Korean Job Discussion Forums

[World Traveler]

[Gorf]

There's not that many anyways, but it still is a pretty dumb move trying to use non-native teachers of any language.

[Malislamusrex]

Academic high schools need NET most, and technical schools need NET least.

You think someone would spend a few weeks going around schools and assessing which schools need NET....

[Adventurer]

Well, if Korea wants to reduce the amount of native speakers at the high school level, they can, but make the Korean teachers take classes with native speakers and make them improve. However, too often you have these Korean teachers due to cultural reasons who don't want to change and don't want to be taught by a younger foreign teacher. That would happen even if that foreign teacher had a master's degree in teaching English and has a lot of experience. A major problem is not simply that many of the Korean teachers don't speak great English, they also use old methods. Most NET's don't have degrees in English. That's true. However, they've been taught by teachers at universities who use newer methods. People forget that when they trash the NET's. Of course, they're not going to be like the guys with the MA's or PHD's in the field, but they're still useful.

[liveinkorea316]

I think that it is a good idea actually. It is better to redeploy any high school teachers to elementary and middle schools.

It is simply a case of refocussing rather than culling. The culling is happening at the elementary and Middle levels but that is s different topic.

Applied Linguistics research will tell you that it is better to teach languages younger.

[World Traveler]

Why not do both? (Have NETs in high schools as well as middle schools and elementary schools.) There are more applicants than positions open, so this is certainly doable.

Though learning a language at a young age is important, it is also important to refine the language at an older age.

[Mix1]

Is this official now? Or more smoke and mirrors?
I've got three friends who work in high schools and no one has mentioned anything specific, but lots of rumors have been floated. Seems like all the Korean teachers know something but aren't sharing any info.

[PatrickGHBusan]

[ZIFA]

[dbtm]

This is true. All the recruiters have been told about it already.

Deny it all you want for lack of official sources. SMOE won't say anything until the last minute.

[waynehead]

I've heard this as well, but not officially. I work at a high school. My co-teacher called to ask about renewal procedures for next year and they said that it's likely the funding for high school NETs will be withdrawn. This was a few weeks ago.

Apparently if your school wants to use money out of their own budget to keep you, that would be fine (of course). But obviously not all schools can/want to do that.

I haven't heard anything about possibly being reassigned to middle or elementary, because AFAIK, it still isn't official yet. But for other high school SMOE teachers: you might want to have a backup plan. I'm getting mine together.

[brento1138]

[amoonbot]

Apparently, nothing is "confirmed", however, Jon Pak (SMOE coordinator) said that it is very possible that SMOE will not be hiring any more high school NETs starting March 2012. For current high school NETs planning on renewing in 3/2012, there have been talks of them being transferred to middle or elementary schools. Again, nothing is "confirmed". Always good to have a back-up plan.

[ThingsComeAround]

When has anything ever been confirmed here?

[waynehead]

I can confirm this now. Just got the news Friday. Most high school NSETs are being shifted towards middle and elementary next year.