[Eddy Mundo]

My brother just got laid off and is thinking of going to HK to teach english. But I hear that it's hard for a person of Chinese descent to get an english-teaching job in HK because people wants to learn english from a westerner. Is that true? Are there any expats here english-teachers of Chinese/Asian descent? What are your experiences?

[Sino Defender]

Originally Posted by Eddy Mundo

My brother just got laid off and is thinking of going to HK to teach english. But I hear that it's hard for a person of Chinese descent to get an english-teaching job in HK because people wants to learn english from a westerner. Is that true? Are there any expats here english-teachers of Chinese/Asian descent? What are your experiences?

as long as he is a native speaker and a citizen of an english speaking country with years of experience and certificates to prove such experience, he should be fine.

without professional certificates in education, even a blonde native speaker cannot be qualified.

[sunniefaith]

Originally Posted by Eddy Mundo

My brother just got laid off and is thinking of going to HK to teach english. But I hear that it's hard for a person of Chinese descent to get an english-teaching job in HK because people wants to learn english from a westerner. Is that true? Are there any expats here english-teachers of Chinese/Asian descent? What are your experiences?

I'm a NET teacher of chinese descent. To be honest, I'm not sure how hard it is for a person of chinese descent to get an English-teaching job in HK. Saw an ad in the papers in my home country by EMB for NET teachers, sent in my application and then came for interview and got the job. It might be easier with EMB than language schools as they are interested more in your skills, accent and your qualifications. Plus, they pay better as well.

[EUChinese]

Originally Posted by sunniefaith

I'm a NET teacher of chinese descent. To be honest, I'm not sure how hard it is for a person of chinese descent to get an English-teaching job in HK. Saw an ad in the papers in my home country by EMB for NET teachers, sent in my application and then came for interview and got the job. It might be easier with EMB than language schools as they are interested more in your skills, accent and your qualifications. Plus, they pay better as well.

Can't be hard. All my English teachers in school were chinese and now I am looking back they couldn't even speak good english.

[jayinhongkong]

Some of the more professional outfits will hire Chinese English teachers if their English is up to par. The smaller places probably won't, though, but they'll hire French people as English teachers, for example, just because they assume that the parents of the kids they'll be teaching think white people speak better English.

[KnowItAll]

>> they assume that the parents of the kids they'll be teaching think white
>> people speak better English.

A lot of Parents do assume that ....

[dicesix]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

>> they assume that the parents of the kids they'll be teaching think white
>> people speak better English.

A lot of Parents do assume that ....

I still have the HK Magazine issue 642 from last Friday on my desk. There's a letter to the editor complaining about that. (KnowItAll, hope it's ok to post it here.)

Haters and Discriminators
Dear HK,
I am an American-born Chinese who teaches English for a living. Last week, I applied for an open position as an English teacher, but I received an offensive reply that I found very disturbing. They said in essence that they are only hiring Caucasian teachers because they say that's what the parents want. I realize that discrimination is an issue in Hong Kong, but I'm still a little shocked; after all, Hong Kong is said to be an "international" city. For that title, people sure are small-minded. I could understand if this happened in the middle of Texas, but this sure is not Texas for it is home to plenty of Koreans, Americans, Europeans, British (dicesix remarks: note the distinction European and British... hehe), Japanese, and so on. In so-called "white" America, there are far more anti-discrimination laws than Hong Kong would ever have. What is this deception that a Caucasian teacher must teach better than American-born Chinese? We're both native speakers.

[jayinhongkong]

Dice: I thought of that letter when I saw this thread too. I didn't pick up on that distinction between British and European though. hehe

[jaykay]

Unfortunately it all depends on who's paying and what they require. We supply programs and teachers to schools and centres all over HK. There are quite a few schools who do not mind the ethnicity of teachers as long as they are native speakers. Then there are those schools who will not accept teachers of maybe filipino or indian origin. Some state they just want western teachers.

Learning centres are a different matter. Parents want and demand westerners. Doesn't matter even if it's a governmental institution or an NGO, they still demand westerners. If we supply native english speaking chinese or anybody other than westerners then the parents kick up a fuss. It's so frustrating as we know and have so many good teachers that we just cannot use in these places. Bear in mind that these companies who run these places find it just as frustrating as the teachers who are unable to get work.

[coolgirl]

But there are two issues there:

1. Chinese preferring white teachers - this is totally crap. and funny for two reasons:

a. You do not need white teachers to speak good English. In my country most people speak good English, I want to think I speak perfect English, I never had a white teacher in my life except during Business School.

b. White teachers won't necessarily generate "white tongue" students - If the parents believe if there are white teachers, the students will automatically pick up the accent, they should continue dreaming

2. Requiring teachers to be White because that's what the payors want - Ok, so granted demand is for these White teachers. But that does not justify discrimination. An analogy: Does it justify that we give people illegal drugs (wrong deed) because it's in high demand? So does it mean we can discriminate based on color (wrong deed) just because people ask for it?