Korean Job Discussion Forums

Eazy_E · Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Location: British Columbia, Canada

I have a Korean colleague who is fed up with the crummy wages she gets as an English teacher.

She speaks at a very high level as a result of two years in London. She's probably the best I've seen for a Korean English teacher. The problem is that she has almost nil qualifications on paper. This resigns her to a very low salary, while I rake in the dough as a foreign teacher for having my completely irrelevant social sciences degree (or maybe for my white face, but that's a different topic).

My question is this: are there any EFL qualifications open to a Korean that take less time and money than university training? I don't know anything about CELTA or the other EFL diplomas since they weren't necessary for my hagwon job. I assume that they're only open to native speakers of English. But does anyone know of some options for my friend that would help her get the compensation she deserves? Korean English teachers with good conversation skills are hard to come by, so I think she should be paid fairly.

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

If a korean has a degree from a WELL KNOWN university in the west, preferably from the U.S., the chances are better that they will get a higher paying teaching position. Not taking away from any other country or its education system, but U.S. degrees and Canadian degrees seem to command the better positions for koreans. Taking a ESL/TEFL/TESL course only helps the individual. Hakwons don't give a rats rearend about KT's or for that matter, FT's.
The KT's need to band together and quit taking the lpw paying jobs. It would take the hakwons less than a month to start raising wages when they suddenly have no teachers! Wise up korean teachers! No one can use you unless you let them.
On another note... I know some KT's in seoul, busan and jeju that are being paid MORE more money then the FT's!! And teaching the same amount of classes!! Go figure!

Che · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Location: Somewhere near you

If you check out some of the Seoul universities - I think Sookmyung(sp?)
Women's university is one- then they used to offer TESOL courses.They accept Koreans on the course but there is a test they must take to establish that their English is up to scratch.The course is taught in English.
Hope this helps and good luck to your friend if she decides to take the course.