have BAH, do I need a TESL?

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liane

Lurker

Joined: July 19, 2006
Posts: 35

Status: Offline

Posted: July 19, 2006 - 05:14 AM
Post subject: have BAH, do I need a TESL?

Hello, I am a Asian Canadian recent University grad heading to Fudan University to study Mandarin for a semester. I was hoping to work perhaps part-time while studying (not a good idea?), but if not, to at least find some sort of employment afterwards.

I am hoping to find an internship in my areas of interest, but failing that, I will apply for a job teaching English (which I am also interested in, just not as a long term career objective. It will come in handy when my savings run out and the parental well runs dry, though).

I've looked at many of the threads here about Teaching English and found tons of great information. One thing I noticed is that a TESL doesn't seem to be necessary (which I had assumed it would be). Could I forgo getting a TESL, and just get by on my BAH (English major, to boot!).

I am missing the seemingly supremely important 'being White' qualification, which I assume will hurt my chances. I am a native english speaker, and by the time I start working, I should have a working knowledge of Mandarin- enough to plow through, at least. Aside from tutoring during High School, and working at a camp last summer, I don't have much teaching experience, but have interesting extra-curricular activities (co-edited a literary publication, radio show etc.) and have held some summer jobs working in an office and a record store. Do those things even matter?

sidenote: does it matter that I'm female? Are these positions gendered in some sort of way?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

The_Meanderer

Fire-eater

Joined: Aug 11, 2005
Posts: 2735

Status: Offline

Posted: July 19, 2006 - 08:21 AM

This is my experience in Shanghai - the most important qualification seems to be being white. I'm really sorry to say this, and as an English teacher, I wish I could say that hard work, conscientious attention to the students or a decent teaching qualification was what mattered the most.

I worked at a Taiwanese run kindergarten, where a CBC had been given a job, but was not being allowed to teach. I come from England, but was asked to teach in an American accent, which I can do. However this meant that they would rather have a white person with a fake accent than an Asian Canadian with a more genuine accent teaching their charges.

It's all about the marketing.

However, if you know Mandarin, you may be able to get a much better job than teaching English. There are many opportunities here for foreigners who can speak Mandarin and I think the discrimination is far less apparent. You may also find that you are easily able to find some private tutoring work, where the emphasis is far more on being able to speak and teach English, than looking like a Laowai.

Good luck.

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Selphnir

Barker

Joined: July 12, 2006
Posts: 147

Status: Offline

Posted: July 19, 2006 - 02:07 PM

Hi there,

Which university did you graduate from? I'm Canadian as well, I've been here about a month and a half myself, ALSO asian, CBC actually. I don't speak any mandarin and from what I've seen from the market, yes we do get screwed...at the same time we can do relatively alright if you know where to look. This site among a few others have given me a plethora of information.

Although if you're comign here by yourself, it'll be handy for you to know, or meet someone who can speak mandarin. It will help a lot with finding accomedations and travelling around. PM me if you'd like to talk some more on the subject or my experiences to date.