Communication
How Can I Teach Korean Kids If I Can't Speak Korean?
You will be encouraged to interact with the students entirely in English. This encourages 'Natural Aquisition' of English. It may seem daunting and often the students will not understand every word you say but with the use of teaching aids and your assistant Korean teacher you can make them understand your meaning.
With younger students you will often use flashcards and they will learn largely by repeating what you say and by singing songs and playing games. Students will often understand your meaning without actually understanding your vocabulary. You will find that your tone of voice becomes exaggerated and that you talk slowly and clearly. This will be most apparent to anyone you talk to from home on the phone! More advanced students will understand key vocabulary and you will be working to build on that and to enhance their English communication skills.
A good tip is to never underestimate the power of hand gestures and acting. The students’ Korean names will be very difficult to remember however, this is not usually a problem as most schools advocate giving students English names. If you have a new class you may even have the privilege of naming them.
Will I Be Able to Communicate With My Colleagues?
Although you will be working at an English school do not assume that everyone there will speak fluent English. Some members of staff may not have a high level of English competency. Some may not speak English at all. Some may speak English but may be too shy to speak it in front of you in case they make a mistake. This is normal. While the majority of staff at a school will have a high enough level of English to communicate with you well there will be instances where misunderstandings occur.
The Spoken Language
The Korean language is direct and blunt. The level of respect used when addressing someone differs according to age. To this end, when Koreans speak English translating directly from their own language they can appear sharp and on occasion just plain rude. Please remember to make allowances for this when someone asks you to do something without saying ‘please’. One thing that may drive you up the wall is the use ‘should’ instead of ‘could’. “You should be more active in class.” Or, “You should teach an extra class today.” Instead of, “You could be more active in class.” Or, “Could you teach an extra class today?” Where the phrase is meant as a suggestion or a question but in fact, sounds more like a command. It may seem petty but when it happens all the time it can really get on your nerves.
Korean Communication
Information often travels through a school via osmosis. One teacher tells another teacher until everyone knows. No official announcements. Foreign teachers are often left out of the loop because they haven’t understood the language of the grapevine. Therefore, it is not uncommon to go into work and find that your schedule has changed or that there is an outing that you weren’t aware of. Generally, the Korean staff will be genuinely surprised that you didn’t know. Most schools do however hold weekly ‘foreign teacher meetings’ where you will be told about any changes.
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