AnimeSuki Forums

tkdtiger · 2007-08-09, 17:38

Hi, I was wondering if there were anyone who taught ESL in Korea? I am asking, because I am hoping to teach English in Korea and do not know where to start. I know that you're required to have a BS/BA and that some schools require you to have either a teaching degree or a teaching license (although not all schools require this). I also know I need a sealed copy of my transcript to get a Visas that will allow me to teach in Korea. I guess the hardest thing I'm having trouble with is knowing which schools have good reputations and which do not. I have read that there are some Korean schools that have been known to take advantage of new ESL teachers and do not follow up on their contractual obligation. In Korea it is very hard to get a written contract and therefore I think it is imperative for me to research these schools or at the very least find a reputable website or company that can help me in these endeavors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Aoie_Emesai · 2007-08-09, 23:09

From my point of view, foreign teachers in countries like that is rather rare. I'm gonna assume that you mean like primary schools, so I would agree with at least a Bachelors Degree.

Risaa · 2007-08-10, 01:30

Congrats, I think that's a worthwhile goal to attain. I met a Canadian English teacher in Korea some years ago and she seemed to be having a blast.

One thing to remember is that there are many academies in Korea that specialize in teaching English. You'd do well researching schools, as you suggested. I know many of them, especially the English-teaching academies, specifically want *native* English speakers and people will go out of their way to hire them - just googling something like "english teachers korea" will get you pages of results. (I know because I just tried it.

)

There's always a demand for English teachers in Korea so I'm willing to bet you'll be able to teach in whatever city you desire. You just need to research the schools and ask questions.

[*looking for sites where you can talk with experienced ESL teachers and ask them questions...... please hold*]

http://www.englishteachingkorea.com/ - This page has a live chat. I don't know how well that works, but if you're lucky you may catch some experienced gurus.

Oooh... http://www.alloexpat.com/south_korea...on-t10.html#12 -- Yeah, you might not want to reply to that since it was posted two years ago, but it wouldn't hurt to try contacting the d00d who wrote it and ask a few questions.

So basically it comes down to... research research research! Google is your friend! (Haha, no one wants to hear that, yet it's so true.

)

Oh, one more thing. Keep in mind that when you're researching what town in Korea you want to teach in that some places are more "international" and will tailor to your needs more than others. I know it's obvious, but that's something often easily looked-over, IMO.

tkdtiger · 2007-08-10, 08:39

Ok thanks for the replies and help. @Risaa I'll definately checkout those links.

Kyuusai · 2007-08-10, 11:50

You are very right to be paranoid about being taken advantage of. A high school acquaintance of mine is teaching English in Korea and loves it, so I'm sure good opportunities exist, but the horror stories are awful.

I don't know where you are, but this US Department of State page might be a good review.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/livin...hing_1240.html

Your BEST guide is the experience of others. Don't associate yourself with any program you don't get good references for from previous employees. A good program will have a decent support network (not financial, of course), while a bad one simply arranges contracts and leaves you at the mercy of the employing school. Of course, you can always contract with a school directly, but I certainly wouldn't want to take that risk unless I was fluent in Korean language and culture.

Here's a good "overview" link that may very well not tell you anything new.
http://www2.ald.net/~roden/korea/

I'll come back and add better links if I can find them.

My primary advice is this:
a) Take enough cash with you to live and to leave. You never know what could go wrong.
b) Don't give your passport to any one, excepting perhaps hotel desk clerks (who will give it right back)! If your employer wants it, politely explain that you're paranoid and you'll gladly make a copy. Don't be argued from this!
c) If you end up teaching children, look up the word "ddong chim"... and watch your six.

tkdtiger · 2007-08-10, 23:41

I live in the US. My friend's mom is going to give me some more info Sunday. I did some research. I was surprised to see that Seol was ranked the second most expensive city in the world this year.

Risaa · 2007-08-10, 23:49

What made you decide that you'd like to teach ESL in Korea, if you don't mind my asking?

tkdtiger · 2007-08-11, 00:41

Well I have always wanted to go to Korea. My mom was from Korea and I have alot of friends in Korea. I also like helping people and think this will be a good venture. I only know a little bit Korean and I also would like to expand my own Korean vocabulary. Currently I have an interview with a recruiting company called footprints, but I'm going to make sure I research any school that makes an offer before hand (since I heard this recruiting company wasn't as helpful once your settled with a company). Even though I do have family and friends located in Korea that I can rely on I rather not be placed in a bad situation or become a burden on them. I guess if something happens though I'm atleast one of the lucky few that can recieve help from people in Korea alot easier than others.

Knightmare213 · 2007-08-11, 12:47

@tkdtiger: While you're teaching English in Korea, its quite advantageous (I think) to be able to speak Korean, even if you can speak a little. Me, for example (and I just sound so egotistical right now), I can speak both Korean and English perfectly, Korean being my first language, and I'm willing to learn Japanese (like that's a surprise coming from an anime fan) as my fourth (French was my third, but I forgot most of it after I finished middle school).

