GEPIK Duties & Responsibilities
What a GEPIK teacher actually does — co-teaching with a Korean partner, planning engaging lessons, running English camps, and bringing natural English to Gyeonggi classrooms.
22 Hrs
Teaching / Week Max
50 / 50
Teach / Prep Split
1 + 1
Co-Teaching Model
2–4
English Camps / Yr
GEPIK teachers work alongside Korean English co-teachers in Gyeonggi Province public schools. Your role is to bring natural English — pronunciation, conversation, and cultural context — to classrooms where students have been learning grammar from textbooks. About half your workday is teaching; the other half is lesson planning, meetings, and school activities.
Core Role Breakdown
What Is a GEPIK Teacher?
A GEPIK Teacher is a Native English Speaker (NES) placed into a Gyeonggi Province public school to help students learn English. Native English speakers bring what a Korean English teacher cannot: natural pronunciation, real-world vocabulary, correct grammar in conversation, and cultural nuances — all while working alongside Korean co-teachers who handle translation and classroom management.
Main Duties: Teaching & Lesson Planning
Your core goal is to expose Korean children to 'live' English, improve their pronunciation, and — most importantly — help them enjoy English. GEPIK teachers spend roughly half of their workday teaching classes, and the other half lesson planning for upcoming classes. Teaching is capped at 22 hours/week; the remaining hours are for preparation, co-teacher meetings, and school duties.
You teach with a Korean co-teacher present. You lead conversation, pronunciation, and cultural topics; your co-teacher handles grammar explanations and classroom discipline.
Additional Duties
Schools may ask you to participate in activities outside regular class time, including: English Camps (1-2 week programs during summer/winter break), English School Broadcasts, School Festivals, Test Creation (conversational or listening sections), and occasional after-school club activities. These additional duties are typically part of your 40-hour workweek, not overtime.
Typical Weekly Activities
Co-Teaching
Lead classes alongside a Korean English teacher. You focus on pronunciation, conversation, and cultural context; they handle grammar and Korean-language support.
Lesson Planning
Prepare creative, engaging lesson plans aligned with the school curriculum. GEPIK provides approximately half of each workday for this.
English Camps
Run 1-2 week intensive English camps during summer (August) and winter (January/February) school breaks. Activity-based, interactive programming.
Pronunciation Practice
Drill natural pronunciation, accent, and intonation — something Korean teachers struggle to model. This is one of your most valued contributions.
Test Creation
Create or review the listening and speaking sections of English tests, plus conversational assessments for your students.
School Events
Participate in school festivals, English broadcasts, and occasional after-school clubs. Schools see NETs as a key part of English-language culture.
Duties FAQ
Q.How many hours do I actually teach per week?
The GEPIK contract caps teaching at 22 hours per week. In practice, most teachers teach 18-22 hours, leaving the remaining workday hours for lesson planning, co-teacher coordination, preparation, and occasional school duties. You are expected to be at school for the full 40-hour workweek (Mon-Fri, 8:40 AM - 4:40 PM).
Q.Do I teach alone or with a co-teacher?
You always teach with a Korean English co-teacher present. You lead the class in English (conversation, pronunciation, cultural topics, reading/writing practice), and your co-teacher supports with grammar explanations, translations, and classroom management. This co-teaching model is standard in all GEPIK schools.
Q.What age group will I teach?
GEPIK teachers are placed in elementary, middle, or high schools — most commonly elementary. Elementary classes are 40 minutes each; middle school classes are 45 minutes; high school classes are 50 minutes. You do not choose the school level, but you can indicate a preference during application.
Q.What are English Camps like?
English Camps are 1-2 week intensive programs during summer (August) or winter (January/February) school breaks. They are activity-based — games, projects, field trips, presentations — rather than traditional classroom teaching. You typically run 2-4 camps per year, each lasting 1-2 weeks. Camp hours count within your normal workweek.
Q.Do I need to speak Korean to teach GEPIK?
No. GEPIK is designed around the co-teaching model: your Korean co-teacher handles all Korean-language communication with students and parents. Most NETs pick up survival Korean during their contract, but speaking Korean is not a requirement.
Q.Can I run after-school or private lessons?
No. GEPIK teachers are prohibited from private tutoring, after-school hagwon teaching, or any paid work outside the GEPIK contract. This is a strict E-2 visa condition. Violating it can result in contract termination and visa cancellation.
Ready to Be a GEPIK Teacher?
Apply through Korvia — we'll match you with a Gyeonggi school that fits your teaching style, from elementary immersion classes to middle school conversation clubs.