Are you dreaming of teaching Mandarin? This is a promising career choice, given the growing interest in this language for several years! Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language in the world, with 1.138 billion speakers worldwide. Due to its rapid economic growth, and since China is the 2nd world economic power, it has led to increased interest in learning Chinese for business and trade. Discover the essential steps and studies you need to teach Mandarin Chinese in Canada!
Trivia: How much do you know about Mandarin Chinese?
Instructions: Choose the correct answer to each question.
- What is the official language of China?
- a) Mandarin
- b) Cantonese
- c) Shanghainese
- Which writing system is primarily used for the Chinese language?
- a) Kanji
- b) Hiragana
- c) Hanzi
- What is the Chinese New Year also known as?
- a) Dragon Boat Festival
- b) Mid-Autumn Festival
- c) Spring Festival
- Which of the following is a famous ancient Chinese philosophy?
- a) Zen
- b) Confucianism
- c) Shintoism
- What is the traditional Chinese method of writing characters with a brush and ink?
- a) Calligraphy
- b) Graffiti
- c) Typing

What should I study to become a Chinese teacher in Canada?
The first step to becoming a Chinese teacher in Canada is to complete a bachelor's degree in Chinese studies or education. However, these requirements may vary depending on the province or territory you plan to teach.
Below, you will find some options for a Bachelor's degree that you can consider to become a Chinese teacher in Canada:
- Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) with a Chinese Language Specialization: A Bachelor of Education with a specialization in teaching Chinese as a second or foreign language is based on the teaching process, techniques, and tools to transmit knowledge and skills effectively, enabling the professional to apply practical methods and trends in the process of learning Mandarin Chinese.
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Chinese Studies: This Bachelor's degree aims to provide a deeper understanding of Chinese history, language, and culture, such as Chinese calligraphy and grammar, the phonetic system of modern Mandarin Chinese, to expand vocabulary, and to develop the basics of Chinese grammar.
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Chinese Language and Culture: This Bachelor's degree aims for students to gain a broad understanding of the Chinese language and culture, learn Mandarin, and study ancient and modern Chinese history, politics, art, religion, and philosophy.
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Linguistics: This Bachelor's degree equips you with knowledge of language structure, syntax, phonetics, etc.
Once you have completed your Bachelor's degree, you may need to supplement your training with additional Mandarin Chinese teacher education or certification courses to work in Canada. Please note that each province and territory in Canada may have specific requirements for teacher certification, so we recommend that you check with the regulatory body responsible for your province. Make sure you are up to date with the latest requirements!
Becoming a Mandarin teacher without a diploma?
Top Chinese Language Programs in Canada!
Are you ready to be introduced to fascinating culture and explore the best Chinese programs in Canada? Whether you are a student looking to define your academic path or a professional who wants to take advantage of diverse Chinese language training, discover a diverse range of high-quality Chinese programs in the Great White North by province!
Alberta:
- University of Calgary: Chinese - Department of Germanic, Slavic and East Asian Studies - Bachelor of Arts.
- University of Alberta: Chinese - Department of East Asian Studies - Bachelor of Arts.
- University of Alberta: Chinese and Japanese - Department of East Asian Studies Bachelor of Arts.
British Columbia:
- University of British Columbia: Chinese Legal Studies - Faculty of Law - Juris Doctor.
- University of Victoria: Chinese Studies - Department of Pacific and Asian Studies - Bachelor of Arts.
Greater Toronto Area:
- York University: Chinese - Department of Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics - Undergraduate studies.
- University of Toronto: Chinese-Cantonese Translation - School of Continuing Studies - Undergraduate studies.
- University of Toronto: Chinese-Mandarin Translation - School of Continuing Studies - Undergraduate studies.
Greater Vancouver:
- University of British Columbia: Chinese Legal Studies - Faculty of Law - Juris Doctor.
Nova Scotia:
- St. Mary's University: Chinese Studies - Department of Asian Studies - Bachelor of Arts.
- St. Mary's University: Chinese Studies - Department of Asian Studies - Undergraduate studies.
Ontario:
- Huron University College: Chinese Studies - Department of French and Asian Studies - undergraduate studies.
Quebec:
- Concordia University: Modern Chinese Language and Culture - Department of Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics - undergraduate studies.
Saskatchewan:
- University of Regina: Chinese - Department of International Languages - Undergraduate studies.

