[Denis DNT]

Thanks Sue for the insight. It's a broad topic. Your comment could pass for an introduction for a big book I imagine the title to be: Who Is An ESL Teacher? In fact, before bringing it up I knew how it was going to heat up. It's nice reading from you guys there in Korea. I teach in a Korean school located in Beijing and the experience is slightly different.
Back to the issue of "market-driven prejudice against non-native speakers" as rightly put by Susan, it is something that calls for attention especially in these modern times, with uncountable campaigns aimed at solving social problems like racism, discrimination, inequality, etc. I have been hoping that someone takes up this sensitive topic for a thesis. My experience in China and Beijing in particular is one that I will tell even to my grand children: The first school hired me in Xi'an and the boss asked me to lie to students and parents that I was American. Then I told him I couldn't do that because I loved my country and secondly because I couldn't answer the questions students would ask about America. That strained our relationship badly and I left after six months. That was my "welcome to Asia." In Beijing, after a few contacts one of them called and said my CV was quite impressive. But as soon as I finished introducing myself his only remark was: "I wonder what it will look like to have a black African teaching in class." Then he hung up on me. That night it tortured me so much that I was at the school at 7 o'clock the next morning. My plan was simple: To beg them to let me have a demo and show them how it was to have a black African teaching in class. Coincidentally some of the preferred whites they were expecting didn't turn up. So they reluctantly showed me to a classroom of giggling teenagers. As stares from all directions bore holes on my body I said to myself. "Denis, teach this one lesson and leave racist Asia."
To avoid a flood of questions all to know where I was from I started the lesson with a full introduction of myself and my origin. Then from the innermost part of my heart I taught a lesson on subject - verb agreement.
They hired me that same day. Friends convinced me to bury my anger. I taught there for four weeks. When they had seen what it was to have a black African teaching in class. They asked me to sign a full time contract. I just waited until they paid me for the four weeks I had put in and then I walked out on them to my present school where they accepted me as a teacher and not as a black African. My present school has given me a very high impression of Korea as a country and its people.
Where would you guys there in Korea place "racism" as far as ESL teaching is concerned?
Denis.

[Whistleblower]

Umm, I wouldn't really say I have encoutered racism, but I would say that I have encountered disagreements with Koreans. These Koreans are normally I wouldn't associate with though. They are bus or taxi drivers who have the guts to question me or pretend not to understand me. I think that this is very simple. They are not racist but they are just narrow-minded.

I remember when I had to take a bus home each evening and to be honest it was torture, but it did teach me the confidence to speak up in Korean. I would board the bus and tell the bus driver where I wanted to go (eg. the name of the Apartment). I was then looked at with a stare and a grunt "Uhh!". This was painful for me because I used to practice each day and night the usual sentence of where I wanted to go. After about ten months of this usual grunt of the bus driver, even though sometimes it was the same guy, I had enough. You know people can only take so much. So I spoke in my classroom voice with all aboard the bus hearing me the name of the Apartment. Nothing. Then the people on the bus started shouting to the driver the name of the bus. He even dismissed this and acted absent minded. When I got near the apartment I pointed to the Apartment and shouted "테산 (Taesan)!!!". He replied "ahhhh .... 테선 (Taeson)". I looked at him when he stopped and I said "Igouyaya" (a Korean expression used to say "you poor thing"). He got completely red and apologised. And since this experience it was so odd, I had no other problems since that incident. I used to think that the bus drivers would have bets on teasing the foreigner when he got on the bus.

Anyways, that was the worst incident I had in Korea. Of course you always have in your mind "is it me?". I think that it is not just how you think but how you really deal with the experiences that are important. If you really have something on your mind, then you should speak out. If you feel you are right just say it. But you need to act professionally, especially when dealing with the Korean English teachers. If you are right and you know you are right, then your fellow colleagues will understand your logic.

Nonetheless, I really appreciate the hardwork that non-natives provide when they teach at a school, but the teaching of English must have some relevance with experience of learning English earlier, preferably abroad. I understand that L2 must be used at a certain time to provide an understanding for the students if they find something difficult or hard to understand. However, if classes are conducted in a "Korean Style" then this is questionable. Korean classes are conducted by speaking in Korean and translating a paragraph of text. This is great if students what to be translators, but this is not good if students what to learn English. My wife's middle school student had just finished his English Exam at school. We looked at his papers and he got good results. But then we asked, "how do they test your speaking?" They don't is the answer and this is the major problem with Korean education of English. Koreans need to be more aware of English acquisition and the learning style of students. They really need to update their teaching methods if they want English as second language in Korea by 2008. But it won't work because the politicians or people in power learnt the Korean method and by them it works. They don't see the other points of view. Nonetheless, this is a great topic.