Jeollanamdo Language Program

Today marks my first week in Hampyeong and so far, I have taught at 3 out of 4 of my schools. I have the day off because of the most important milestone in Korean education: high school seniors are taking the College Scholastic Ability Test, which will pretty much determine the course of their future success. This is the day when all the endless hours of studying and hard work starting from age 5 pay off. This website has a good overview of just how big a deal this exam is for Korean students.

For me, this means catching up on this blog and doing all my lesson planning for next week because Dani and I are going to Seoul this weekend!

This entry is mainly geared for people interested in teaching in Korea, who might stumble across my blog someday in their fervid internet sleuthing, like me a few months ago. Friends, I will write an actual update on my life here in Hampyeong soon, I promise. :) If anyone has any specific questions about my program, feel free to leave me a comment.

Overview of the Jeollanamdo Language Program

You may have heard of EPIK, which is Korea's major government-run recruitment program for native English teachers in public elementary and secondary schools. The Jeollanamdo Language Program functions essentially the same way, except it is run by the Jeollanamdo Office of Education and places teachers only within public schools in the Jeollanamdo province. No other province has their own language program, so that makes JLP quite unique.

Jeollanamdo's location in Korea

I only stumbled across an open JLP position because I was trying to find a job near Gwangju, but I would highly recommend this program if you are interested in teaching in Korea. Unfortunately, there isn't a main website for the JLP, but I posted the contract details for my current intake year at the end if you are interested in the  specific timeframe and benefits. They hire for positions with start dates in August and November and post open positions on forums like Waygook and Dave's ESL. You can also contact their main recruitment agencies, Canadian Connections and Jeolla Jobs (jeollajobs@gmail.com).

Differences from EPIK

JLP offers the same public school benefits as EPIK, with a few key differences. Since you work with one of their recruiters for specific positions, you can have some say over your location and type of school, more so than with EPIK. They offer 32 vacation days, versus EPIK's standard 21 days. They also have a native English coordinator, which I think is a significant highlight to the program. I was accepted to EPIK initially and the application process for both programs was like night and day.

Please bear in mind that working with a recruiter who would communicate with EPIK on your behalf would likely eliminate the issues I encountered by applying to EPIK directly, even though they recommend applying directly.

Both offices were very professional, but I struggled with communication problems with the Korea-based EPIK coordinators. I sent them a few emails which were intended as polite requests for clarification regarding my salary range eligibility, only to be rebuffed for "not understanding Korean culture." By comparison, I had an incredibly positive experience working with Jeolla Jobs. One of my goals of being in Korea is to learn more about Korean culture, but it is REALLY helpful to have a native English liaison serve as a buffer between your Korean employer so any communication missteps do not impact minor things like your living and working situation. Both EPIK and the JLP have full-time English coordinators who lead the orientations and support teachers throughout their contracts. I can personally vouch for Chris Devison from JLP, who has been highly approachable and knowledgeable.

JLP positions are provincial, so they tend to be rural and range from being among a handful of foreigners on an island to being among a dozen or so in a small city. Yeosu, the largest city in the province, has a population of about 250,000. EPIK hires for everywhere else in Korea, including all the major cities. I think SMOE and GEPIK hire for public schools in Seoul and its suburbs. It is also not uncommon to teach at multiple schools since they are mostly rural placements.

Orientation Week

There were only 26 of us in the November intake group, compared to the group of 90 in August, so it was easy to get to know the other teachers. We had a full schedule for the whole nine days, including lectures on Korean culture, teaching methods, and a few field trips. I was a bit antsy to get settled in my new home and start working, but the programming was designed to help new teachers slowly acclimate to Korea, especially for those new to living abroad and/or teaching.

I really appreciated that the presenters were mostly current or previous native English teachers who could relate directly to our experience. I was expecting a lot of bureaucratic mandated lectures, but all the information was interesting and quite candid.

