Teach English in Korea
Designer and Instructor: David McCormick
Teachers who wish to teach English in Korea– or who wish to teach English to Korean speakers in their own home country – can choose to specialize in Teaching English to Korean speakers. Teaching in Korea is an increasingly sought-after placement for teachers due to the generous employment packages.
First language interference is commonly referred to as L1 interference. L1 interference refers to the common errors and difficulties faced by non-native speakers that are caused by reliance on their knowledge of the rules and structures of their native language, which are usually drastically different from those of English.
Each culture and language group has its own unique difficulties when learning English. It can take years for teachers to build knowledge of common first language interference problems, so being aware of these problems and their causes is a major advantage when teaching in a new country. In this unit, teachers will learn about the common difficulties native Korean speakers face when they enter an English language classroom, as well as activities and techniques to help students overcome these difficulties.
Specialization in Teaching English to Korean Speakers
After completing this specialization, teachers will be able to:
• Recognize common phonological errors to help improve Korean speakers’ pronunciation of English vowels, diphthongs and consonants
• Counteract the problems caused by differences in syntax and morphology between Korean and English
• Improve students’ abilities to use the proper tense and aspect of English verbs
• Adapt teaching style and classroom management techniques to better suit the culture of Korean-speaking students