Welcome to Literary Ashland

Follow

San Mouy is a 2017 graduate of Southern Oregon University. He teaches English in Daegu, south Korea.

Ed Battistella: Tell us about the program you’re teaching?

San Mouy: So right now I am a foreign English teacher at a private school (Hagwon) in Daegu, South Korea. I signed a one-year contract with the school to teach students between 1st-8th grade, and sometimes teach adult classes at night. The lessons are relatively simple. They are taken directly out of English workbooks designed for young learners, with the main focus on short sentences and new vocabulary. The higher-level classes are essentially the same, however, there is more reading and a higher level of comprehension required. As for the adult classes, there is a workbook, but it is mainly used to keep a conversation going between the students and the teacher. My goal for the adult class is to help them become comfortable speaking English and help them learn new words and slang that they may not know already. The young learner and middle school classes take spelling tests and listening tests every week, and after each lesson I have to set up a game that covers the lesson for that particular day. That basically covers everything haha

EB: How did you find it/ What was the application and training process like?

SM: I found a teaching abroad website searching on Google. While teaching in Korea wasn’t my first choice (I applied to teach in Cambodia with Peace Corps,) after seeing some of my other classmates on Facebook teaching abroad in countries like Japan or Korea, I decided that I should try applying to those places as well. With numerous websites looking for English teachers abroad, I didn’t have as much trouble finding one, more so finding a location that I felt would be most comfortable living in for a year or so. Also, most overseas public English teaching jobs require additional documents (such as a TEFL certification) to be considered. And while I didn’t have that when I was looking for potential jobs in Korea or Japan, the positions available to me were further narrowed down. In the end, I got in contact with a recruiter after applying at travelandteachrecruiting.com, and I am very grateful with the job that I have.

The application process was fairly easy. After reaching out to travel and teach, I was guided by a couple recruiters that made the whole process less stressful. While there was a list of requirements that I had to have in order to continue with the hiring process, I knew that I would have to obtain everything on the list on time in order to truly be considered for the position.

Of course, though, obtaining everything meant spending a lot of money. I had to pay off a certain about of student loan debt in order to receive my Bachelors degree in the mail, I had to get a passport, fingerprint scan, FBI background check, Sign up for an online TEFL class, official notary to notarize all of my documents, extra passport photos, etc, which in total was upwards of 3k before even signing my contract. Getting everything took me almost ten months, but once all that was done, and as the deadlines for available positions came nearer and nearer, my recruiter set up three interviews for me to work in Korea; one in Daegu, one in Pohang, and one in Dejong. While two of the three wished to have me sign a contract, I felt Daegu would suit me best and decided to work there. Once I arrived in Korea, I met up with my Foreign Manager for the Hagwon and he helped me get set up in my apartment. I started training the next day.
Training was fairly simple, I would observe the other foreign teachers teach in class, take notes, and prepare to do what they have shown me for one or two classes while they observe and take notes on me. After the week of training, I was assigned my own teaching schedule for the semester and sent on my way. I still feel like I am learning how to be a better teacher everyday, so training for me is to be a better teacher than I was yesterday.

EB: How did you get interested in teaching abroad?

SM: I love traveling and thought teaching abroad would be a great opportunity for me to use my degree and to travel both at the same time. And after seeing how much fun my friends and classmates were having teaching abroad, it really made me decide that there wouldn’t be another chance like this than now.

EB: Did you experience any sort of culture shock teaching abroad?

SM: So far, the hardest part for me is to confidently order something on the menu or talking to anyone else in Korean. Haha Not really culture shock, its more a being aware that I am the foreigner in their country and need to accept that.

EB: Had you studied Korean before you travelled?

SM: Not a single day. In fact, I have yet to study any Korean seriously other than a couple of words since I have been here (about three months). Only because I plan on taking a Korean class that will show me everything I need to know about reading, writing, and speaking Korean soon.

EB: Have you been able to learn much Korean?

SM: I literally know less than 10 phrases and/or words

EB: Is there anything you wish you had known or known more about before you started?

