Raising a Bilingual Child: Code Switching

Code Switching  - Up close and personal

I have to admit that watching my son’s language development is absolutely amazing. I grew up in “one language” household. My family used English. Now, my family in Japan uses both English in the house and outside as well.

My son is now a newly minted 3 year-old. As I’ve mentioned before, his first language is Japanese and his second language is English.  His speaking skills are quite high and it is clear that he can communicate much more fluently in Japanese, but what I have noticed recently is the dramatic increase in his code-switching skills.

In linguistics, code switching is switching between two or more language varieties, in the context of a single conversation.

When my son was only one year old he started conversing in both English and Japanese with family and friends. At that point he didn’t realize that there was a difference between the two languages he was learning. He would speak to his little friends in a mixture of English and Japanese and they would just look at him blankly. Their Japanese skills were also just emerging, but of course, they didn’t understand any English. Not long after he was two years old, a switch in his brain was flipped and he realized that when he was at the local kindergarten, community center or playground with his friends and their mothers, he should only speak Japanese. 

The most basic and obvious examples of code switching with my son are in the home when he interacts with his mother, who is Japanese and myself. When I come home from wok in the evening, he runs down the hall yelling “Hello Daddy” and then he commences to tell me about his day’s adventures in English. When I respond to him in English, he runs back down the hall and tells my wife what I just said, but in Japanese.

At the dinner table he sits at the end and we sit on either side of him. The majority of his day is spent “living in Japanese” so when I come home my wife and I speak English to each other and to my son (and now daughter). We haven’t set an “English Only” rule in our house that some other people do. We just tend to use English because my Japanese skills are not strong. Also, even though I am currently learning Japanese, I choose not to use it around my son since his only daily opportunities to hear natural English are with me.

Our normal dinner experiences are in English. At times though, my son will tell me a story in English and then immediately turn to his mother and repeat the story in Japanese. Other times, he will share it with her in English.

Watching his code switching skills evolve is a constant and wonderful process.

You can follow me on Twitter: @jlandkev

Raising a Bilingual Child in Japan

Parenting is something that is never easy. Being a first time parent is even more difficult since you basically don’t know anything. You can of course read books on the topic, scan blogs and talk to friends and family with children, but at the end of the day, the best way to learn is by doing. Trial and error seems to be how most new parents make their way through the complicated world of raising a child.

As parents, we are concerned with all aspects of our child’s development (or at least we should be). How are their gross motor skills? How are their fine motor skills developing? Do their vision and hearing seem to be good? Are they developing problem-solving skills? How is their language developing?

Language development is something parents around the world think about on a regular basis. I suppose parents in my situation think about it even more than some.

My wife is Japanese and I am Canadian. We come from two very different countries and cultures. We also grew up with two distinctly different languages. My wife is a fluent English speaker and since we met many years ago outside Japan, English has been our main language for communication.

Our son is of course half Japanese and half Canadian. Before he was even born, my wife and I decided that we would raise him to be bilingual. I have had friends in the past who were half Japanese and they were never taught Japanese. Many years later, as adults, they had regrets and even some anger that they were denied the opportunity to be raised bilingual.

So, how are we doing it? How are we raising a bilingual child here in Japan?

To be honest, the trial and error approach I mentioned before is how we are coping with it. We have also talked to other international families who find themselves in the same situation.

It is pretty simple I suppose. My wife speaks to our son in Japanese and I in English. When we are together as a family, the main language used in the house tends to be English. My wife is a stay-at-home mother so the majority of my son’s day is spent in an all-Japanese environment. During a regular weekday, while I am at work, his day is probably about 80% Japanese. The moment I walk in the door at night though, my wife only speaks English. She realizes that that really isn’t enough English exposure so throughout the day she tends to use some English with him.

Some of my son's picture books.

Throughout the day, my son watches some Japanese children’s programs on television, but also watches English children’s television. We realize that television or DVDs are not the best approach (actually using real language with real people is the best approach), but we have to use what we can.

When my son first began to develop speech, we noticed that he was learning English words. Words like “clock”, “car”, “truck” and “duck.” He seemed to understand Japanese far more though. My wife could give him relatively complex instructions in Japanese and he would understand them. The same instructions given to him in English just left him confused.