Some highlights from orientation week:

• The Korean music teacher sang a sorrowful ballad typical to a certain region of Korea so masterfully that it made a girl start crying.
• Visiting the hospital for the required HIV and marijuana tests. Everyone was worried because there are quite a few things that could set off a false-positive result, such as ibuprofen, Midol, dental anesthesia, vitamins, or recent vaccinations. False positive results are very rare though, and all of us made it through. You have an opportunity to voice any concerns in advance during your private meeting with the doctor.
• Raising my hand for every question during the Korean Wave (pop culture) presentation. All those hours watching kpop on Youtube finally paid off...
• Meditating during a visit to a nearby temple. I included a bunch of photos below because it was easily the best part of orientation week.

Art as a meditative practice.

Check out our handiwork! Mine is the green one.

Tea ceremony with lotus blossom tea and rice cakes.

The remains of a famous monk, now a national treasure.

All 26 of us! Plus an adorable adjumma

Contract Details:

DATES and DETAILS:

ORIENTATION: October 22- October 31, 2013

CONTRACT START DATE: November 1, 2013

PROVINCE: Jeollanamdo is a spectacular province in the most southerly part of the Korean peninsula. It is home to outstanding local fresh food, beaches, mountains, islands, a tranquil green-tea plantation, lake parks, and well known temple-stay programs. It is best suited to individuals who enjoy adventure and the great outdoors, as there are lots of opportunities to explore the rugged beauty that Jeollanamdo has to offer! This small province has a close-knit community of teachers who are very friendly and welcoming to newcomers, and who actively share lesson plan ideas, travel information, and provide support to one another. 

POSITIONS: Elementary, Middle, High School

EMPLOYER: The Jeollanamdo Office of Education (http://en.jne.go.kr/) offers a competitive salary, super vacation time, and excellent benefits to qualified candidates. Their English program has a fantastic reputation, and also has a wonderful administrative staff to assist you, including a Native English Coordinator (from Canada), who works full-time in the provincial school board office.

ORIENTATION: New employees to the school board will attend a 9 day orientation in Gwangju, prior to their contract start date. Orientation is loads of fun and very informative. It's also a great way to rest up and prepare for your year ahead before you get started. At the end of orientation someone from your school will come to pick you up and take you to your new home to get settled in.


CONTRACT ARTICLES:

Contract Length: 1 year with option to renew at a higher salary. A renewal allowance of 2,000,000 KRW and an additional week of vacation will be offered to contract extensions.

Salary: 2,000,000 – 2,700,000 KRW per/month, depending on experience, qualifications, and school placement

Housing: Fully furnished; rent paid by employer, utilities paid by teacher

Vacation: 1 month (divided between summer and winter)

Sick days: 11 sick days

Schedule: Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 5:00

Classroom Hours: 22 teaching hours per week (additional teaching hours will be paid overtime). There is also opportunity to earn extra income through teaching online classes, which we will personally train you for! These classes are a lot of fun and a great learning experience!

Multiple School Allowance: Teachers who are asked to teach at additional schools throughout the week are eligible for additional pay (2 schools = 100,000 won/month, 3 or more schools = 150,000 won/month)

Severance: One twelfth of yearly salary upon completion of contract

National Pension: Approximately one month’s salary for one year contract, for those eligible

Settlement Allowance: 300,000 won

Airfare: Entrance allowance of 1,300,000 KRW to cover airfare to Korea (paid after arrival), and exit allowance of 1,300,000 KRW to cover airfare home at the end of your contract (paid before final departure).



REQUIREMENTS: As per E2 visa regulations, applicants must possess a university degree/transcripts, federal criminal record check issued within the last 6 months, and be from one of the 7 designated English-speaking counties (Canada, USA, Ireland, UK, South Africa, New Zealand, & Australia). 

*NOTE: As per Employer policy, a new criminal check is mandatory for all applicants, regardless of their visa status.


HOW TO APPLY: Interested candidates can apply by forwarding their resume and photo tojeollajobs@gmail.com (Attn: Andrea King). Unfortunately, due to the volume of applicants, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.