Is an American or British accent required?

[crossword]

Someone told me that the Chinese want to hire as ESL teachers only those who have an American or British accent. But I have read of Australians, Germans and Irish getting jobs as ESL teachers in China. what’s the situation? do you have to have an American or British accent to teach English at a reputable school in China?

I was under the impression there are some Indians teaching English in China too, and I assume they’d have Indian accents.

[gfell]

China is not just open to American and British teachers. As long as you are a native English speaker from:

• Australia
• New Zealand
• USA
• UK
• Ireland
• South Africa
• Canada

Then you wont have any real troubles finding work in China. If you are not within one of the above 7 categories, then it will be challenging.

[exported_kiwi]

I agree with good ole Gfell. It's also advised that you have a neutral accent, or so I've read in many vacancy ads. From my experience dealing with Indian people, and God bless em, their accents are very difficult for the students to understand. I had a situation where I worked with a Cameroonian woman in Hunan and her students were constantly complaining about her accent and the fact that they're not learning real English.... or, it might have been because she wasn't white.... I'm inclined to believe it was a bit of both.

I also knew of some Philippine people teaching in Jilin when I was working up there. Their English is more "Americanised" than Indian folks are but even then, they made basic mistakes with grammar etc and the form of English they used was far too formal really. Others have said, as have I, it also really really really pays if you're white. White folks pictures sell the ability to speak native or "correct" English far more than do the pictures of non white, albeit native, speakers pictures do when it comes to advertising a school or training centre etc.... sad fact, but also true and unavoidable around Asia!

Whatever colour you are, as long as your English sounds native with little discernible accent, you should still apply and see what happens. If teaching in Asia is your goal, someone will eventually bite and land you as their teacher. Sadly, as far as I've seen in China, these people usually get the jobs in out of the way places at much lower pay rates. I guess it appears that any English is better than no English in some places.....again, a sad but true fact about teaching here in China.

Another few cents worth,