If you’re teaching in South Korea, you’ll probably notice that salaries have become stagnated. The massive influx of teachers means you there is greater competition for those jobs that pay well. Unless you have a teaching certificate from back home, an English degree, or masses of experience, you need to do whatever you can to get access to the better English teaching positions.

One of the smartest things you can do to put yourself ahead is get TEFL or TESOL certified. TEFL and TESOL are pretty much the same thing: Teaching English as a Foreign Language (or to Foreign Learners) or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

There are a ton of TEFL certificates out there, so it’s important to go with one that’s recognised in Korea. There are a few options, some more expensive than others, but if your key motivation is to secure the highest salary, a 100 hour online certificate will be enough.

The most competitive course I know of in Korea is the online certificate given by Korea Education Incorporated (KEI). This is the one that the Korean Ministry of Education have granted a license to, and if you’re looking for employment in South Korea, it’s the only one that your school can easily call to confirm it is legitimate. They can call and speak to the secretary right away, and if they still aren’t convinced (or want to back out of giving you your pay rise) you can ask them to call the Ministry of Education to confirm that KEI are licensed.

Even if you don’t get full certification, you should at least brush up on some teaching methodology. It would be horrible to get here and find you son’t have a clue what to do in the classroom! That’s a sure way to make sure you have NO salary in Korea! At the very least, pick up a book that will teach you the skills you need for your teaching job in Korea.

Filed under: TEFL