Comments on: The Lowdown on Teaching English in Taiwan http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/ Chinese, Linguistics, Science, Cultural Observations and whatever else I feel like writing about Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:31:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Advice for a newbie | Doubting to shuo: Chinese, Investing, EFL and Being a Geek in Taiwan http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-148020 Advice for a newbie | Doubting to shuo: Chinese, Investing, EFL and Being a Geek in Taiwan Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:06:09 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-148020 [...] found me through this web page somehow and if so, why didn’t she didn’t read any of the stuff I’ve written about teaching and put on the front [...] [...] found me through this web page somehow and if so, why didn’t she didn’t read any of the stuff I’ve written about teaching and put on the front [...]

]]> By: Teri Tsai http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-108372 Teri Tsai Tue, 27 Nov 2007 04:13:13 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-108372 Indeed it’s sad to be a victim of social stereotyping. You are right, it’s all about image and attitude. I’m Asian with a license to teach in my home country, ongoing MA Degree on English and 4 years experience of teaching Koreans (I’m not Korean). My interviews with buxiban’s crash when they know where I’m from, (normally it’s the first question they ask) and you get this discriminatory look with the dismissal goodbye and we will call you, thanks and bye. Frustrated with the system, a schoolmate of mine (we came from the same country) but already teaching English here referred me to her agent. True enough I got the job under the pretense that I’m ABC or CBC. I have been teaching for 5 months now with three different schools every week, each school had no idea that I’m none of the above. So far, the feedback on my teaching skills from these schools is heart fattening, but I’m not totally elated because I lied and deep within me wants to tell the general public that it’s not just about looks (blond hair, white skin, accent, etc) but the love for teaching (dedication) combined with experience and education, that makes a good qualified teacher teaching anything from English, Science, and Math, and in this case teaching English. I’m not promoting agents, because the downsides of that are, they (agent) get a slice of your salary, and no contract (from school or agent). You are at their disposal. Indeed it’s sad to be a victim of social stereotyping. You are right, it’s all about image and attitude. I’m Asian
with a license to teach in my home country, ongoing MA Degree on English and 4 years experience of teaching Koreans (I’m not Korean). My interviews with buxiban’s crash when they know where I’m from, (normally it’s the first question they ask) and you get this discriminatory look with the dismissal goodbye and we will call you, thanks and bye. Frustrated with the system, a schoolmate of mine (we came from the same country) but already teaching English here referred me to her agent. True enough I got the job under the pretense that I’m ABC or CBC. I have been teaching for 5 months now with three different schools every week, each school had no idea that I’m none of the above. So far, the feedback on my teaching skills from these schools is heart fattening, but I’m not totally
elated because I lied and deep within me wants to tell the general public that it’s not just about looks (blond hair, white skin, accent, etc) but the love for teaching (dedication) combined with experience and education, that makes
a good qualified teacher teaching anything from English, Science, and Math, and in this case teaching English.
I’m not promoting agents, because the downsides of that are, they (agent) get a slice of your salary, and no contract (from school or agent). You are at their disposal.

]]> By: Fred http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-84879 Fred Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:15:25 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-84879 There is a ton of Bad attitude in Taiwan amongst the people who are in charge of hiring. This goes for Taiwanese and foreigners alike. The recruiters are a really lousy bunch of meddlers too. The fact is, being a really great teacher with a master's degree won't get you anywhere in this country. It's all image and attitude. These people are slimey, ignorant, sinister and deceitful. If you are a qualified teacher, don't waste your talent in Taiwan. It's miserable. They won't respect you, or appreciate anything you can do There is a ton of Bad attitude in Taiwan amongst the people who are in charge of hiring. This goes for Taiwanese and foreigners alike. The recruiters are a really lousy bunch of meddlers too. The fact is, being a really great teacher with a master’s degree won’t get you anywhere in this country. It’s all image and attitude. These people are slimey, ignorant, sinister and deceitful.
If you are a qualified teacher, don’t waste your talent in Taiwan. It’s miserable. They won’t respect you, or appreciate anything you can do

]]> By: Karima http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-84630 Karima Sat, 18 Aug 2007 00:32:24 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-84630 It is really sad to hear about the opportunities for people of color. I have read this over and over. It is funny to think that in Communist China a African American would be more welcome then "free" China. Oh well. It is really sad to hear about the opportunities for people of color. I have read this over and over. It is funny to think that in Communist China a African American would be more welcome then “free” China. Oh well.