My son is now a few months away from his second birthday and in recent weeks has had an explosion of language if you will. He is speaking more and more each day and learning new vocabulary like a sponge. Although he continues to learn more English words, his Japanese is quickly overtaking his English. Now he bobbles around the house babbling in a mix of Japanese and English. Often, my wife has to explain what he is saying since it is really a form of Japanese baby talk.

I have quickly come to the conclusion that my years of “not” studying Japanese while in Japan are coming back to haunt me. Within weeks and months, I will have a great deal of trouble following a conversation with my son. I have recently cracked the Japanese books again and have to make studying the language myself a priority.

We are still not sure what our future has in store for us. I am interested in returning to Canada to work and live, but there may always be a chance that we will stay here in Japan. Either way, we will have to work very hard as a team to ensure that my son can learn and maintain both languages.

Raising a child is a challenge. Raising a child to be bilingual poses additional challenges. I am definitely not an expert on this. I am a parent learning as I go. One thing my wife and I both want is for our son to have a deep appreciation and understanding of both his cultures and the opportunity to speak both languages.

If you have any advice or ideas that might help, leave a comment below.

You can follow me on Twitter: @jlandkev

Teaching in kindergartens

For many people heading to South Korean and Japan every year to teach English, kindergartens are their first jobs. Some are good places to work while others are not always. Some kindergarten jobs offer decent salaries and teachers are treated well. Some involve long hours and a relatively low wage compared to other ESL jobs.

Here is a little more about working in kindergartens in both Korea and Japan (my latest video):

Teaching in Asia: Private Lessons

If you ever have the opportunity to teach in Asia, you will quickly learn that a great way to supplement your income is with private lessons. There can definitely be benefits to teaching them, but depending on where you live and what sort of visa you have, there may be risks as well.

Watch my "Teaching in Asia: Private Lessons" video to find out more!

Teaching in Asia: Recruiters

Some are good, many are not so good. The reality for many interested in heading to teach in Asia is that they will have to deal with a recruiter.

Here are my two cents on the subject:

Teaching in Asia: Private Language Schools

It's been a crazy week so far. A typhoon almost hit us and then crawled away in a wimpy fashion. Also, I had a birthday. Today was actually my birthday.

I suppose I can (this being a special day to let my hair down) let you know what I am working on. I have from time to time eluded on my Twitter account that I am in the midst of a "big" writing project. Well, I am. I am writing a book. more specifically, an eBook that I will be self publishing. This book will be about teaching in both Korea and Japan. I have a lot of experience working in both countries as well as Canada. I have been writing for some time now and have been asking amazing members of the teaching community for information and help on the project. You can expect the finished product this Fall sometime.

My new "Teaching in Asia" series is something that I going to compliment this book. I plan to make dozens of videos in this series. I think it will be a great resource for anyone out there interested in becoming a language teacher in Asia.

Here is the latest installment.

Teaching in Asia: Private Language Schools



Teaching in Asia! I plan to have a new and interesting thumbnail for each video.

Why the Hell would you ever want to move to Asia?

Every year, thousands of English speaking people from around the globe make their way to countries throughout Asia in order to teach. The people are as varied as are their stories and reasons for coming to such faraway places.

Some of these soon to be teachers are young and some are not so young. Some are somewhere in between! Some are normal while others are not so normal. Some are married while others come looking for love.

I have met hundreds of teachers over the years in South Korea, and Japan as well as my travels in China and throughout South East Asia.

I have asked many people how they ended up in the place they were and the answers were varied, but often there were themes. Here are some reasons so many come to Asia to teach:



1. Gap Year. Many young and recent university graduates simply don’t really know what they want to do after graduating from university or are not ready to settle into a career-oriented job back home. They are simply looking for a year of fun and adventure.

2. Adventurous types. There are some who move abroad because they simply find life in their own country boring. They want some more flavor and excitement in life.

3. Travelers. Teaching English is a great way to save money for future travels. Also, if you are already residing in Asia, it is a great springboard to so many other countries.

4. Career changers. I met many people over the years who gave up great careers in their native countries in order to teach. Many were burning out in their old careers or simply felt their jobs had little meaning. They simply needed a big change.

5. Heart broken. I met more than a few people who left home because of a broken heart and were simply trying to get as far away as possible from some bad memories.

6. The hopeless. I also have met people who seemed hopeless. When I say this, I mean that they lacked social skills and seemed to be void of any marketable job skills as well. They were the sort of people who would flounder in their own country, but due to the fact that their native language is English, were able to have a job in another.

