Hagwon Korean

Given the linguistic dissimilarities between the English and Korean languages, there are inevitably a multitude of pitfalls awaiting the Korean-speaker who seeks to learn English. With nearly eight years of experience teaching in South Korean language centers, locally known as hagwon, I have personally witnessed difficulties involved in nearly all aspects English education, ranging from faulty teaching methods to fundamental difficulties with grammar and phonology. In order to evaluate these problems, some basic features should first be explained. Korean, like Japanese, is officially considered by most linguists to be a language of unknown origin. It does, however, share many common features with Ural-Altaic languages, such as Mongolian and Turkish. As such, there are no natural cognates...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Longzhouping Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Yichng Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. For those of us who have a desire to teach English as a foreign language in Korea but decide to forego a formal TEFL certificate, language academies (or, "hagwons") are one of our most prominent and accessible options. In the year 2018, fresh out of my undergraduate program, I joined the ranks of many enthusiastic (albeit, mostly untrained) teachers bound for...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Wawutang Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Shaoyang Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. The importance of a course such as a TEFL, is easy to overlook when you consider the multitude of teaching jobs that are available around the globe that require no teacher training whatsoever. In many countries, the only requirements are that you have some form of degree and are a native speaker. For those looking to travel whilst earning some money, these...  [Read more]

The vast majority of teachers who work in South Korea are employed by either a government run public school or a private language school known as a hagwon. Both types of employer offer good salaries and other benefits but there are a few differences that might sway your decision either way. Most public and private school positions are filled in advance, meaning you will apply and interview for the job before you leave your home country. The hiring process for public schools generally follows a set timetable that includes two regular start dates. Online applications begin in April for start dates in August/September, and in October for start dates in February/March. A large number of teachers in public schools are hired through government recruitment programs such as EPIK (English Program...  [Read more]