English in Korea
 The
hakwan
enterprise
is
a
booming
business
in
Korea,
and
English
is
the
commodity
of
the
century.
The
key
to
success
is
English,
and
everybody
wants
to
learn
it;
Korea
is
a
nation
obsessed
with
this
ambition.
On
one
hand,
learning
English
is
a
valuable
tool
that
will
help
individual
Koreans
improve
their
careers
while
helping
the
country
to
strengthen
its
position
in
the
global
marketplace.
But
at
what
cost
to
Korean
language
and
culture?
English
has
already
infiltrated
Hangul,
the
Korean
language,
with
borrowed
words
and
expressions—called
“Konglish”—such
as
“hand
pone”
(cell
phone)
and
“coppee”
(coffee).
The
English
phrases
used
range
from
hilariously
unintelligible
to
embarrassingly
raunchy.
Some
intensive
English
language
camps
are
promoting
Western
values
and
cultural
elements
as
part
of
their
language
education,
which
has
raised
the
red
flag
of
cultural
and
linguistic
imperialism
among
language
educators
and
those
who
are
attuned
to
such
issues.
Nevertheless,
the
reality
is
that
finding
a
job
teaching
English
in
Korea
is
easy.
What
follows
in
this
article
will
provide
advice
on
negotiating
and
surviving
a
hakwan
contract,
suggestions
for
teaching
practices,
and
glimpses
into
making
a
successful
transition
into
life
in
Korea.
Hakwan
Life
Many
teachers
are
hired
in
Korea
without
qualifications
for
teaching—as
in
my
case.
To
be
hired
in
Korea
as
an
English
teacher
your
required
qualifications
are
a
four-year
degree
in
anything
while
being
a
native
speaker.
The
assumption
is
that
because
you
speak
the
language
you
can
automatically
teach
it.
In
South
Korea,
this
perspective
provides
a
wonderful
opportunity
for
a
teacher
to
live
in
another
culture,
learn
a
language,
and
broaden
one's
horizons,
but
it
also
presents
unique
challenges.
Due
to
the
wide
disparity
of
hakwan
quality,
and
the
individual
personalities,
nationalities,
and
backgrounds
of
the
teachers,
there
is
no
such
thing
as
one
“typical”
experience
of
teaching
and
living
in
Korea.
Many
teachers
come
to
Korea
with
an
open
mind
and
a
willingness
to
be
flexible.
These
teachers
often
find
a
niche,
even
as
foreigners.
They
survive
the
initial,
painful
stages
of
culture
shock
to
create
a
fruitful
life
in
Korea
for
years.
Others
can’t
even
make
it
through
their
first
year
and
do
a
“midnight
run,”
breaking
their
contract
and
leaving
the
country.
Many
teachers
get
caught
up
in
the
drinking
culture
of
Korea,
and
fall
ill,
or
worse.
These
are
factors
that
you,
the
teacher,
can
control.
This
is
important,
because
there
will
be
many
factors
that
you
cannot
control.
It
is
also
important
to
remember
that
these
expectations
are
very
culturally-centered
and
should
never
be
taken
personally.
The
first
time
you
are
asked
on
a
Friday
morning
to
work
a
weekend—or
told
that
you
will
be
meeting
parents
first
thing
Monday
morning—it
can
be
difficult
to
know
how
to
respond.
Communication
between
teachers
and
directors
can
be
strained
by
these
differing
cultural
expectations
as
well
as
language
barriers.
The
key
is
to
remain
calm
and
try
to
find
a
solution
that
works
for
everyone.
Sometimes
it
means
doing
a
little
extra,
and
some
times
it
means
knowing
when
you’ve
already
done
enough.
Ways
to
deal
with
misunderstandings,
disagreements,
or
sickness:
When
misunderstandings
or
disagreements
arise
at
work,
always
express
your
willingness
to
do
what’s
best
for
the
students,
but
explain
your
needs
as
well.
You
may
compromise,
but
make
sure
you
don’t
compromise
too
much,
or
you
will
end
up
feeling
resentful.
If
you
become
seriously
ill,
go
to
a
doctor
and
get
it
in
writing.
Then
talk
to
your
director
or
supervisor
immediately.
Explain
your
situation
but
do
not
accuse
or
pass
judgment
on
how
they
run
their
school.
Ask
them
if
there
is
some
way
you
can
lighten
the
work
load
so
that
you
can
regain
your
health.
The
focus
should
be
on
your
health,
rather
than
on
what
they
are
doing
“wrong.”
Teaching
and
Students
What
goes
on
in
a
hakwan
classroom
varies
from
the
established
curriculum
based
on
English
language
texts.
Texts
vary
widely
in
accuracy
and
cultural
appropriateness,
including
having
the
teacher
play
hangman
with
students
in
English
and
calling
it
a
lesson.
Some
hakwans
provide
detailed
curriculum,
while
others
let
the
teacher
do
as
she
or
he
pleases.
