Does anyone know of a place where I can volunteer to teach English. either in the local Songtan area or up at Seoul?

I'm not looking for a part-time job, I'm considering trying to get a BA in TESOL and wanted to get some real-world experience before I start taking classes.

THanks,
Martha

I can't think of ANYPLACE in Korea where you can NOT volunteer to teach English! Almost EVERY young Korean from 3 to 35 would pay you, feed you, or beg you to teach Korean! So, volunteering is NO problem. Pick your favorite spot. MWR, Family Services, USO, any school, any bar, any church or Chapel. The ROK Army or Air Force, an Orphanage even the local Dong Office, (Community Center) - They will donate a room and meet your time schedule! And it is legal, even for A-3 Visa holders to teach for free. Usually they will return the favor, and you can't help but learn Korean at the same time. If you are a native English speaker with a Degree, Universities will make you a "Visiting Professor" with library privileges, and businesses will give you perks for teaching their employees. Go for it!

make sure you know what youre doing or else youll look stupid.

teaching isnt for anyone and its harder than you probably think.

teaching requires preparation and a certain amount of skill.

Oh..I look like you have a good idea. If you are ok, I'd like to learn English to you. haha...
My speaking English is not good.
BTW, I'm in Gwangju city now.
What do u think ?
haha..

Although I am a native english speaker, I'm not experienced at teaching; what I am seeking is an organization that already has a teaching foundation layed out. I'm trying to find out if with the proper materials, I am suited to teach english as a second language (in a group setting).

Martha

Austin has three very good points! I'm guessing he is, or has been, involved in teaching conversational English! (Capital letter usage and punctuation often seem unimportant in conversation!) I have been told by "conversation teachers" on another website, that they don't have time to worry about spelling and punctuation due to the curriculum and time restraints which are decided by their Korean school supervisors. (You can always spot poorly qualified teachers. These are the "Teachers" who consistently write "English" without the capital E!) This is how we get Koreans writing "I wanna learn", and using shortcuts and shorthand in writing. It is very true that poorly qualified teachers result in poorly qualified students. Hopefully, the new Korean president will tighten up on teacher qualifications at all levels. A lot of well meaning students are paying good money for poor teaching by minimally qualified Australians, Europeans and Americans who come here because they can't hold a job at home.

Teaching is certainly not for everyone. Korea is a great place to start. But I think you have the right stuff. If you have no experience, and are prone to stage fright or have an inferiority complex, or are ill prepared to keep student's attention for 45 minutes at a time, it can be scary at first. I started out teaching English in Korea years ago at a small private school for business people and nurses in Seoul. Initially, it was conversation classes. That may be what you want to do first as a volunteer. At the same time, you may want to check out the Education center at Osan for college courses that prepare you for ESL and TESOL. If you hope to progress beyond conversation teaching, you will need both experience and education, as you already know. Good Luck!

THank You for the the helpful info.

I agree it is tough to teach. I volunteer once a week to teach 10 ROKAF personnel. They are eager as am I however, without a structured curriculum progress is slow. Any suggestions on how I can teach conversational English?

Thanks in advance!