University

University level education is on the rise in China, with over 20 million students enrolled in China’s schools of higher learning. Enrollment in college is growing rapidly, with the most significant growth seen in postgraduate level programs.

Admittance into China’s colleges is very competitive. The higher a student advances in his or her education, the more important their grades and test scores become. You will find that Chinese college students tend to take their studies very seriously, as their ability to attend depends on their performance in class and on annual exams. Needless to say, this provides a great deal of motivation for students to work hard in your class.

By the time the average Chinese student enters a university, he or she has been studying English for nine years or more. Many university students have also benefited from private, one-on-one tutoring. Therefore, most Chinese university students speak English fairly well. While it may be a stretch to say that the average Chinese university student is fluent in English, it is certainly reasonable to say that he or she is likely to be an advanced student, able to hold conversations in English.

Much of what a Chinese university student needs to learn in the English language will depend on what he or she is studying. As much as possible, teaching should be geared towards teaching students language which they are likely to use in their careers. A student who is studying politics may focus on different parts of the English language than a student who is studying international business or engineering.

You may find that the ideal situation for you is to teach English at a university that specializes in your own field of study. While it’s not a requirement that you understand engineering to teach engineers English, it certainly helps if you are familiar with the kinds of terminology they will need to learn.