How to become a Chinese teacher?
To familiarize yourself with teaching and start your teaching journey in Mandarin Chinese, you can offer your services as a private teacher. This could be a smart move if you are considering starting your training to gain extra experience as a teacher in Canada, as you can make sure that the teaching job suits you or earns extra money. By providing private tutoring, you can:
- Improve your teaching skills: An excellent way to improve your teaching skills is through private tutoring, as with a single student or a small group of students, you can put into practice assertive communication, active listening, time management, group management, boundary setting and the use of digital tools.
- Learn to prepare courses: The importance of lesson planning lies in organizing coherently what you want to achieve with your students during the tutoring session. This involves setting teaching objectives, planification of topics, teaching methodology, test preparation, application and evaluation, and applying reinforcement strategies.
- Promote this experience on your resume: You can include your private lessons as part of your work experience, indicating the subjects and strategies you have used to design your lessons, as well as the ages or profiles of your students.
Private tuition is an effective way to improve your pedagogical skills and gain practical experience in a one-to-one or small group setting. Moreover, it can be a valuable addition to your CV and a stepping stone to becoming a successful Chinese teacher in Canada, whether you are looking for personal fulfillment, professional growth, or extra income.
Start your Mandarin Chinese teaching journey!
Want to know the best way to start gaining professional experience as a Mandarin Chinese teacher in Canada? We recommend you to try Superprof! Superprof is a certified online platform where you can have your private Chinese lessons and where you can find thousands of students in Canada who are ready to learn Chinese online or in person. And why should you join Superprof's community of teachers?
Here are just a few of the advantages:
- At Superprof, you will find the students you feel most comfortable with: You are 100% free to accept or not the students' requests.
- At Superprof, you can set your rates with total freedom: Here, you can work directly with your students and set the rate per class that you consider most appropriate according to your skills and experience as a teacher.
- At Superprof, you can organize your work time as you want: You decide your class schedule with your students, the dates of each class, and whether you prefer face-to-face or online classes.
Incredible, isn't it? Start gaining experience as a private teacher at Superprof. All you have to do is sign up as a teacher and create your personalized profile by adding your professional and academic experience. Moreover, you don't have to pay any registration fee to create your account and share what you are passionate about. Once your ad is complete and published, students can contact you to book a lesson!

Wrap up!
In this blog, we have explored the exciting path to becoming a Chinese teacher in Canada. As the most widely spoken language in the world, the demand for Mandarin Chinese language teaching is ever-increasing. Therefore, we have compiled an extensive list of the best Chinese teaching programs in Canada, offering you a wide range of options to broaden your knowledge and career path.
To kick-start your teaching career and improve your teaching skills, we have highlighted the advantages of offering private tutoring services, which will not only help you improve your teaching skills but will also be a valuable addition to your CV. Whether you seek personal fulfillment, professional growth, or extra income, private tutoring is your springboard to success as a Chinese teacher. So start your journey with Superprof and share your passion for teaching Mandarin Chinese!
Welcome to the Superprof family!
Trivia: Answers!
- a) Mandarin, also known as Standard Chinese, is the official language of China and is widely spoken throughout the country.
- c) Hanzi is the term used for the Chinese characters in the Chinese language.
- c) The Chinese New Year is called the Spring Festival. It marks the beginning of the lunar new year and is the most important traditional festival in China.
- b) Confucianism is an influential philosophy and ethical system that originated in ancient China and was founded by Confucius.
- a) Calligraphy is the traditional Chinese art of writing characters with a brush and ink.









