Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Depths of My Soul]

I was just doing some research on Korea and found the following:

[Jang-Dong Gun]

This usually happens in hagwons and not public schools. Most of them will explicitly state that they will only hire North Americans in the job description.

[Troglodyte]

I met a Polish girl who told hogwans that she was American, a tourist and just wanting some temp work cash in hand. Whether they knew the truth or not, she did get work. I imagine that some knew but were willing to ignore the obvious as long as she was going to keep up the charade in front of the kids.

[peppermint]

I'm a Canadian, and at the height of the Harry Potter craze, I got asked to use a British accent for a bit- I guess anything is possible

[wylies99]

It actually happens a lot in hagwons. Many people who shouldn't be teaching claim to be "Americans" even though they've clearly never even been to the USA. It does happen with Koreans (not actual Kyopos).

Where did you live in the USA?
"California"
Where in California?
"Hollywood"

"USA, good"

Whatever

[GreenlightmeansGO]

I let all my students know I'm South African, but it has become a habit to Americanize my accent in class. I've become so used to it I don't even think about it. What do I model it on...the average character accent in films and drama series, with stronger, more nasal vowels than my own accent. I do this to make understanding easier and less stressful to the students, stemming from problems with words like 'car' and 'fast' causing mass confusion in the past.

[AsiaESLbound]

Public schools also prefer Americans and even ask you to teach American culture whatever that means. So Rock-N-Roll your soon to be obsolete space shuttle with Obama in it all the way to the moon.

I never expected American accents to be preferred as American accent is more difficult to listen to than British accents and it seems to be the British accent is more international and worldly. Seems that the British speaking also travel much more so than Americans. Koreans are silly.

[Weigookin74]

[AustSaint]

luckily I have never had to change my accent, in fact I would feel insulted if someone tried to tell me to change my accent. I have heard that hagwans are more likely to ask teachers to do this than public schools.

[oskinny1]

[chellovek]

I speak British English and teach British culture and history in some classes. Both at hagwon and PS.

It's never been an issue for any Korean I've met, and people comment that I have a nice sounding voice.

Never been asked a single thing about America or Americans.

edit- or to Americanise myself in any way.

[Depths of My Soul]

I hope I get asked. Seriously, I'm dying to do this

[Bloopity Bloop]

[jiberish]

I have been asked to pronounce things the American style before. I rolled with it, felt a little strange on the tongue though. However I have faught with K-teachers over pronunication. They had an American teacher before but he had lazy pronunication and said things like wa'd'er hospi'd'ol etc. Then when I said it correctly she asked me to say it his way. Because he was American, hence he was right and I was wrong. = /

[Bloopity Bloop]