7. Those struck with Yellow Fever. I’ve heard this term many times in the past ten years. There are lots of guys who are simply really into Asian women. Where are the majority of Asian women? In Asia!

8. Saving for bigger things. I have met many folks who are teaching in Asia with bigger plans in mind. They are saving for graduate school or in order to buy a house in their native country.

9. Bad economies. Since the global economic meltdown a few years ago (thank to the American housing industry), it’s much harder to find employment in some countries. That being the case, many people are looking abroad for work.

10. Mystery men. I have met some guys who seem so absolutely dysfunctional that I have no idea how they survived in their own country or how they don’t get deported from the one they are in now!


Now of course, these are just some sweeping generalizations I’ve made. They are based upon some of the people I have met abroad in my years working as an educator.

When working abroad, you will meet some amazing people. You will make life long friends and you will also meet some people that you wish you never had!

Life in Asia can be an interesting one!

You can follow me on Twitter: @jlandkev

Green Eggs and English

I have to admit that I have been really leased with this week. What has really tickled me pink so to speak is the tremendous number of wonderful people who have taken the time to stop by and read this blog. I have of course spread the word about it through my two you Tube channels, Facebook and Twitter. I’m a little surprised sometimes with some of you great folks who have been following me for a long time on You Tube and were completely unaware of this blog. Better late than never! Welcome to the party.

Recently, on my jlandkev You Tube channel I took the time to promote an American English teaching living and working in Seoul, South Korea. His you Tube handle is GreenEggsAndHamster and he makes some great videos about his day-to-day life as an English teacher in Seoul. As my knowledge of what goes on in Korea becomes more and more second hand, I try to point curious people with questions in the direction of guys like GreenEggsAndHamster who are there, on the ground so to speak.

This is a really cool video he did about the day in a life of an English teacher (in time-lapse). I think it’s really well done!


Again, thank you everyone for stopping by and spending some time on A Canadian in Kobe. There is definitely a lot more to come!

Why Living Abroad Can Be So Great

There are definitely many benefits to living in ones’ native country, but there are also many benefits to living abroad (depends on the country of course). Learning about a new language and culture can be wonderful for a person’s personal growth. Opening your mind to new types of food and drink and the importance they have in another culture can be an amazing experience.

I think that the greatest thing about living in a different country for me is the fact that everything seems so interesting. This may simply be because of the fact that I am an incredibly curious and sometimes child-like (I find a great deal of wonderment in simple everyday things) kind of guy. A simple, quiet nighttime walk down a street in Japan leaves me excited. Everywhere I go; I’m packing at least one or two cameras because I always feel that there is something exciting that’s worth documenting.

I can clearly remember the first night I landed in Asia in February of 2002. I flew into Incheon International Airport in South Korea. The owner of the school that had hired me, picked me up at the airport and drove me to a “strange” Korean love motel where I dropped off my bags. I was then taken to a great galbi (yakiniku or Korean bbq) restaurant where I had to sit on the floor and eat for the first time in my life. I nervously and excitedly met my future coworkers and took in the thrill of a drastically new culture for the first time. Everyone spoke to me in a friendly way and I felt more energized and nervous than I could remember. I was then dropped off at my hotel and told that I would be picked up the next morning.

I will always remember the wonderment I had as I decided to go for a walk. I bought a bottle of beer at the convenience store located across the road from the love motel and wandered into a large local park. I sat down, drank my beer and thought to myself, “The adventure now begins.”

Almost nine years later, I am still in Asia. I’m now in Japan. I’m older and certainly wiser, but I have to admit that I am still, to an extent, filled with a level of wonderment! Although, these days I have been pining for home a lot more than usual, I still find the fact that I live in Asia….”cool!”

Check out a few random photos from the previous year in Japan!


A fireboat located close to my house on Port Island. I have never seen this boat in action, but it would be cool!


The small park in Sannomiya (behind the JR Sannomiya Station, know as Oppai-yama akaBreast Mountain) is a place where many indie bands like to gather and promote themselves in the warmer weather.




We Love Kobe!


Like most cities in Japan or anywhere in the world, Kobe looks great. Although I think I love the slow paced life of smaller towns more than big cities, I always love the bright lights of the big city at night.

