I was a teacher in Linyi Normal University for more than one year. I know Michael and is wife and can guaranty that what he is saying is true.

The stuff some of you wrote on Michael (and on other non native English teachers in general) is quite frankly ludicrous.

Even though some non native teachers may not have perfect English writing skills that isn't a valid base to imply their incapability of doing a good job as teachers. What matters is their speaking abilities, dedication to the job, teaching skills, charisma and passion. In my opinion it's better to have an English teacher with a slight accent but with the ability to motivate and inspire the students to learn than one with a perfect pronunciation but with no teaching abilities who will bore them senseless and make them hate the language. I know what I'm talking about since I'm not a native speaker myself and in my student days had to endure a great quantity of such lessons delivered by native English speakers... actually the best Oral English teacher I ever had was French :-)

I can say that both Michael and his wife posses all the qualities that make good teachers. They both have solid academic credentials and certainly are far more qualified than some of the so called "teachers" that Linyi University is currently employing (e.g. no degree or qualifications, drunk at every hour of the day, inappropriate relationships with students, behavior that goes from weird to raging mental, etc... )

What's more they managed to keep an overall positive attitude even though from the start they were plunged in a situation many other foreign teacher (me included) wouldn't accept. Micheal's post is very informative, just stating the facts and commenting on how he had to struggle to obtain the things that were stated on his contract... which is in fact an obligation to every employee.

As for Linyi University personally I haven't posted any comments on this school before because, as someone as already mentioned in another tread in this website, the way this schools treats the foreign teachers varies depending on the person and when they worked there. My experience was fairly OK in regards with pay and keeping their word on the contract... even though I was never given one to sign which in itself was a bit odd.

Anyway in the time I have worked there I have also met other teachers which haven't been treated very fairly (late pay, visa problems, dismissal with no reason, constantly changing schedules, arbitrary allocation of teaching hours, etc...) and from the rumors I'm earing now the situation there isn't getting any better, so much so I know some of the teachers have gone for a "runner".

It also as to be said that the real purpose for which Linyi University hires foreign teachers is not teaching. The foreign teachers there (more than 80 at the moment) are there as a show, for marketing purposes so the University can attract more students and get more fundings from the government. Some teachers don't have enough classes to attend, working as much as 4 hours per week, while others work 16 plus English corners... still getting the same pay of course.

I hope this infos will be useful for anyone who is considering to apply in the future