Teach English in Nanjing
ESL Jobs in Nanjing
The Nanjing city, situated 300 km away from Shanghai, is the capital of the Jiangsu region. It’s 2,500 years old and has some extraordinary architecture, beautiful sceneries and great job opportunities for foreigners, especially, if those, who are interested in English teaching.
In Nanjing international school jobs are numerous, varied and well-remunerated. In spite of its ‘humble’ size and population, there are over 130 primary and middle schools and 90+ language courses, where they regularly need talented and enthusiastic educators from abroad.
Although, according to recent changes, it is no longer legal to start teaching English in China without a degree, you don’t need to study teaching or ESL at the university. In fact, your field can be as far from language learning, as you like.
The formal requirement is that you have to possess a Bachelor’s diploma. Apart from this, there are no restrictions whatsoever : you can come to teach English in China with no experience or even no TEFL certificate and just get it on site at the expense of the school (some institutions do allow this).
All in all, it’s fairly easy to select decent Nanjing English teaching jobs, as there are lots of renowned training centers and international courses.
What Makes Nanjing Unique?
- Population: 8,3 million
- Language: Mandarin + local dialects
- Public Transport: airport and 2 important train stations, subway (4 lines), bus routes, taxi
- Climate: humid subtropical
Nanjing, situated on the Yangtze River, is a megalopolis with rich history and great modernity. Not many people remember nowadays that it used to be the capital for 6 dynasties.
Living in Nanjing as a foreigner, you can spend your evenings in downtown cafés and restaurants, walking down historic streets and exploring the compact city center.
When you stay in Nanjing, China may be seen from a different perspective, you can learn something about its history, visit the Ming tombs or the Mausoleum, touch the stone at the Confucius Temple or escape to the Purple Mountain to breathe some fresh air.
Is it safe to teach English in China?
Of course, why shouldn’t it be?
There are occasional petty crimes like thefts and other unpleasant situations, but many foreigners, teaching English in Nanjing for a few years in a row, say they never experienced any problems.
If you pay attention, don’t leave your bag unattended or provoke anyone, you will be totally safe.
The Nanjing nightlife is entertaining!
When you finish with sightseeing and visiting ancient temples, you can go to the traditional Arts Group performance.
Xinjiekou and Nanjing 1912 are good options for you, if you want to explore more Nanjing districts, have a beer and make friends with locals.
Local cuisine
Locals enjoy eating at any time of the day. After a few weeks living in Nanjing, you’ll know, that most smells in the central streets, apartment blocks and offices are from delicious Tangbao steamed dumplings, popular duck blood soup with tofu and Pidu noodles.
Great news is that portions are big, and spending $5 on soup you can easily share it with a friend – at the end, both of you will be full.
One of the iconic snacks here are sesame pancakes, sold at $0,2 per piece. It’s both tasty and nutritious.
The Nanjing climate is quite rainy and humid (117 rainy days per year). However, there are many sunny days; summers are very hot, autumns are more moderate and pleasant.
There is occasional snow in winter, mostly in January, but not much.
Cheap and amazing!
Cost of living here is low (a lunch costs $7, monthly bus/subway ticket is $22, and beer is $4), so jobs for foreigners in Nanjing, even with average wages, will let you eat out often, go shopping and travel on weekends. Consider visiting Shanghai, Suzhou or abroad.
Types of ESL Teaching Jobs in Nanjing
- Private and state schools
- International schools
- Training English centers
There is a variety of public school jobs in Nanjing, as well as private teaching programs – conditions and schedules may be very different, as well as the salary.
Average wages in the city are at 9,000 RMB ($1,300) monthly. You are likely to find plenty of offers like this on the Net. More experienced and skillful teachers can easily get to teach English in China with salary twice as big without having to work any extra hours.
The pay often depends on the schedule and the type and level of students:
International school Nanjing jobs
Usually such jobs let you start the day later, as you can arrive to the office by 1 pm or 3 pm and finish around 9 pm.
However, you will be expected to teach on weekends as well. All foreigners get 2 days off per week, but these will be during the workweek. These tend to have more competing rates and offer more generous bonuses, because they are private establishments.
Some teachers keep asking us : ‘Is it possible to teach adults in Nanjing?’. If you are one of them, take a closer look at language courses and international schools – you might find your dream position there.
Currently there are many young adults aged 24-36 who need to acquire some English as soon as possible, because of the growth of Chinese economy, international investors, collaboration and trade. Depending on the industry, the vocabulary and approach used to teach at a school in Nanjing may vary, you should be ready for it.
Important point: private schools may require longer contracts – sometimes the duration is at least 15 months, so you are expected to stay with the school throughout this period. If you do, you will obtain extra bonus (which is practical, if you plan to fly back home or make a trip afterwards).
