Choose a teaching role by the work you want to do each day. The school name, city and salary matter, but they cannot tell you whether you will enjoy teaching early learners, managing a homeroom or helping adults communicate at work.
Begin by writing down three preferences: the age group you want to teach, the kind of teaching you want to develop, and the weekly schedule you can commit to. Then compare actual vacancies against them.
What does the school category tell you?
Treat it as a starting point for questions. A “language centre” label does not establish class size or student age, and an “international” label does not establish a particular curriculum or your eligibility.
| Setting you are considering | Find out before deciding |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten or early years | How much of the day is language teaching, play, routines or wider care; who shares responsibility |
| Language centre | Learner ages, lesson frequency, evening/weekend attendance and whether groups change between lessons |
| Primary or secondary school | Subject versus language duties, homeroom responsibilities, assessments and required credentials |
| International or bilingual school | Curriculum, teaching language, qualification requirements and pastoral expectations |
| University or adult education | Learner goals, class sizes, assessment duties and whether the role is conversational or academic |
These are comparison questions, not a statement that every school in a category operates the same way.
Would you enjoy teaching children?
Picture yourself introducing a task, demonstrating it, noticing who has understood and changing the activity when it is too difficult. Comfort with children matters, but so does willingness to plan, repeat instructions and learn from feedback.
Ask to see the kinds of materials you would use. A textbook, a lesson plan and an explanation of classroom support tell you more than a photograph of a lively class. Our first young-learner lesson guide gives you a small planning exercise.
What support would make the role workable?
For a new teacher, useful questions include who reviews early lesson plans, whether observation is part of induction, and what happens when a lesson goes badly. For an experienced teacher, ask how much curriculum freedom you have and how progress is assessed.
Ask what support looks like during a normal week. “Training provided” might describe an introductory session or an ongoing programme; you need the specifics to compare offers.
Can you live with the timetable?
Consider the pattern as well as the number of hours. Long gaps, changing start times or weekend attendance may affect your routine differently from a continuous working day. Read how to evaluate teaching and working hours, then test the timetable against your priorities.
What should you do next?
Shortlist roles that match your classroom preferences and qualifications. Use the same interview questions for each, and compare the written answers.
If teaching children at Flying English interests you, review the advertised role. For the wider relocation decision, return to the Shanghai teaching guide.