Teaching English in South Korea (TEFL)

It is very likely that you will be working in a Hagwon. Hagwons are private institutions which kids are sent to after school.

You may have kindergarten classes in the mornings but generally you will not start work until the afternoon.

Typically you will teach up to 30 hours per week. Any more would be paid as overtime. Koreans often work Saturdays.

FCC teachers will not (unless they want to). You will be expected to spend time on class preparation. Time spent on class preparation tends to decrease with experience.

Ages of students usually range from 7 to 16 although it is not uncommon to have additional adult conversational classes (especially housewives).

Class sizes can range from one or two to around 10 or 12. Generally, the maximum number of students in one class is around 12.

A native Korean teacher often assists English teachers in class.

Education is of great importance to Koreans. Children from more affluent families are sent to a variety of hagwons (English, math, music etc.) after school. As a result kids are often tired and sometimes stressed. Korean teachers typically teach formal grammar leaving the foreign teacher free to teach the more relaxed aspects of English: speaking, pronunciation, reading and writing practice.

The kids will love you. They will be fascinated with you and will learn a lot by copying what you say and by playing games. They will want to touch you, sit on you and hold you hand whenever possible.

Younger children may be frightened of you initially especially if you are male, as in smaller towns it is likely that you will be the first foreigner they have ever been in contact with.

The school will supply you with the required teaching materials, and will guide you in the best way to utilise your resources.

Typically, the level of your students’ English will be quite low. The emphasis of your Teachers are not expected to speak Korean (Hangul). In fact, many institutes request that you refrain from using Korean in the classroom to maximise students' participation in English.

Classes will be on conversational English. This ranges from teaching lower level students ‘letters’ using picture flashcards to conversing with higher level students. A good teacher is able to think of fun games and activities, making books a topic of conversation and interaction. An active, fun class will bring the best results from Korean children, and will make your teaching time more fun as well!

Many hagwons also cater to Kindergarten students. These students will be four to six years old, maybe even younger. As you might expect these classes involve a lot of games, songs, art type projects and story telling.

A practical guide to teaching English in South Korea will be available to FCC applicants shortly. The guide is written by people who have taught in Korea for a number of years and provides useful hints and tips for new teachers. Successful FCC applicants who are already in Korea can request that their names be added to the waiting list. The guide will be available by September 2004.