Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yaya]

The majority of Korean parents think foreign English teachers are needed in schools despite the government�s move to gradually reduce their number, a survey showed.

According to the study organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, 62.4 percent of parents replied that native English teachers are necessary at local elementary, middle and high schools.

A research institute at the Seoul National University conducted the survey of 43,742 people � 28,761 students, 11,980 parents, 2,406 English teachers, and 595 foreign teachers from 1,282 elementary, middle and high schools in Seoul.

�The satisfaction rate of students regarding foreign English teachers was high throughout elementary, middle and high schools and especially high in elementary schools,� said an official from the education office.

When asked whether foreign English teachers were needed in schools, more than 62 percent of the surveyed parents answered �they are definitely needed,� as they help improve students� communication skills and reduce fear of foreigners.

More than half of them also answered that foreign English teachers� placement at local schools was effective and 67.7 percent said they were mostly needed in elementary schools.

http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/11/117_99648.html

[Steelrails]

Wait according to some, Koreans have been brainwashed into seeing us as drug addicted pedophiles who are lower than street bums.

I guess not...

[ThingsComeAround]

Parents like having us there because they know most teachers aren't pulling their weight. Parents also enjoy when their kids are talking with us- even if its in short fragmented sentence bursts. It does increase student morale when they talk with a "real live Foreigner" instead of a Korean teacher.

[fermentation]

[The Floating World]

Yes, it is weird.

I grew up in a very white only small town. When I was like 5 a Chinese restaurant opened up. I went there with my Dad. I was overwhelmed with the strange colour and the shapes and paterns of their decorations etc. and of course that the people looked so different from us.

When we left I asked my Dad what sort of people they were and why everything was different than a fish and chip shop. He told me they were Chinese people. End of. No mantras about how they were different or scary or smelled different etc, ate different food etc.

Then I got over it, like that day and was not scared of them ever.

[cdninkorea]

[rickpidero]

[Captain Corea]

Yet the lovely hanky runs a different perspective...

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/507440.html

[everything-is-everything]

[PatrickGHBusan]

[sirius black]

First of all the Koreans teaching english are trained teachers. The NETs for the most part are not teachers and pretty much warm bodies who have a college degree (and that is now almost meaningless in the west) who speak english naturally. No surprise they are not happy with some of the teachers, judging by the ones we see every week in the bars.

Its their own fault, they have no standard. If they did they would have far, far less teachers coming here. So, they have to deal with the consequences of their own need.

Competition for teachers will heat up in a few years i predict with China's voracious apetite for teachers. Salaries are going up in China. Other places are becoming more competitive as well like Vietnam. If/when the economy in America as well as the other countries that are allowed to teach her picks up it will put further pressure to get people to come. Not to mention adding more and more restrictions after every little incident.

Korea may possible find it may not have a choice but to use Korean teachers if these trends continue. Also, as long as english is required on the entrance exam and the high competition for spaces at the best unis, they will want NETs. We keep hearing stories but who is being hired for privates? NETs. The ajumas who really have the biggest say in hogwons and to a certain extent the public schools still insist on NETs and hate to know that their school doesn't have one but the rival high schools does.

I see no evidence in practice that reflects the article. The mentality is get a native speaker. Its firmly imbedded in their thinking right now.

[nate1983]

[crescent]

Satisfaction= fun
Needed= reduce fear

Only about half of the parents said FTs were EFFECTIVE.

[Steelrails]

[cj1976]

NETs aren't being used effectively in the classroom. In many cases, we are just tokens there for the kids' amusement. What educational golas can you expect to achieve in classes of 30+ students that only have one lesson per week with the NET? I believe we should be used almost exclusively with the better motivated students and those that show an active interest in learning English, and help them as much as we can.
Also, the co-teachers and schools need to take more responsibility and incorporate us into their lesson plans, rather than using us entertainment for the students or an excuse to to take a break.