The following is the script of the 10 minute "NET Talk" (Native English Teacher Talk; based on the concept of TED Talks) that I gave at the Gangwon EPIK Northwest Regional Workshop last week. The intent behind my talk was to encourage foreign English teachers in Korea to study Korean by stating that it is not only a doable, but also a highly rewarding endeavour. Whether or not it benefited the audience, preparing and presenting on this topic somehow seemed therapeutic to me.
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I came because I wanted to share my language and culture with others while also experiencing a new language and culture myself. After some time, I found a Korean language academy and signed up. I took language classes on-and-off, as my work schedule allowed, and endured the tedious process of becoming functional in a new language. However, at functional, life was not much easier. I was at the point where I could go to the store with a sweater to return, state that I wanted to return it, and then not have a clue what the clerk said back to me. Sometimes, the return succeeded anyway. Other times, I left the store, sweater in hand, wondering who I knew that it might fit. Finding so much of my time consumed by work and feeling frustrated that I could not accelerate past sometimes-functional in society, I thought I’d leave Korea for good. (That was in 2012.) But, what I decided to do before leaving changed everything.
Before leaving Korea, I was determined to give the Korean language a fair chance to be learned. So, I finished my contract teaching English and enrolled as a full-time student in Sogang University’s Korean language program. For two and a half months, I spent my days studying – in a classroom in the morning, at a café in the afternoon, and over a meal or while taking a stroll in the evening. It was only then, after having lived in Korea for a year and a half, it was only when I committed a couple of months solely to studying the Korean language that I felt myself begin to shift from functional to conversational. And that was when I was able to start reaping the benefits of all the hours I’d invested in second language studies.
Upon being hired by EPIK and beginning employment with the Gangwon POE, I realized how much my Korean language ability improved my experience as a native English teacher in a public school. First, I was able to hear information faster. While schedule changes, by nature, happen at the last minute, seeing them come out over the school messenger system or overhearing the Vice Principal making the initial announcement would give me a couple extra minutes of precious mental preparation time that I wouldn’t have had if I’d had to wait for my co-teacher to come find me and relay the news herself.
More significantly, being able to carry on a conversation, simple though it may have been, opened the door for relationships that would not have been possible otherwise. Before I had studied Korean, I often got vibes of disinterest from the other teachers at school, and I’ve heard fellow native English teachers say the same – sometimes saying that it goes beyond disinterest to ignorance or even outright avoidance. But, from what I’ve seen, these teachers do not intend their actions to have any effect on you personally. Instead, they simply fear that, were they to smile at you in the hallway or sit too close to you in the cafeteria, they might suddenly find themselves in a situation where they feel pressure to communicate with you, in your mother tongue. That is a scary thought for many Korean people, and I know because I’ve heard it said on several occasions.
One evening, I was walking from school into town to catch the bus home, when a young Korean math teacher pulled up and offered me a ride in her car. The first thing she said when I got in was, “If you didn’t speak Korean, I would’ve just driven past you. Not because I wouldn’t have wanted to offer you a ride, but because I would’ve had to speak English with you.” Clearly, the problem is not personal; it’s lingual. In another instance, I was in the school cafeteria eating lunch, when a middle-aged Korean language teacher started talking about the native English teacher that had been at the school the year before I came. She said, “I felt so bad for the previous foreign teacher. She always looked lonely just sitting at her desk, but none of us knew how to talk to her. She couldn’t speak Korean and we can’t speak English. Sometimes I’d be brave and say ‘good morning,’ but I never knew what to say after that.” Hearing this, too, made me realize: many Korean teachers, regardless of what subject they teach, actually are interested in their school’s foreign teacher. They simply don’t know how to talk to them, and are often too afraid to try. The good news is: this is a barrier that we, as foreigners in this country, have the power to overcome.
By being willing to try using a sentence you’ve studied, even if you get it all wrong, you can break the ice with a teacher who may want to talk to you, but be too scared to start a conversation themselves. More often than not, if you try to talk to someone, they will try to talk back. So, sit at your desk with your language textbook open at lunch time and try a sentence out on whoever passes by. A single sentence can start a conversation. And conversation can create space for meaningful relationships to blossom.
For me, it is the continual growth of such relationships that allows me to feel connected at school and in the community I live in. Through relationships, I am able to engage in the perpetual process of sharing, understanding, and growing, and that process is what inspires me to continue living in this country.
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Before I close, I’d like to introduce a couple of language programs that you can use to start, or continue studying Korean – regardless of whether you teach in a metropolis like Chuncheon or somewhere slightly smaller, like all of the other districts represented here today.
First, for those of you who want to study on your own time, with English explanations, check out www.talktomeinkorean.com. Talk to Me in Korean has all kinds of lessons and resources for all levels. Some are paid, but many are free. You can start from the alphabet, jump into grammar points midway, or skip to the intermediate section and listen to “Interactive Iyagis,” which are natural conversations that have both English and Korean subtitles to help learners follow along. I’ve tried studying through several different websites and, in my opinion, if you’re looking for flexible, then Talk to Me in Korean is great.
Next, for those of you who need a teacher, a schedule, homework, and tests to get you to actually do anything, look into KIIP: Korea Immigration and Integration Program. KIIP is a language and culture program run by the Korean government. The textbook costs 10,000 won. The courses themselves are free of charge. KIIP uses an online learning system where you log in at a set time and participate in a live class. The teacher explains the material and gives students chances to practice, just like they would in an actual classroom. When I was taking KIIP courses, I had class for two hours a day, every weekday after work. It was quite intense, but I learned a lot in a relatively short time. KIIP also gives you points toward upgrading your visa, if you think you might be interested in that in the future. So, for those of you who wish you could enroll in an intensive Korean language program, but can’t because of distance or transportation difficulties, I recommend looking into KIIP. You can find more information at their website, www.socinet.go.kr or by calling the immigration help line, 1345.
Finally, for you self-motivated souls who can go through a textbook on your own, but want a way to track your progress, try taking the TOPIK exam. The TOPIK, T-O-P-I-K, Test of Proficiency in Korean, is a standardized test held once every couple of months. It’s broken into two categories: TOPIK 1 is designed for beginners, and TOPIK 2 is geared toward intermediate and advanced learners. The test is typically held at Hallym University in Chuncheon, on a Sunday morning or afternoon. You can find information in English at www.topikguide.com or you can access the official website in Korean at www.topik.go.kr.
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Whatever method you choose, my hope today is that you will feel encouraged knowing that learning Korean is a process that is well worth pursuing, not only for the respect and understanding you gain, but also for the relationships you build with others, and, thanks to a variety of excellent online resources, studying Korean is a path that it is possible to make progress on, even while living in the quiet Korean countryside. Thank you.
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Thanks for reading :)
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