Teach English in Korea - How legitimate is this?

[The Stigenator]

My girl was to join the program at this site www.naviesl.com to teach in korea (got it from a friend). I have my concerns. A cursory google search shows people wondering about the company and lots of referral links back to naviesl from job boards, like they are peppering it.

I stopped her from sending it but I think there has to be more due diligence before I let her go off to another country. So question of all the korean folks here, is this legit. If not what are legit ESL schools in Korea/Japan.

Any help is mucho appreciated. Do you think its worth calling Korean Embassay in LA?

Thanks..

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

I don't know about that company in particular but I have two friends who have gone to Korea to teach English and they both loved it and they both agree that there are a TON of jobs in the field. You also need virtually no experience or teaching acumen.

 

[gaidensensei]

Legitimate in reality sense, I know many korean born american friends who went back to teach in the mainland.

But web info wise, no idea about that at all. Better to talk in phone or in person.

 

[Udgnim]

no idea about the company

have a cousin that is going to teach english in Korea after he graduates this year though. he's going with a friend who's mom has work involving this type of stuff. so his situation seems legit at least.

if you go to www.teamliquid.net and post a topic about teaching English in Korea, I'm sure you'll get plenty of educational answers.

 

[Toonces]

I'm teaching in Japan right now and there are thousands of legitimate schools, public and private, but you're right to be wary as there are many shady/illegal schools around.

IMHO, the best resource for Korean ESL teaching is Dave's elscafe.com, and for jobs in Japan, I go to gaijinpot.com.

 

[JS80]

Fun fact: Korean girls are horny as fuck and Korea has the highest abortion rate in the world.

 

[The Stigenator]

Fun fact: Korean girls are horny as fuck and Korea has the highest abortion rate in the world.

great my girl is going there .... well thats her plan.

Thanks for the those websites, I shall be trolling them later on tomorrow. I am 90% convinced that the site she was to apply to is a scam site. But we shall see.

 

[techforums]

http://www.travelandteachrecruiting.com/

That link was posted for the career section from my university.

 

[CptObvious]

I'm in Seoul now, been doing the ESL thing for a while. A few observations (warnings):

-There are not a ton of ESL jobs here anymore. The global recession has hit South Korea pretty hard as well, so people are more choosy about where to spend their (or their kids') English education money. On top of that there are more expats teaching here than ever before. If you're coming solely to earn money, you may be disappointed as teaching rates are actually going backwards.

-If you want to live in the country or small towns, you're in luck as that's where most of the jobs are now. If you want to teach in a nice area of Seoul (much of Seoul isn't), it may be difficult to find a decent job without a teaching background or MA in English, or unless you are an attractive white female (not joking).

-Many male expats have come to Korea expecting to get laid easily, and left the country disappointed. For one, the media here portrays a somewhat negative view of foreigners. Second, you're likely to be treated as an outcast unless you're willing to embrace the culture and language.

-Watch out for a lot of shady recruiters and bosses. I would personally go with a large chain institute or public school as my first job in Korea, one that has a reputation for following their end of the contract and reliably pays on time.

 

[The Stigenator]

Thanks CptObvious. She is a certified teacher (elementary and middle school / junior high). Currently teaches for LAUSD. She got laid off but she has a few long term teaching gigs that is keeping her busy. So in that sense she is qualified.

I was kinda suspecting that there maybe lesser jobs in ESL, and the way that 'company' was marketing it seemed to be a money making scheme than anything else. I think anything for her will work good, even if its in a small town. She wants a challenge and I support her in that decision, I think it will grow her quite a bit.

She is not an attractive white female but she is an attractive latina female. And no pics. She is so looking to this, I want her to go. She now wants to also look in Japan. Her girlfriend lives in Japan so that would be cool for her.

Which company / school are you teaching with? how do you like it/

 

[Svnla]

I'm in Seoul now, been doing the ESL thing for a while. A few observations (warnings):

.............

-Many male expats have come to Korea (or Asia) expecting to get laid easily, and left the country disappointed. For one, the media here portrays a somewhat negative view of foreigners. Second, you're likely to be treated as an outcast unless you're willing to embrace the culture and language.
........

LOL, color me shock.
ATOTers, especially the youngings need to listen to this guy. Spend sometime and travel around, reality is a bitch and not like "The World According To Suzie Wong".

To the OP, she can teach English in China, Vietnam, Thai, etc., doesn't have to be in Korea.

 

[amdhunter]

The Koreans will love her long time.

 

[Tristicus]

My sister was offered a place in Korea. All excited, wanted to go, turned out to be really shady/a scam. English/History or something as well.

 

[Kirby]

Beware the scams or she'll be working in Oh Pal Pal.