IF you're going to teach grader schoolers, it's very helpful for you to be able to speak Korean. As you speak the same language as them, you can explain the lesson both in Korean and English.

And I don't think you have to worry about the level of university degree you've got. Bachelor-level in ANY Major is good enough (as everyone here pointed out...except the "ANY Major" part). Also, I hope you're old enough for the job. 21 to 23 (again, not sure) is the legal age for anyone to get a worker's visa. Working without it, or being caught working without it, it's instantaneous deportation back to the States.

Also, what Risaa said about people wanting to hire *native* English speakers is right. Many schools and academies do look for Western people from Britain, Canada, US, Australia, etc. However, if you can speak both Korean and English, I think there's a good chance that you'll have an edge over the others.

Just my two cents for this...although I would've been more helpful for you if you lived in Canada instead.

tkdtiger · 2007-08-11, 22:57

@Knightmare213 thanks for the help and info. My Korean is actually very little. I can only say a few basic phrases. My friend from Korea told me she could help me learn more if I'm placed somewhere near Seol. I'm currently 25. I'm not sure what age group I would be placed in. I doubt I would be placed with a university. I think Universities require at the very least a masters.

Terrestrial Dream · 2007-08-11, 23:10

So do you look more asian or western? Dependants on how you look could make a difference whether you will get the job or not. A tutor that I know went to study in Korea and try to get part time job in after school to teach English but they rejected her because she was Korean and she basically lived in US for rest of her life. Of course thing might have changed, also where are you planning to teach in a school or after school? And from what I heard from my parent it's very high paying job to teach English in Korea. Through you shouldn't take my post seriously since I am just seventeen years old.

tkdtiger · 2007-08-11, 23:51

I actually know alot of Asians who teach ESL in Korea. For the most part though most Asians I talk to tell me I don't look full Asian. The pay there is still less than the average teacher in the U.S., which is arounf 38K, but your housing is paid for and taxes are alot less than that in the U.S. So even though teachers are paid only around 25K-30K in Korea they recieve about 90% of that income.

2007-08-09, 17:38	Link #1
tkdtiger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: In Florida	Teaching ESL in South Korea Hi, I was wondering if there were anyone who taught ESL in Korea? I am asking, because I am hoping to teach English in Korea and do not know where to start. I know that you're required to have a BS/BA and that some schools require you to have either a teaching degree or a teaching license (although not all schools require this). I also know I need a sealed copy of my transcript to get a Visas that will allow me to teach in Korea. I guess the hardest thing I'm having trouble with is knowing which schools have good reputations and which do not. I have read that there are some Korean schools that have been known to take advantage of new ESL teachers and do not follow up on their contractual obligation. In Korea it is very hard to get a written contract and therefore I think it is imperative for me to research these schools or at the very least find a reputable website or company that can help me in these endeavors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

2007-08-09, 23:09	Link #2
Aoie_Emesai ♪♫ Maya Iincho ♩♬ Artist Join Date: May 2004 Location: Unnecessary Age: 38	From my point of view, foreign teachers in countries like that is rather rare. I'm gonna assume that you mean like primary schools, so I would agree with at least a Bachelors Degree. __________________ How to Give / Receive Criticism on your work / Like to draw? Come join Artists Alike Visit my Deviantart Or Blog ~A Child should always surpass his/her parent, Remember.

2007-08-10, 11:50	Link #5
Kyuusai 9wiki Scanlator Join Date: May 2006 Location: State of Denial	You are very right to be paranoid about being taken advantage of. A high school acquaintance of mine is teaching English in Korea and loves it, so I'm sure good opportunities exist, but the horror stories are awful. I don't know where you are, but this US Department of State page might be a good review. http://travel.state.gov/travel/livin...hing_1240.html Your BEST guide is the experience of others. Don't associate yourself with any program you don't get good references for from previous employees. A good program will have a decent support network (not financial, of course), while a bad one simply arranges contracts and leaves you at the mercy of the employing school. Of course, you can always contract with a school directly, but I certainly wouldn't want to take that risk unless I was fluent in Korean language and culture. Here's a good "overview" link that may very well not tell you anything new. http://www2.ald.net/~roden/korea/ I'll come back and add better links if I can find them. My primary advice is this: a) Take enough cash with you to live and to leave. You never know what could go wrong. b) Don't give your passport to any one, excepting perhaps hotel desk clerks (who will give it right back)! If your employer wants it, politely explain that you're paranoid and you'll gladly make a copy. Don't be argued from this! c) If you end up teaching children, look up the word "ddong chim"... and watch your six. Last edited by Kyuusai; 2007-08-10 at 12:05.

