Korean Job Discussion Forums

[l0ckx]

Hey everybody! I have been reading many posts the last couple days, and searching through the old threads before I posted questions. I have to say that I have found many answers, and have had many enjoyable laughs. I tried to search the old threads before I wasted space, but there are still a couple things I couldn't find.

Let me give you a brief background of myself before I propose some questions. I have been interested in Asian cultures for quite a long time, and began to start studying Korean culture and language. I attend Shippensburg University in PA, and unfortunately the foreign language department does not offer Korean (or any Asian languages for that matter). I am currently a Business major, and I hate it. After many years of my mother telling me I would be a good teacher, I began to consider it. I just started to help out at the Sunday school at the local church to see if I was cut out for such a task. I do enjoy working with the kindergartners, however I feel an older group would be more satisfying.

I have been planning on traveling to South Korea next summer to attend Seoul National University at the Korean Language Institute, but I realized that I won't have enough money to pay for school. I would however, have enough to travel and visit. It then occurred to me, why not try and find a job teaching ESL to see if I like it? Knowing what you don't want to do in life can sometimes be more valuable, so why not pursue the interest.

I have worked at fast food restaurants in high school, working with Hispanic (non-native English speakers) and ALWAYS had a blast! I actually felt like I worked better with them, than my English speaking co-workers. Foreign cultures, languages, and helping people has always been an interest that I never realized until now.

Right now, I am a second semester sophomore with a horrible business major. I hate it, with a passion, but not enough to minor. I am definitely going to change my major by next semester, but I�m having difficulty. Here are where my questions come into play.

Would a major in English or English literature help me find a job or be better at an ESL position than say something I am more interested in? If not, then I will just go for a degree in geoenvironmentalism. Unfortunately my school doesn't offer any Asian multicultural studies. I think there is one course offered, and is a geography course of east Asia.

Is there anything I could do now to help me in the future with job placement? Like I said earlier, I have started helping out at the Sunday school. I was thinking maybe getting in touch with the foreign exchange program and seeing if I could help any exchange students with English.

Do esl schools even care about things like this? Even if they didn't, I still think it would be beneficial and help me develop skills to become a better teacher.

Also, does anybody know if teaching ESL in the USA is similar to teaching in Korea?

I also found one post about summer/winter esl camps, but wasn't too informative. But, would I have any chance to be able to teach over next summer? I've been having a hard time trying to find schools that are looking for teachers for next summer. Is it too early to start looking? Even if I couldn't get a paid job, I would definitely be willing to volunteer, just for the experience. I have read that a lot of times you need to pay in order to volunteer!

I am very interested in Asian cultures, and concentrating on Korean at the moment. I would love to teach there and learn the language and culture!

I'm just a poor college student needing direction! I'm just figuring stuff out and I know that everyone here can give me some advice about what they would have done differently when they were at my juncture.

hope to hear from you all soon!!! THANKS A BUNCH!!!!

[Saxiif]

[l0ckx]

is it really that easy though? And even if it is...I don't want to just get a job and be a shitty teacher. I want to be the best that i can be. I would want my students to learn and enjoy learning!

i really find it amazing that one of the main requirements is a BA in anything....i guess the fancy piece of paper that says i was a bitch for 4 years really is a golden ticket!

[Corvid]

My two cents: Both as power for a career goal in teaching esl and for future study of any language, Linguistics would be very helpful. Many linguistics departments have tesol certificate programs too. The tesol certificate has definite career advantages. But as you've probably figured out, no BA or BS, no job, period, end of story. I have no idea about volunteering however. Do a search on orphans, and maybe you can find something here.

[Saxiif]

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

I'd say English may make you a better teacher, but it's a hard degree if you don't love the subject, LOTS of reading. But your major is not going to have a big effect on getting a job. If you have a BA you can get a hogwan job. Having an MA on the other hand will put you above the pack and give you a chance to jump straight into the uni postitions. They pay about the same, with a few less hours, and better holidays. And if you're looking at the MA, TESOL or Applied Linguistics would be the way to go.

[posco's trumpet]

[little mixed girl]

.....

[Tembo]

First off, you should major in whatever interests you. Most people I meet seem to have BAs, as opposed to BS degrees, but the variety is amazing...

I found your post very interesting as you seem to be itching to make a change in your life and to LEARN! Here's my suggestion...go to your school's study abroad office ask them to help you. Your school might be a member of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP) www.isep.org. ISEP is a cool program where you pay tuition, room and board at your school and then just switch with someone else who has done the same thing at their university. No money changes hands!

Next, ask them about National Student Exchange (NSE) www.nse.org This, similar to ISEP, works the same way. You pay the tuition at your school and attend a school elsewhere. What a great tactic to avoid out-of-state tuition! You might even be able to use NSE to get to ISEP if ISEP is not an option at your local school.

Then, while you wait on something to happen you should sign up for that Asian geography class. ANYTHING related to something you are interested in is going to help you learn more about it...right? I had a year delay in my study abroad to Africa so I took that time to learn as much about my area as possible: a geography course, a political science course, and a literature course. I felt a lot better when I got off that plane!

A last option is to work your butt off and find out it there are scholarships (national and local) that might help you get into some sort of international study program.

The JET Programme is a cool option. They might come to your school, might not. Find out as much as you can about their program and enjoy your college education majoring in whatever you want, then hope you are selected by JET and head off to Japan for a few years! If you are not one of the chosen, THEN come to Korea with ease...if it is still an option:)

You can get great deals to Seoul from the East Coast...especially as a student�maybe as little as $800 or so. Save up and come for a visit, just to get your feet wet and help you figure things out. There are cheap places to stay and travel is easy around the country--not local holidays!

[l0ckx]

thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!

Thank you all!!! I am so happy for all of the wonderful advice and I am going to take it into consideration. Tomorrow I�m going to go to the library and find those two books. I'm definitely going to look into a TESL certification that my school may offer. I am definitely going to change my major to geoenvironmentalism (geography - earth science) because I love plants . Language Linguistics sounds great too and will definitely look into it.

It's unfortunate, my school's foreign language department only offers French, German, and Spanish! They don't even offer exchange programs in any part of Asia! However, Since I go to a state school, I can use the exchange programs at one of the other 13 state schools in the school network. Slippery Rock offers exchange at a university in South Korea, however, I have no formal education Korean language or culture. The last time I called their foreign lang. department in reference to the curriculum they use, I was totally snubbed and given an answer as if I was committing a crime. I will look into ISEP and NSE (THANKS!)

As for Seoul National University and teaching on the side....should I contact the embassy? Or should I contact Seoul Nat. Uni. ? Also what if my school doesn't offer a certification in TESL? I have also heard about a Korean TESL certification? Also, if my school doesn't offer an TESL certification, can anybody recommend a good school that does?

I have many questions about the JET program, but I�m not going to bother you guys when I can just look it up myself

THANKS A BUNCH!!! YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

[bugs]

If you want to stay in the U.S. and get a taste of what teaching is like, contact "Teach for America" group. Do a search on the internet. They will give you a minimum prep to get you ready to teach at an inner-city school in the U.S., usually a rough and tough neighborhood. The contract is for 2 years; salary and room/board are provided.

When you fulfill the contract, they will pay you to get your teaching degree. With this experience, you will have no problem getting a teaching job in the states.