Cristian Contreras, a Colombian Spanish teacher, comes from the municipality of El Socorro, in Santander-Colombia. Twelve years ago he and his wife, a Korean citizen, founded a school for teaching Spanish to foreigners in Colombia. Cristian and his family currently reside in Korea, and he offers virtual classes independently to students from all over the world, including, of course, Korean students.
Interview
Spanish is getting popular around the world and Spanish language skills are becoming a high-value asset. Today we will learn a little more about what itโs like to teach a complex language like Spanish in Korea.
How long have you been working in Korea?
I have been working in Korea for a year.
Why did you decide to work in Korea?
Originally, I started my Spanish school in Colombia. However, due to the pandemic, students stopped coming to Colombia to learn Spanish, so I decided to come to Korea to look for students.
What do you need to work as a Spanish teacher in Korea?
First of all, there are two options: work for an institution or work independently. In both cases, both the experience and skills of the teacher are essential to success. Especially when teaching Korean students, proficiency in Spanish grammar is required. Not to mention that work experience is a huge advantage.
In the same way, it is best to have studied for a Bachelorโs degree, or have a university major related to Languages.
Between the two options mentioned above, which is best?
Both have advantages and disadvantages.
By working independently, you have greater access to students. If the teacher meets the studentโs learning needs, students normally recommend you to their friends. Thus, the teacher gets new students.
Actually, it can be difficult to get students if you do not speak the language. But, as soon as you have the first students, you must make a greater effort so that they are your letter of recommendation. The first impression always counts and a good one helps to be recommended by students.
However, a disadvantage of this is that there may be times when students cancel a class. That, of course, decreases the teacherโs income.
And so, working in a Language Institute is a more stable job, regardless of the number of students, you earn money. But on the downside, getting these jobs requires patience, experience, and certificates that prove the teacher is fit.
Can any native Spanish speaker teach the language?
Native speakers know how to transmit messages and understand them, in addition to being able to use the language in different contexts. However, they may not know correct grammar unless they have specialized in the language. A Spanish student learning Spanish will be very careful in grammar and spelling, but needs solid foundations to be able to, for example, take a Spanish exam.
Speaking a language does not guarantee being able to teach it. The teacher must have strong language skills, more so than just your average native speaker.
What University Degrees are ideal for teaching Spanish in Korea?
Majoring in the field of languages is ideal. It is necessary to understand how Languages work in a technical way.
In my personal case, my career was originally Chemical Engineering and I worked for fifteen years teaching chemical engineering courses at a university.
But, I came to a time in my life when I wanted to change direction, and I had to start training. I studied grammar and the intricacies of the Spanish language. Since I already had experience teaching, I was able to adapt those skills to topics in the context of teaching Spanish.
What was the process of receiving your โSpanish as a foreign languageโ teaching certification?
Twelve years ago, when my wife and I started our Spanish school, there was no way to train in this field in Colombia. I just had to learn as I went along.
After a couple of years, the Colombian government recognized the value of teaching Spanish as an economic asset. Throughout Spanish-speaking countries, there are different accents and dialects, but Colombian Spanish is considered โneutralโ. And so, we are naturally positioned to become a Spanish language learning destination.
The government began promoting International Spanish language schools. This led to our school being visited by students from all over the world, and to have greater economic activity. In this way, I was able to receive more students in the face-to-face classroom and gained experience.
Later, the Caro y Cuervo Institute began offering a โSpanish as a foreign language teaching certificate. I received the certification. Additionally, I obtained certification from the Cervantes Institute as an examiner for the DELE exam, (proficiency of the Spanish language exam).
I know that the Caro y Cuervo Institute currently has a masterโs degree for language graduates, they also offer an online masterโs degree to continue training. Either of those would be a good option for those who already live or plan to come to Korea and want to train as teachers.
There are also other universities in Bogotรก and Medellรญn that offer this program to be a teacher of Spanish as a foreign language. They are both part of a government strategy to make Colombia a Spanish learning destination for international students.
Even with all this, it is important to remember that experience is the most important thing in the teaching profession.
Was in necessary to apostille your univerisy degree?
It is not my case, but I would say that it is recommended.
How big do you think the demand for Spanish teachers in Korea is?
For economic and tourism reasons, in recent years Spanish has gained more and more strength. I would say that the concentration of demand is in the cities of Seoul and Busan. This is mainly because there are renowned universities that have Spanish programs in those areas.
Where can you find Spanish teaching jobs in Korea?
I recommend reviewing social networks and other platforms where students and teachers connect. Also looking for job opportunities at universities where languages โโare taught and Spanish programs are offered.
What is important to highlight on your resume to increase your chances of being hired as a Spanish teacher in Korea?
If it is to work in universities, it is important to show academic diplomas, especially at the masterโs level. Personally, for the near future I plan to do a masterโs degree in Spanish as a foreign language to complete my profile, one must always continue training.
If you want to teach independently, diplomas like the one I mentioned from the Caro y Cuervo Institute are very useful. Also, having good reviews or recommendations from students helps a lot, especially since reviews are very important culturally for Koreans.
Finally, in both cases, experience positions you better among other teaching candidates.
What recommendations would you give to someone who wants to teach Spanish in Korea?
I would like to give two essential recommendations:
First, you need to know the Spanish language very well. I recommend studying a lot of grammar to have a theoretical base so that you can understand the studentsโ questions. Good spelling is also required, in Korea students are very detailed.
Second, something that works well for me: Before teaching, make Korean students lose their fear of error. There is no learning without error, but Korean students are often afraid of making mistakes, and that can inhibit them from speaking.
Finally, I would like to invite you not to be discouraged. When you first begin it is really difficult. You can start as an independent, gain experience, and then enter the industry.
Save a lot so that you can continue training and studying to better your teaching abilities!
In conclusion, working in Korea as a Spanish teacher is not exactly easy. But, if you are trained and know how to look for opportunities, it is totally possible.
I hope that the given information will be of great help to you or someone you know.
Professor Cristianโs Contact information:
Email: profecristianspanish@gmail.com
Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/EHEspanishDirector
Want to get more perspectives on teaching Spanish in Korea? Click Here to read one womanโs perspective on being an English teacher in South Korea.
