English Teaching Programme in China

Description of Organisation
Suzhou International Foundation School is an affiliation of Chinese public schools in the Jiangsu Province, covering junior, middle and high school grade.
We set up the English Teacher Lecture project in 2006. Every year we recruit a group of native level English teachers to teach English language classes in China. Since its establishment, the project has grown exponentially and now covers 18,000 students and 40 schools across the cities of Wuxi, Taicang and Suzhou.

Location
You will be allocated to one of the following cities in Jiangsu Province: Wuxi, Taicang, Suzhou

Intro to Foreign Teacher Lecture project
The Foreign Teacher Lecture project allows you to experience one year in China, while teaching English language to young pupils. The project is an opportunity you cannot miss if you are curious to know more about the second largest economy in the world and its people.

Over the last 12 years the Suzhou Education Bureau has committed to this educational program aiming at promoting the exchange of cultures between China and English speaking countries. As a result, by 2018 the program reached 20,000 students across the cities in Jiangsu. Joining the program, candidates will not only have the chance to teach the language, but also to become part of a community of international and local people.

The program is also a great opportunity for those who do not necessarily want to progress a career in education. The Suzhou Education Bureau provides a referral letter for your future employer. This can be a real differentiator, especially for those interested in working with Chinese companies like Tech giants Alibaba, Tencent and Huawei, playing an increasingly powerful role in the world.

Job Description
Successful candidates will start their placement in September 2020, corresponding with the beginning of the Chinese school year. The placement will run for ten months, starting on the second week of September 2020 and ending the last week of June 2020.
Candidates will be allocated to schools affiliated to the Suzhou Municipal Education Bureau (primary school, middle school, high school and vocational colleges) in the coastal province of Jiangsu, located within Yangtze Delta North of Shanghai. Working hours per week are approximately 20. Extra hours, up to 4, will be remunerated separately.

Before the beginning of the school year, selected candidates are invited to Beijing or Suzhou to complete a compulsory 2 week TEFL and training course. This practice summer school will provide teachers with the skills and confidence necessary for the English classes. In addition, during the first week of September, they will attend various orientation sessions in order to welcome them to the school and the local community.

In class, teachers will be given the responsibility to plan and lead their lectures, making it a challenging yet rewarding and exciting experience. They will be given the freedom to create their own unique teaching methods and activities to incorporate culture aspects from their own home countries into the classroom, through music, sports, games etc. At the same time, plenty of academic resources and tips will be shared among the teachers on the online platform dedicated to the project.

At school, teachers can expect a friendly and supportive environment with mentorship provided through day-to-day communication with the assigned personal mentor, school staff and fellow teacher community. During the school year, the program team organizes regular demo classes, forums, training and other activities to constantly improve the level of teaching skills. In the 2017-2018 academic year, 48 demo classes and seminars and 26 academic communication meetings were held.

Extra-curricular activities
The program offers the opportunity to join a range of free extra-curricular activities for those teachers who would like to learn the Chinese language and culture and aim at networking with their colleagues and local community. Activities include:
• Mandarin, calligraphy and traditional Chinese cooking classes
• Immersive cultural experiences such as kun opera, wash painting, tea ritual and others
• Tours around places of interest in Jiangsu
• Participation to celebrations for both Chinese and Western festivals
• Sports events and other cultural exchange events

Furthermore, foreign teachers can volunteer to help students prepare for the ’’Future Star’’ English Debate Contest. In order to show the achievements of the program and enhance students’ enthusiasm for English learning, the program team has held the contest for high school students every year since year 2015, gathering nearly 200 students.
The process to obtain a visa requires commitment from April until departure in August. For this reason, we will select candidates who can demonstrate a strong interest in teaching and learning about the Chinese culture.

Application process
• Applications will close on April 12th
• Candidates will be selected on an on-going basis
• Please send your CV and Cover Letter to francesca.giacoppo@kbschools.cn within the indicated deadline
• If successful, you will be invited to a first round 15-30 minutes video interview

Key dates
• February-April: Application period. Applicants will be accepted on an on-going basis
• April 12th: Applications deadline. The outcome of the last applications will be known by the end of April
• May-August: Background checks and VISA applications
• 3rd-4th week of August: Compulsory two week TEFL course in Beijing or Suzhou
• 1st week of September: Orientation week in China
• 2nd week of September: start of school year

Candidates will need to:
• Be native level English speakers
• Have graduated from university with at least a bachelor’s degree, and have their certificate by mid-August 2019
• Demonstrate their passion for teaching and cultural exchange
• Possess a health certificate (guidelines will be provided)

Remuneration and perks
• Salary of RMB 7,500 / month pre-tax
• Free accommodation in a flat close to other fellow teachers (standard is guaranteed for comfortable and safe living conditions)
• RMB 500 / month allowance for telephone bill, electricity, water, gas and internet bills
• Performance based bonus of RMB 6,000/year

Additional perks include:
• Personal mentor teacher for assistance of all matters (including teaching advice, local knowledge and welfare support)
• Paid leave (3-4 weeks of winter holiday and all national holidays)
• Up to RMB 10,000 for two single air fares (to & from China)
• Health insurance
• Visa allowance up to RMB 3,000
• Free training for TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) in China certificate
• Referral letter from the Suzhou Education Bureau for your future employer, especially valuable for applications to Chinese companies (this year’s Fortune Global 500 features a total of 129 Chinese companies, top of the list)