SM: I wish I knew exactly how much money everything was going to cost me before taking that plunge. I knew that if I started to complete the requirements, but didn’t go through with everything, then I would have wasted a lot of money for nothing. At the same time, moving to another country takes a lot of money to get settled in. I’d say that in total, getting everything set up to sign a contract and getting situated in Korea cost me almost 5k (including paying off bills back in the united states). Other than that, I am truly loving every day knowing that I am an English teacher in another country. I feel like a tourist exploring the world, while at the same time saving money and doing a job that I am happy doing.

EB: How has the experience of teaching abroad influenced your career plans?

SM: I knew that teaching abroad would be a huge career change for me and feel like I will be doing things like this for at least the next 5-10 years. Its very rewarding to be able to travel and teach haha.

EB: Any suggestions for others thinking about teaching abroad?

SM: Honestly, the best advice I would give is to plan out where you want to teach, and then dig deeper to see what that place is like, and then save save save money. Be prepared to jump through a lot of hoops, sign a lot of papers, and follow a lot of orders.

Follow

Laura Payne, a 2017 graduate of Southern Oregon University, is an Assistant Language Teacher in the JET Programme in Shimane, Japan.

You can follow her blog at Ms. Payne In Shimane

Ed Battistella: Tell us about the program you teach in? How did you find it? What was the application and training process like?

Laura Payne: I work with the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. I first heard about it through a brochure I found at a Japanese cultural event in Portland, and I applied for it during the senior year of my undergraduate studies. The application process took about six months from when I first applied to when I was accepted. It included sending in a paper application, letters of recommendation, and a written essay. In addition, I had to go to an interview at the Japanese Consulate in Portland. My first month or so in Japan was spent settling in and preparing for the job. I spent two days in Tokyo at a general orientation and participated in another two day orientation once I arrived at the prefecture I had been assigned to. I also met with the teachers and principals of the schools I was going to work with.

EB: How did you get interested in teaching abroad?

LP: In my junior year of college, I studied abroad in Japan for six months. During that time, I took on a part-time tutoring job and volunteered with the university’s English Salon. I really enjoyed the experiences of meeting new people and helping them learn a new language. I had already realized by that time that I wanted to be a teacher, but after studying abroad, I could see myself teaching English in Japan. I thought I could learn so much from the experience, and after I went back to the U.S., I immediately wanted to go back to Japan. From there, I remembered the JET Program and decided to apply.

EB: Did you experience any sort of culture shock?

LP: Nothing related to a difference in culture, but definitely something related to a difference of language. One of my favorite things to do in the U.S. is browse around a library and check out whatever book happens to catch my eye. I can’t do that in Japan, though. Most of the books at the library closest to my apartment are, of course, in Japanese. I use Japanese books as language study tools sometimes, but I don’t know enough Japanese yet to just relax into a story like I do when I read a book in English. There are some English books at the library as well, but that section is only made up of one set of shelves. None of the books in this section are current, and those books that belong to a series are often missing a volume. Experiences like this are difficult for me because in the U.S. I read so much, but in Japan, I’m partially illiterate. I’m trying to learn more Japanese to work past this.

EB: You had studied Japanese before. Did that help? What new things have your learned?

LP: Yes, knowing Japanese has helped me a lot. The JET Program doesn’t require you to know Japanese, but having a basic knowledge of it has helped me to be much more present in my everyday life. I can have conversations with staff members other than the English teachers at my schools. If my students don’t understand when I try explain something in English, I can switch to Japanese. Moreover, I can explore the area I live in knowing that I can handle all of the basic interactions I’ll run in to. In short, knowing Japanese has helped me to get more out of the experience of teaching abroad than I ever could have only knowing English.

EB: What was the experience of managing a class like?

Interesting because I’m actually not in charge of managing a class. I team teach classes with Japanese teachers of English, and they’re the main teachers in charge of the classroom. Also, I don’t go to the same classes every day, so most of what I do in the way of managing classes involves matching the style of the class and the teacher I’m currently with. In quieter classes, this might mean just following the lesson plan. In noisier classes, this might mean encouraging students to stay on task. In every situation, I try to get to know the English teacher and the students I’m working with as best as I can so that I can play whatever support role they need me to.

EB: What was been your most rewarding experience?

