Teaching English In Korea

Many teachers have enjoyed their teaching experiences in Korea, but there are others that encountered endless problems. The biggest mistake that foreign teachers in Korea make is not reading their contract carefully. By the time they discover any issues it’s too late and before they know it they don’t have enough funds or the authority to return to their own country.

In America, when teachers discover any problems, they expect the embassy to investigate or act as lawyers to aid them. This cannot be done in Korea which is why it is important for the individual to read and understand the contract carefully before signing it.

In order to be happy and enjoy employment as an English teacher in Korea you must find a respectable school and discuss a good contract before leaving for the country, this will eliminate any unexpected issues when you finally arrive in Korea. It is very important that anyone who is considering a job in Korea to pay attention to the living and working conditions stated on the contract. It may help if you can find former employees or those that are familiar with the specific institution and ask them for guidance.

If you are serious about pursuing this in the future, the average wage for someone teaching English in Korea would be anything starting from 1.5 million won ($1,850) a month so be sure you can survive on this amount before signing anything.

If you are looking for information on Korea and teaching in the country, the KOTESOL is a great source. Although many of the English teachers end up working in the many institutes, there are other positions available so check them out as well, some examples are below:

- private informal/teaching classes
- private/government research centres
- corporate language programs
- public/editing relations

Hakwons are known as private institutes and can be found throughout Korea. Some of the institutes have many branches and are well known whilst others are much smaller and often short lived. Many of the Hakwons take on instructors for writing and conversational classes. At Hakwons the typical employee will expect to work a maximum of 30 hours a week. Many of the classes take place in the evening and early morning which gives the instructors afternoons off as free time. By doing the relevant research, instructors will find institutes that provide them accommodation as well as employment so if you play your cards right you could save quite a lot of money.

If you feel you need extra work it’s sometimes possible for full time teachers to have a part time position at other institutes or with classes that are privately arranged. However you must be certain that you get permission from your institute because part time teaching on top of your primary contract is only legal if you have that permission from the immigration authorities and of course your primary institute.

Lastly if you’re considering private lessons, consider having the fees paid prior to the lesson to provide a safe guard. Instructors teaching in Korea are reminded that they are responsible for any violations they commit so make sure that you are 100% aware of what is needed.