4 Things to Do Before Moving To China as an ESL Teacher

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If you are looking for an adventure and want to move to another country for a cultural experience, China is a great option for you.

A very small chunk of China’s population is good at the English language, and to improve those numbers they have started to hire English teachers from native countries in large numbers. It is a great option for anyone to move to China and gain some insight into their culture.

Do you want to learn how you can become an ESL teacher in China? Let’s have a look at things you need to do to get there.

    1. Boost Your Wardrobe

It’s better to take clothes that boost your personality before moving to China. Rocking knitted sweaters and other knitted essentials will help you stand out as a teacher. You don’t need to buy expensive knitted clothes. Get started with simple crochet patterns so you can knit sweaters easily.

    1. Get Your TEFL Certificate

Most of the schools in China that hire native English teachers require you to have a TEFL certification. There are a few schools that let you teach without TEFL certification, but you will need to have a good amount of teaching experience for that.

It is mandatory to have a bachelor degree at least if you want to teach English in China. A lot of institutions that offer TEFL certification have online classes as well. You can sign up for that and get the required amount of credit hours from there.

Even if you have experience in teaching, you should still consider getting the certification as it will give you a competitive edge.

    1. Look For Vacancies

Once you have got your TEFL certificate, it is time for you to look for a job now. English teaching jobs in China are abundant these days.

There are a lot of websites and forums out there where you can find the latest vacancies for ESL teachers. If you do not feel comfortable doing the process online, you can always consider going there first and then find a job.

If you are already in the country, it will make your case stronger as well, and you will be more likely to get the job.

    1. Register and Pay For Apartment

If you have already acquired the job while staying in your own country, it is most likely that the school you will be working for will give you accommodation or living stipend. But on the off chance, if a school is not offering a residence, you might want to get an apartment before you leave for China.

This is also important for those people who are moving to China without a job offer. Getting there and then finding an apartment could be exhausting and costly as you will have to stay in a hotel for a few days. You can simply visit apartment renting websites to look for options.

Find a suitable apartment and dealer and pay the rent in advance. If you are unable to pay through credit card there is no worry as there are a lot of services that let you transfer money to China online easily.

David

David Rosenberg: A seasoned political journalist, David's blog posts provide insightful commentary on national politics and policy. His extensive knowledge and unbiased reporting make him a valuable contributor to any news outlet.