Teaching in Asia: You Can't Move a Mountain

I have now been teaching in classrooms in Asia for more than eight years. I've taught in both South Korea and Japan and have worked in both language school and international school settings. I have also taught in classrooms in Canada (both public and Catholic school boards). I am a teacher and obviously I think about education and how cultural differences effect it constantly.

This week I plan to write about a few different aspects of teaching in Asia. In this post I want to give my two cents about the idea of "Moving a Mountain" as a teacher in South Korea and Japan. Most of my experience with this topic comes from my days in South Korea, but some is also from my experiences here in Japan.

Every year, thousands of young and not so young people from English speaking countries around the world take the plunge and head to Asia to spend some time teaching English. There are also folks who are teachers in their native countries who move to Asia to teach in international schools. Some international schools have a predominantly international student body while others have student bodies mostly made up of indigenous students. For the most part though, these teachers from abroad are moving to a foreign country that of course has a very culture.

Moving to a new country and dealing with a new culture often leads to culture shock. Languages are different, customs are different and of course, systems of education are different. This couldn’t be any more so than between Asian countries and those in the “Western” world.

As a Canadian who is a product of the Canadian education system and then later became trained as a teacher within this system, I can tell you, the “Asian” approach to education is nothing like the one we have in our country. This is the main stumbling block many new teachers come across when walking into their first classroom in South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, etc. Many young, idealistic, energetic and creative young people walk into classrooms across Asia every year expecting to deliver an awe-inspiring, fun, creative and imaginative lesson, just like their favorite teachers did when they were young. Every year, many, if not most of these teachers, get a surprising kick in the pants!

That creative, fun and hands on learning experience that you appreciated or valued so much is not what the parents of your students and often administrators of your school are looking for! That is not what they want you to deliver to the students. You’re being told to do something that you never would have considered as a teacher and of course never stood for s a student. You are being asked to give your young students boat-loads of homework, daily tests, lists of vocabulary to memorize, grammar formulas and the kind of class that would score 1/100 in the fun factor scale. Now of course NOT EVERY school is like this. Many teachers will come abroad and have a fun time at their schools. I am only speaking from my personal experience and that of some of my friends.

You are now a teacher in Asia and the education system is very different. Both South Korea and Japan are test-taking cultures. They are results based cultures. The education system you find in 2011 in South Korea was based upon the Japanese system (they were colonial rulers of Korea during the early 1900’s), but now has been taken to an extreme level that, currently, far surpasses Japan.

These systems of education are based upon rote memorization and testing. I think folks moving to a country like Korea also have to realize that Confucianism is also very influential so rank/social placement is also paramount! The pressure on young students to be #1 and to succeed is nothing like any of us have faced in our own countries/education systems. Starting in kindergarten, students have immense pressure to read/write/speak English/play piano/violin, etc. They have pressure that most American/Canadian, English, etc., kids never have.

As a new teacher in Korea or Japan, you can easily get stressed or unhappy with the amount of pressure put on the shoulders of the little kids you teach. Sometimes you may complain to the managers of your school. You maybe even feel compelled t complain to the parents of the kids you teach, but just remember; you are coming from a different place. Cultural and education wise, it is difficult to get used to. The education systems of America and Korea for example are diametrically opposed. There are many arguments to be made (and I will in some future posts). Many in Asian, Korea China, etc., will defend their systems of education and say that kids there score higher in math, reading, science, etc.; than many in Western countries. Many would argue that students in Western countries are more creative, deal with less stress and are far more innovative.

However the cookie may crumble, it can be difficult coming from one culture and teaching in another. Sometimes, after years of teaching in another culture you may not understand the goal/thought process of your students/parents/clients/etc.

I would suggest keeping an open mind to the new and fascinating culture you have come to live in. It is very different from yours. You may not like some of the things you find, but there will be other aspects you do enjoy. Although you have your opinions, things are not always black and white. Your school administrators (hagwon/ekaiwa bosses) may ask you to teach in ways you dislike or disagree with, but that is the nature of the beast. Like it or not, that is what they have hired you to do.

If you are a new teacher in Asia and things are frustrating you at times, remember that the culture is different in more ways than you may ever understand. We aren’t products of the culture so it can be difficult to grasp. I’ll admit, that to this very day (8+ years of being in Asia) that I don’t understand the way most people here view education. That’s ok though. I’m a Canuck! I do however; have to try hard to keep an open mind.

