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Teach English In Korea: Spotlight On Korea
Korea is one country that does not really need any more promotion to attract droves of native English speaking teachers. I don’t know if there are any official TEFL stats, but the EFL market in Korea might just be the biggest in the world.
Why do people go? There are lots and lots of jobs, most do not require qualifications past a BA, and you can save money that matters at home – some people say up to $1000 month. Get a sense of what’s available on the Korean Job Board at Dave’s (and don’t miss the Korean Forums either).
Why don’t more go? It’s usually not an easy life and it is fraught with risk: most entry-level jobs involve lot of hours, and reports of schools violating contract terms are rife. Some assert that the abundance of teachers has the result of making them easily replaceable.
I’ve taught for three years in Eastern Europe, and have passed through some real whoppers of experiences…but even I’d be wary of taking on Korea. There are, however, people who have positive experiences in Korea; others have challenging experiences but leave with their bank accounts fuller and their lives richer for the experience.
If you are looking to get a feel for Korea through some blogs, you’ll be pleased with the multitude on offer. Start with the Daily Kimchi, and head on over to EFL Geek and A Geek In Korea for two teachers who have made a life in Korea. Also check out my interview with “Mike” to see his advice and experience.
If you’re looking for some travel stories to see what you can do over your holiday breaks, Bootsnall has something for you: attend a retreat at a monastery with Eileen Meehan, take a tour of the DMZ with Philip Blazedell, and relax among ice sculptures on Nami Island with Jason Gaskell.
To top it all off, don’t forget Tedkarma’s advice on using a recruiter.
By Katie | Permalink
Related Posts
- Daily Dose: Korea TEFL Blogs
- Update Interview With “Mike” In Korea
- Interview With EFL Geek, Part 2
- Top 10: TEFL Blogs
- Interview With “Mike”, TEFL-er In Korea
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Comments
That’s an interesting perspective and you might just be onto something. I’ve never worked in Asia, but I do think the demand is also just stunning, and there are a number of explanations I’ve heard explaining that as well.
The thing is - I do agree that most EFL teachers go to Korea to earn money and not for the culture - and the image I have of large cities there is that they are much like large cities anywhere. But when people make an effort to focus on “culture”…I think they can find it. One problem is of course that most teachers work so many hours that they don’t have time or energy to seek out.
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I could earn more money and drink lots more beer in Korea than Japan. What puts me off is a lack of interest in Korean literature, manga, fashion etc. etc. The problem of not having this cultural attraction to offer, nor chains of well-respected schools to work in, means employers have only two ways of attracting sufficient teachers- offer more money and get it back other ways once you realize you can’t afford it or drop recruitment standards, even below the government legal minimums.
Sounds like recipe trouble!
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