Education in South Korea …and Your Opportunity

Teaching English (Jobs) in South Korea – A great professional opportunity

The Kingdom of South Korea was formed over five thousand years ago under Confucian principals. Second only to family piety, these principals deemed education as the highest status a human could aspire to. Today these principals remain at the center of Korean culture. In today’s globalized economy and the recognition of English as an official language of global communication the government of South Korea recognizes the need to provide sound English education as a fundamental building block for the future generation of Korea. Today the government of South Korea spends more per capita on education than any other nation on the planet, specifically in teaching English. In general, culture of South Korea and Asia is extremely competitive. Only those possessing the right education and skills are awarded success in society. Having a firm grasp of the English language is at the very top of that list. The ability to communicate in English is the key to unlocking doors of opportunity that other wise would not be available. Without English communication abilities one is assured of being left behind.

Traditional values combined with today’s Economic realities create an unprecedented demand and opportunity for citizens of Native English speaking countries to teach English in South Korea as a Public School teacher. The demand for English teaching jobs in Korea has increased tremendously over the last few years. The value Koreans place on education means the respect given to Public School teachers is unrivalled throughout society. Becoming an English teacher in a Public School is an aspiration for many native Koreans, but reality for few. But respect is only part of the story. The unrivalled salary and benefits that you will receive (for English teaching jobs in Korea) and the chance to explore life in an exciting, dynamic, modern society is the rest. The guaranteed package of salary, medical insurance, free housing and travel benefits you receive as a Public School teacher in korea through the Ministry of Education, combined with the low cost, but high standard of living in South Korea creates an excellent opportunity to save substantial amount of money, travel, and grow both personally and professionally. Whether you are just starting out after college, looking to make a career change, wanting to save for your future or just adventurous at heart teaching English as a Public School teacher in South Korea is an exciting opportunity.

FACTS ABOUT SOUTH KOREA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

· Teaching English in South Korea as a second language, has become very imperative and a huge concern for the Education Ministry of Korea. English is taught as a required subject from the third year of elementary school up to high school, including most universities, with the goal of performing well on the TEPS, TOEIC and TOEFL, which are tests of reading, listening and grammar-based English. For students who achieve high scores, there is also a speaking evaluation.

· South Korea was the first country in the world to provide high-speed internet access from every primary, junior, and high school

· The school year is divided into two semesters. The first begins in the beginning of March and ends in mid-July; the second begins in late August and ends in mid-February. They have summer vacation from mid-July to late August, and winter vacation from late-December to early February, and also take a short vacation from mid-February to end of that month. The schedules are not rigidly standardized, however, and can vary from school to school. The hiring process to appoint English teachers in South Korea for govt. public schools starts in February and in July (during the summer vacations)

· The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development is responsible for South Korean education. It was renamed by the former Ministry of education, who enhanced its function in 2001 because the administration of Kim Dae-jung considered education and human resources development as a matter of the highest priority.

· Elementary school consists of grades one to six (age 8 to age 13 in Korean years - 6 to 12 in western years). Students learn subjects including, but not limited to, Korean, mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, fine arts, and music. Usually, the class teacher covers most of the subjects; however, there are some specialized teachers in professions such as physical education and foreign languages, including teachers for English. Thus teaching English in South Korea is as an integral part of the country’s curriculum. About 20 years ago, English used to be taught first in middle school, but nowadays, students begin learning English in South Korea in the third year of elementary school.

· Middle schools in South Korea consist of three grades. Most students enter at age 12 and finish at age 15 (western years). These three grades correspond roughly to grades 6-8 in the North American system and 2nd to 4th form in the Britain’s system.Middle school in South Korea marks a considerable shift from elementary school, with students expected to take studies and school much more seriously. At most middle schools regulation uniforms and haircuts are enforced fairly strictly, and some aspects of students' lives are highly controlled. Like in elementary school, students spend most of the day in the same homeroom classroom with the same classmates; however, students have different teachers for each subject. Teachers move around from classroom to classroom, and few teachers apart from those who teach special subjects (such as teachers who teach English) have their own rooms to which students come. Homeroom teachers (????? dam im seonsangnim) play a very important role in students' lives, and have considerably more authority over and responsibility for their students' than their American counterparts.

· High schools in South Korea teach students from first grade (age 17) to third grade (age 19), and students commonly graduate at age 19. High schools in Korea can be divided into specialty tracks that accord with a student's interest and career path. For example, there are science (Science high school), foreign language and art specialty high schools to which students can attend with prior entrance examinations, which are generally highly competitive. Other type of high schools includes public high schools and private high schools, both with or without entrance examinations. These high schools do not report to specialize in a field, but are more focused on sending their students to college. For students who do not wish a college education, vocational schools specializing in fields such as technology, agriculture or finance are available, in which the students are employed right after graduation. On noting the schedule of many high school students, it is not abnormal for them to arrive home from school at midnight, after intensive "self-study" sessions supported by the school. The curriculum is often noted as rigorous, with as many as 11 or so subjects and some students choose to attend private academies called ?? (??, pronounced hagwons) to boost their academic performance. Core subjects include Korean, English and Math, with adequate emphasis on social and physical science subjects. It is critical to note that the type and level of subjects may differ from school to school, depending on the degree of selectivity and specialization of the school.

· High school is not strictly mandatory, unlike middle school education in Korea. However, according to a 2005 study of OECD member countries, some 97% of South Korea's young adults do complete high school. This was the highest percentage recorded in any country.

Teaching English Jobs in Korea: Overview

Teaching English Jobs in South Korea are a great opportunity to travel and explore multi-cultured people. More than 80% of foreigners teaching in South Korea work in private or public schools. Although there are various options available for English teaching jobs in South Korea, but teaching in a Public School is the best prospect to pursue your career in English teaching. Apparently, the Korean Education Ministry has plans to recruit more foreigners to teach English in South Korea by the end of this year.

Thank you for visiting our “Education in South Korea” section. We hope that the information provided in this section will help you to explore the opportunities for teaching jobs as English teachers in Korea.

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