English Teachers: A Webseries about teaching English in Japan

I've seen a few ads for this new webseries for a few weeks and today on Twitter, a lot of people were spreading the word. Episode One of "English Teachers" a show about teaching English teaching in Japan is out!

I watched it and it definitely looks like something promising. I haven't taught English in Japan, but I did for more than five years in Korea and it certainly brought me back to those days! Whether you teach in Japan or Korea or have ever thought about doing so, you should check out this series:

English Teachers - Episode 1 "First Days Suck" from Nameless Media and Productions on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

I Want To Teach in Asia

I normally don’t talk about teaching ESL in Korea or these days in blog posts or in You Tube videos. To be honest, I feel pretty disconnected from the whole ESL industry and from life in Korea. I left Korea in 2007 and when I left Korea, I left the ESL industry.

I do however still receive loads of emails from people asking me about teaching in South Korea and Japan. Sometimes I think my knowledge about Korea is now pretty dated. Like most aspects of life in South Korea, the ESL industry changes quickly and unless you are there on the ground and have some sort of vested interest, it is impossible to keep abreast with those changes. I have also never taught English in Japan so any knowledge I have of the industry here is purely second hand. I listen to stories from my friends who have or do teach ESL in Japan and read about it in newspapers.

That being said, I wasn't to impart some basic information to those interested in making a career in ESL or just taking a year or two to try teaching. The advice I am about to share is general stuff that basically doesn’t change with time. Most of it simply has to do with being professional. I suppose this will be some advice that could be used for many different professions.



1. Do I need a university degree to get a teaching job?

If you want to work legally as a teacher in Korea or Japan, you must have a university degree. You must have a degree in something (doesn’t matter if it is Science, Arts, Business, etc.). This is not a great global plot to keep those without degrees down; it is simply necessary for visa regulations. These governments consider teachers to be skilled/white collar workers and they need degrees. Besides, wouldn’t you want your child’s teacher to have a degree as well? In order to be a teacher in the United States, Canada, U.K normally you need more than one degree to be a teacher. Long story short, there is no way around this. If you want to teach in Korea or Japan, but have no degree, you will have to take a few years and get it!


My first job in Korea (2002) was at a large franchise operation. I didn't care for my first job, but the folowing year I worked at a great school.


2. Once you get to Korea will I screwed by an employer?

I would like to say no, but it does happen occasionally. You also have to remember that that sort of thing happens in Canada and the United States as well! I did meet a few people that did get screwed out of pay by employers and it even happened to me on two occasions, but those cases are still relatively uncommon. There really is no way to prevent this from happening. Most large schools are franchise operations so where one branch might be an awesome place to work, the next branch might be a crap –hole! If something does happen, the Korean Labor Board is very good at going to bat for teachers. If your case is legitimate, they will certainly put the crews to the school owner. For more on dealing with the Korean Labor Board, there is a great podcast on it here at the Midnight Runner Podcast website.


3. Is teaching ESL an easy job?

Teaching is never an easy job. It can be challenging and very rewarding at the same time. You may at times find yourself frustrated with the cultural differences though. Koreans generally push their children very hard and education is far more important in their eyes than in Western culture. You have to realize that you cannot change Korean/Japanese people to think the way we do about education. You simply have to go with the flow. You are a guest in their culture and paid by them to teach the way they want you to. As far as the teaching goes, it can be intense. Please remember that you should take your work seriously. This isn’t a part-time job at a shopping mall or a fast food restaurant. You are doing a serious job that takes time and preparation, often outside of your contract hours. Welcome to teaching! In fact, welcome to most professional jobs anywhere in the world. Being ask to show up 10-20 minutes before class (contract hours) is not unreasonable, it is the way companies around the world work. As a teacher in Canada and now Japan, I put in countless hours of preparation work outside of my contract hours and I never complain because I take pride in my work!


Teaching adults during my 3rd year in Korea. I personally prefer teaching children, but it was a great experience for one year. I certainly learned a lot about Korean culture!



