This study investigates the core competencies required of Korean secondary-school English teachers and how they perceive these competencies in terms of importance, applicability, and teachers’ competency level ahead of implementing the 2015 revised national English curriculum in secondary schools. After the literature research, interviews, and expert review processes, five core competencies were extracted: curriculum and content reorganization competency; learner-centered teaching competency; innovative assessment competency; multicultural (intercultural) education competency; and information literacy and ICT use. From the results of a survey administered to 93 secondary school English teachers, it was found that the perceived competency level was lower than required, but it was higher than applicability. Overall, teachers felt insecure about how to apply the required competencies to their lessons. There was also a difference between middle school teachers and high school teachers in the self-rating results. These results provide implications for teacher preparation and the direction of teacher education toward the successful implementation of the 2015 revised curriculum.

Teachers’ job satisfaction is a crucial factor to determine the quality of education in that it affects their dedication and participation. While teachers’ job satisfaction in general has been widely investigated, subject-related job satisfaction has been sparsely explored. Thus, this study investiaged both general and subject-related job satisfaction and compared them. A total of 117 secondary English teachers in Seoul participated in a survey which measures job satisfaction in terms of seven factors: relationship with people, job duties, work environments, opportunities for professional development, compensations, administration systems, and recognitions. Overall, the participants showed a modest level of satisfaction in both general and subjet-related jobs. Yet, subject-related job satisfaction was higher than general job satisfaction. They were particularly satisfied with their relationship with students and teachers. They also showed high satisfaction with recognition they receive as a teacher as well as an English teacher. In contrast, they were dissatisfied with compensations and workloads in general, and the number of students in charge and administrative support in teaching English. Finally, their job satisfaction was affected by gender, school type, position, and marriage. Based on the results, suggestions to enhance secondary English teachers’ job satisfaction were made.

The present study aims to seek ways of activating teaching consulting by investigating how primary and secondary English teachers perceive consulting. A survey was conducted to investigate the current state of English teaching consulting at schools and to identify needs to be met for effective consulting. 157 primary and 107 secondary English teachers took part in the survey using a questionnaire. The major findings from the data analysis are summarized as follows: (1) teaching consulting is not widely accepted as significant in professional development yet, and teaching consulting is not likely to be done voluntarily; (2) there is lack of professional consultants; (3) the administration process involved in consulting needs to be truncated and made simple; (4) the evaluation of consulting needs to be fed back in improving teaching and professional learning; and (5) teachers’ voluntary involvement in consulting and cooperative professional development are considered to be important to activate and sustain consulting. Some measures are suggested to vitalize consulting in English teaching at schools and directions for future research are discussed.

A new in-service teaching certificate system, the TEE Certificate system, was launched for Korean teachers of English with the aim of encouraging them to use English in their daily teaching practice. This study attempts to investigate key issues regarding the current development of the TEE Certificate system and addresses the implications for a successful TEE policy in Korea. It employs document analysis produced by the Ministry of Education, Science and Teclmology and to key Regional Offices of Education and semi-structured interviews with 15 supervisors, 11 teachers and 2 TEE Certificate examiners. The research findings suggest that there is a gap regarding the aims of the TEE Certificate system among stakeholders, leading to the different attitudes toward it. Those who have positive perceptions of the system see it as a tool for encouraging Korean teachers of English to develop their English language teaching competence. On the other hand, those who have negative attitudes see the negative aspects such as another type of burden on teachers and even the possibility of a form of lay-off. The new strategies of how to use the system are required to make it play a proper role in terms of the provision of an English-fi'iendly learning environment and supporting teachers' professional development.

