Language Schools vs Public Schools In China: Which ESL Teaching Job Is Better?

Beijing vs Chengdu

The language centre I worked at in Beijing ran a tight ship, with more than five centres. 

We had:

• hands-on management, 
• constant training to keep teachers on the same page,
• two days off a week, 10 days (at half pay) for holidays,
• working hours that usually started after 3:00 PM and ran till 8:00 PM,
• long, draining weekend shifts, usually from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

It didn’t matter if we didn’t get full pay for the holidays because the salary was good enough to compensate, and we received severance, so it was worth it.

The language centre in Chengdu was the complete opposite. They provided no training. 

Management’s idea of training was giving you a picture the day before and telling you to write a lesson plan based on it. 

The lesson feedback was your training — trial and error. 

You don’t always know what you’ll get because when they interview you, they put their best foot forward, obviously. 

Read more: 10 EFL Language Schools You Should Know

The public school system is better organised in most cases. 

My first public school job was at a middle school in Chengdu, Sichuan province. The school was huge! Schools in China often resemble high-end private institutions due to heavy government investment in education. 

Class sizes range from 40–60 students. Students are disciplined, polite, smart, and eager to learn. They take school very seriously, but also have a sense of humour.

Daily routines include:

• Morning exercises
• Structured greetings and goodbyes at the start and end of class
• Eye gym breaks twice a day

Flexibility, observation, and building trust are key to surviving China’s public schools.

Chinese teachers work long hours, but my role was more informal: I helped students practice their English conversation skills. I used games and interactive activities to break the ice and build rapport.

Dress code and professional appearance mattered, and feedback from Chinese colleagues could be clinical and direct.

Read more: Why You Should Move To China To Teach English

Teaching style

I’ve observed many public school lessons and have seen many teachers survive the job by reading slides from a PowerPoint screen. 

So, in theory, you can survive public school teaching like this. However, if you want to reach more students and make a bigger impact, make your lessons interactive.

Class sizes in China’s ESL schools

When I started at the language centre in Beijing, the biggest class had about 12 students. The smaller ones ranged from one-on-one to 6 students in a class, with ages ranging from 3–17 years old.

Edutaining a smaller group and maintaining their concentration can be more exhausting than teaching a bigger class of older students, but that depends on the preferences of the teacher (and the students!).

On the other hand, classroom management is generally easier with fewer students.

Curriculum differences in Chinese education

In public schools, there’s a set curriculum and clear goals, closely monitored by your HOD. These materials and books are approved by the government, and you have to follow them religiously. 

Read more: Things To Know About Chinese Classroom Culture

Workload

Lesson plans

In public schools, your PowerPoints and lesson plans usually need to be approved by the school, typically one to two weeks before the lesson. 

In general, this gives you more direction and structure compared to language centres, where you have a bit more flexibility in terms of what and how you teach. Also, lesson plans are often submitted closer to the lesson time.

Admin workload for TEFL teachers in China

In terms of admin, not everything is set in stone. 

Here’s how my experiences compared:

• Beijing language centre = no admin
• Sichuan language centre = logging every lesson and moment at the office
• Public schools = conducting oral exams for the whole school and writing up a report twice a semester — that was the extent of my admin, leaving me more energy to teach

Read more: Transferable Skills For TEFL Teachers

Student energy and engagement

Always consider the customers: the students.

The approach at a language centre is very different. You need to put in much more energy and move around because the students have already spent most of their day at school and in extracurricular activities, which is why they slept during class! 

Also, an extra 45 minutes of English is generally not their idea of fun, but it all depends on the kids. 

Read more: Stirrers And Settlers For Young Learners

Some came to the centre motivated and energised, and a kind of reciprocal energy exchange happened where we’d feed off each other’s energy. This made some lessons outrageously fun once you got to know them.

I like to compare my lessons to a shark: if it stops moving, it’ll die. 

The same goes for language centre lessons. You need to make everything more dynamic and engage the students more personally, as it’s less formal.

Read more: 5 Ways To Keep Your Classroom Interesting And Engaging

Language schools vs public schools in China at a glance 

• Pay: Language schools (higher, less stable) | Public schools (lower, more predictable)
• Hours: Evenings & weekends | Weekdays, finished by 4-5pm
• Class sizes: 12-12 | 30-50
• Structure: Flexible | Rigid and structured

Pros:

• The energy is amazing. Students can get a second burst of energy, since classes happen later in the day, and you can work with that.
• There is freedom to create interesting materials and lessons, and be more active.
• It’s easier to make friends and hang out during lunch or after work, since you’re surrounded by other foreigners.
• You can gain excellent experience and have fun while you’re at it. 

Cons:

• Everything is more unpredictable since it’s privately funded.
• Travel plans can be cancelled at the last minute if someone gets sick or resigns on the day. 
• You can’t moonlight or earn extra money.

Pros:

• Fixed expectations — you know how many classes you have and you know you finish work by 4:30 PM.
• You have weekends off.
• Staff won’t bother you outside school hours for trivial things, unless a typhoon is approaching.

Cons:

• It can feel isolating, since you’ll likely be the only foreigner on staff.
• Cultural and language barriers can make integrating into the teaching team difficult. 
• Lessons are formulaic and become monotonous.
• You can’t moonlight or earn extra money — a common complaint, though many do it anyway.
• Larger classes often mean teaching students at varying levels within one class, which can be difficult to manage. 

Read more: Top Tips For Teaching Large Classes In TEFL

The option that suits you best depends on your personality. 

Touch base with a recruiter or school to understand their day-to-day operations and compare workplaces.

Top tips:

• Look up recruiters on Facebook.
• Research schools by going on sites like Glassdoor for reviews.
• Connect with other teachers via social media.
• Most importantly, trust your gut.

So are you seeking stability and a steady paycheque or an unpredictable adventure with potentially higher earnings? Either way, a 120-hour TEFL is the minimum you’ll need to qualify for the Z visa in China.

Whatever choice you make, making a positive impact on your students matters most.