I’m applying for jobs in Taiwanese public schools (I have a teaching license and Master’s degree, two years of experience and endorsements in two subject areas in secondary education). Here’s the thing: I taught ESL in China for six years. Five of those years I worked at a university, but I also had a side hustle where I worked with younger kids for four of those years. I think it shows that I can work with older and younger kids, BUT it was technically illegal (though done at a time where the government didn’t care, several years ago). Should I put it on the resume to show my experience, or leave it off because it might signal I’ll work illegally? For the record, Taiwan seems to care much more about it so of course I wouldn’t do it in Taiwan.
In my experience with the MOE and being a public school teacher, the only thing that counts towards pay is what you did in an officially registered government school after you received your teaching license. (I’m a little unclear about how that actually works now though, as they don’t seem to actually require a teaching license anymore??? Just one year of experience or a teaching license???)
In other words, your tutoring won’t count towards pay. Whether or not they will care that you tutored under the table in China im not sure about. You could also say that you have done tutoring of whatever ages throughout those years, without specifying where, if you think they’ll want that experience. It’s my understanding that getting into the FET program mostly requires a pulse, a passport from the right country, and a teaching license (or now just one year of teaching experience). People on this site have posted that they weren’t accepted but I think that’s because they were specific about the location they wanted and that particular location wasn’t available. Otherwise, the MOE is desperate for warm bodies.