Teach English in China with Projects Abroad

This program is provided by

Location

China: Shanghai, Wujiang

Description

Teaching English in China as a Projects Abroad volunteer will offer great opportunities to hundreds of Chinese students and give you a unique new perspective on this incredible country. Whether you are volunteering during your gap year, between semesters, or for a career break or vacation, you will have an important role to play teaching in one of our partner schools.

Volunteering in China will offer you invaluable teaching experience and allow you to see the improvement in your many students. The focus is on conversational English, so you do not need any formal qualifications or TEFL training.

As China increasingly embraces the West, the desire to learn English has never been greater. A good level of English could be the ticket for many students to study at one of China's major universities, or to study outside of China at prestigious universities in the US and UK. Huge numbers of foreign-owned companies are now flooding into the country to take advantage of the expanding markets and will require bilingual staff.

Working with schools on the outskirts of Chengdu and Shanghai, Projects Abroad teaching volunteers are needed to improve the conversational skills of the students. Traditional values are still important in China so teachers are well respected and you will find students excited to learn. Class sizes vary between forty and fifty students, aged from 6 to 15 years old.

The students at the schools we work in are mostly from families who have moved from rural areas of China to Chengdu or Shanghai to try and improve their lives. They are often from very poor backgrounds and some may have only recently moved closer to the city.

Highlights

With competition for jobs high and fewer opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, you will be popular with both the students and your Chinese colleagues. Basing lessons on topics within the local curriculum, you can use role-playing, debating, and games to encourage the students to speak and develop their vocabulary. Your students will want to learn about you and your culture and having a native English speaker in their classes is a real advantage for them.

You don't need any previous teaching experience or qualifications before joining our projects. We have plenty of suggestions for games and activities that will help to stimulate the students' minds and sustain their enthusiasm. We always welcome new ideas and we hope that you will take time to prepare and structure lessons. Being prepared will help give you confidence and ensure that you and your students get the most out of your time teaching in China.

Whatever skills and talents you have, volunteer work in China will give you the opportunity to put them to good use. Be imaginative with your teaching to make learning fun and enjoyable for the students. The increased exposure to conversational English will enable your students to advance their language skills and brighten their futures in a big way.