Former Global English student, Kimberly Civello enjoyed the people, the teaching and the excellent contractual terms that Korea had to offer. She writes:
Despite some of the bad publicity Korea has in terms of teaching English, I have found it to be an excellent experience. The people are helpful, efficient and very organised. People are extremely honest and you will know where you stand and how you are doing. Koreans will include foreigners in school dinners and company outings as well as making new friendships and dating. Do beware of certain schools. There is a hagwon blacklist on the Internet, which list schools to stay away from. Conditions in these schools are poor. There is an organisation set up here by the government where foreigners can go to get help if they find themselves in one of these schools. However, I feel these schools are the exception and not the norm.
Getting a job
Speak with one of the foreigners before signing a contract, if you can, or consider making your own way here first then look for a job. You’ll find a job within a week or a few weeks. Plan to support yourself for 2 months as most schools pay a monthly salary, paid on the 10th of the following month. Your school will send you on a visa run to Fukuoka, Japan to obtain the E-2 visa. If you do not have a Bachelors degree you will not get the E-2 work visa. The government has cracked down on illegal foreigners here or foreigners who have had their degrees forged. Punishments include immediate deportation, fines and even a few nights in jail.
Questions to ask potential employers:
1. Are the teachers paid on time?
2. What are the conditions at the school?
3. Is there a set curriculum?
4. What kind of support do you receive from the Korean teachers?
5. What is the owner like? How does he/she treat their employees?
6. Turnover of teachers?
7. Would you stay for another year?
8. What is your apartment like?
9. What is there to do in the community?
Etc…
Most teaching opportunities exist in the hagwon’s, privately owned schools geared toward supplementing the English educational program in public schools. The emphasis is on conversational English; however, you may be asked to teach other things. Expect to teach elementary, middle and high school students. Some students are shy and feel embarrassed to make mistakes. Most hagwon’s don’t expect the foreign teaches to teach grammar, however, I have found this to be imperative! I am surprised by the amount of English education here and the inability of students to put together simple sentences that are grammatically correct. The Global English TEFL course will prepare you to teach all levels and abilities.
There are also several Children’s schools, which teach pre-school through to elementary school. If teaching children make sure the maximum class size is 10-12 students and try to avoid working split shifts. Look for a kindergarten school that runs from 10am-5pm. The children are lovely and they are not afraid to speak out or make mistakes. Other opportunities exist at Universities and these positions are highly coveted.
Money
A typical salary ranges from 1.8 – 2.6 million won per month commiserate with experience. Between 3-5% will be deducted for taxes. Depending on the school and contract other money will be deducted for health insurance and pension. Americans can apply to receive their pension contributions back; however, British are not entitled to. If you are British ask the school if you need to take the national health and pension option. Some schools will offer a travel insurance option instead. Medical costs are low here about £5 per office visit and £5 for medication. Dental costs are also very low, about £30 to have a tooth pulled, so it is possible to live here without having the national health insurance.
Contracts include:
Round trip airfare reimbursement- decide before you come if you want to travel around Asia after you are finished. Organize this prior to signing the contract. Let your school know that you want the return portion of your ticket given to you in cash. Most schools will agree to this. You can enter Korea on a one-way ticket and organize future travel after you get here.
Either a furnished apartment or a monthly rent stipend in provided. Apartments are generally okay; however, I’ve seen many run down places. Schools will provide a one-room studio or you will share a bigger place with another foreigner. Apartments will include, a bed, desk, wardrobe, small refrigerator, range, some kitchen utensils and an iron. Don’t expect your accommodation to be spacious. Most schools will offer you the option to rent something on your own. The stipend is higher about 300,000 won per month and some schools will even put down the key money, around 5,000,000 won for you. You are expected to furnish the apartment yourselves. There are many second hand furniture stores and websites where you can buy apartment furnishings.
A yearly bonus is paid at the end of the 12-month contract period. The bonus is equal to one months rent, excluding taxes. If you terminate the contract before the 12-month period you will not be paid the bonus. You should receive paid National holidays, about 10 per year and up to 10 vacation days per year.