Depending
on
your
level
of
experience
and
confidence
as
a
teacher
these
scenarios
can
be
either
positive
or
negative.
Hint:
Find
out
the
nature
of
the
curriculum
before
you
sign
a
contract.
In
stark
contrast
to
elementary
school
kids,
middle
school
students
are
very
serious-minded
in
Korea.
In
middle
school,
the
hardships
of
the
examination
system
and
pressures
for
entering
a
good
college
bear
down
on
them.
Their
public
school
classes
are
lecture-oriented,
and
the
students
are
the
receptacles
of
knowledge
from
books
and
teachers
(a
strong
Confucian
ethic).
The
communicative,
discussion-based
classroom
is
not
so
common
in
Korea,
which
can
pose
a
challenge
for
any
language
teacher.
However,
this
pedagogical
approach
is
changing
with
a
focus
on
spoken
English,
which
in
turn
is
driving
the
need
for
native
English-speaking
teachers.
Some
pointers
for
inexperienced
teachers
in
Korea:
Write
in
a
colored
marker
your
class
rules
on
a
poster
board
and
bring
it
to
classes.
Explain
what
the
rules
mean
(sit
in
your
seat,
do
not
yell,
raise
your
hand,
etc.)
and
have
the
class
recite
the
rules
together.
Make
a
game
out
of
it,
turn
it
into
a
competition
(Korean
kids
live
for
team
competitions).
Take
advantage
of
lesson
ideas
from
online
resources
such
as
Daveseslcafe.com.
Talk
to
other
teachers
in
and
out
of
your
school
to
share
ideas.
Supplement
the
books
your
school
uses
with
your
own
ideas
and
those
you
get
online—and
write
all
those
ideas
down!
You
may
impress
your
director
with
the
additional
activities
that
the
entire
school
can
use.
Be
patient—remember
that
this
is
a
different
culture
and
the
children
are
going
to
be
boisterous.
If
you
have
a
true
“problem
student,”
ask
one
of
the
Koreans
in
your
school
for
advice.
Instead
of
yelling
when
they
get
out
hand
(which
is
very
tempting
and
often
is
the
only
way
to
be
heard
above
the
din),
stand
at
the
front
of
the
room,
completely
silent,
and
just
watch
them
with
your
“teacher
face.”
One
of
them
will
notice
you,
and
hush
the
others
until
the
room
is
quiet.
Works
like
a
charm!
Working
with
adults
has
its
own
challenges—it
is
often
more
difficult
for
adults
to
learn
a
second
language.
However,
they
will
work
hard,
and
if
you
keep
things
fun
and
social,
you
may
learn
quite
a
bit
from
them,
as
well.
Enjoying
Life
in
Korea
and
Beyond…
Here
are
some
tips
for
making
your
time
in
Korea
meaningful:
Make
friends
with
other
foreigners
who
share
your
interests
and
who
are
not
out
to
party
every
night
of
the
week.
You
will
comfort
each
other,
share
teaching
ideas,
and
be
sounding
boards
for
when
things
get
tough.
Often
such
friendships
can
last
well
beyond
your
time
in
Korea.
Make
Korean
friends!
Experience
the
culture
as
their
guest.
You
will
feel
less
of
an
outsider
after
you’ve
been
welcomed
into
their
homes
and
lives.
Learn
some
Korean
(hangul).
You
will
get
more
out
of
your
experience,
and
Koreans
will
be
delighted
when
you
attempt
to
communicate
in
their
language.
Accept
invitations
for
social
gatherings
with
your
co-workers.
This
is
how
Koreans
do
business,
and
it
will
forge
better
working
relationships
as
well
as
new
friendships.
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/esl/articles/teaching-english-living-south-korea-inside-tips.shtml
|
These
impressive
numbers
are
driven
by
adult
speakers
around
the
world
who
use
English
to
communicate
in
the
workplace.
It
is
a
commonly
held
misconception
that
these
speakers
need
English
to
communicate
with
native
speakers.
While
ESL
is
required
for
those
living
and
working
in
English
speaking
cultures
such
as
the
UK
and
USA,
it
is
equally
true
that
English
is
used
as
the
lingua
franca
between
nations
where
English
is
not
the
primary
language.
In
a
globalized
world,
the
number
of
English
learners
around
the
world
is
only
expected
to
further
grow.
Becoming
an
ESL
teacher
offers
a
unique
multi-cultural
opportunity.
Job
benefits
include:
international
travel
opportunities,
multi-cultural
training,
and
job
satisfaction.
One
of
the
biggest
advantages
of
getting
a
TEFL
(Teaching
English
as
a
Foreign
Language)
qualification
is
the
chance
to
work
abroad
while
thinking
about
what
you
really
want
to
do.
Of
course,
there
are
some
negative
aspects
-
including
pay.
Here
is
a
guide
to
what
to
consider
before
deciding
to
become
an
ESL
teacher.