2007-08-11, 23:10	Link #11
Terrestrial Dream 勇者 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tesla Leicht Institute Age: 34	So do you look more asian or western? Dependants on how you look could make a difference whether you will get the job or not. A tutor that I know went to study in Korea and try to get part time job in after school to teach English but they rejected her because she was Korean and she basically lived in US for rest of her life. Of course thing might have changed, also where are you planning to teach in a school or after school? And from what I heard from my parent it's very high paying job to teach English in Korea. Through you shouldn't take my post seriously since I am just seventeen years old. __________________

2007-08-10, 01:30	Link #3
Risaa Evil Little Pixie Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: bleeghhh Age: 36	Congrats, I think that's a worthwhile goal to attain. I met a Canadian English teacher in Korea some years ago and she seemed to be having a blast. One thing to remember is that there are many academies in Korea that specialize in teaching English. You'd do well researching schools, as you suggested. I know many of them, especially the English-teaching academies, specifically want native English speakers and people will go out of their way to hire them - just googling something like "english teachers korea" will get you pages of results. (I know because I just tried it. ) There's always a demand for English teachers in Korea so I'm willing to bet you'll be able to teach in whatever city you desire. You just need to research the schools and ask questions. [looking for sites where you can talk with experienced ESL teachers and ask them questions...... please hold] http://www.englishteachingkorea.com/ - This page has a live chat. I don't know how well that works, but if you're lucky you may catch some experienced gurus. Oooh... http://www.alloexpat.com/south_korea...on-t10.html#12 -- Yeah, you might not want to reply to that since it was posted two years ago, but it wouldn't hurt to try contacting the d00d who wrote it and ask a few questions. So basically it comes down to... research research research! Google is your friend! (Haha, no one wants to hear that, yet it's so true. ) Oh, one more thing. Keep in mind that when you're researching what town in Korea you want to teach in that some places are more "international" and will tailor to your needs more than others. I know it's obvious, but that's something often easily looked-over, IMO.

2007-08-10, 08:39	Link #4
tkdtiger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: In Florida	Ok thanks for the replies and help. @Risaa I'll definately checkout those links.

2007-08-10, 23:41	Link #6
tkdtiger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: In Florida	I live in the US. My friend's mom is going to give me some more info Sunday. I did some research. I was surprised to see that Seol was ranked the second most expensive city in the world this year.

2007-08-10, 23:49	Link #7
Risaa Evil Little Pixie Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: bleeghhh Age: 36	What made you decide that you'd like to teach ESL in Korea, if you don't mind my asking?

2007-08-11, 00:41	Link #8
tkdtiger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: In Florida	Well I have always wanted to go to Korea. My mom was from Korea and I have alot of friends in Korea. I also like helping people and think this will be a good venture. I only know a little bit Korean and I also would like to expand my own Korean vocabulary. Currently I have an interview with a recruiting company called footprints, but I'm going to make sure I research any school that makes an offer before hand (since I heard this recruiting company wasn't as helpful once your settled with a company). Even though I do have family and friends located in Korea that I can rely on I rather not be placed in a bad situation or become a burden on them. I guess if something happens though I'm atleast one of the lucky few that can recieve help from people in Korea alot easier than others.

2007-08-11, 12:47	Link #9
Knightmare213 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005	@tkdtiger: While you're teaching English in Korea, its quite advantageous (I think) to be able to speak Korean, even if you can speak a little. Me, for example (and I just sound so egotistical right now), I can speak both Korean and English perfectly, Korean being my first language, and I'm willing to learn Japanese (like that's a surprise coming from an anime fan) as my fourth (French was my third, but I forgot most of it after I finished middle school). IF you're going to teach grader schoolers, it's very helpful for you to be able to speak Korean. As you speak the same language as them, you can explain the lesson both in Korean and English. And I don't think you have to worry about the level of university degree you've got. Bachelor-level in ANY Major is good enough (as everyone here pointed out...except the "ANY Major" part). Also, I hope you're old enough for the job. 21 to 23 (again, not sure) is the legal age for anyone to get a worker's visa. Working without it, or being caught working without it, it's instantaneous deportation back to the States. Also, what Risaa said about people wanting to hire native English speakers is right. Many schools and academies do look for Western people from Britain, Canada, US, Australia, etc. However, if you can speak both Korean and English, I think there's a good chance that you'll have an edge over the others. Just my two cents for this...although I would've been more helpful for you if you lived in Canada instead.

2007-08-11, 22:57	Link #10
tkdtiger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: In Florida	@Knightmare213 thanks for the help and info. My Korean is actually very little. I can only say a few basic phrases. My friend from Korea told me she could help me learn more if I'm placed somewhere near Seol. I'm currently 25. I'm not sure what age group I would be placed in. I doubt I would be placed with a university. I think Universities require at the very least a masters.

2007-08-11, 23:51	Link #12
tkdtiger Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: In Florida	I actually know alot of Asians who teach ESL in Korea. For the most part though most Asians I talk to tell me I don't look full Asian. The pay there is still less than the average teacher in the U.S., which is arounf 38K, but your housing is paid for and taxes are alot less than that in the U.S. So even though teachers are paid only around 25K-30K in Korea they recieve about 90% of that income.