Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wings]

My significant other is not a native English speaker. We are planning on going to Korea, and is taking a teaching Spanish as a second language course (Spanish being his native language) HAs anyone heard of/seen any Spanish teaching jobs, or know of schools where Spanish is offered??? Are there language institutes where several languages are taught? Any one have any thoughts on the probablility of securiing a Spanish teaching position?

[Wangja]

Have a word with Ewok over at http://www.koreabridge.com/forums/index.htm

[sniperteam6]

HI.
I was also thinking of teaching Spanish while there. Currently contemplating moving there from THailand.
Does he have any teaching tools he can use (board games, etc.)?

Ted

[ilovebdt]

[Unreal]

My high school teaches Spanish but we just finished hiring a new teacher this semester. I believe Jeonbuk University in Jeonju has a Spanish program and there is a small Catholic university near Daegu where our former Spanish native speaker went to work. From what I've heard the Spanish native speaking community is pretty small and close-knit and a lot of the jobs are not advertised but filled by an acquaintance of the departing teacher. Our current teacher came from a language academy in Seoul which I think would be the most likely place to find a Spanish teaching position for someone not already connected.

[wings]

Thanks everybody, this has been a big help, I was just hoping to get a bit of feedback, and now I feel really good about the possiblities. From what people have said it seems like the best thing to do would be to head for a major city. WE were thinking that the best way to do it would be for me to go over first with a job set up, and for him to join me in my apartment and look for work once he gets there, which brings me to my next question which I will post on the main board!

[makemischief]

bump.

any chance anyone has come across the info on the Seoul Spanish Centre?

I know it's a long shot, but I have some Argentinian friends who are planning on trying to get jobs there.... if possible, or pretty much anywhere else. previously they were international students at Yonsei University- and they'd like to come back, but visas are tricky for non-students.

alternatively, does anyone know of any other work opportunities for non-native English speakers in Seoul? i.e. beyond just teaching on tourist visas.

many thanks.

[Son Deureo!]

There is a Spanish hogwon in Seoul that does employ some native speakers with branches in Hongdae and Gangnam called Real Academy (why their name is in English is beyond me).

Their web site: http://realspanish.co.kr/

[sniperteam6]

Strange. The site was entirely in Korean. Had a helluva time trying to navigate it.
Real is also Spanish for Royal. But I see your point.
Thanks for the link.

[OiGirl]

[huffdaddy]

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Okibum]

You can neutralize your accent. My Spanish is originally from Puerto Rico but when I started taking Spanish language methods classes they sent some of us to speech classes to help us with our accent. I have heard Mexican Spanish is an accepted Spanish accent. There is a list out there. I used to have the hardest time understanding people from Argentina.

[sniperteam6]

I have difficulty understanding Cubans, Argentinians and from some regions of Spain.

More neutral accents, IMO, are Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia. Mexican Spanish is a bit warped with their 2nd. and 3rd. person speeches. I would assume that the Koreans want to learn Patria Madre Spanish. I think that would be difficult for them with zetas everywhere!

Argentinians are the Scots of the Spanish language.

[jennateacher]

There are plenty of funky accents in South America, I studied first in Mexico, then moved to Ecuador, nobody could understand me for a bit. I could understand them, but I used different slang, and rolling accent. In South America lots of native words get thrown in. In Ecuador the coast and the mountain regions make fun of each other Spanish. Good luck finding "the" accent to teach.

I think Argentina has the best tele novelas, Cafe con aroma de mujer was my fav., Muneca Brava was another.