EPIK Seeks Passionate Foreign Teachers

Elementary school students mimic teachers during an EPIK program conducted by a foreign teacher with a Korean co-teacher in Ulsan City.

/ Capture of KBS TV program

By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

The government said it would increase spending to recruit more foreign teachers to help improve the English conversation skills of students.

The National Institute for International Education (NIIED), an international education agency under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, has recruited 490 more native English speakers for this fall semester at primary and secondary schools across the country.

Furthermore, the state agency is seeking to recruit 608 more foreign teachers for next semester.

There has been a total of 4,332 native English speakers in public schools as assistant teachers of English conversation classes as of April. NIIED accounts for 13 percent of the employment.

Under the program, 1,400-1,500 foreigners are expected to teach at Korean public schools next year, accounting for 25 percent of the total number of native English-speaking teachers.

Individual schools and local education offices recruit foreign teachers as well. Eventually, it plans to have native English-speaking teachers in at least 2,900 middle schools across the country by 2010.

The agency also plans to introduce a well-organized program for foreign teachers. It will expand English training to all teachers to help them get accustomed to the Korean educational system.

The training program includes general education studies, English teaching methodology and understanding of Korean culture.

Native English teachers are given instruction to strike a balance and harmony with school management and Korean co-teachers. Eligible applicants should be fluent and proficient in English and citizens from a country using English as primary language and should have completed two full academic years or more at an accredited college or university.

Currently, EPIK recruits only native-English speakers from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland.

But it plans to allow those who can speak English fluently from countries adopting English as official language from next year at the earliest.

It will deploy 608 English-teaching positions at elementary and secondary public schools and training centers in six metropolitan cities and seven provinces across the country for the next spring semester.

The program teachers will receive 1.5-2.5 million won per month according to their degrees and teaching certificates and can receive entry and settlement allowance and free single furnished housing. Successful candidates will conduct English conversation classes with Korean co-teachers.

Those who are interested can apply either by visiting Korean consulates and embassies around the world, EPIK offices in Korea or online at www.epik.go.kr

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr

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