Korean Job Discussion Forums

[OculisOrbis]

http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Dm_detail.htm?No=68405

S.Korea May Force Foreign Teachers to Learn about Nation
2009-11-26 08:12:09

A lawmaker is seeking to make it mandatory that foreigners who are hoping to work as English teachers in the nation�s schools or private institutes become more educated about Korea�s culture and the expectations of teachers in Korea.

Representative Cho Jeon-hyuk of the ruling Grand National Party, who is also a member of the parliamentary committee on education, proposed on Thursday revisions to laws on schools and private institutes.

The revised bills seek to make it mandatory for private institutes to have foreign teachers complete educational programs on South Korea�s culture and people.

Cho said most foreign teachers in the nation do not have enough of an understanding about Korea�s culture and practices. He said the revisions are aimed at raising the quality of the nation�s English education programs by mandating that foreign teachers have better knowledge of Korea.

[VFRinterceptor]

"Coming up next on KBS, Korean law makers considering bill to force English teachers to stay medicated on pills to keep them in comfortably numb state of mind...but first the weather!"


Seriously though, as much as I'd like to brush this bill off as some publicity stunt on the part of the law maker, never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers...

[OculisOrbis]

As a plus, it may result in more conversations like this:

Director: You just don't understand korean culture.

Teacher: Actually, I do. Here's my certificate to prove it. Now stop lying to me and enroll me in the national health insurance and pension plan, stop gouging me on taxes, and pay me my salary that's two months late.

[cruisemonkey]

The exam will be multiple choice:

1. Korea has ______ seasons.
a. two
b. three
c. four
d. five
e. moon

2. Kimchie is _______.
a. spicy
b. made with cabbage
c. made with radishes
d. usually fremented
e. all the above

3. 이순신 was ________.
a. the car in the 'Dukes of Hazard'
b. the mayor of Hansan-Do
c. Japanese
d. Chinese
e. the greatest person to have ever lived on earth

[Moldy Rutabaga]

We have to be careful as a similar thread on this was locked.

I don't think such a program is wrong, but only that it has no function other than looking good to the uber-nationalists. At optimum, it does nothing; we all learn about doing things the Korean way 365.25 days a year, to say the least. At worst, it is another layer of bureacracy which drives away applicants.

There are so many other better things that could be done to prepare new teachers here, such as brief sessions in lesson planning and classroom management, rather than antagonizing new teachers with propaganda before they have even begun their positions.

[cdninkorea]

If they're going to force prosepective teachers to take a course, wouldn't it be better to make it one on teaching instead of the culture?

[zipper]

Remember that beautiful Dokdo belongs to Korea; the father land!

You must always bow to the principal.

You must accept all schedule changes; even if it gives you only five minutes; and that goes for winter and summer camps, too.

You must never stare down or raise your voice to your Principal, and never cause your co-teacher to lose face in front of others.

You should study Korean during your free time.

You should play volley ball; unless you want to socially isolate yourself.

Never refill your shot glass of soju yourself. You must drink until you are intoxicated.

If you are a foreign male, then you must never touch Korean women.

[VanIslander]

Thailand initiated a culture awareness test and test prep is now a cottage industry.

That's what happens when the supply of teachers increases: Salaries go down or qualifications go up.

I'm sure many a hagwon owner will help its waygook teacher through "cunning" (Koreans cheat on a test? what a farfetched idea!) because another government bureaucratic hoop won't impress them as much as it will the public school administrators and korean teachers' union.

[Konglishman]

Actually, I had already started a thread about this topic, but unfortunately, the thread got locked by one of the moderators. Hopefully, the same will not happen to this thread as I think this is an important topic.

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=171700

[OculisOrbis]

bump

[afsjesse]

It's an interesting idea and it would be valuable for people who are absolutely new. I don't think they could make it a requirement to get the actul visa before hand; however, it could be a class that you complete say over the first three months.

I don't think it should be required, especially for those of us who have been in Korea for a while. It'll be interesting to see what unfolds.

[moped]

I would agree to this as being a good idea if the Korean school owners and public school administrators would be willing to take courses on the histories of English speaking countries, the demographics of the these countries, and a diversity/multiculturalism course. These Koreans need to be better educated so that they will not be so prejudice in their hiring practices and that White is not automatically superior.

[edwardcatflap]

That's a good point, All Korean companies are already supposed to have a mandatory talk once a year on sexual harassment so why not one on racism too?

As for teachers the ideal situation would be to get them here a week before they start work and give them induction on teaching methodology and the culture combined, but that would probably cost too much.

[bassexpander]

Hey, threads like this might scare away teachers and advertisers.

It should be locked.

[loyfriend]

I be happy if they offered Korean classes to all teachers. As it is you can only go to a church to really get teaching in the language.

In my town they offer classes to the foreign wives. As a teacher we can't take the class. Language skills would make us far more helpful in the country.