How Do I Become a Korean Tutor?

A Korean tutor helps individuals improve their skills with the Korean language. To land this job, you will typically need an expert-level grasp of Korean, which you may gain naturally, such if you are a native speaker or were raised in a bilingual household. Otherwise, you may do well to take classes in the language as a child and then go on to study it in college. Additionally, immersion clubs and visits to Korea may help you build the language skills you need to become a Korean tutor.

To become a Korean tutor, you will need expertise with the Korean language. Before you can successfully help another person learn this language, you will need a firm grasp of it yourself. This typically means you will have to not only speak the language fluently, but also write it well and have translation skills. In many cases, it helps if you are a native Korean speaker or grew up in a bilingual household. If not, however, you can take classes to gain a good grasp of this language.

If you do not have a background in Korean, you will likely need to take classes to prepare for becoming a tutor. Some experts assert that people retain more of what they learn when they begin studying a language at a young age. This may mean beginning to learn Korean while you are in elementary, middle, or high school. Then, you can go on to study Korean in college as well. While some employers or tutoring clients may not require you to have a degree, earning one may provide you with the level of knowledge you need to become a successful tutor.

Earning teacher certification in Korean may help your career prospects if you hope to work for a school or college. This isn't often a mandatory requirement for tutoring, however. Instead, some employers may consider it a bonus.

As you work to become a Korean tutor, you might benefit from making sure your education is well rounded. This means learning not only how to speak, read, and write the language, but also building your knowledge of related subjects. For example, you might do well to study Korean history, geography, and culture, as these subjects may prove important to your students once you become a tutor. Likewise, you may do well to learn traditional Korean customs.

Though formal education can matter a good deal when you want to become a Korean tutor, you might also benefit from learning about the language, culture, and customs firsthand. For example, you could consider a visit to Korea, during which you can learn more about the country, language, and people. If you have the opportunity to become a foreign exchange student, you can learn a good deal this way as well. In the event that you cannot visit Korea, joining a language immersion club could help you improve your skills.