1. The ugly truth is that English teachers continue to be seen by many foreigners as the bottom rung of the social ladder. This image is primarily due to China's quickly increasing expat community.
China's English teaching profession has seen significant transformation throughout time. Gone are the days in China when you could find someone with a pulse who wanted to teach eager youngsters English. However, to be honest, a few of those "teachers" were more appropriately described as, well, let's just say, unfit for a different profession. I mean, who needs qualifications or experience when you've got a visa and a willingness to show up? It was a wild west period when some people took advantage of the loose laws to get by or get away from their troubles at home. But since then, the Chinese government has tightened the screws, implementing stricter rules and visa restrictions that make it more harder for dishonest or underqualified individuals to get work in the country. And honestly, it's about time. The industry has matured and is today more respectable and professional than it has ever been. That's not to argue that certain dubious individuals aren't still there—they just remain hidden. Furthermore, it gets more difficult to distinguish between detrimental and beneficial online English learning programs as more individuals use them. But thats a story for another day. Furthermore, the business is probably going to keep growing and changing given China's growing need for people who know English. In fact, some analysts predict that by 2025, the company's valuation would exceed $20 billion. Not bad for a sector that was formerly beset by unskilled educators and shady visa agreements. But hey, progress is a beautiful thing. And who knows, maybe one day China's English teaching industry will be the gold standard of the world. A teacher can dream, right? Furthermore, did you know that several businesses are now enabling Chinese students to study from the convenience of their homes by providing them with online English courses? Greetings from a brave new world, everyo
A large part of the problem lies in the fact that many English teachers in China are not taken seriously by their peers. The primary cause of this is the widespread belief among foreigners that anyone can teach English, regardless of background or e