Primary schools in Nanjing
Despite the financial side and other perks, some foreigners find it easier to find a suitable vacancy for teaching English in primary schools in Nanjing, because classes at public schools are larger, sometimes going up to 50 children, which scares some inexperienced educators.
Qualified teachers tend to be more optimistic and self-confident. Moreover, at state institutions you always get a Chinese teaching assistant, which is very convenient, because you get extra help in class and preparing for it. Plus, you can chitchat at lunchtime, go out together and even become real friends.
In fact, ESL public school jobs in Nanjing let you have a more balanced schedule with regular days off, so that you could plan a getaway with your Chinese friends on weekends, or eat out in the evening, as you finish around 5 pm on workdays. However, you also have to wake up early, because classes start at 8 am every day.
What is teaching eperience like in Nanjing?
No matter what school you choose, the crucial requirement is to stay focused on the learners’ needs and to be as creative and positive, as you can. If you come to work in Nanjing as an English teacher, be ready to show your students how easy-going and open you are, and how much fun your classes can be.
It’s exactly what they want from you as a foreigner, so your classes should not be all reading and doing boring exercises. Both young and adult learners appreciate elements of game, jokes, authentic materials and conversation, so make sure, you have such activities on your list.
Talking about culture and social codes, books and ideas, popular movies and singers is also a great way to immerse students into English-speaking world and prepare them for real-life interaction.
What to expect from your role as an English teacher in Guangzhou
So, what exactly will you be expected to do? Usually, responsibilities are very typical for all language courses and public schools:
- Teach groups of children/adults
- 15-20 or up to 50 students (depending on the type of institution)
- 20-30 hours teaching English at a Chinese school
- 4-15 office hours per week
- Checking homework, tests
- Lesson and course planning
- Providing feedback, attending school and teacher-parent meetings
- Standard classes and social club hours
- Attending staff meetings, training, presentations
Compensation and salary
Although, teaching jobs in Nanjing demand a lot of commitment and hard work, the compensation is always worth it, because you don’t only get a decent salary, but also plenty of great bonuses and free training. Here is what you get, applying for a job:
- Top wages between 10,000 RMB and 18,000 RMB ($1,470 – $2,650)
- Free accommodation
- Help with visa and documentation
- 11+13 days off per school year
- Airfare ticket reimbursement after the end of the contract (the amount should not exceed 3000 RMB)
- 7000 RMB contract completion bonus
- Visa fee reimbursement after 6 months of the contract
- Airport pickup
- Welcome pack (monthly transport ticket, SIM card, health assurance etc.)
- Guided tour around Beijing + tip about where to go in your district
- Loyalty bonus for each subsequent contract with the school
- Referral bonuses per person (if a new teacher is hired through your recommendation)
- Performance bonuses
- Summer class bonuses (per month): 500 RMB
- Help with everything related to bureaucracy or medicine
- Help with a bank account, taxes, paying bills, interacting with officials and doctors (if needed)
- Well-equipped classrooms
- Teaching resources and materials
- Staff trips and social events for everyone teaching in Nanjing
- Training and professional development
- TEFL certificate (if needed)
Accommodation
If you want the truth about teaching English in China, you should remember that cost of living here is very low, while foreigners’ wages are quite high. But life wouldn’t be as easy here, if you had to pay your rent – $415 at least, plus bills (around $32 monthly).
Luckily, you don’t have to, as all teaching jobs for foreigners in Nanjing provide you either with a free apartment or a monthly allowance.
- In both cases you’ll have an agent look for a place for you and offer a few suitable options.
- There will be no pressure whatsoever: the school will pay the rent, but you get to select the place you prefer. An agent will assist you in finding an apartment in Nanjing.
- Only quality Western style rentals in safe and nice districts are offered.
- With an allowance you can save even more, if you choose to share the apartment with some other teacher.
- We will do everything to assure, that you live next to tourist attractions and not far from the school. Our agency is very scrupulous when it comes to selecting Nanjing neighborhoods and conditions for our clients.
Qualifications & Skills
Unlike other ESL recruitment agencies and schools, we do not require you to have academic degree, TEFL/TESOL certificate or teaching experience. If you are fluent in English and want to teach kids or adults in China, you are welcome to apply and we will find you a teaching position in Nanjing.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degreewill be an advantage to to teach English in China in 2019, but not obligatory
- TEFL is not reuired, but will be a good point to arrange a hire salary for you (if you don’t have it, it’s not crucial for some ESL jobs in Nanjing, as you can get certified on site)
- At least 20 years old
- Readiness to commit to 12 or 15-month contract
- Native speaker or non-native with fluent English and very good accent
- Open-minded, outgoing, patient, creative in class
Apply Now to Teach English in Nanjing
Do you have what it takes? We surely have some great job offers for you, just leave us a message and send the following:
- Your CV
- Cover letter
- Recent photo of you
- Preferences for schedule and students (age)
When are you able to start?
Apply today at [email protected] (clickable email to write us right away) or fill out the form below.