Hi, Dexter, during the years I lived and worked in China (2003-2008), the teaching load varied from public to private schools as salaries and terms are quite different (and other FTs will offer different numbers as well).

In public schools, for a low monthly salary and usually an on-campus apartment, they will require you to teach 12-18 classes per week.

Training schools usually require 5-6 classes per day, for a 5-day work week (with usually two weekdays being you days "off." Training centers are busy on weekends and in the evening, and so you will be teaching usually from around 12:00-9:00PM (in some schools until 10:00) most days, and weekends (hence, the higher salaries).

After five years in China, I vetured to South Korea -- believing it would be better -- but actually is was MUCH WORSE, in terms of teaching loads and living arrangements. I had signed a contract which stated 6-8 classes per day (5 days a week), but during the telephone interview (I was in the U.S. at the time) the two foreign managers assured me that most months the average teaching load is 6 classes per day.

But upon arrival, it was 8 classes a day -- every month -- and some months they tried to force me to teach 9 or 10(!!!) classes per day, five days a week!!! Because of this, I had no choice but to resign after six months. I was exhausted.

As frustrating and annoying as things can be (employment-wise mostly) in China, in hindsight, I much preferred living and teaching in China. I loved my students and made some fantastic friends there (all Chinese) and had some amazing experiences there. I could tell many positive things about my years in China. Not so with South Korea.

HOWEVER, The reason I make such skeptical and challenging posts is also due to years of experience and tremendous frustration (and infuriation) with all of my Chinese employers/schools.

I can promise anyone considering living and teaching in China that they will quickly face lots of disappointment and/or deception there. The ESL business is fraught with problems. I found I genuinely loved teaching Chinese students (university-age and older) and so I kept seeking a permanent and stable situation with generally resonable terms and conditions. After five years, I NEVER found such a suitable, long-term situation.

I think most foreigners "make do" and put up with a lot of crap there because they only intend to be there for one year, or perhaps even less. My mistake was hoping to live and teach in China for many years, if not the rest of my life, and after a long journey there, for me, that dream seemed impossible. But I very much cherish to many good things that I experienced there. Unfortunately except for the students, almost none of them came from the ESL business there.

Good luck -- Ask LOTS of questions, and then ask more. If employers/managers/recruiters are hestitant (or refuse) to provide information to your satisfaction, get away from them. Don't settle for responses like "oh, you needn't worry about that." Such replies indicate disaster lying in wait.

Posters like Silverboy, Turnoi, and Turino speak from years of experience as well. I arrived in China a very optimistic person, and left there far less trusting and rather cynical about ESL there, but during my years in China, I saw very little (if any) improvement. It's full of trickery and exploitation -- for Chinese students and staff as well.