Teaching - CHINA Project Information for Teaching in China

Idea behind Teaching in China.

Our teaching programme in China is mostly based in Wu Jiang, a famous water town two hours east of Shanghai. Volunteers live with local families where they gain a privileged insight into modern Chinese life. Volunteers are placed in local schools where they always receive an exceptionally warm welcome. Teaching volunteers have an important and inspirational role to play in China by helping students not only improve their English but also to learn about other people and cultures.

The idea behind teaching in China is twofold. In the first instance it provides our volunteers with the opportunity to work in an environment culturally different from their own. This provides volunteers with an experience that is unique to Asia and they will return home having a far greater understanding of the way in which millions of the world's population think and act. They will more importantly have an understanding and appreciation for Chinese youth culture and during their teaching classes will gain an insight into the way in which their students, think, live and interact. Teaching will ultimately equip them with fuller and better cross-cultural understanding,

Secondly our volunteers are providing an important skill for the classes they teach, that of conversational English. Having a native English speaker is a massive advantage and help to the schools in which they teach. Both students and staff members alike wholly appreciate the language skill and enthusiasm our teaching volunteers bring to their classes. The students also use the opportunity of having a foreign teacher to learn about the customs and practices of the West.

We hope our teaching programme will provide an opportunity for two different cultures to learn from each other. In the 21st Century the importance of greater cultural and language exchange cannot be underestimated. We hope to provide new language skills for the students in the schools in which we place volunteers and also for the volunteers themselves to learn and gain knowledge from the classes in which they teach.

Specific Information about Teaching in China

During school term time our volunteers are placed in Wu Jiang. Wu Jiang itself consists of a number of small towns. Generally speaking our volunteers are spread across three of these towns with Songlin town at the centre of the region. This is the area in which we place most of our teaching volunteers. From here there are a number of good bus links to Shanghai and other surrounding cities.

Our volunteers in Wu Jiang teach students from the ages of 5-17. These classes are generally a lot bigger than classes in the West and consist of at least 50 students. The ability of the classes varies and volunteers will be given the chance to teach the top classes as well as those that are nearer the bottom. Regardless of academic ability volunteers will find that students in China are in most cases willing and eager to learn. During an average week a volunteer will teach between 8 and 14 classes. The remaining time will be spent preparing for new lessons or engaging in other activities with pupils such as impromptu games of football or basketball.

Outside of term time our teaching volunteers normally teach in Shanghai at a language centre. The nature of this teaching experience is slightly different as the students who study English here are doing so in their spare time and not as part of an organised curriculum. The level of these students is therefore generally higher. Teaching English in Shanghai allows volunteers to speak freely with their students about a variety of topics and can lead to interesting and lively debates.
The age of these students ranges widely from graduates to businessmen and women who are looking to improve not only their spoken English but also the way in which they use English in Business.

Both sets of teaching experiences are different but each offers something for the volunteer and students alike. Volunteers in Wu Jiang will gain an insight into living in a city that is predominately Chinese, teaching students that are just learning the English language, whereas those in Shanghai will be able to promote lively debates and discussion whilst also living in one of the fastest growing cities in the world.