Blogs by Kim Ooi
Do not teach in China if you have any of these 10 traits
Advice
July 22, 2018
I've been teaching in China now for nearly five years. In that time, I've seen many teachers thrive and make a success of their careers in China. But I've also seen teachers who give our profession a bad name. That'...
Should I stay or should I go? What to consider at the end of your teaching contract in China
Advice
May 24, 2018
If you plan on teaching English in China for more than a year, you will need to decide whether to renew your contract and stay at the same school or move to a new school. In this article, I highlight some important factors that you should consider...
20 basic Mandarin phrases to help you survive in China
Daily life
May 18, 2018
When I first thought about writing a blog on the most useful, basic Chinese phrases for a foreigner in China, I didn’t know where to start. I’ll be honest – if you never eat out, don’t travel anywhere, don’t go to bar...
What is it really like to live and teach in China?
Opinion
May 01, 2018
In August 2013, I left for China to start my first overseas teaching post. I am now partway through my fifth year here. I thought it would be a good idea to write this article so that prospective teachers can find out what it is really like to liv...
7 weird things in China that gave me culture shock
Daily life
April 11, 2018
As a foreigner in China, I initially experienced a lot of culture shock. Several things that I saw here frustrated and angered me. Nobody ever thought to brief me on what to expect or to explain why these things were happening. Eventually, h...
How to set exams in China
Teaching strategies
March 04, 2018
China’s education system is exam-focused and even foreign teachers can’t escape having to set exams. Yet, no TEFL course to my knowledge teaches their trainees how to set and grade exams. There are many ways to set exams and hopeful...
Teaching subjects in China
Teaching strategies
February 28, 2018
You’ve passed your TEFL course. After a period of job hunting, you get offered a job as an English teacher at a university in China. Full of excitement and enthusiasm, you fly off to the Middle Kingdom. As you wander around your new surr...
Student life in China – through the eyes of a university student
Students
February 04, 2018
Have you ever wondered what life in China is like from a student perspective? I taught writing last semester and offered as a prize to the best student in my class, the chance to get their essays published. I have reproduced below, with permiss...
What Chinese university students really want from their oral English class
Opinion
January 30, 2018
What do Chinese university students really want from their oral English class with a foreign teacher? First, let me ask you a question. As an oral English teacher, if you had a group of students who are used to being lectured and who have difficul...
Why teaching English in China is better than working in the UK
Opinion
September 29, 2017
As an expat in China, I suffered from a lot of culture shock initially so I’m really surprised to find myself writing this blog today. But, like many people have said, it all depends on the perspective you take. After doing some reflectio...
