Teaching
English In Korea
Secure And Fun ~ by
Tim Meyers
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Like
you, I like adventure and travel. I’m just not as adventurous as some.
For example, I’m not comfortable throwing on a backpack and “winging it.”
I don’t like not knowing where my next night will be spent, especially
when in a foreign land. I prefer a more structured and secure way to live
overseas and see the world. For example, I like to stay in one location
for a long time and have an established residence, so I can really get
to know the area. A little money coming in doesn’t hurt either. So, how
did I recently reconcile my desires? I taught English in South Korea for
two and a half years.
A job teaching
English in Korea is easy to get BEFORE you leave home, requires no experience
and pays pretty well. It’s a good deal and a wonderful way to experience
this relatively unknown, but interesting, country. For example, I had my
own partially furnished apartment provided by my school, medical insurance,
a net salary of about $1,600 a month (a middle class income in Korea),
a less than 30-hour workweek, and from six to eight weeks vacation per
year. Not bad for a timid adventurer and expatriate. So how can you do
this?
First, allow
yourself about eight weeks to find a job and secure your visa. Finding
a job is just a mouse click away. Several web sites list jobs such as tefl.com
and eslemployment.com.
But THE BEST site for jobs (as well as a lively and scathing chat room)
is eslcafe.com. Here you will find dozens
of job openings listed every day. I suggest you avoid the brokers and employment
agencies that make grand promises, and charge a fee, and apply directly
to schools. Now here is the great part – the only qualification you need
to become an English teacher is to be a native English speaker from an
English speaking country - any English speaking country – Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland or the USA. If you have a college degree
or teaching certificate then all the better.
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Temple
in the hills above Seoul.
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Each
school requires slightly different documentation, but the standard application
package requires copies of your passport and diploma. The school will send
you a contract to sign and return, to be followed by the visa paperwork
that will give you a one-year resident/work visa. Many schools pay for
your roundtrip airfare too. That’s all there is to it. Be aware that most
openings occur in December/January for the start of the school year in
March, or in June/July before the second term beginning in August.
Now, a little
background about the kinds of jobs available. Virtually all types of schools,
from elementary schools to Universities, employ English teachers. Large
schools may even employ a couple of dozen. Most new teachers in Korea start
out at private English institutes, or Hagwans. Frankly, while there are
excellent hagwans, hagwans in general have a poor reputation. Why? Hagwans
are usually small family run businesses. Accordingly, the owners can be
very unprofessional and insensitive (a politically correct term) to your
needs when their profit is at stake. You may have to teach large classes
of small children, work a split shift, work weekends and holidays, and
work more than the contracted number of hours. But, hagwans have the highest
demand for teachers, and the lowest standards. Hagwan jobs are very easy
to get. And once you have some experience, you can move up the teaching
food chain to the better jobs at public schools and colleges. As you progress
to the college level teaching hours decrease, salary increases, and the
size and quality of your apartment will improve.
What’s it like
teaching English? It’s probably not what you think. You generally don’t
teach grammar. Korean students learn grammar from Korean teachers at school.
You are there simply to talk to the students so they can hear and model
the language. You don’t use textbooks, but rather picture books that highlight
topics for conversation – such as meeting people or ordering a meal in
a restaurant. Once the class gets going you will model a conversation and
then have students pair up and practice with each other. It’s that simple.
Some schools have a set curriculum; others let you develop your own.
So what school
should you choose? There are thousands of schools located throughout Korea
and each offers different working conditions and perks. Be sure to ask
these questions before signing on the dotted line: How many hours do I
work a week? Will I teach adults or children? How big will my apartment
be? Will I have a roommate? How near is my apartment to the school? Is
it within walking distance or do I have to commute? The best way to get
honest answers to your questions is to talk to one of the foreign teachers
on staff. They will be able to tell you exactly what to expect. |
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location of your school is important too. If you are easily bored, by all
means stay away from small towns in the country. Choose a school in Seoul,
the national capital and a city with well over 10 million people. Seoul
is a wonderful city with no end of things to do and boasts one of the finest
subway systems in the world. Or choose Busan or Daegu, the nation’s second
and third largest cities, respectively. If, on the other hand, you can
make your own fun, and want to experience more of the traditional Korea,
choose a school in a small city or town. This can be a very rewarding experience.
As a foreigner in a place less traveled you may even find that you will
become a sort of celebrity. Don’t be surprised if every time you walk the
streets people stare at you or try and strike up a conversation. As an
area’s sole foreigner you may even end up being interviewed by the local
press.
Once you start
class you might find that student discipline and participation can sometimes
be a problem. This is because Korean culture is very formal when it comes
to dealings with people and has very strict rules regarding manners. But
many Koreans have never seen, let alone interacted, with a foreigner before
and don’t know how to apply their cultural rules to you. They may sit in
their seats, stare at you and never say a word, not wanting to embarrass
themselves – or you - by making a mistake. Conversely, many children may
completely ignore you since, as a foreigner, you don’t fall into their
behavior system. But this is the exception. You will meet many more people
who will be interested in learning English and learning about you and your
life. I found teaching fun and Korea exciting. Maybe you will too!
To contact
Tim Click Here
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