4. Why do I come across so many negative people online/in person?

There will always be a lot of negative people online. Welcome to the land of trolls. It is the perfect hiding place for disgruntled teachers who need to vent about work. Many folks who head to Asia to teach would never be interested in teaching in their native countries. It is a means to an end and many don’t like the work they do. Mind you, some people may have legitimate gripes about things. You will also meet many negative people once you get to Asia, especially Korea. I don’t think there are so many negative people in Japan because many who come to Japan to teach are already enamored with the country and culture long before they get here. As for Korea, I think many people simply go there for work purposes. Many of those people are simply not cut out for lie in another culture and get easily annoyed by the differences in language and life. Some others you may meet complain often simply because they are young and inexperienced in life. Many new university graduates arrive in Korea expecting to party all year and treat it like “University Year 5.” Those are the people who give all teachers and foreigners a bad reputation in Korea. They are also the ones who are simply unprepared to have a full-time serious job and complain the loudest. Often they see their job as something that gets in the way of the party!


5. How should I behave in my host country?

Remember, you in a way are not only an ambassador to your own country. You are an ambassador for all foreigners living in Korea and Japan. If you misbehave or cause trouble, Koreans/Japanese don’t se you as an American/Canadian/Australian. They see you as a foreigner and they will judge. Just as we do in our own countries, people in Asia will brush you with broad strokes. If you act like an asshole in front of Koreas/Japanese, some of them may assume all foreigners in their country are assholes! Don’t miss around. Act the same way you would in your native country. Have some respect for your hosts and they will happily return that respect!




For current and useful information on teaching in South Korea I’d recommend some great video blogs by teachers who are there now doing it!

Simon and Martina: They are a married couple from Canada and work as public school teachers in Korea. They are serious professional teachers who make the most entertaining and useful videos for those coming to Korea. They have many “how to” guides. Their website is amazing too: www.eatyourkimchi.com

Qiranger: Is an American ESL teacher living outside of Seoul. He is a serious teacher and a very fun video blogger. He makes useful and informative videos about many different aspects of life in Korea. He also has some other fun travel videos!

Zenkimchi is a wonderful website about Korean food. www.zenkimchi.com

Myargonauts: For great videos about the JET (Japan Exchange for Teachers) program in Japan, watch myargonauts.




BE CAREFUL....WARNING....
If you are working and living in Korea and are having problems with your school, don't complain about it on You Tube or your blog. Korea is one of the few countries in the world that has criminal liable laws. If your school finds out that you are bitching about them online (and mentioning the school's name) they can press charges! You can actually be arrested and sued!!!

Should I teach adults of children?

This is the second part of my new little series of posts about teaching English abroad, but more specifically, in South Korea.


Should I teach Children or Adults?

This is a question many people ask themselves when looking for their first job as a teacher in another country. There are many jobs teaching adults in South Korea, but the vast majority of jobs are teaching children English. Some of the jobs teaching adults are at private language schools which can seem more like impersonal language factories or at universities. As for children, the schools that cater to them range from private kindergarten and university preparatory schools, to public schools.

For some people, teaching children is the right fit and for others, adult learners are what stimulate them as educators. I suppose that teaching children versus adults is much like comparing apples and oranges. You really cannot. There are very few similarities; they are people, they speak the same native language; and so many differences; they have a complete different sense of the world, work ethic, creativity, sense of joy, etc.


Who are typical students in Korea?

Adults
Adult students range from salary men to university students. Salary men are basically office workers. Many of them are enrolled in classes at private language schools because they are required to by their company or realize that they must improve their English in order to gain job promotions. Some of these students are enthusiastic about learning English, while others really resent having to spend their time doing so. The latter are the ones who may be a bit of a hassle since they can at times have a bad attitude and direct it towards you.

You may also find house wives who are studying English as a hobby or doing so in order to help their children who are too, studying English. The dedication of Korean parents is unlike that I’ve seen anywhere else. They will spend countless hours of their own time studying if they think that can in some way help further their children’s education. There are also retired people studying for something to do as well as apathetic university students who would often rather be elsewhere.
If you teach adults, every class will vary and the dynamic with every group of students will be completely different.


Children
If you have the chance to teach children in Korea, your students may age in range from 4-18 years old. Many Korean parents enroll their young children in English Language kindergartens. They feel that this “immersive” English environment is the next best thing to sending their child abroad. Be warned however, these kindergartens tend to have the worst reputation of all language schools in Korea (for treating and paying teachers poorly).

Many children in Korea attend private language schools, or hagwons, after their regular school hours are complete. It is common to find children as young as six or seven in classrooms well into the evening studying.