The cost of living in Korea is extremely low, especially in comparison to Japan and western countries. Monthly bills (telephone, electricity, water and heating/air con.) average around £30-£40 each month for 2 people. A typical Korean meal will cost £2- £5. Foreign foods and western chain restaurants (TGI Fridays, Outback, Bennigan’s etc.) are apopular, but much more expensive. There are many foreigner bars and clubs in big cities.
It is possible to save over half of your paycheck. I live off of 800,000 won per month and save the extra. I usually send home 1,000,000- 1,200,000 won each month. This is a good lifestyle here including: shopping, going out on the weekends, cinemas, sports and exercise, eating out and even trips to other Asian countries.
Beth Frankham , a student on our Global English Level 2 TESOL course, shares her experiences of Korea, both good and bad…
The Hagwon (private language school) I taught at for a year is located right below Suri Mountain in a beautiful city called Sanbon. It is a well established school with over 500 students enrolled and more than a dozen foreign teachers from Canada, America, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.
The school offers an excellent salary range, particularly for first-time teachers with little or no experience. The school provides you with a paid return flight, accommodation and a bonus upon completing a one-year contract. You are assigned your own classroom and are allowed breaks between classes. There is a set curriculum and their supplementary resources are quite good.
Re-furbished in January 2003, there are now two decent sized staff rooms, twelve classrooms that are air-conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter, a kitchen, tea and coffee facilities and a computer room for the students. Teachers are allowed to dress casually at work and they are able to access the Internet and Email during break times.
This Hagwon offers (American English) classes to children aged between four and fifteen. Their students come mostly from affluent families. They are generally well behaved and are very studious. There are Korean teachers available to help with both translation and discipline if necessary.
During my year there, I never had any issues with my salary. I was always paid on time and I always received my overtime pay. My apartment was big. It was clean, fully furnished and located close to the school. I had many opportunities to travel outside of Korea, because my contract included a reasonable vacation allowance. Korea also has a lot of national holidays scattered throughout the year.
Sanbon has a great selection of restaurants, PC rooms, DVD rooms, singing rooms, shops, department stores and fast-food outlets. It also has a big, new cinema that shows English speaking films. There are bowling alleys, health clubs, parks and an international doctor’s surgery too.
If Sanbon doesn’t have enough to satisfy your mood, then the capital city of Seoul is only forty five minutes away by train. In my opinion, Seoul has the best night life in the world! You can see internationally renowned DJ’s in some very classy nightclubs. If you prefer theatre or live music, you have a diverse choice of shows to see every week. Seoul really is the city that never sleeps...if you want to go out at three in the morning, there is always somewhere open. For the shopaholics, some parts of Seoul even offer 24 hour shopping malls!!
However, there were a few negative factors about teaching in Korea:
A lot of conflicts occurred between the teachers and the Director, because teachers could never be sure that their conversations were being translated correctly. A couple of the Korean co-ordinators lack good social skills and have a tendency to upset the other members of staff.
There is also a tendency to throw the teachers “in at the deep end” without proper guidance from a more experienced teacher. There is no appraisal system in place which seems commonplace throughout South Korea. My interpretation is that Koreans in senior positions are quick to criticize, but they do not know how to praise you directly when you do something right.
You should be aware that in Korean Hagwons, ‘the parent is always right’! Although you are working in a school, you must not forget that it is also a business. The parents are paying large fees for their children to attend. If a mistake is made or a child is struggling, the fault will always be that of the foreign teacher. You will find that your classes are monitored on a daily basis and that you will be given feedback (most likely negative) on your teaching style.
It is also wise to understand that a “contract” is not as binding in Korea as it is in the Western world. A Korean Director will always find a way to manipulate the wording, if necessary, into a way that suits his needs. (For example, do not believe that you may take vacation whenever you like just because it says you can in your contract.) However, it would be advisable to have in writing that once you are given an apartment to live in you will not be moved on the whim of the Director. It is hard enough coping with the cultural differences of living in a foreign country without having the stress of an unsettled home life.
For the most part, I enjoyed my time teaching in Sanbon. I heard horror stories about other schools that make this one seem like paradise! My best piece of advice is be sure to research all the Hagwons that offer you teaching positions. If the school has a decent number of foreign teachers in their second or third contracts, then they are obviously doing something right!!
If you are a Global English student and wish to contact Beth directly, please email us
If you have any experience of working in Korea and would like to share it with us, please email us at info@global-english.com.
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