UPDATE: Toronto Lands World Premiere Of Godfrey … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Dancing With The Stars’ … 
CBS Reups Tony Awards Through 2018 
HBO, FX Lead Critics’ Choice TV Awards — But … 
Hammond On Cannes: A New Day Comes To The Fest As HBO and … 
Cannes: Lionsgate Acquires U.S. On Guillaume Canet’s … 
Cannes: Radius-TWC Buys Keanu Reeves’ Helming Debut … 
Cannes: Fleming Reflects And Finds Talented Trio A Breath … 
Hot Trailer: ‘Man Of Steel’ 
Former Digital Domain CEO & Auditors Sued For Fraud By … 
Fox Acquires ‘Narc’; Zac Efron Attached To Play … 
ABC’s ‘Nashville’ Undergoes Production … 
CBS Wins Season & Ties Sweep In Demo; ABC Tops Adults … 
Mike Lobell Adds Cast To ‘Eisner,’ Plots … 
Sony Shares Rise On Report That It Will Consider … 
Alki David Agrees To End Name Games With Aereo And Barry … 
Next-Gen Xbox One Unveiled With Content Including … 
UPDATE: Apple CEO Challenged For Moving “Crown … 
ESPN Layoffs Could Reach 400 As Part Of Latest Disney Cuts 
Cannes: Weinstein Co Acquires Keanu-Reese Sci-Fi Pic … 
Hot Trailer: ‘The Wolverine’ 
The studio’s education arm, Disney English, plans to open in Brazil next. Disney English already runs 11 English-language schools in China, and plans to expand to 148 within five years. Several are based in Shanghai, where Disney is building its next theme park. It recently opened its first school in Beijing. Disney English plans to teach English to 150,000 children a year by 2105, according to the Financial Times.
English is taught using Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse and The Little Mermaid. Oh, and those in charge are called “cast members” not teachers.
First, Disney worked to extend copyright law so that Mickey Mouse doesn’t fall into the public domain. Then it tried to trademark the Princess Aurora character from a common fairy-tale, Sleeping Beauty. Am I alone in finding the Mouse House inculcating its next generation of overseas consumers in this way vaguely disquieting? It means Disney is changing the way our children think even in school. It reminds me of that moment in Super Size Me when more kids recognise the flash card of Ronald McDonald than George Washington.
Loading ...
Hi,
What’s more, will they be teaching proper “British” English or the modern lazy bastardized one of the colony! :p
Kind regards,
Shakir Razak
I hope you’re being facetious because anyone with two brain cells to rub together knows that neither American english and modern-day British english are the “proper” English in its original form anyway.
Wait. So teaching them English is a bad thing?
Ok..
Yes,Tee.
This euro-centric view of the world through Disney’s eyes is nothing more than Western brainwashing.
Positive images of people of color are very important to children of color. (How long a wait for a darker skinned Princess of color?)
Look, I don’t mind folks making a profit, but Disney needs to shore up some American School systems with this effort before they begin “teaching” english overseas.
But like most of our American corporations (studios included),they have sold out the American people for the long term.
Yes, The Mouse does have some nasty tendencies, but it’s near impossible to find ANY educational content used anywhere without some corporate connection and yes, there are folks nastier than Mickey, et al. Something the dear darlings on Buena Vista do — Gawd Nose — is grab the attention of kids. Once upon a time (as all good stories go), Disney produced a great deal of educational material for classroom use. Yeah, lots of it was, uh, “re-purposed” footage from their features, but some of it was pretty nifty (Disney “True-Life Adventures,” back in the day — whatever the hell day that was — and their current crop such as Earth). And I defy anyone who can fault the mighty Donald in Mathmagic Land.
Just when I was considering learning Mandarin – Mickey to the rescue.
Who would have guessed Disney was the answer to global language domination…brilliant.
“Disney English plans to teach English to 150,000 children a year by 2105″? If only we could all plan that far into the future…
WHAT??
Corporate education of children? This is really really disquieting. How long until it’s done here? American corporations always try crazy shit overseas (baby formula in africa that kills – ok that might have been Nestle but you get the point) before the bring it here…
anything that will keep those people from eating dogs in okay in my opinion.
You are not alone in thinking it is disquieting to watch Disney sow the world with its abject consumerism.
Well, It’s great news if Disney will expand its English-language schools over 148 within five years. It means that Disney will have about 29 in a year and about 2 school in a month. Wow, that’s fantastic. But, I really agree with you Tim Adler, Mickey Mouse is a best trademark for Disney that I have ever found. Its overwhelming has spread all around the world. I am curious if someday my child asks me what is my best actor in Disney ? should I answer it at two version of trademark ?. I hope, It would not be.
So why are the announcements at Disneyland in Spanish?
If you’re thinking of working for DE, don’t. They treat you like crap, pay you like crap, and treat you like the slave labor you didn’t know you were when talking to a recruiter.
Funny, I don’t recall a Bill ever working for DE and I’ve been there a while.
DE is not a perfect company to work for (but what TEFL job is?) The pay is actually above that of the competition. Roughly 20 teaching hours a week maximum, 40 hours work, two full days off (not Saturday or Sunday but again, you’d be hard pressed to find a job teaching kids in China which offers those days off). Is it hard work? Absolutely – I would be lying if I said it was all rainbows and unicorns! Slave labour is a very extreme claim and unjustified. As is the treat you like crap part. As companies go they try to be fairly decent to the staff. It’s a job like any other with pros and cons. It’s possible Bill just wasn’t prepared for working in China.
I’m not giving DE a glowing recommendation and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who wasn’t prepared to actually work as opposed to being able to go into a school, open a book and teach with no other responsibilities. Those jobs exist, I’ve done them and if you’re looking for them – good luck with that. DE is a lot of fun with great colleagues and the chance to work with really good resources and curriculum – something that should be important to any teacher. Educationally speaking, I’d definitely recommend them. I’m glad I came to work here but I’m sure there are those (like this mysterious Bill) who aren’t – go to any ESL board and you’ll find 100s of teachers who’ve had negative experiences at 100s of different schools around the world. Interestingly enough, Bill is the first I’ve read from DE.
I’m also pretty certain that you won’t find an Invisible Bob on the DE payroll either…
Actually I am considering taking this position to expand my teaching abilities. I don’t want to work like a dog, but I have doing it long enough to know it’s not a piece of cake either. I am more worried about the Chinese culture..was it too shocking to get used to? I can’t imagine no Facebook….
Alana
If you get a vpn, then your internet is completely unrestricted – witopia is a good bet but if you’re not clear on how they work, I suggest looking on google.
Re: working for Disney English – I don’t think I’d recommend it. I have a couple of friends in Shanghai Disney schools and I heard a teacher was taken to hospital suffering from exhaustion. Plus a lot of teachers there are quitting before the end of their contracts – I can’t imagine that’s a good sign in a company.
Good luck with job hunting – China is an awesome place to be.
I don’t recommend working for Disney English. The curriculum, the teaching methods, and they ways in which they place the students are all messed up, but they blame those problems on the teacher.
I’ve said that least 529318 times. SCK was here