How are they as students? Well, kids are kids. Kindergarten kids are energetic, exuberant and are a challenge. Basically, they are the same as kids anywhere. The older children (high school) are challenging for other reasons. Hormones are of course always a problem, but by this age, they are simply burnt out from studying. It’s nothing personal towards you if they are apathetic, you probably would be too if you had to cope with their daily schedule!




The Pros and Cons of Teaching Adults and Children (my opinion only)

Adults (Pros):
After two years of teaching children in Korea, I made the move to an adult school. Within my first month there, I learned more about Korean culture and history than I had in my previous two years. Through discourse with adults of various backgrounds, I simply learned a lot about Korea. I made Korean friends, was invited to countless dinners and drinking excursions by my students and had a great time. I also gained a broader knowledge about ESL education since I could then compare teaching young learners to mature learners.

Adults (cons):
If you are teaching at a private adult language school, your working hours will probably be painful verging on torturous. Most professionals only have time to go to language class before they go to the office in the morning and after they finish for the day. That means you will work a split shift. No matter how much you may enjoy working there, the hours will eventually take their toll on you, both physically and mentally.

The Korean sense of tact is different than that in Western culture. Koreans will often tell you things you might not want to hear. Our different cultures simply have different cultural rules, but it can be very tough to deal with at times. Cultural differences aside, I also had the misfortune of teaching quite a few bigoted and ignorant jack-asses over the course of my time at that school. Cavemen disguised as Brooks Brothers suit wearing office workers. I’m not sure how common this is, but I seemed to have at least one in a class every month and all of my coworkers complained about similar students.

If you are a young male teacher ( I was in my mid twenties), you may be hit on or approached by some female students. Although this may at first seem flattering and fun, this often can lead to a great deal of trouble for you. Some women may be after an instructor as a free way of improving language skills, some are looking for a fun little cross-cultural adventure and some are just plain nuts. If a student in your class is flirtatious, believe me, her classmates notice as well! This can lead to student complaints about you and your class. My advice would be to avoid these types of situations. As the old saying goes, “Don’t shit where you eat!”


Children (pros):
Kids are fun. Kids are creative. They have energy. If they are young children, they don’t judge and quickly forget reasons why they may have been angry. Young children are like massive sponges, ready and willing to absorb unbelievable amounts of knowledge. Simply put, its fun to teach kids.

Children (cons):
If you are not a patient person or in fairly good physical health, teaching young kids may not be for you. You need energy yourself and endless amounts of patience.

If you are teaching teenagers, you will have to deal with hormones and general apathy. Those two things combined can lead to a frustration cocktail. I personally found Korean teenagers to be generally the same as Canadian ones. They are ego centric, dramatic and normally don’t want to be in school. One difference between the teenagers of Korea and that of other countries is that Korean kids have to work ten times harder to get through their school system. They wake up at 6am and may not get home until 11pm at night from cram schools. Once home they have to study and do homework. They are often burned out and bitter and rightfully so. These will be your students!

The schools and parents themselves can also lead to some frustration. The Korean education system is based on the Japanese one, but far more extreme and Confucian. It is basically one way education. Teachers talk, students listen and don’t participate. Rote learning is the key. Students memorize and regurgitate facts and vocabulary with few chances to develop creative and critical problem solving skills. This is diametrically opposed to the education system you have come from. Don’t rock the boat though. Don’t think you can change things. It will be frustrating, but if you want to be happy as a teacher there, you have to learn to roll with the punches. Sometimes you will disagree with what the school and parents expect of you as a teacher, but they brought you to Korea to do a job the way they want you to do it. You might subtly be able to make life for the kids in your room a little more creative and enjoyable though.



There you have it. The opinion of one blogger/vlogger. If you were unsure about teaching adults or children, hopefully this helped.

Why Teach Overeas?

I’ve decided to start a short little series of posts about teaching in South Korea. I realize that this might not be everyone’s cup of tea and for many of the folks who frequent this blog, irrelevant. I can safely assume that many of you have never been to Korea and probably have little desire to do so, but the videos I have made for You Tube about teaching in South Korea still tend to be some of my most popular. I can assume from the number of people who watch them and leave comment, both good and bad, that there is a definite interest in the topic.
For my regular readers who have no interest in the topic, have no fear. These posts will be made over the next few weeks or maybe months, but the majority of posts here will still be about life in Japan and more specifically, Kobe.



Why Become a Teacher Overseas?

