Native Speakers Only?

I think there is a law that to offer a BA universities need a native speaker

Not 100% on that

I think there is a law that to offer a BA universities need a native speaker

Not 100% on that

As far as I know: if a university wants to offer a degree program in a language then it needs to have a language teacher who is a native speaker.  I think the exact rule is that you need to have native speaking teachers for "TEM8" (Major) level programs but it is not obligatory at "TEM4" (Minor) level.  There are equivalent tests in Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, Russian and German. 

So, if a university wants to offer a degree in Japanese then it needs to have native Japanese language teachers.  However, if Japanese is only a Minor attached to a Major in English then there is no need for said language teachers. 

The whole system is deeply retarded.

I have the wrong skin colour to be a native speaker.  I speak fluent accentless English, but I am ethnically Chinese.

I was hired for my ability to teach chemistry and calculus in English.  If I were an English teacher, I would probably be completely out of luck.  My first few days at the school, the teachers, local and foreign, all thought I was another Chinese teacher.  Another thought I was the Japanese teacher.

I am glad to say that none of them hate me.  They are more intrigued by my existence.  The hardest thing for them to come to grips with was my inability to speak fluent Chinese.  Most of them seem to think that language magically develops with the skin colour.

I have the wrong skin colour to be a native speaker.  I speak fluent accentless English, but I am ethnically Chinese.
  Another thought I was the Japanese teacher.

For your sake I hope you dispelled that belief!
Overseas born Chinese have the hardest row to hoe. Imagine being a Westerner born in China who didn't speak a Western language! There are still some descendants of White Russians in China with that dilemma.
Actually, I'm interested to know what accent-less English is!

Actually, I'm interested to know what accent-less English is!

That would be me. Let me remind you that I am The Living Avatar of World Standard English^TM. Always have been.

Quote from: gonzo on September 21, 2012, 03:25:50 PM

Actually, I'm interested to know what accent-less English is!

That would be me. Let me remind you that I am The Living Avatar of World Standard English^TM. Always have been.

Shoot, off topic!

Shoot, off topic!

Yeah, but that cause seemed to be lost already anyway...

I know that mentioning other forums here is strictly out of order, but I've been banging the drum over at  for weeks now, primarily on behalf of my MA TESOL colleagues, the greatest bunch of non- Australians, Americans, Brits, Whiteys non-native English speakers you could come across. If I was running a school they'd be the first, not the last, people I'd employ. My Mongolian partner in crime is a wonderful English speaker. With two sets of twin boys, I wonder how he has energy to stay awake. A Saudi lady, veil and all, has intense, sparkling eyes to match her intense, sparkling commentaries on we strange people.

But over at  I just get shat on. Luckily I thrive on stoushes.

Quote from: Canadapanda on September 21, 2012, 01:15:06 PM

I have the wrong skin colour to be a native speaker.  I speak fluent accentless English, but I am ethnically Chinese.
  Another thought I was the Japanese teacher.

Actually, I'm interested to know what accent-less English is!

I apologize.  I should have said "accent-less Toronto standard English". 

The Chinese does have an obsession with American accents, even a couple decades ago when I was a wee lass growing up in Hong Kong.  Southern Ontario/California seemed to be the gold standard for what people wanted, even when it was a British colony.  To a certain degree, acquiring accentless speaking seems to be almost more important than learning the actual syntax of speaking.  Unfortunately, many people who are hiring have no idea what "accentless English" actually sounds like, so they go out on a limb and hire someone with the right passport.

The kids that I'm teaching probably have a much more detailed understanding of English grammar than I ever will.  I might as well be a native speaker, and I have no business teaching English to them. 

Glad I am not an English teacher. 

The kids that I'm teaching probably have a much more detailed understanding of English grammar than I ever will.  I might as well be a native speaker, and I have no business teaching English to them. 

Glad I am not an English teacher. 

  You're possibly better paid, too

I've met better paid English teachers.  I could probably do better at an International school, but that wasn't why I came here.

(Is this still off topic?)

Yes. Very. But it's not like you started it...

Are schools looking for English NATIVE  speakers only?? or a qualified ,experienced teacher will do as well?

Nowadays, more schools are willing to accept non-NEST. From my own experience, well I'm from Singapore with Chinese looks, send your CV direct to schools rather than agents.  Most agents, since they are getting commission, the employers tend to demand only NEST applicants. I have a number of occasions sent my CV to an agent placing an advertisement for a position, got a response for more details then no further communication.  Whereas, from responding to the same position, this time an advertisement placed by the employer direct, I had a phone interview and was even shortlisted for a further interview.

Currently, I am employed as an English teacher with the same pay and benefits as the NEST in the school.  As non-NEST, we have to be more patient in our job search, look to the second and third tier cities, they are more willing to accept applicants from non-natives.

Good luck in your job search! 

Encouraging advice from Anthony.
My pet peeves:

-Chinese authorities rate an untrained NEST more highly than a trained non-NEST
-Looks and passport are more important than teaching track record. However, on the looks front, note that Raoul and I still got jobs, so all is not lost for the truly fugly.
-Untrained NESTs will defend their position as being superior to the death, on the basis of birthright and whatever wacky "native" accent they possess.
-Most Chinese students have been brainwashed [and that's not hard] into accepting the above as making sense.

Go figure.

Who said you were fugly?

Anthony, you're new here...but it is in fact pretty much an article of faith around here to advise NEVER using an agent or recruiter or whatever under ANY circumstances. For the excellent reasons why, take a look at http://raoulschinasaloon.com/index.php?topic=6827.0