Korean Job Discussion Forums

[U_ERICA]

By Matthew Gaveline
Contributing Writer

As expats living in Korea, citizens of Canada, the United States, Britain, South Africa and many other native English speakers struggle with new obstacles every day.

Normally, expats are allowed to express their nationality freely in South Korea, despite the fact that Korea has been a homogenous society for thousands of years.

At first, English teachers were only accepted from Canada and then the United States. Now native speakers from seven different countries can obtain their E-2 visas and teach in the English as a second-language industry in South Korea.

But as Korean immigration has opened its doors to more native English speakers an interesting side effect has occurred.

A group of non-native English speakers are now teaching English under the guise of native speakers. They are not unqualified. In fact, many of them learned English with their native language growing up but because they don't fit the poster boy image of the western native speaker they hide their true cultural identity.

For example South Africa, which is a recognized country where native English teachers are sought by Korean ``hangwon�� has 11 official languages. English is the sixth most spoken language behind some African dialects and Afrikaans, simplified Dutch.

The United States and Canada, as countries made up of immigrants from many other countries, have large groups of young people just graduating university whose first language was not English.

They now speak English comfortably as their adopted first language out of necessity but when in their home community, English is scarcely spoken.

Many French Canadians speak English and French fluently. Canada is proudly a bilingual country where more opportunities are open to you, if you speak both official languages. But in Korea, some French Canadians disguise themselves, as English native speakers worried about they�re continued employment if their Korean employers find out they are not technically native speakers.

``In Korea it seems that Koreans have their own point of view of what English is,�� said a seven-year veteran English teacher in Seoul who asked to remain anonymous.

His first language is French and he was born and raised in French Canadian culture.

He is grateful for the opportunities Korea has given him but has yet to feel like he can share with his Korean employers his true cultural identity.

``I am cautious with saying I�m from Quebec instead I say I am from Sudbury where I spent my working years,�� he said. ``I am not lying on where I�m from, I speak French I just don�t say that I learned French first.��

He shares his French Canadian culture just as most Western teachers end up sharing some aspect of their upbringing with their Korean students but he fears revealing his full identity because he doesn�t want to lose the life he has created for himself in Korea based on a technicality. He is not a native speaker so legally according to the hiring qualifications he should not be offered an E2 visa.

Hiring web sites for new ESL teachers list native speakers as the prerequisite for getting a contract with a Korean English academy.

Vivian is another French Canadian teacher in Seoul. But unlike the first French Canadian, she was taught both French and English growing up, English from her mother and French from her father.

She said she loves the experience she is getting from Korea and has fallen in love with its people. But she is also hesitant to give her last name because of a concern she could get deported for not being technically a native speaker.

``My identity is solidly rooted in being a Montrealer. My enjoyment of music, conversation, food, and joie de vivre is quite typically French Canadian,�� she said.

``In certain situations knowing different languages allows you to think in a different way, or to approach a problem from a different point of view.��

Eric Tchadej is a French Canadian teacher living in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province. He was taught primarily French at home and went through French schooling all the way to the end of high school.

He came to Korea to experience another culture and to make some money. He said he already is missing everything French Canadian.

``I haven't met too many other French Canadians, so it's been lonely at times, without the French speaking and the cultural references. But the French Canadians are out there� sometimes hiding,�� he said.

As a fluently bilingual teacher he hopes more French Canadians come over and experience what he has been able to.

``I think it might be easier for me to teach English as a second language because I had to learn it myself. I know some tips and good ways to remember some grammar,�� he said.

``I wish more French Canadians would take the plunge and come teach English in Korea. Most people I talked to don't feel confident enough, but really, they should, as it's an amazing experience.��

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

``In Korea it seems that Koreans have their own point of view of what English is,��

Yep.

[AgentM]

As the article mentioned, lots of Quebecois and other French-Canadians are fluently bilingual. I don't think that French-Canadians should be stopped from teaching English just because of their ethnic/linguistic background, in fact they may be better teachers because they have to navigate between two languages. However, I certainly don't blame French-Canadians for hiding their culture, from what I read of Koreans and their image issues/perceptions, it might not go over too well.

[Straphanger]

Afrikaans is simplified dutch?

Hey OP, are you just catching up on the same old, lame "news" you posted in another thread? This ain't world-class journalism here.

[cruisemonkey]

[Straphanger]

[D.D.]

I find is strange to see people who just became Canadians getting esl jobs. One Polish girl was sniffing around my public school looking fo a job and she always avoided me. When I talked to her one day she said she was Canadian. I just sort of laughed and a few weeks later some of the Korean teachers asked me if she was really Canadian. I just told them to ask her. After that she stopped visiting and trying to weasle into my job.

[Mr. Pink]

What that article fails to mention is said French-Canadians must have graduated from an ENGLISH language university. So yes, that person who grew up in Montreal and went to McGill would be qualified to teach in Korea. Who cares if they are bilingual? As another poster said, if anything this gives them a better insight into second language learning, which should transfer to better teaching skills.

[Nemo]

[ontheway]

I knew a French Canadian teacher here in Korea who had a nice English sound, but had a great deal of trouble with the use of articles and prepositions in English. The Korean students were better at this simple grammar than the teacher. The students were able to learn to use this grammar naturally, but the teacher kept referring to grammar rules and didn't get it.

[hari seldon]

[CentralCali]

[Mr. Pink]

[Straphanger]

[CentralCali]

No need. My degree is in Linguistics.