Binghamton University student finds calling teaching English in South Korea

Melanie Piacente had never traveled far beyond her Long Island home until she arrived in Binghamton in the fall of 2018. Due to her working-class background, she thought traveling was beyond her means. However, five years later, she would follow her dream of being a global traveler living and working in East Asia.

Initially an undeclared major, Piacente took a linguistics class during her sophomore year on a friend's recommendation and enjoyed it so much that she declared as a linguistics major with the goal of teaching. Then, during her senior year, she took a graduate-level method and assessment course with Hoe Kyeung Kim, associate professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership, that solidified her decision to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

"Although my undergraduate degree went well, I had never before had such a strong feeling for a class as I did this one," said Piacente. "With Dr. Kim's encouragement I felt like I could truly go after what I wanted if I kept an open mind and continued to learn."

By spring 2023, Piacente was enrolled in the MA TESOL program and teaching an adult GED course through the Binghamton City School District. As part of the program, she also had the opportunity to hear from TESOL professionals who were currently or had previously taught abroad, including Rebecca Zajac, then part of the Fleishman Career Center, who had participated in the English Program in Korea (EPIK) in South Korea.

"Rebecca's presentation about the EPIK program was really powerful," said Piacente. "I always thought that travel or teaching abroad was way out of my reach, mostly due to finances. But with the support of Rebecca and Dr. Kim, I realized that I could actually live out this dream."

"Melanie Teacher, take our picture!" Piacente's students during recess. EPIK is a government-sponsored program to improve the English-speaking abilities of students and teachers in South Korea. Because the program is supported and administered by the National Institute for International Education (NIIE) under the Ministry of Education in Korea, there are many benefits, including accommodations, settlement allowance and monthly stipend plus renewal bonuses and medical insurance, and it is highly competitive. A recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) partnership with the NIIE offers special consideration for Binghamton University students in the MA TESOL program to teach in the EPIK PLUS program.

While Seoul, Korea's largest city, is a desired location, EPIK PLUS encompasses recruitment efforts to place teachers in more rural provinces in the south with fully paid internships. Piacente is in the southernmost province, Jeollaman-do, in the port city of Yeosu. However, Piacente says that what passes for rural in South Korea is much different than rural areas in the U.S. "Even in really small towns, there is public transportation and grocery stores, markets, shops and many restaurants all within walking distance," she said.

Piacente teaches English four days a week at an all-boys middle school, working with students ages 12 to 15. One day per week, she teaches at the neighboring all-girls school. She explains that initially, she struggled with student attention due to negative and dismissive attitudes from her students - a holdover from previous foreign teachers, who only taught to interested students, letting other students do what they wanted. It also didn't help that Piacente came in during the middle of a school year when it was more challenging to establish ground rules.

So, Piacente began engaging her students outside of the classroom, prioritizing learning their names, playing sports with them during lunch breaks and chatting with them in the hallways between classes. And when the new school year began in March, Piacente established a set of standards and expectations. She also learned some classroom and conversational Korean.

"In the beginning, I spent a lot of energy walking around the classroom to make sure my students were staying on track and completing the assignment," she said. "But after a while, my efforts paid off, and students would come in prepared to work even without explicit instruction."

Kim notes the significant impact Piacente has had on her students and fellow teachers: "Her dedication to teaching and genuine care for her students (who had little motivation to learn English) have earned her their admiration, making her one of the most beloved teachers among her students."

Taco Tuesday: Students enjoy their first tacos as part of Piacente's lesson plan. In May 2024, when Piacente's initial contract was ending, she had some decisions to make: either sign on for another year or return to the U.S. to complete her final semester at Binghamton. She was also fielding a job offer as a middle school homeroom teacher in the Binghamton School District. But in the end, she decided that she wasn't ready to leave. She felt like she was just starting to connect with her students and making new friendships.

"The first six months here were an adjustment period," Piacente said, "but once I settled in, I really started to feel like part of the community here in Yeosu. I also found a good group of friends with other English teachers, all of whom were staying on for another year. I felt that if I left now, I would miss out on so many school activities, field trips, student festivals and graduation."

Piacente has made good use of her time, traveling around South Korea and fully immersing herself in her new city and culture. She also sees the experience as aiding her professional and personal growth.

"I have learned to go with the flow and be more confident," said Piacente. "Being in this type of situation has shown me that I can handle whatever comes my way. Whatever happens, I'll be okay and know how to make the most of it."

When asked about her future, Piacente expressed interest in working in the New York City metro area. However, she hasn't ruled out teaching English in another country.

"Ideally, I'd love to work in Brooklyn, as they have a rather large immigrant population," Piacente said. "I'd love to be a homeroom teacher in a middle school. But the field, in general, is so rewarding that I think I would be happy with wherever I end up."

For more information about the EPIK PLUS program at Binghamton University or the 4+1 Accelerated TESOL Program, contact Hoe Kyeung Kim.

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