teachers. However, some Private Bilingual Schools will give opportunities to unlicensed teachers if they’re deemed experienced enough.

Teach in an International School

International Schools are the pinnacle of professional teaching in China. Due to the funding they receive, the facilities found in International Schools are usually outstanding, and these schools operate at high academic standards. International Schools pay the highest salaries out of all school types in China, provide the largest amount of fully paid vacation over winter and summer, and typically include other great benefits such as a large housing allowance, or free housing. The majority of students at International Schools are foreign nationals, and an international curriculum is taught, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. Because of the consistently high teaching standards that are expected at International Schools, teachers will need previous teaching experience, and an official teaching license/qualification (such as a PGCE) in order to be considered for a position.