Things To Know About Chinese Classroom Culture

Though we can’t give you an exact number, it’s estimated that there are hundreds of thousands (yes, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS) of TEFL teachers currently teaching English in China. 

Education in China is big business, and clearly, there’s something attractive about teaching English in China. 

But what’s it like teaching in China as a TEFL teacher? What’s the typical classroom in China like? What can a foreign EFL teacher expect as an English teacher in China? What are Chinese classroom rules and Chinese classroom culture?

We asked Joshua, a South African who taught in Chengdu, China to tell us what Chinese classroom culture is all about. This is what he told us:

They say that speaking in front of people is one of the most common fears for most people. Now imagine teaching 50 or 60 students in a totally different country. That’s what I signed up for when I moved to China—to try teaching abroad and escape the monotony of the daily grind in South Africa.

I had some experience. I taught in a public school in South Africa, I spent some time teaching middle school in South Korea, worked at a language academy in Shanghai and with half my family in education, teaching wasn’t new to me.

Read more: How To Live And Work In China As A Foreigner

What should teachers know about classroom culture in China?

There are numerous different teaching positions available in China. From au pairing to teaching in a kindergarten to teaching in a language school, there are teaching jobs across the board in China. 

My first job at a public school in China was at a middle school in Chengdu, in Sichuan province. That school was massive—three times bigger than the mall in my hometown. I was overwhelmed, to say the least.

My older brother is also a teacher and often talks about how tough public schools are in South Africa nowadays. It made me wary, and I hoped for the best and prepared for the worst when I started.

Here’s the truth: there’s no comparison between public schools in South Africa and China. The government schools in China look like high-end private schools. The government clearly invests trillions in education.

How does Chinese classroom culture differ from the West?

Joshua has the unique experience of having taught in South Africa, as well as in China. So he’s perfectly suited to answer this question.

On my first day in Chengdu, the students impressed me. They were polite, smart, and actually wanted to learn. 

One of the Chinese teachers sat in on my class, which made me nervous, but the students stayed focused. In China, they’re serious about learning. A few students spoke up during the lesson, but it felt like they were speaking on behalf of the whole class.

You have to remember that school is a big deal in China—probably as important to them as vacations are to students in the West. So my goal was to mix fun with learning, making my lessons edutaining. The kids were disciplined, curious, and—once they trusted me—funny and witty.

How are students expected to behave? 

My role was different from the Chinese teachers so the interactions were more informal. 

I didn’t teach grammar or tests—I helped students practice their spoken English. For a warmer, I used a simple game: a bowling challenge using a tennis ball and some whiteboard markers. It broke the ice and helped them relax a bit, the big challenge was winning them over. 

Winning them over wasn’t easy though. Many students didn’t want to speak up in front of the whole class, because in Asian culture you have to remember the concept of “saving face.” 

Like most countries with a primary language that is not English, it takes a lot for some students to participate in a class of 50 students. Therefore, some students rarely participated in games like musical chairs where you put them on the spot.

Another reason most students avoid answering questions is because they are not always confident or comfortable. And the only solution for this is to build trust. It takes time, and you need good lesson plans, creative ideas, and a teaching style that stands out. Luckily, there is so much material on the net to use here. 

Or you can check out The TEFL Academy’s Teacher’s Toolkit for loads of effective lesson ideas.

In terms of interpersonal trust and for them to relate to me, I repeatedly told my students that their English was better than my Chinese. I made jokes, used a bit of Mandarin, and asked them about their favourite food and places; that helped a lot.

How did students typically show respect for teachers?

In South Korea, I made the mistake of lecturing too much. 

The students didn’t understand, and I lost many of them, so I learned the hard way. Over time, with feedback and tears, I figured out what worked and what didn’t. The most important thing here is to take time to get to know the students.

In general, the students in China are well-mannered because there is a culture of respect, but connecting with them is another story.

