Min Jong
Language Trainers: Hello, Min Jong, thanks for sitting down with me this morning. I’d love to share some of your history and experiences with our readers and students if that’s alright with you! Let’s jump right in with an easy one: What language do you teach and why?
Min Jong: Hi. I teach Korean, and I do it not only because I am a native speaker, but because I love meeting people through the sharing of knowledge.
Language Trainers: Korean is quickly becoming more and more popular for second language speakers. What teaching qualifications and experience do you have?
Min Jong: I have a Ph.D. in composition, a TESOL qualification, and a certificate to teach secondary-level English. I’ve taught Korean and English for more than 25 years at the college/graduate-school level, at training institutes for in-service teachers, and at lifelong education institutes. Also, I have been tutoring many of my students for 10 years or more.
Language Trainers: That’s quite the resume! So, what attracted you to teach with Language Trainers instead of somewhere else? What is the best thing about teaching with us?
Min Jong: The Language Trainers staff are prompt, clear, and rational in dealing with work matters, while still being kind and courteous. And they work hard to provide me with as many students as possible.
Language Trainers: Speaking of students, what do you look for in your perfect language pupil?
Min Jong: A good attitude is all that’s necessary. A strong will and enthusiasm to learn, punctuality, and politeness.
Language Trainers: And conversely, what should students expect from you as their teacher?
Min Jong: The same—hard work, punctuality, and enthusiasm—as well as a love for my students and their success, open-mindedness, and a strong knowledge of humanities.
Language Trainers: And is there anything, in particular, you like to teach your students? Perhaps a fun Korean phrase or fact?
Min Jong: The real and original meaning of "BTS" is said to be 'The boy Scouts created by Bang, Si-hyuk'. Create it is pronounced /tan-saing-si-ki-da/. So, "BTS" is an acronym of 'Bang, Si-hyuk Tan-saing-si-kin Scouts' from Korean word order. This is the general knowledge of most Korean people, however, some other people point out that this expression is the taboo word [laughs]
Language Trainers: What is your most memorable teaching experience with Language Trainers?
Min Jong: One of my students, a British girl, has demonstrated incredible improvement in her Korean language proficiency after only 10 hours of lessons. Bear in mind, she didn’t know anything about the language at the beginning! She has always taken her learning seriously and worked hard on the homework. To see her language skills develop so quickly with my help is a huge pleasure.
Language Trainers: That’s a remarkable experience. Congratulations to you, both!
