How many hours in class are you expected to work per week?

The number of classroom hours varies depending on the terms of the contract. Typically, teachers who work at a private academy or public school teach 30 hours per week. Teachers who work at a university language center usually teach 20 hours per week with the option of paid overtime work. Teachers who work at a university as a professor teach anywhere between 12 to 18 hours per week.

Are there any administrative duties, meetings, or office hours on top of this?

That’s a really good question, and the answer is usually, yes. In addition to classroom hours, there are occasional meetings and minimal administrative duties (administrative duties are usually delegated to Korean faculty and staff members). Office hours are often only required of university professors. Additional time commitments are generally stated in the contract or can be inquired during the job interview.

Are you expected to grade student work?

This depends on the type of school you work at. The majority of employers—such as private academies and university language centers—do not require you to grade student work. However, public school teachers and university professors are expected to give exams and grade students on their class assignments and participation in class. Again, these work requirements are either stated in the contract or can be inquired during the job interview.

How many other English teachers will there be? Will I be the only one?

Again, this depends on your school. Usually, there will be anywhere between 2 to 11 other foreign English teachers—it depends heavily on your location and the size of the school. Many private academies on average employ 3 foreign English teachers in addition to a staff of English-speaking Korean teachers. University language centers typically have 10 foreign English teachers. Teaching at a university department, though, can be isolated—sometimes, you will be the only foreigner in the department.

How can I be sure that I'm getting a contract with a reputable school?

Excellent question! You can be sure that you’re getting a contract with a reputable school by contracting through LiveEnglish. We are here to help you and have your best interest at heart. Having been there, done that, we want you to have the best experience possible and avoid the pitfalls we faced while working in Korea.

LiveEnglish cares deeply about the quality of its teachers and schools, so we do everything we can to ensure that we only contract with reliable people and reputable schools. Come teach and live in Korea with LiveEnglish!