I had to keep my English very simple and sometimes even reverted to Chinglish. I also made an effort to eat with them in the lunch hall and follow Chinese eating customs (which I had to Google repeatedly before I went). 

What’s the teacher-student dynamic like?

One of the Chinese teachers told me that my class was the only one students couldn’t fail and I’m only there for show. 

Normally, that would have deflated my enthusiasm, but it made me think: the students have nothing to lose but everything to gain, and making the classes even more outrageously fun would be a perfect opportunity to trick them into doing what I need them to do according to the goals set by management.

How clever?!

In the classroom, I was more of a guide than a traditional teacher. I used PowerPoint slides and games in my lessons, and these were stepping stones built on what they were already learning from their other teachers. In this way, collaborating on the bigger picture was the success of the classes

Were there any unexpected classroom rituals or routines you had to adapt to?

One thing I loved was the daily routines. Every morning, the students did exercises while I drank coffee and called home. Twice a day, they even did “eye gym”—exercises to rest and relax their eyes.

The greetings and goodbyes during classes were so amazing, it felt like a little performance every time—even though I never got a standing ovation.

One thing I struggled with was the tech. Each class had monitors and sliding chalkboards, and on day one, I broke my USB (with one of those sliding boards) and on multiple occasions couldn’t figure out the Chinese menu on the screen. Luckily, there was always a tech-savvy Steve Jobs who helped me.

How did academic pressure affect your students’ behaviour or participation in class?

Perfectionism is a thing. 

One day, a girl froze during a task and actually threw up from the stress. I felt awful. Before the next class, I gave her a cheat sheet and she nailed it.

 Sometimes, all someone needs is a little push and the feeling that they have a teacher who cares to build their confidence.

What were your class sizes like?

The class sizes ranged from 40 to 60 students per class. 

I felt overwhelmed whenever I entered a classroom, but the students were brilliant. One of the challenges in Korea with classes that large was that my voice wasn’t prepared for it—I had to learn how to project. In China, they provided a microphone, which helped a lot.

What role did parents play in classroom expectations?

I didn’t meet many parents at school or at the gates. But in places like malls or supermarkets, kids would spot me, and I’d end up talking to their parents and joining them for dinner.

In South Africa, calling parents doesn’t always solve behaviour problems; it sometimes exacerbates the situation. But in China, it’s a last resort—and it works. If parents like you, they’ll support you, and that makes all the difference.

What did you wear to school and how does it differ from the general dress code in China?

Dress code was interesting for me. 

Some of my colleagues at the private language academies wore jeans and sneakers. I wore a jacket and dress shoes when I went to the school for the first meet-and-greet and mirrored what the other teachers at the middle school wore: a button shirt, leather shoes, and a nice jacket.

There’s a saying: “Fine feathers make fine birds.” I believe in dressing the part.
Countries like Korea and China definitely have a “lookism culture,” and they put a lot of emphasis on appearance, cleanliness, and being neat—so those aspects are always important…and hard when you have a beard and no razor, but I made it work.

You pick up a lot of cultural rules just by observing other teachers and noticing their reactions when you do something that isn’t quite the norm.

 One example is using a red marker—a big no-no. Another thing some of my friends sometimes struggled with was punctuality. 

You do feel silly when things like this happen, but you learn to let go and forgive yourself.

Do you have any tips on how to adapt to teaching in Chinese classrooms? 

I survived those first few weeks by being flexible and not taking things personally. Sometimes I would customize lesson plans to suit certain classes. Occasionally, lessons bombed—and that was perfectly fine because I saw it as a learning curve. Some of the Chinese teachers would give input in a very clinical way, which I sometimes perceived as a personal attack. But I set my feelings aside because I knew I had to grow—and the only way to grow is through feedback.

I checked in with the school’s management (despite the language barrier) to understand their goals and what they expected of me. I also reached out to friends and colleagues at other schools for help.

In my opinion, the most important things are getting feedback, being a team player, and forgiving yourself when you fail—so that you fail less and less over time.