| |
Teaching In Korea
|
| |
Teaching in Korea should be an enjoyable experience. The location and credibility of the school obviously plays an important role. However, the student age and type of school you work for also plays an important role in determining whether or not you have a positive encounter with Korea. The teaching experience itself depends on a number of variables: the age of your students, class size and the type of school and credibility of the school. |
| |
|
| |
People without previous teaching experience can usually choose from 3 types of schools: Public Schools, Private Schools for Children, and Private Schools for Adults.
Visit public schools in Korea and private schools in Korea for more detailed information on the various options. |
| |
|
| |
Although there are a number of other options for teaching in Korea which include: (College Instructors, University Instructors, Business English Instructors, Factory and Corporate English Programs, TOEFL Instructors, etc.) these positions are VERY limited and usually require applicants to have previous experience and/or specific qualifications such as education degrees, TOEFL test certifications, etc. The point we are trying to make is; these segments of the industry are very limited and highly competitive. |
| |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
More than 80% of westerners teaching in Korea work with children, ages 5-18, at public and private schools. This is where the demand for teachers resides and where the large majority of decent opportunities are found. Why? Because most Korean children study English on a daily basis while only a small fraction of adults do. As a result, there are literally 20 jobs available at the children’s level for every adult teaching opportunity available.
|
|
| |
What you can expect from a typical day teaching in Korea
|
| |
- Wake up and get ready to head to the school
- Arrive at the school and spend some time talking with the other teachers
- Review your syllabus to determine what curriculum you’ll be introducing to the different classes that day
- Start preparing your lesson plans for the classes you’ll be teaching
- Talk to some of the kids that come running through the teachers office while you’re trying to prepare
- Make the appropriate photo copies for certain materials you plan on presenting to your students
- Head to your first class of the day
- Say hello to the class and ask the kids to settle down and take their seats
- Check off the student attendance form
- Crack a few jokes or do something funny to get the students ready to begin
- Ask the students to take out the book you’ll be using that day and turn to the appropriate page
- Begin teaching the required pages that were outlined in your syllabus
- Do your best to keep all of the students interested in the lesson you are delivering (an outgoing personality is the best weapon for a Korean classroom)
- If you finish implementing the required curriculum before the class ends then it’s time to use your arsenal of English games and activities!
- Assign homework if needed (homework can be anything related to the curriculum you introduced during that lesson)
- Ask your students to pack up their books, pens, pencils and erasers
- Have your student’s line up in front of the door (remember you can’t let them leave the classroom until the bell has gone!)
- Once the bell goes you’re free to let your students leave for the day
- Head back to the teachers office
- Return the books and materials you used to the appropriate places in the office
- Take a short 5 – 15 minute break
- Make sure you have everything needed for your second class of the day
- Head to your second class and start all over again!
|
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
Once you have completed your last class of the day you’ll likely be expected to stay at the school for a brief period to clean and organize the teacher’s office. During this time you will help the other teachers clean the desks, organize the teacher work space, etc. Once this is done you’re free to head home and begin doing whatever it is you do during your free time. |
|
| |
Teaching in Korea statistics
|
| |
Recent numbers issued by the Korean ministry of justice (2007 year end) placed the total number of westerners teaching in Korea at 17,273. This number apparently exceeds 30,000 when people who are teaching in Korea illegally are factored into the equation. |
| |
| |
The Korean government also has an ambitious plan to bring more teachers into the country this year (2008) and is aiming to have more than 25,000 westerners teaching legally by mid 2009. |
| |
| |
|
| Americans teaching in Korea as legal workers: |
6, 724 |
| Canadians teaching in Korea as legal workers: |
5, 005 |
| British teaching in Korea as legal workers: |
1, 615 |
| New Zealanders teaching in Korea as legal workers: |
749 |
| Australians teaching in Korea as legal workers: |
674 |
| South Africans teaching in Korea as legal workers: |
685 |
| Irish teaching in Korea as legal workers: |
352 |
| Others teaching in Korea legally: |
1469 |
|
| |
|
| |
What a Korean school will expect from you
|
| |
Your primary objective while teaching in Korea is to stimulate English conversation with your students. Believe it not, the Korean teachers at your school are usually responsible for teaching grammar and reading. Your job, for the most part, will revolve around pronunciation and conversation. Most of the books you will use are comprised of pictures and limited text designed to encourage students to participate in discussion and exercises. You will also spend a lot of time playing ESL games and getting your students to engage in group activities. |
| |
|
| |
As easy as this may sound, it is important to remember that most students speak very limited English, therefore communicating with them is more challenging then you would first assume. In the end, the more creative you are with your lessons the more fun you will have, and the more English your students will learn while you’re teaching in Korea. |
| |
|
| |
It is standard for a director to expect you to arrive at the school 45 – 60 minutes prior to your first class in order to prepare for your daily lessons. The reason for this is so that you are not wasting valuable time in class flipping through books and deciding what to teach. You do not get paid for your class prep but remember, this is an industry standard throughout the country and it's in place so that students get the most of your time. |
| |
|
| |
What you can expect from a Korean school
|
| |
Most schools will provide you with teaching related games, books, flashcards, crayons, coloring sheets, etc. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the available resources during your first week of work, it will definitely help ease the transition into teaching English in Korea. |