LP: Just getting to know my students day by day and helping them with their goals has been a great experience. So many of my students are funny, charming, upbeat individuals who can light up a room just by being present. Sometimes, I get the opportunity to help with extracurricular activities like coaching students who want to participate in English speech or recitation contests. I always love opportunities like these, because I’m so proud of the time and effort students put in to practicing, and I’m so happy for them when their hard work pays off. Now that I’ve started my second year teaching in Japan, I’m starting to see some of my students grow as they move on to different grade levels. All of this is incredibly rewarding because I know that every one of my students has their own dreams for the future, and I love seeing them try to figure out how they can get closer to those dreams through school.

EB: How has the experience of teaching abroad influenced your career plans?

LP: Since coming to Japan, I’ve decided that I want to earn a graduate degree in teaching English as a second language as well as a Secondary Education Language Arts degree. I’ve discovered that I really enjoy teaching English as a second language, and I want to keep doing it. I also think that the fact that I have experience learning a second language in a foreign country will help me serve students in ESL classes well. In addition, because of the experiences I’ve had here and the people I’ve met here, I want to keep a connection with Japan for the rest of my life. My ultimate dream is to work in a school with a Japanese sister city so that I can continue helping with international education programs.

EB: Any suggestions for others considering teaching abroad?

LP: If you think teaching abroad is something you would like to do, I can’t recommend it enough! Do some research on different programs and countries and find a way that’s a good fit for you. I’m sure you can find one.

EB: Thanks for talking with us.

Follow

Ed TW Pay teaches at the Aidi International High School in Beijing, China. He is a 2015 graduate of Southern Oregon University.

Ed Battistella: Tell us about the program you teach in? How did you find it? What was the application and training process like?

Ed Pay: I teach year 7 and year 8 ESL-F for a large international school. The application process was very straightforward. I had two interviews, and needed to bring reference letters from my previous school.

EB: How did you get interested in teaching abroad?

EP: I had been working as a bartender, which was interesting but unfulfilling. I missed academic life, and I had taught karate for years. I wanted to teach in some way again. I saw an ad for EF (Education First). They run training schools across the world and they fly in foreigners to teach for years.

EB: Did you experience any sort of culture shock?

EP: I did. It was an enormous shift, from the size of the city, social norms, hygiene, pollution. Everything was jarring.

EB: Did you have much experience communicating with English language learners prior to going abroad?

EP: Next to none.

EB: Is there anything you wish you had known or known more about before you started?

EP: Bring more western cold medicine and money!

EB: How has the experience of teaching abroad influenced your career plans?

EP: I plan on doing this for life now. I’ve applied to some masters programs to get a 2 year degree in TEFL and I’m looking at starting my Delta as well. It’s a great life.

EB: What are your students like?

EP: My students are all from low English proficiency educational backgrounds. Our middle school (part of the pre k-12 school) is streamed into high vs low levels. I teach the low level. Their ages range for year 7 from 11-14, and my student base universally comes from incredibly privileged backgrounds. The school charges tens of thousands of US dollars each school year, so the behavioral, educational, interpersonal skills the students can have are often rooted in this “golden child” mind set. About 70% of our student base are boarding students from other provinces. They can struggle immensely with the pressures to conform and being away from their families, especially if they were sent away for seemingly abhorrent behavior (fears of sexuality were prevalent among parents last year though that seems to be changing now).

EB: Have you been able to learn much Chinese? Had you studied Chinese before?

EP: I have learned some Chinese. I am unfortunately, a bad foreigner who primarily associates with foreigners or Chinese people with strong English levels. My Chinese is best described as “survival level.” I had not studied any Chinese before coming.

EB: Any suggestions for others considering teaching abroad?

EP: Do your research. Find out as much as you can about the companies, and see what people say, or aren’t saying. I was forced to sign at my last job a non-defamation disclaimer, meaning I can’t comment on the more negative parts of that training center.

New arrivals should always bring more cash than they need, and they should think critically about how tight visa regulations can be, and the penalties of switching to a new job.

Above all, practice cultural tolerance and relativism. Be gracious and flexible and remain both upbeat and adaptable.

EB: Thanks for talking with us.

EP: Take care professor.