Private tuition prices

[fenlan]

How much are private tuition prices in Beijing and in the provinces? Can prices be improved upon by hiring university students? Is there a going rate?

[Shadowdh]

I have seen classes (private) going for anything from 80-150RMB... I am in contact with a teacher now that charges 150RMB and conducts his class right in the middle of Beijing... its one on one and structured to your needs... he has some good credentials but I wont be able to go till Jul/Aug next year... Zhuang Wei is his name and his email is zhuang@talk21.com...He says that you can get cheaper prices if you get tuition from Uni students... but there are many more knowledgeable people here that can answer from experience...

*edit* sorry that should read 80-150 per hour...

[snarfer]

At my school, the China Circus School, I pay 40 RMB each 45 minute period of private instruction with a knowledgeable and experienced teacher who doesn't speak any English.

I am under the impression that this is the going rate for experienced non-English speaking Chinese tutors. I'm convinced that having a teacher who speaks English is not only unnecessary, but a disadvantage.

[fenlan]

Well, I had to laugh at the 150RMB per hour! That is £10 an hour. There is no way I am going to pay someone in a 3rd world country with a GDP per capita of US$1600 £10 (=$15) an hour!

[speedmonk]

Are you talking about hiring someone to tutor you in Mandarin? Or people paying you teach English?

I think the response is about you teaching English, not the other way around.

I don't think you will be paying anything for someone to teach you Mandarin. I mean not much anyway.

[trevelyan]

Shadowdh,

fenlan is right. If you're looking for one-on instruction 150 RMB/hour is tremendously expensive by Beijing standards. Anyone charging this amount of money would need to have international experience and fairly impressive credentials.

I think there is probably room for more expensive language instructors (especially those doing structured coporate or institutional teaching), but most language learners reading these forums probably just need a native speaker willing chat with and correct them when they make mistakes. These kinds of tutors can be found for 15-20 RMB/hour in Beijing, and perhaps less in other parts of China.

If anyone in Beijing is looking for this kind of tutoring help, try visiting the Library at BCLU. There is a coffee shop on the first floor with a bulletin board where Chinese students seeking this sort of work post job advertisements. Both male and female students post ads, and it shouldn't be difficult finding someone you'll get along with well.

[Shadowdh]

Trevelyan... thanks for the pointers... this chap has taught at the London School of Economics among other places and is based in Beijing... I only have a very finite amount of time that is completely inflexible so it needs to be utilised to the full and so this guy is a serious choice for me... (and I will be paying in £'s so its even cheaper for me)... but at the moment seeing as I wont be heading to Beijing (or whereever as thats not even finalised yet) till next Jul at the earliest I still have plenty of time to search out some good reliable teachers... (so expect lots of questions in about 6 months or so all)... plus the school I am starting will be able to help with study in China during the holidays...

[fenlan]

That makes me think: how much more is one hour of English teaching from a native speaker worth than one hour of Chinese with a Chinese native speaker? Somehow I think it might be viewed as unfair if I suggested to Chinese university students that they give me one hour's tuition in Chinese in exchange for 20 minutes in English! LOL!

[mpallard]

I cannot believe that you would even think about paying 100 RMB or more per hour for Chinese language instruction.

For 50 RMB per hour you'll have Chinese people lining up around the block to teach you.

I'm in Taiwan and I pay about 30RMB per hour (150 NT), in China it should be even cheaper. (I'm just paying the person directly, not going through a company and I prepare all the lessons myself).

Unless your Chinese is wicked and you need someone with super specialized Chinese skills or he is going to teach you something other than the language to me it's ludicrous to even think about paying so much.

[mpallard]

One more thing:

If my Chinese teacher spoke English I think I'd pay them even less.

[Shadowdh]

I cannot believe that you would even think about paying 100 RMB or more per hour for Chinese language instruction.

For 50 RMB per hour you'll have Chinese people lining up around the block to teach you.

I'm in Taiwan and I pay about 30RMB per hour (150 NT), in China it should be even cheaper. (I'm just paying the person directly, not going through a company and I prepare all the lessons myself).

Unless your Chinese is wicked and you need someone with super specialized Chinese skills or he is going to teach you something other than the language to me it's ludicrous to even think about paying so much.