This study investigates English teacher-learners' perceptions of secondary English teacher roles. Seventy English teacher-learners' responses to a teacher role questionnaire and focus group interviews are analyzed to find out the teacher-learners' perception of the teacher roles in classroom teaching, around school, and outside school in the professional communities. The analysis shows that the teacher-learners perceive their future teacher roles as communication facilitating, and at the same time knowledge transmitting. The teacher-learners seek teacher roles of much control over the classroom, be it communication pursuing or knowledge transmitting, believing in teacher authority and being self-conscious over their English proficiency. In addition, the teacher-learners reveal keen interest in roles in the professional field beyond the confines of school. The study stresses as its conclusion that while positively influenced by communicative language teaching (CLT) principles. The teacher-learners have notable reservations about the student-centered English classroom. Suggestions are made in the areas of secondary English education including teacher support systems, and English teacher education.

This paper demonstrates the findings of an investigation into Korean secondary school English teachers’ practices and perceptions regarding writing instruction. The research employs in-depth interviews with a small number of teachers to identify: (a) teachers’ practices of writing instruction and assessment in the classroom; (b) teachers’ perceptions of writing instruction; (c) teachers’ evaluation of students’ writing abilities; and (d) teachers’ concerns or problems in teaching of writing. The results indicate that there exist discrepancies among teachers’ practices, perceptions, the National Curriculum and the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT): the curriculum provides writing goals that are too high for students; teachers cannot help focusing on low-level features of writing mainly due to students’ poor writing ability; and teachers and students do not have an urgent necessity to teach and learn writing, since writing is not tested in the CSAT. The paper concludes by providing implications and suggestions for future development of writing instruction in the Korean secondary school English classroom.

The national curriculum for English in Korea emphasizes the development of communicative competence through the use of task-based learning and communicative activities that suit the student’s needs and levels, as well as the integration of the four skills. This not only requires sophisticated teaching skills, but also a high degree of proficiency in English. The English Teacher Selection Test, which is meant to select quality English teachers, has never been free from being criticized for its lack of validity, consistency, and proper feedback. This study thus analyzes the English Teacher Selection Test items from 2004 to 2006 in terms of percentages of different fields of major and suggests some ideas to make the Test more efficient in serving its purpose, which is selecting quality English teachers.

본 연구는 한국인 중등 영어교사(KETs) 2명과 원어민 영어보조교사(NETs) 2명의 의견을 바탕으로, 현재 코티칭 수업에 대한 그들의 시각에 대해 논의한다. 한국에서의 개인적 교수경험을 기초로 한 코칭에 대한 정의, 코티칭에 대한 현재의 태도를 결정하는 데 영향을 끼친 요소들, 더 나은 코티칭 수업을 위해 필요한 점에 대한 그들의 의견을 온라인 비디오 인터뷰를 통해 수집하였으며, 동료검토 과정(Peer debriefing session)을 통해 분석하였다. 자료 분석 결과, 네 명의 영어교사 모두가 코티칭의 개념, 코티칭 수업의 목표, 어떻게 코티칭 수업을 하고 피드백을 공유할 지에 대한 명확한 합의에 도달하지 못하였으며, 그 실천 가능한 방법을 배울 기회가 부족했다. 그로 인해, 한국인 중등 영어교사와 원어민 영어교사 사이 수업에 대한 주인의식(Sense of ownership)이 불균형하고, 코티칭에 대한 서로의 의견이 암묵적으로 불일치하는 상황이 야기되었다. 또한 원어민 교사와의 코티칭 관련 협의 과정에서 어려움을 경험한 바 있었다. 한국인 영어교사들은 코티칭 수업에 대한 진지한 의견을 공유 하려는 시도 자체가, 그들의 원어민 영어보조교사들에 의해 "방해 (혹은 간섭)”으로 받아들여질 것이 라고 생각하고 있었다. 또한, 네 명의 참여자들 모두 코티칭에 필요한 요소인 협력하는 방법을 제대로 연수 할 기회가 없었다는 것을 인터뷰 분석을 통해 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 연구 결과를 바탕으로 영어 코티칭 교사들 사이에 건설적인 협의를 할 수 있는 방향을 제시한다.