]]> By: fladave http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-78223 fladave Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:26:11 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-78223 goodness (sorry) goodness (sorry)

]]> By: fladave http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-78222 fladave Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:24:57 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-78222 Nice good to see that no matter how it gets done, english is being taught dont debate how just thank good its happening. Now can we make it work here? Nice good to see that no matter how it gets done, english
is being taught dont debate how just thank good its happening. Now can we make it work here?

]]> By: Jennifer http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-77891 Jennifer Mon, 23 Jul 2007 04:29:14 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-77891 The pay for teaching English in Taiwan seems to be down. Thats what I hear anyhow. Many schools offer one or two hours in the morning only which messes up the pay quite a bit. Just got a reply from someone looking for a private teacher: 800NTD to 1200NTD doesn't match his budget. Still there are opportunities to teach privates and company classes for a decent pay. I get my privates from <a href="http://www.taiwan-taipei.com" rel="nofollow">taiwan-taipei.com</a>. They don't charge for students and schools to see your information. So there is a call now and then that gets me another student. Anyhow I don't mid to share just <a href="http://www.taiwan-taipei.com/cgi-bin/taiwan/cms/classified/taiwan_taipei_ads.pl?eingabe" rel="nofollow">post your resume right here</a>. The pay for teaching English in Taiwan seems to be down. Thats what I hear anyhow. Many schools offer one or two hours in the morning only which messes up the pay quite a bit. Just got a reply from someone looking for a private teacher: 800NTD to 1200NTD doesn’t match his budget. Still there are opportunities to teach privates and company classes for a decent pay. I get my privates from taiwan-taipei.com. They don’t charge for students and schools to see your information. So there is a call now and then that gets me another student. Anyhow I don’t mid to share just post your resume right here.

]]> By: nigel http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-73819 nigel Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:38:49 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-73819 Thanks for the great information here. I'm wondering, what options (outside of big chain schools) are available to someone like me... -Coming to Taiwan for the first time -No teaching experience -BA and Masters degree (in unrelated field) -Planning to stay for multiple years to live with Taiwanese partner I've got a job offer from Hess but I'm wondering if I should knock them back and do some shopping around once I arrive. Thanks in advance! Thanks for the great information here.
I’m wondering, what options (outside of big chain schools) are available to someone like me…
-Coming to Taiwan for the first time
-No teaching experience
-BA and Masters degree (in unrelated field)
-Planning to stay for multiple years to live with Taiwanese partner

I’ve got a job offer from Hess but I’m wondering if I should knock them back and do some shopping around once I arrive.
Thanks in advance!

]]> By: WenDi http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-13265 WenDi Fri, 08 Dec 2006 09:09:23 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-13265 DuoXieZhiJiao 多谢指教- In other words 'thanks for your advice' - Zhi(指） is the character for 'pointing sth. out' and jiao （教） the verb 'to teach'. Together meaning 'advice'. DuoXieZhiJiao 多谢指教- In other words ‘thanks for your advice’ - Zhi(指） is the character for ‘pointing sth. out’ and jiao （教） the verb ‘to teach’. Together meaning ‘advice’.

]]> By: Taiwanease: Hardcore Buxibans | Doubting to shuō: Chinese, Investing, EFL and Being a Geek in Taiwan http://toshuo.com/2005/the-lowdown-on-teaching-english-in-taiwan/#comment-8590 Taiwanease: Hardcore Buxibans | Doubting to shuō: Chinese, Investing, EFL and Being a Geek in Taiwan Thu, 19 Oct 2006 04:28:21 +0000 http://www.toshuo.com/wordpress/?p=7#comment-8590 [...] Students are drilled intensively on sentence patterns, however they aren’t expected to memorize as much vocabulary, especially at the lower levels, as students at “big chains“. Spelling tests are also extremely infrequent at most HFRBs. Some don’t have any. Joy, Sesame Street, and Hess, on the other hand, have spelling tests every unit, administered by the “Chinese teacher”. [...] [...] Students are drilled intensively on sentence patterns, however they aren’t expected to memorize as much vocabulary, especially at the lower levels, as students at “big chains“. Spelling tests are also extremely infrequent at most HFRBs. Some don’t have any. Joy, Sesame Street, and Hess, on the other hand, have spelling tests every unit, administered by the “Chinese teacher”. [...]

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