Options to teach English in China

In search of a Chinese teaching job? China is unquestionably a lucrative market for English language teachers, with an estimated 300 million pupils studying the language. Over the next several years, China is expected to have a shortfall of roughly 100,000 English instructors, which is expected to expand as the country's interest in studying English grows.

China, with the world's biggest educational system, puts a high value on education as a means of advancing the country's economy and culture, as well as its residents' own personal growth. It's safe to say that fresh graduates and certified instructors who want to teach English in China have a wide range of possibilities to choose from, including private language schools and international schools.

Teaching English as a second language in China, the world's largest ESL hotspot, offers competitive pay and benefits including free lodging, flights, health insurance and incentives.

Work as an English teacher at a private Chinese language school

Teaching English in China via the medium of a private language school is a popular choice for ESL instructors and other educators with a teaching credential.

There were 29 million students in China's private schools in 2011, and by 2016, that number had grown to 40 million. By 2021, the number of students in private schools is predicted to reach 51 million. In addition, the average age of Chinese English language learners is rising steadily, especially in the country's larger cities, as more and more Chinese parents stress the value of their children studying the English language.

There will be a huge rise in the need for native English-speaking ESL instructors in China over the next several years due to the exponential growth of younger English learners and the increasing number of people enrolling in business English programs to further their career.

If you're looking for work as a private language school teacher in an urban area, you're more likely to find it. English First, Better English, and First Leap English are three of China's most well-known and respected language schools.

It's common for private language schools in China to use a mix of expat English instructors and local Chinese teachers. Typical class sizes are on the lesser end (usually 15 students). The use of computers and interactive whiteboards in the ESL classroom is on the rise in China, where the majority of language schools use them.

Work as an English teacher at a Chinese international school

In addition to China's economic progress, the rising popularity of foreign schools in the country shows Chinese students' long-standing commitment to studying English, which is widely recognized as a necessary skill for professional success.

There are presently around 150,000 Chinese students studying at abroad institutions. An increasing number of middle-class Chinese families are looking to send their children to western-style English-medium schools in order to secure admission to internationally renowned colleges abroad, fueling China's rising demand for foreign education.

Class sizes are often less than the national norm, and international schools in China typically provide a wide range of academic programs.