Fair play but will the people queing have the qualifications to teach...??? also if the case is that 150 is the high end then is there a listing of those who may teach privately (I am still looking at some short courses offered by Unis and schools but many only go as short as four weeks) and have good credentials... paying a person directly is good if you can find them BEFORE you go... which is what I will need to do due to the time constraints (completely inflexible) I am under... 3 weeks most likely but 4 maybe possible with some jiggery pokery... has to be in the UK school hols which will be end of july to end of august...

[fenlan]

Shadowdh - people tried to help you by telling you were being screwed, but if you don't mind that's fine. In fact, why not round it up to 1000 yuan per hour? I don't care what the qualifications of this man is, he is screwing you.

[Shadowdh]

Shadowdh - people tried to help you by telling you were being screwed, but if you don't mind that's fine. In fact, why not round it up to 1000 yuan per hour? I don't care what the qualifications of this man is, he is screwing you.

Not taking it to the n'th degree then are you...

*sigh*... I realise people are trying to tell me that this fella is charging too much and FYI I have not paid him anything as I am not there yet (therefore how can I be "screwed") and as I have stated I have just started looking around in prep for going next year... Its all fluffy bunnies that there are dozens of Chinese (Mandarin) tutors just falling from the trees and buildings during term time... but what about the holidays...?? have these multitude of tutors got good qualifications or references...??? Are they around all year and have very flexible start and finish times that will allow me to plan my flying visit study when I want...??? Most of the schools or companies or institutes I have looked at so far (research is ongoing) have minimum periods of study (usually 4 weeks) and some have start/finish dates that just dont fit my schedule (one that is rigid and cannot be messed around with)...

And dude... lessen the caffiene intake... no more coffee for you...

[roddy]

I actually studied with this guy for a short while about one year ago. He does have qualifications and experience to demand a premium, but at the time was charging 100Y for individual students, and 150Y for company classes.

150Y as an individual is high, I feel, particularly if you can pay in foreign currency, and if you are booking a chunk of hours close together then there's further room for negotiation. Having said that, I wouldn't even bother arranging anything this far in advance.

Unless your Chinese is wicked and you need someone with super specialized Chinese skills

I'd disagree with that at least partially. A very skilled teacher can really speed up progress at lower levels, and it's a shame that there's a perception that elementary level teaching is something that anyone can do - when I was teaching in China it was often the case that the least experienced teacher was given the lowest level class, on the basis that it was easier to teach. It may be easier to teach, but I think it it much more difficult to teach well

no more coffee for you

No more posting for him, either . . .

Roddy

[mpallard]

I feel that it's not really necessary for your Chinese tutor to have any qualifications provided you are not a beginner. If you're intermediate or above I am convinced any Chinese person can do the job (this assumes that you know how you learn Chinese and can basically direct the class yourself).

However Shadowdh you seem bent on finding excuses for why you should pay ridiculous sums of money for some guy from some university to teach you Chinese, so I say go for it.

[mpallard]

Rody, don't know if that was a joke or not but what's up with threatening peoples' posting capabilities.

I fear the unfettered power you enjoy from running this forum is starting to corrupt you.

[gougou]

Rody, don't know if that was a joke or not but what's up with threatening peoples' posting capabilities.

Maybe this will explain?

[Shadowdh]

However Shadowdh you seem bent on finding excuses for why you should pay ridiculous sums of money for some guy from some university to teach you Chinese, so I say go for it.

As I am pretty sure I have previously stated... at this stage I am looking around and trying to find someone who can provide the tuition I want at the time I have (totally inflexible... did I mention that) and I am STILL looking... (and thanks to those who have led me to find a couple of other options...)...

As for the other... what Gougou said... remember that some of us are still learning both the language and how to find good teaching... Condescension and facetious posting only shows up the poster, it doesnt help...

[Angelskates]

I have also had contact with this guy and yes, he is very qualified. However, from talking to people who have had lessons with him, he isn't worth 150 yuan. (maybe 80 they thought).

Have you thought of going to Global Village (Di Qui Cun) in either Wang Jing or Wu Dao Kou, great teachers, small classes and classes run at a variety of different times.

I started a study group myself with about 4-8 other people, we got together three times a week with a fabulous tutor to study for the advanced HSK, we all passed, made friends and saved money. She was a qualified teacher - extremely basic English (which she never spoke, I was the only English speaker in the group).

[Shadowdh]

Hi there Angelskates... no I didnt before doing some research on this forum... still looking around really... Thanks for the info... It seems like I could find alot once I am there... that might even be an option as it looks like I will have an extra week now... woo hoo... (touch wood... lets not jinx it...)