Teaching Languages Other Than English In Korea
South Korea is perhaps ‘THE’ most popular country to teach English among expats. Teaching English in Korea has many benefits. The money is good, life in Korea can be very comfortable and full of adventures, plus it provides opportunities to travel around Korea and Southeast Asia cheaply.
Sounds too good to be true…..Well, here’s the catch…..you must be a ‘Native speaker’ to teach English. In Korea that means you MUST be from certain specific English speaking countries namely: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, or the United States. If you are not from these countries, you are pretty much out of luck!
But that’s not to say that you cannot ‘teach’ in Korea. It just means that you can’t ‘teach English’ in Korea. But if you are interested in teaching foreign languages other than English then you can probably find a position. However keep in mind, that since teaching other foreign languages is not as popular as teaching English, these positions are not as easy to find.
Finding the non-English teaching jobs is a bit tricky, so your best bet is to go with a recruiter or to directly contact the schools offering these classes. In Korea, the most popular languages to learn other than English are Chinese and Japanese. But European languages such as French, Spanish, Italian and German are also gaining popularity.
There are Foreign language immersion schools in Seoul and other big cities. Also, there are foreign language high schools, certain universities and even private academies that offer courses in languages other than English.
The basic requirements for these positions are a bit more relaxed than the E-2 visa. Most schools want a native speaker of the language. In addition, you need a university degree. If you apply for a position at a university you may need to have a Masters and additional certifications. Some places may want applicants who have prior teaching experience or a relevant certification.
Most of the positions offered are part time positions and most places pay about 25,000 won for an hour. Most places may require you to work Monday through Friday, although classes for only three or four times a week are not unheard of. The money and the benefits are not as good as teaching English in Korea. Although some places offer visa sponsorship most don’t. Most places like to hire candidates who are already in Korea preferably those on a F-5 visa.
Remember these jobs are available, but they are definitely not advertised a lot. However, if you are passionate about teaching and helping students reach their goals this might be a good fit for you.
If you’re interested in teaching foreign languages other than English in Korea, I recommend that you contact the school directly. Unlike the E-2 visa, there is not enough information about the proper procedure and paperwork required to teach languages other that English in Korea. The school might be able to shed more light on the criteria and paperwork needed as well as help you through the whole process.