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Becoming a Teacher in HK

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  1. #1

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    Sep 2011
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    Talking Becoming a Teacher in HK

    Hi, everyone

    First let me explain my current situation. I am a British-Born-Chinese and therefore I am a native English speaker but I do know Cantonese (although I can't read or write). Most jobs in Hong Kong require reading and writing and so I think I'm limited to teaching, banking and aviation.

    My questions are:
    1) What is the most prestigious teaching qualification I can get from a 2-3 month short course or are they all pretty much regarded as the same thing?

    2) From my understanding there is only one place I can get an English teaching qualification in a classroom in Hong Kong, which is "English for Asia"

    3) After I finish my course what's the best place to start my career, with no experience. Will the NET Scheme accept anyone with no experience (on the website it says no but I have heard of people getting in anyway) ?

    Thanks in advance, any help for any of the questions would be great!


  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by gavin751:
    I think I'm limited to teaching, banking and aviation.
    Why do you think so?

    I know many ppl in other businesses in HK that do not write or read chinese (or even speak it)
    Lisaishere and Zenon like this.

  3. #3

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    Well I have been searching for quite some time now, originally I studied engineering.
    However many engineering jobs here require Chinese reading and writing.

    I'd love to hear some suggestions for other good fields of work.


  4. #4

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    May I ask why do you want to come to HK to work? Don't you like to stay in Britain? There are post-graduate teaching diploma programmes offer in many universities in HK, but they require at least 1 year to finish them Also, I think you can apply directly to become a NET teacher; though I think an English major in university is preferable.


  5. #5

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    I believe that by far the best way to work in HK as a foreigner continues to be to work for an appropriate multinational in your home country and get transferred.


  6. #6

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    Well I came here to kind of explore my Hong Kong roots. It's not that I dislike England I just prefer the lifestyle here.

    feel like I'm in an interview right now lol, with the typical question "So why Hong Kong?"

    My plan right now is to get a TESOL from the only place in HK but please if anyone else has better suggestions please let me know.


  7. #7

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    if you want to teach english, basic requirement is a TEFL, do it in uk, hk equivilent will cost you up to 4 or 5 times as much, ie, uk's itoi tefl, cheap and quick for basic teaching qualification, also consider the optional modules as well.


  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by PDLM:
    I believe that by far the best way to work in HK as a foreigner continues to be to work for an appropriate multinational in your home country and get transferred.
    Yeah I believe that's true too but it feels like a game of chance in that situation, that and I'm already in HK.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by imparanoic:
    if you want to teach english, basic requirement is a TEFL, do it in uk, hk equivilent will cost you up to 4 or 5 times as much, ie, uk's itoi tefl, cheap and quick for basic teaching qualification, also consider the optional modules as well.
    Yeah I expected it to be quite expensive but since I'm already in HK I don't have many options other than Trinity Centre TESOL or an online TEFL qualification but I don't really like the sound of that, I would prefer a more prestigious method as I'd like to pursue this as a career hopefully.

    I am interested to hear about what you have to say about optional modules. Any particular ones I should pick up? At the moment I'm thinking childcare or teaching children would be good topics.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by gavin751:
    Yeah I believe that's true too but it feels like a game of chance in that situation, that and I'm already in HK.
    Well OK, but a local hired English teacher is really way down career-wise on pretty much anything else. In 20 years time you'll probably still just be a locally-hired English teacher. What other qualifications do you have?

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