Inside the Classroom

 

  1. Types of classes
  2. Types of teaching and curriculum
  3. Students
  4. Teaching times

 

  1. Types of classes

    As no two teachers are exactly alike, no two classes are ever the same, but here we’ll try to give you a synopsis of what you might expect.

    There are five separate age groups to teach in Hainan. If you inform us early enough of your preference, we can tailor our school search to what you favor—though there’s no guarantee schools in that particular age group will be searching for a foreign teacher that year. The ages groups in Hainan are:
    * kindergarten
    * primary
    * middle school
    * high school and
    * university.

    The sizes of these classes differ, though as a rule, both primary and middle school tend to be larger.

    There are also opportunities for foreign teachers to work and teach at training centers. Here, one teacher will teach many different classes that could potentially cover every age group, including adults, while keeping within the same amount of teaching time as a teacher at a school.
    NOTE: the schedules at training centers vary greatly and usually require teaching in evenings and on weekends.

     
  2. Types of teaching and curriculum

    All classes in every age group will focus primarily on conversation English, which includes both speaking and listening.

    Your school will supply you with a curriculum (i.e. Cambridge English, New Concept English by Longman, etc), and you will be required to build lessons based off this curriculum.

    Lessons in grammar usually begin in middle school and continue throughout, though many schools prefer foreign teachers to focus on conversation.

    The ability levels and learning styles of Chinese students demands repetition over lecture. Do not expect to work through a book, lesson by lesson, and have your students remember it all. Teaching that involves review and the reiteration of key ideas is most effective in China.
     
  3. Students

    E    very age group’s English classes are required courses for students. That is to say, the students you teach have to be in your class: few of them chose to be there. Thus, you will find some students who fail to pay attention. Thus, it’s good to be aware of habits common among Chinese students of all ages.

    Cell phones have gained popularity in China that surpasses that of most countries. You will daily find several students sending text messages, etc to their friends. All it takes to squelch this early is to confiscate a few phones during class the first few days.

    You may find students who consistently sleep or talk during your classes. If this is the case (as is in many classes in your home country), simply target those students especially and get them involved in class discussions, etc. You may suddenly spark an interest in English they never knew they had.

    Cheating can be a rampant vice of students in China, so its best to especially watch out for that. If students cheat in your class, that means they cheat in others and habits have formed. Different situations call for different measures, and we can give you pointers on what to do when problems arise, though its best to just play it by ear.

     
  4. Teaching times

    Classes in all schools and training centers last anywhere from 45-50 minutes per class. The contract you sign will read that you must work a total of 18-20 hours per week.

    Overtime is certainly available and you should find discussion of overtime pay in your contract.

    Classes will end each day at noon for lunch and will resume at 2:30 or 3:00p. This is because Chinese culture has a “nap time” built into the afternoon of every day. It takes some getting used to. But once you do get used to it, you’ll wonder how you ever made it through a day without an hour or two’s rest.