I taught English abroad but mostly in Eastern Europe. Some of my colleagues had taught all over Asia, and according to them, the pay was often better in places like Japan than in Europe, but the hours were more demanding. They put Korea in this boat. They had significantly less free time there, felt like they were with students all day, even those who taught adults.
Hi Michaela,
I can't offer personal experience, but there's a wonderful blog on the subject here:
http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/Seoul/blog-118713.html
Good luck, and keep us posted!
Hi - I recently returned home after teaching English in East Europe. I can't answer all your questions but here are a few things I can help with :)
In answer to question 1, I didn't have a TEFL certificate and got by ok, but I'm a native speaker, graduate etc and the school I taught at did offer an in-house teaching program.
About no. 2, I worked with a teacher of English who had just returned from over 10 years of teaching in Korea. She was an Eastern European, so not a native English speaker, but rather had a university degree as an English teacher.
About no. 3. Drawbacks were that it isn't always the most sociable hours, you can have early starts, split shifts and late finishes. The best part, if you really are a people person then you will get a lot out of it; and I had such a great time teaching students from 8 year old kids through to adult business people.
Hope that gives you some extra info - good luck with your plans! :-D
Hi Micha,
I've been teaching English in Seoul for the past 6 weeks. I'm not able to answer all of your questions, but I'll do my best!
1) A degree is all you need. No teaching certification needed for South Korea.
2) They are looking at the passport you're holding. The only thing that could cause you a problem is that your university degree is not from an American University. I'm not quit sure on this one. Contact an agency (lots online) and you should be able to get a good answer.
3) Every job is different. Lots of the jobs are in Hagwons (private institutions for after school programs), public schools, private schools and some in Universities. Expect 5-6 hours of teaching per day, in exchange for a decent salary, paid return flight, free accomodation and severance pay at the end.
4)I enjoy living here. Having some Koreans friends makes it easy when you arrive as you might need the help to set up internet, phone, etc. In a big city like Seoul, people are used to foreigner. In a smaller city, it might be a different situation, but I wouldn't be able to give you any feedback on this one.
5) Do your research. Dave Esl Café is a great website to get some feedback on different schools, and look up in the web for an Hagwons Blacklist. Ask to talk to current teachers. If they refuse, it's a bad sign. There is lots of job opportunities so take your time, do your research, and if you're not happy with a job a recruiters offers you, say no, and they'll pas another job offer. This is the normal process.
6) I guess Korea can be a different experience for any one of us, depending on your background. I love it here. Tons to see, tons to do, Koreans can be a little hard to get to know at first, but once a friendship is established, it truly is.
Good luck in your endeavours!
Joined: 08-09-07
I was wondering if anyone could share their experiences about living and teaching in S. Korea. I've been going through this weird existentialist crisis and I believe it may have something to do with having lived in one city for too long. I need something new. However, as my bank account has been on a low-calorie diet for the past year, I've been thinking of fattening it up a bit whilst learning about a new culture and exploring a new city. Looking through several websites, this option seems like a sweet deal but as I'm of a cynical nature, I have to ask:"What's the catch?" Can I really have my cake and eat it too? I know money should be my last priority, but I'm trying to save up for a RTW trip or at the very least, be able to take a trip or keep writing without the fear of going into debt.
Here are some questions:
1) I have an MA in Literature from the Philippines, but I don't have a teaching certificate...will it profoundly affect my options?
2) I am an American Citizen (my dad was American) and speak and write mostly in English, but grew up and was educated in the Philippines...will that be an issue for employers? Do they prefer people who were born and raised in the U.S., Canada, U.K., etc.?
3) What is the job itself like? What are the benefits and drawbacks of teaching English?
4) What is it like as a foreigner living in S. Korea? How about for an Asian foreigner? Is there a big distinction?
5) What are the best indicators of a good school to teach in? The only reason I ask is because I've heard a lot of stories where people set off to teach English but found themselves exploited by the school and/or institution.
6) What is Korea itself like? What can I expect?
Ok, thanks so much! I hope to hear back from someone soon....
mianhae!
Michaela Lola