Teaching English in China, whether it’s your first time in a faraway land or you’re a seasoned veteran in a place you call your second home, you’ll surely want to be placed in the right school for yourself and avoid the nightmare scenario of being stuck in an incompatible working environment.  So how to find the right teaching job in the right school? We’ll go through what to expect and the things you should consider.    School Type TEFL teachers are very much in demand in China and there’ll be job options teaching at each age group e.g. kindergarten, primary school, middle school, high school, college, university, and training centers. Each age group presents their own sets of challenges, but all can be extremely rewarding and provide a rich experience.    You need to be aware that usually teaching younger children at kindergartens and primary levels require longer working hours, more energy, and fun activities to engage the kids, not forgetting the naughty ones. Especially at kindergartens, it’s vital you deliver the target language via fun and games. Catching their interest in English at this young age is important and the best way to do this is to be their playmate. On the other hand, if you’re teaching at a college or university, you can expect larger class sizes although less working hours and a more flexible schedule, on campus you may also be required to conduct extracurricular activities such as English Corner and judge English speaking competitions.    The popular consensus for first-time TEFL teachers is to lean towards teaching younger kids as you’ll typically be teaching basic and less complex English concepts. However contrary to this, naturally the older the students that you teach the better English foundation they have, the easier it’ll be for you to manage the class and communicate with them. Although likely speaking in front of large classes, teaching at a college or university will provide a more sedate teaching experience and add a social element to your work. Teaching at a kindergarten or primary school will provide a more fun and active teaching experience for those who love kids.    Salary The right school is one that pays you a salary that you are happy with. Generally speaking, salaries are higher the younger the kids you teach, lower the older the students you teach, although there are some exceptions. This is not an absolute rule but a common trend so you’ll also need to take this into consideration when searching for a job, it’s highly unlikely to see astronomical sums for university positions. Being a teacher is great though in that you’ll always get summer and winter vacation, some jobs offer full pay during this time, some half pay, and some zero, this is determined from a school-to-school basis and also something to think about with regard to the overall package.    Location Where do you need to be? Many TEFL teachers only know or are more inclined to choose schools in famous metropolises, tier 1 cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou or Shenzhen. Other popular choices are Chengdu, Chongqing and Hangzhou. And it’s easy to understand why these megacities would be first choice, they have better infrastructure, transport facilities and a more sizeable international community.  They provide an opportunity to be in the heart of modern China and to witness the vitality of its urban cities. However on the opposite end of the spectrum is to teach in schools at smaller cities, counties, in rural regions in the countryside – here you’ll be away from the noise, hustle and bustle of inner cities and will have the chance to experience more traditional aspects of Chinese culture and be closer to the beautiful nature that the middle kingdom has been blessed with.    You We’ve gone through three key factors that you should take into consideration when accepting a TEFL job in China: School type, salary, and location. Now it depends on you and the type of person you are. Are you a very outgoing person with a love of kids, lots of energy and don’t mind dragging the inner child out of yourself, then kindergarten is for you. Are you a more reserved and introverted person maybe more suited to university teaching? Perhaps you’re somewhere in the middle. Or perhaps you’re looking to try something different?    Whatever you decide, here at TeachDiscoverChina we’ll do our best to match you to the most suitable TEFL position for you. We have a 1-semester TEFL teaching internship or a 1-year TEFL jobs program. If you’re interested or have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]  

Teaching Internship at University in Nanchong  Spend one semester (4.5/5 months) teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) to Chinese students with an internship placement at a respectable university in Nanchong, Sichuan Province. Start you TEFL career, boost you teaching skills, get a taste of Sichuan!  About the University A key provincial high ranking education institution in Sichuan, the university has been striving over the past 6 decades to be ‘cornerstone in education in Sichuan Province, serving China’s Western regions as well as the rest of the country’. The education philosophy embodies teachers’ devotion to professional ethics and to the student in intellectual, professional, moral, cultural, social, and physical spheres. The school has evolved into a comprehensive normal university featuring teachers' education and development.  Currently the university consists of two campuses, a new campus with a magnificent location and the original one with charming features, covering a total area of 2,500 mu with a developed area of 903,400 square meters. The university has many different kinds of functional classrooms, with an area of 104,000 square meters. An experimental building has an area of 110,000 square meters, including respective laboratory buildings for both Arts and Science colleges, college of Fine Art, college of Music, and a school-owned museum. In addition, two libraries house a total collection of 2,226,000 volumes and 7,740 varieties of magazines and newspapers. The university is fully equipped for extracurricular student life, from the student dormitories and five convenient dining halls or cafeteria, to various teaching and training facilities for physical education, including track-and –field stadiums, multifunctional gymnasiums, courts, playing fields and swimming pools. About Nanchong City Nanchong is located in the northeast of the Sichuan Basin. It is the second largest city in Sichuan Province in terms of its 7,282,500 population and is one of the top cities in economic strength in Sichuan and southwest China. It has jurisdiction over 3 districts (Shunqing District, Gaoping District, Jialing District), 5 counties (Yingshan County, Xichong County, Nanbu County, Peng 'an County, Yilong County), and 1 county-level city (Langzhong City); covering an area of 12,500 square kilometers. Being situated by the middle reaches of the Jialing River, the city has been blessed with lush green surroundings. With a well-developed infrastructure and tourist facilities, Nanchong’s beautiful picturesque scenery combining traditional Chinese elements with modern-day amenities makes it one of the more appealing tourist destinations in China. The city is famed as being largest silk industrial center in Sichuan, known for its beautiful patterns and great quality, so much so that tourists usually go to the local silk market to purchase sulk as a travel gift.  A cradle of Chinese Three Kingdoms culture, Nanchong is the home of author Chen Shou, writer of the classic ‘History of the Three Kingdoms’ the first book to narrate stories that happened during such times (220-280). Famed general Zhang Fei of the Three Kingdoms died in Langzhong of Nanchong, his memorial can be visited in Lanzhong Ancient City, one of the highlights of Nanchong tourism. Here you can find thousands of historical buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties including Zhang Fei Temple and Yong-an Temple. There are many very special snack shops throughout the ancient city where you can enjoy the great taste of Sichuan. A wander around and you’ll see paper-cuttings and shadow puppets, it’s a great place to appreciate Sichuan folk culture.  Key Tourist Attractions: Langzhou Ancient City Lingyun Mountain Scenic Area  Xishan Scenic Area Zhu De’s Hometown  Huaguang Building  Cruise through the Jialing River Yuping Park  Wanglong Lake  … If you’re interested in our English teaching internship in Nanchong, please send your CV/resume and a short introduction video about yourself to our email [email protected]