Teach English in Korea

• Credentials
• Types of Teaching Jobs
• Job search
• Expectations of teachers
• Salary and Benefits
• Accommodation and Transportations
• What to eat, wear etc.

Credentials
South Korea has a huge requirement for ESL teachers and the qualifications required by the Korean employers are nothing extraordinary. The usual requirement is that of a Bachelor’s degree and the teacher must be a native speaker of English. A TEFL certification is obviously essential for landing up with a lucrative job in South Korea. It should be noted that an enthusiasm for English teaching jobs is compulsory. An experienced teacher will definitely get more benefits and salary.

This is important to note that many employers in Korea perceive the teaching job as a stop gap arrangement – a profession which people do after passing out from the university. This leads to the hiring of under qualified and inexperienced teachers which actually hamper the learning of the Korean English language students. These teachers do not know how to manage a class or how to put together a lesson. So quite understandably TEFL teachers are in great demand and it is ever increasing.
 

Types of Teaching Jobs
South Korea presently offers seven types of teaching jobs:
Private Language School: In South Korea these are actually known as Hakwons. These schools usually cater to high school students or business persons. The classes are usually held after school or office hours. The class size is usually of 1 to 15 students. Fresh ESL teachers can look to start off their careers from these private language schools.
Public School: these schools provide the perfect platform for an international teaching experience for ESL teachers. The class size is usually around 25 to 50 students. The ESL teachers are usually accompanied by a local teacher in the classrooms and the focus of learning is mainly on communication and pronunciation.
 

Private School: Private schools are those which are attended by the students in the regular hours. These schools usually take a lot of money and are usually attended by the children of the elite in the society. The demand for TEFL teachers has far outnumbered the supply. Preference is given to candidates with experience of teaching with kids and with any sort of notable recommendation.
 

International School: these schools are usually present in countries where the native language is not English. They actually admit students from ages 3 to 18. This is a very good experience for TEFL teachers. The international schools usually follow a British, US or Canadian curriculum. The downside is that an international school following a British curriculum will only recruit teachers from that country.
 

Summer Jobs: These types of jobs are usually open in June, July or August and are usually for 2 to 12 weeks. However the opportunities are generally reserved for alumni or candidates with a fair degree of experience.
Winter Jobs: these are usually held in December and January. These are intensive English Language programs where different activities are held in conjunction with learning.

Job Search
The best way to look for a teaching job in Korea is to hit the pavement. You can check the Korea Herald or Korea Times online for classifieds and apply in response to the advertisements. There is always the option of walking into a University and check out whether they have co-op work experiences.

Please remember that English teaching jobs in Korea are usually contractual in nature. Once you have signed a contract with a school in Korea to teach English you are obligated to work for them for the contract period. Your visa will prevent you from working in other companies. The visas are usually of one year duration and will be exclusive to the school.

Expectations from a Teacher
In South Korea teachers are expected to abstain from smoking and drinking. These activities do not befit the noble profession. ESL teachers should keep in mind that drinking within the schools premises would result in their automatic dismissal.

ESL teachers certified by ATI are expected to follow the rules and regulations of South Korea. They must keep away from any narcotics and drugs. Possession of drugs is an offence in Korea and as an ESL teacher you should conduct yourself responsibly.

Making sexual advances towards or entering into relationships with co-teachers or students are looked down upon in Korean society. Offenders may have to face fine or detention or both.

South Korea is a foreigner friendly place. But it is important for a TEFL teacher to get acquainted with the culture and customs of the country. When you enter a Korean household it is important to take off your shoes as a mark of respect. On meeting a Korean he or she may ask you certain personal questions like age, personal and educational background etc. An ESL teacher should not feel offended as this is done only to ascertain the level of formality to be used.

Public expression of anger is not warranted. It is rude to publicly express your anguish at something or someone. The way you speak also tells a lot about you. Abrasive mode of communication is not at all preferable. Similarly Public Display of Affection or PDA is not fully accepted in South Korea. So ESL teachers should do well by keeping away from embracing anyone in public.

Sometimes extra-curricular activities or special events might take place after school hours. It is imperative that ESL teachers take active part in all these activities as these will help them to mingle with the staff more easily.

Salary and Benefits
A standard contractual job in South Korea usually includes the following although there might be a slight variation from school to school:
o Salary of 2000 – 2300 USD per month based on qualifications and experience.
o About 30 teaching hours per week
o One month salary bonus on completion of one year contract
o Round trip airfare provided
o Furnished apartment provided
o Full medical coverage of which 50% will be provided by employer
o 4 to 7 percent tax on salary
o One week vacation in summer and one week in winter plus all national holidays.
o Teacher Orientation
o Teachers will get their salary on the 25th of each month
o Paid Sick Leave
o Paid leave on special occasions like death, marriage, maternity leave
o Rural Allowance

Accommodation and Transportation
South Korea attracts tourists from all over the world. The country has accommodation to suit every budget and the taste of every traveler. The cheap and out of fashion guest houses are all spruced up to give a swanky look and appeal to the foreign tourists. The main advantage of the hotels in the cities of South Korea is that most of them are located in the vicinity of markets and malls. TEFL teachers have a variety of accommodations to choose from ranging from bed & breakfasts to ultra luxury hotels.

The buses are at the heart of the public transportation system in South Korea. They are safe, on time and definitely fast. There are two types of buses in service – express and intercity. The former is non-stop and seats are reserved. So you miss a bus and you have to get yourself a new ticket. The intercity buses have unreserved seating and they ply with scheduled stops. Please remember drivers do not speak much English and the stop names are not in English.

There are two types of taxis in service, regular and deluxe (mobeum). The latter is more comfortable and the drivers speak good English. For regular taxis fares start at 1900 won and deluxe taxis charge 4500 won at flag fall.

Subways are the most convenient and fastest mode of transportation in the country. They are generally safe and they stop at major train stations, bus terminals and popular areas. The stop signs are written in both English and Korean but announcements are generally made in Korean only. During rush hours ladies should take special care to avoid the men’s roaming hands.

Korea has an extensive rail network. The local trains are inexpensive, punctual, on time and safe. There are no smoking compartments too. Almost every station has signs in English and Korean for the benefit of the commuters. The new KTX or the bullet train runs across the length of the country. They run at a speed of 300 kms/hr. With KTX you can reach anywhere in the country within 3 hours. These trains are all environment friendly and fares start at 10,600 won.

What to eat, wear etc
South Korea is known for its international cuisine such as French, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese et al. It has food to cater to each and every budget. You can get simple food as well as quality and exotic food. Italian restaurants generally offer a wide array of pastas and wood oven baked pizzas. Thai restaurants offer delicious Thai food such as tom yum gung, tom kha gai etc. Korean restaurants provide delectable Korean course meals like salad, salad boiled pork. There are also Contemporary restaurants and Indian restaurants. In general rice is the staple diet of the Koreans. A typical Korean dish includes rice, some type of soup, a main dish of pork or fish or poultry and other main dishes. Kimchi is a traditional dish of fermented vegetables which is hugely popular in South Korea. Korea also produces several types of grain alcohol.
Korea is cosmopolitan in nature. Most people today wear suits and jeans. The national costume is hanbok which is worn by many during national holidays. By tradition people wear white clothes and colors are reserved for elite class or during festive occasions. Shoes are not permitted inside the house. Traditional shoes have given way to designer footwear and sneakers. During summer people usually wear light clothes as the temperatures hover around the comfort zone. In winter months, though, heavy clothing is necessary. When temperatures fall below zero degrees heavy clothing becomes a necessity. Multi-layered clothing is very common in this period.

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