 

[OCGuy]

I wouldnt want to be within 200 miles of the DMZ for any long period of time. Seoul would be steamrolled before we could even do anything about it.

 

[speg]

I am dealing with ESLstarter.com right now, pretty good so far. Though I am looking to go to Thailand.

 

[God Mode]

Fun fact: Korean girls are horny as fuck and Korea has the highest abortion rate in the world.

Proof? From all your posts, you seem to be korean but you have a axe to grind with anything asian.

 

[ModerateRepZero]

if considering Japan, there's the JET program ^^

 

[Ricemarine]

if considering Japan, there's the JET program ^^

Someone on the forums is currently teaching in Japan I think...

From what I heard from someone who did the JET program however, I definitely wouldn't want to do it.
- English teachers can only speak English...
- If you're asian, good luck convincing the Japanese you're American.
- You're going to be traveling around to several smaller schools in a rural area miles apart.

 

[grrl]

Someone on the forums is currently teaching in Japan I think...

From what I heard from someone who did the JET program however, I definitely wouldn't want to do it.
- English teachers can only speak English...

What does that mean, exactly?

 

[Toonces]

What does that mean, exactly?

When you're in school, the JET programme (and other dispatch companies) really frown on using any Japanese with the students. We're supposed to be encouraging them to speak in English with the foreign teacher.

Usually, unless it's something I know they learned, I'll speak Japanese for the sake of expediency when asked something from my students and use it as an opportunity to show how it isn't impossible for them to learn a second language.

Ricemarine is right about JET though. You'll have a higher salary with more benefits, but 99.8% of the schools will be in rural areas, isolated and difficult for non-Japanese speakers to do even the most basic of things. My first 8 months were in a town of 20,000 going to 12 different schools!

 

[Riceninja]

Fun fact: Korean girls are horny as fuck and Korea has the highest abortion rate in the world.

100% true. they also have the highest rate of plastic surgeries and most of them are godly at makeup. a foreigner in korea is like a kid in a candy shop

 

[alkemyst]

30 years ago boys dreamed to fuck the prom queen older than them.

Today they dream to fly to a foreign land to make pedobear proud.

 

[grrl]

When you're in school, the JET programme (and other dispatch companies) really frown on using any Japanese with the students. We're supposed to be encouraging them to speak in English with the foreign teacher.

Usually, unless it's something I know they learned, I'll speak Japanese for the sake of expediency when asked something from my students and use it as an opportunity to show how it isn't impossible for them to learn a second language.

I assumed that's what you meant, but most communicative approaches adhere to the target language principle for a reason. With younger learners in particular I don't see using the target language as a problem because it both helps maximize their exposure and forces them to figure out meaning. IMO expediency is weak excuse, especially since if you so desire you can demonstrate your ability in Japanese in other ways - and outside the classroom.

 

[StageLeft]

I'm in Seoul now, been doing the ESL thing for a while. A few observations (warnings):

-There are not a ton of ESL jobs here anymore. The global recession has hit South Korea pretty hard as well, so people are more choosy about where to spend their (or their kids') English education money. On top of that there are more expats teaching here than ever before. If you're coming solely to earn money, you may be disappointed as teaching rates are actually going backwards.

-If you want to live in the country or small towns, you're in luck as that's where most of the jobs are now. If you want to teach in a nice area of Seoul (much of Seoul isn't), it may be difficult to find a decent job without a teaching background or MA in English, or unless you are an attractive white female (not joking).

-Many male expats have come to Korea expecting to get laid easily, and left the country disappointed. For one, the media here portrays a somewhat negative view of foreigners. Second, you're likely to be treated as an outcast unless you're willing to embrace the culture and language.

-Watch out for a lot of shady recruiters and bosses. I would personally go with a large chain institute or public school as my first job in Korea, one that has a reputation for following their end of the contract and reliably pays on time.

OK I want to respond in part to this post. I knew a guy who went to Korea to teach and left shortly after. I don't know why but apparently the situation was not at all what the school said. I'm sure there are legit situations, though.

I know a lot of pepole firsthand who've gone to Japan to teach english and to address cptobvious' point about getting laid you WILL get laid if you're a white guy in Japan. It's just a fact. I'd personally go there, not because of that but because I know for sure it is legit, but again probably there are bad schools/businesses to get in with, but those guys I know who went there liked it and most of them are still there doing it years later.

And that brings me to another point. Everyone I know who went to Japan to teach is either still there, basically stalling their life (and they all have degrees but now absolutely nothing to show on their professional resume unless they want to teach english forever), or did leave but still it seemed like a waste of time. It can be fun and all that but do not expect to save money, since most don't. Also, if you go there because you have no idea what else to do, that is a big problem and you should solve it now before prolonging it; at some point you'll probably want a 'real' job and it won't really help toward it.

OK I know this is about his gf and not him but still