Page 31 - ELG1903 Mar-Apr Issue 464
P. 31

SPECIAL FEATURE
                                              In addition, contracts issued by Chinese
                                          RALF LEINEWEBER/UNSPLASH  UK-linked or equivalent pension top-up   Acquiring a Visa to teach EAP
                                            universities directly are unlikely to offer a
                                                                                        VISA TYPES FOR
                                                                                      TEACHING  IN CHINA
                                            (superannuation).
                                              I would suggest that a new graduate with
                                                                                 in China is becoming more and
                                            a BA or a Cert could expect to earn no
                                            more than £1,000 a month after tax, while a
                                                                                 years, new restrictions were
                                            teacher with an MA-TESOL might start at   more complex. In the last two
                                            £1,500 a month after tax.            brought in for working in the
                                              Contracts issued directly by British   state HE sector, whereby tutors
                                            universities offer the same package as a lecturer   need to hold a passport from
                                                                                 a predominately mono-lingual
                                            would earn in the UK. For a junior lecturer, this   Anglophone country (i.e. not
                                            would be anything from £35k to £42k before   Nigeria or Holland).
                                            tax (plus 2 return tickets home per year); while
                                            a very experienced lecturer in a senior role   Z Type. This is the most common,
 s in China can be an opportunity           could earn in the range of £52k to £60k.   but only allows a stay of 30 days
 riencing life in Shanghai.                   As for conditions, be it on a Chinese or   from the date of arrival in China,
                                            British contract, EAP tutors can count on   during which time you and your
                                            free accommodation on campus, 18 hours a   employer must seek a Temporary
        have got essential teacher qualifications… but   week of contact time and a 16-week semester.   Residence Permit for the duration
                                                                                 of your contract. This requires a
        this is currently a minority.         One more thing to consider is that titles   work permit from the Chinese
          I do feel that the situation is changing,   given to EAP colleagues can vary: it can   employer, and usually takes at
        if slowly, as the Chinese government puts   be any of the following: Instructor; Tutor;   least 4 weeks to be issued.
        measures in place to improve quality   Teaching Fellow; Senior Teaching Fellow;
        assurance both in TNE and in local HE   Principal Teaching Fellow; Lecturer; Senior   F Type. Intended for foreigners
        courses where English is used as a medium of   Lecturer; Associate Professor; Principal   who are invited to conduct a
        instruction.                        Lecturer, etc.                       lecture, an investigation, or for
                                                                                 scientifi c and cultural exchanges.
          In EAP, in particular, it can be difficult                             The duration of stay is normally
        to adapt to the Chinese context without a   What have you personally gained from   30 days from the date of entry.
        Delta, Trinity or PGCE                       teaching EAP in China?      This type of Visa requires an
        qualification, or with an    Students in         Mark: Despite the       invitation letter.
        MA in TESOL. This                                challenges, teaching EAP
        matters, because, if EAP   China are often       in a TNE setting in China   R Type. This is easy to obtain, free,
        teachers do not have a   shocked by teaching     offers the opportunity to add   and very fast, and it also facilitates
        practicum as part of their                       value by doing something   obtaining a work permit and
                                                                                 residence permit. This is the type of
        ELT qualification, they   methods that           which is new and different.   Visa that Krzanowski entered China
        may be unable to cope   include student          And, it also offers security.   on for his current post at Brunel
        with the challenges of the                         For myself, I have been   University London in Chonquing.
        Chinese classroom.     participation.           in EAP since 1993 and the   However, it is only for highly-skilled
          There is a lot of work                      current experience is very   individuals who are badly needed
        to be done in the area of qualifications and   rewarding, particularly in that we always need   – “ELT rock stars”. The employer in
        Cambridge Assessment and Trinity College   a plan B if not a plan Z when it comes to   China must argue the case to prove
        London may well have a market opportunity   professional development.    that you are highly talented and
        in China because TNE as it is now is likely   Right now, if you look at the UK, Brexit,   eligible for the R type.
        to continue in China at least until 2025. For   the uncertainty about the future, EAP makes
        example, TNEs could benefit from running   it possible to gain meaningful employment
        intensive teacher-training courses in situ in   elsewhere. And that means a lot to those of   FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
                                                                                   TEACHING IN CHINA, SEE:
        China, with credentials approved by Trinity   us who remain loyal to the profession.
        or Cambridge.                                                              ■  Britishcouncil.org. (2016).
          In a previous position in Dalian, I ran   ■ Mark Krzanowski is now        Report: The Scale and Scope of
        monthly staff development sessions to try and   Senior Lecturer (Associate   UK HE Transnational Education |
                                                                                    British Council. [online]
        bridge the gaps and move from a heterogenous   Professor) in English for
        team to a more homogenous one.      Specific Academic Purposes             ■  Chou, C. and Spangler, J.
                                            (ESAP) in Transnational                 (2016). Chinese Education
                                                                                    Models in a Global Age.
        What can teachers expect in terms of   Education (TNE) at                   Singapore: Springer Singapore.
        pay and conditions?
                                            Brunel University London
        Mark: This is a very sensitive topic in   (BUL) and Chongquing             ■  Moloney, R. and Xu, H. (2016). Ex-
                                                                                    ploring Innovative Pedagogy in
        Chinese HE. This is because, unlike in   University of Post and             the Teaching and Learning of
        British HE, there is no regulatory framework;   Telecommunications          Chinese as a Foreign Language.
        salaries can vary not only from one university   (CQUPT). He is also        Singapore: Springer Singapore,
        to another, but also from one province to   the Editor-in-Chief of the      Imprint: Springer.
        another.                            IATEFL ESP SIG Journal.


        editorial@elgazette.com                                                                                31
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