The English language is used today by most European nations, Australia, North America, as well as key parts in Asia. It is the native tongue of formal business transactions as well as the dialect of global communication. It may be spoken in different accents, written in different ways, but the essence of being understood remains within the language. Globalization is a mission we all face—the opportunities that await us in gaining greater chances of being understood in most transactions be they business or leisure, are many, thus the ability to effectively communicate is crucial. Although most countries use English as the secondary medium of communication, it is just as important for non-English speaking nations to be familiar with most words and their usage; good communication benefits us good relationships after all.
When there is a challenge laid out, there is an opportunity carved as well: the migration of teachers who speak fluent English and dream to teach other non-English speaking countries should not be taken as a “threat” in one's country but a quick help for those who struggle with the language. Teachers have their way of getting the message through and they may even improve the former English learning one has had – foreigner or not. Foreign teachers are blessings and they are exactly what South Korea needs today.
If teaching English in South Korea has not occurred in your mind just yet, remember that South Korea is home to the greatest cultures everyone has ever known. It is only important to teach its students with the important aspects of oral and written English and to guide them accordingly on how to be fluent, but most of all to be understood. South Korea may be the home of great technological findings along with Japan, China, and the Philippines but it has only developed a small percentage of its population with fluency in English. The country, therefore, is in search of special teachers who can educate South Korean children with satisfactory English to prepare them for the inevitable demands of globalization.
South Korea has been through various political conquests and this has led its educational systems to follow strict methods and standardized teaching. The strict use of its native Korean language has made South Korea unaware of the special benefits of the English language especially of the fact of being one with the other countries who speak it. Teaching English in South Korea helps in lessening the communication barriers; there will be now higher chances of being understood in Asian countries as well as those countries which use English as the secondary tongue.
Communication is truly a challenge teachers in Non-English speaking countries are facing today but it is also an opportunity for those who have grown with the English language running in their systems. In countries which rarely use the English language, there is a dream to be understood by those who use English as a medium of learning and career. This is indeed a teacher's opportunity to shine in the Halls of English Learning.
It is a right to be known, to be heard, and to be understood. Be a proponent of change in a country which needs it - teach in South Korea!
Teaching English In South Korea
"A lot of people have said that Korea is one of the toughest places on Earth where you should be employed teaching English. When I hear this from teachers who have returned from Korea, I start getting a bit worried. English teachers in Korea have complained on a cross-section of issues. When I put down a list of these issues, I was shocked to see that none of them were pertaining to non-reception of the students or the audience.
Demographically, Korea is divided into two parts ? one the major cities and other the villages. Most of the complaints have come from people who have been teaching English in Korean villages. Their complaints are more on the subject of lack of basic amenities to teachers. Interestingly, a lot of teachers who have been teaching English in Korean villages have come up and said that they had to learn Korean (At least a little) to make the villagers understand.
Teachers working in schools in major cities of Korea have complaints of a different category. Most of these guys say that they are made to work a lot extra than what was promised to them in their agreement. In employment terms, I could say that they do a lot of Overtime and yet not get paid. A major issue of teachers is that they just cannot adapt to the Korean lifestyle in order for them to save money of their salary. As it goes in Korea, if you adapt to their local lifestyle you would be able to save a lot of money. Else you could land up being seen as a spendthrift.
A very minor percentage of Teachers of English as a foreign language in Korea said that they had been cheated off their jobs. Their complaints were direct accusations on the school management that they had been promised a salary of ?x? won but not given the salary. Few of the English teachers have also come up and said that they were terribly insecure of their jobs. They say this as they had seen couple of teachers being fired right in front of their own eyes. More importantly, they were given just a day's notice.
All this should make you shudder at the thought of teaching English in Korea. My argument is ? I have told you a list of challenges that you could face, at least given a gist of it. Why don't you start preparing for the challenges to make your English teaching job memorable? As it has turned out, a teacher who goes well prepared to Korea has done well."
Both Paul Selibio & Mistina Thomson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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