Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chungbukdo]

Im prepping for TOPIK 3-4. So I dunno if I'm good or not, but does that give you an idea?

If you can't have conversations, how are you studying with another person? Anyway if you're getting instruction you may as well just dive in and ask to go target language only.

[flarsky]

Hahahaha

You live in Korea surrounded by Koreans but you spend $1000 a month to go to class in your free time.

Make Korean friends and speak the damn language

[World Traveler]

Mock me all you want, but the situation is not as simple as that.

Would you want to be friends with a Korean who spoke English poorly, conducting that friendship in English? I sure as hell wouldn't. Have you ever had ajosshis with sucktastic English abilities try to befriend you to get in some English practice? Annoying as hell, wasn't it? I don't want to be "that person" (out of respect and courtesy for others).

[Chaparrastique]

[Troglodyte]

I've had tutors (for other languages as well) but I much prefer to join a class of 4 to 6 students. At a lower level, you'll have a hard time talking to native speakers (in your case Koreans) so it's good to have someone else at your level to talk with. There are plenty of foreign students and housewives who want to learn Korean so you should be able to put together a serious study group. Just make sure that they are people who are serious about learning. You can meet up with them for classes AND for study/practice time while you're still starting out. Once you have an upper elementary or intermediate level, you can start to practice by simply trying to speak with Korean in whatever situation you encounter them (at the market, restaurant, bank, co-workers, etc.).

I would also suggest that you find someone who has taken a language teaching course. There are good tutors and bad tutors. Just because someone knows the language, doesn't mean that they know how to teach it.

I would agree with the rates you're paying. 20,000/hour is about right for tutoring. If you're in a small group class then 10,000/hour would be appropriate. Maybe 15,000 if the teacher is preparing photocopies and supplies for handouts and homework and such.

I also agree that language exchange is not an efficient way to learn Korean if you're here in Korea. It's not a good economic trade. The value of English and Korean classes are not the same and most Koreans doing it have no training or experience as a teacher. Language exchange might be good when you get to the intermediate level and need a conversation partner, but then again, there is no shortage of Koreans to practice speaking with IN KOREA.