China: Volunteer English Teaching in Asia

China: Volunteer English Teaching and Work-Experience

Voluntary English teaching in China as a Projects Abroad volunteer will offer great opportunities to hundreds of Chinese students and give you a unique new perspective on this incredible country. Whether you are volunteering in China during your gap year, career break or on an extended holiday, you will have an important role to play teaching in one of our partner schools and you will be fully supported by our local staff.

Volunteering in China will ensure that you gain invaluable teaching work experience and see the improvement in your many students. The focus is on conversational English, so you do not need any formal qualifications or TEFL training.

As China increasingly embraces the West, the desire to learn English has never been greater. A good level of English could be the ticket for many students to study at one of China's major universities, or to study outside of China at prestigious universities in the US and UK. Huge numbers of foreign owned companies are now flooding into the country to take advantage of the huge potential markets, and they also require bilingual staff.

Teach English Language in schools with Projects Abroad

Working with schools on the outskirts of Shanghai, Projects Abroad teaching volunteers are needed to improve the conversational skills of school students. Traditional values are still important in China so teachers are well respected and you will find students excited to learn. Class sizes vary between forty and fifty students and you will be teaching students aged from 6 to 15 years.

The students at the schools we work in are mostly from families who have moved from rural areas of China to Shanghai to try and improve their lives. They are often from very poor backgrounds and some may have only recently moved to the city.

Volunteers live together in shared apartments in Shanghai.

Volunteers also have the option to live outside of Shanghai and teach at a secondary school in Wujiang - in the Jiangsu province around three hours drive from Shanghai. Volunteers who choose to work in Wujiang live with host families, giving a deep insight into Chinese life. You may find yourself involved in informal language lessons with members of the family, in both English and Mandarin!

During the summer months and in February when the schools are on holiday, all volunteers teach in Shanghai - where we arrange summer classes for local students. During this period there is also the opportunity to teach at a language centre in Shanghai, teaching conversational English to adults and university students.

Volunteering on a Teaching Project in China

With competition for university places high and fewer opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, you will be popular with both the students and your Chinese colleagues. Basing lessons on topics within the local curriculum, you can use role-plays, debates and games to encourage the students to speak and develop their vocabulary. The students will want to learn from you about Western culture so having a native English speaker in their classes is a real advantage for them.

You don't need any previous teaching experience or qualifications before joining our projects. We have plenty of suggestions for games and activities that will help to stimulate the students' minds and sustain their enthusiasm. We always welcome new ideas and we hope that you will take time to prepare and structure lessons. Being prepared will help give you confidence and ensure that you and your students get the most out of your time teaching in China.

Whatever skills and talents you have, volunteer work in China will give you the opportunity to put them to good use. Be imaginative with your teaching to make learning fun and enjoyable for the students. The increased exposure to conversational English will enable the students to advance their language skills and brighten their futures in a big way.

"It was also great to see the kids outside of school – some took me ice-skating, I visited a few kids’ houses and family restaurants, went to the park and had extra after school lessons. The children were the highlight for me as they were all so welcoming and enthusiastic (so were the teachers) in both schools. I really feel as if they’ve made progress during the past five months. The excited cheers I’m greeted with at the beginning of every class will stay my fondest memory."
Alexandra Knott,