I suppose one of the first questions one must ask before making the immense commitment of moving their life to the other side of the world for a year or more is; “Why do I want to become a teacher in another country?” I suppose there is a different story for everyone out there considering this job choice. There seem to be some common themes though:

1. I just finished university and have no idea what I want to do with my life so I think I’ll become an ESL teacher.

2. I just finished university and want to put life on hold because the real world is scary and I don’t want to face it yet.

3. I owe a lot of money and with only a generic B.A., this is the best way I can think of to pay off the debts relatively fast.

4. I have a desire to travel and broaden my horizons.

5. I already have a great job, but am feeling burnt out and need a change.

6. I have a legitimate interest in the country I’m interested in heading to.

7. I just finished a long term relationship and it ended horribly. I just need to get away from that entire scene.

Of course there are a variety of different reasons why folks head to places like Korea to teach, but in my years there, these seemed like some common reoccurring themes.



Do Your Research

One of the first pieces of advice I give anyone thinking of becoming a teacher in South Korea is, “Do your research!” I can’t stress this one enough. Most of the information you are looking for is just a quick Google search away as well. All of the basic FAQ’s out there are answered on blogs, in You Tube videos and on forums. I will tell you however, before ever posing a question to a blogger or You Tube video maker, attempt to find the information yourself. If through research, you can’t find the answer to your question; then shoot a question out to someone in the interwebs. I say this because on an almost daily basis, I am peppered with questions on You Tube that the writer could have very easily found the answer through a quick Google search.

I am also going to suggest avoiding internet forums. Forums tend to be filled with some pretty bitter and angry people. They seem to lurk around these dark internet places for endless hours, waiting to pounce on “newbs.” They are normally anything but helpful. I always get a kick out of the hosts of the Seoulpodcast who refer to the forums on ESL Café as a big circle jerk. I suppose that can give you an idea that they aren’t always the best source of information. I will however suggest, skimming through them and reading some of the posts already made. Some of the information may be useful.



Teaching in Korea is a Real Job

No matter where I lived in South Korea and no matter how many teachers I met, there was one thing I realized. Many people “working” over there, in no way take their jobs seriously. Remember, this is a real job. Even if you haven’t had a “serious” job working in a company in your native country you must remember that the school that hired you, invested a lot of money in you. They had to get your visa, fly you abroad, put you up in an apartment and pay you! You should treat this teaching job the same way you would treat a teaching job in your hometown or city. In most cases, the more professional you are, the better you will be treated by your employer, coworkers and students.

Of course, this isn’t always the case in Korea. It is not uncommon for teachers to be treated like crap by schools. In some cases, schools treat teachers like cattle who are there only to serve them and make profit for them. They treat you with little or no respect. If you get the vibe that a school you are interested in seems a little too impersonal or “heartless”, you’d better look for a different place to work.

To sum this little point up, act professionally. Don’t come to class in the morning stinking like booze, don’t complain about unpaid preparation work (welcome to the life of every teacher in every country), show up well before your classes start, dress well and try to “play ball”.



Getting Rich

If you would like to work in Korea to pay off debts or start a nest egg, you’ve made a good choice. If you are planning on making lots of money, that probably won’t happen. For some strange reason, probably Korea’s questionable media, Koreans tend to think that English teachers make a lot of money. Many Koreans even think that English teachers are rich! This is laughable. Even with free rent, free airfare and bonus (something all Korean employees get as well), you are still only pulling in a lower to average middle class salary in a country such as Canada or the United States.

Another problem, if you are planning to stay in Korea for a few years or more, is that wages tend not to increase. Wages for Korea now are pretty much the same as they were when I first went there in 2002. A school teacher in a country like Canada though, would receive raises of several thousand dollars a year until their salary capped out.

As a young and single person, the salary in Korea is great. If you are expecting to support a family though, it is good, but that’s about it. Of course, some people who have been there for years have found ways to turn a very high profit, but they aren’t the norm. Again, I have no idea why many Koreans think otherwise.




Long story short, going to Korea is a great move for many people. Sometimes it can be a bad experience for people as well. Once arriving, you’ll soon realize that there is an element of Korean society who is not very impressed with foreigners coming to their country; that aside though, most people are very warm. If you do your research before you come, your chances of finding a job or location that suits will drastically improve. Also, act professionally and treat the culture with respect. You are not better than others because you come from Canada, England, the Unites States, etc. You are just different.