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What teaching materials to bring?

 
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CanKorea



Joined: 23 Jun 2003
Location: Pyeongchon

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 12:27 am    Post subject: What teaching materials to bring? Reply with quote

Hello, just got a call from my school and they want me next week. I said "oh...ok" (still in shock) and I'm going to try and relax. I'm not used to Korean business tactics despite being raised in a pseudo-Korean household.

What suggestions do you all have for teaching materials to bring over? I think I'm teaching mainly elementary students. And some middle school.
Any help is GREATLY appreciated.
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BTM



Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Back in the saddle.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 12:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you're going to a major centre, these days there are bookstores with *stacks* of ELT materials. I don't teach kids (don't teach bugger-all at the moment, being unemployed Shocked ), so I'm not sure.

One perennial time-waster no no sorry I mean learning activity that many of my coworkers (and me too) used back in the hagwon days was Scrabble and other games of that ilk. Years ago, you couldn't buy it here, but I'm not sure if that's changed these days or not.

I would bring loads of pictures of your family, your hometown, all of that. Great stuff to break the ice with a class, depending on their age and the class size...
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ratslash



Joined: 08 May 2003

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 1:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

don't bring a thing. don't need too. fotos like reply 1 says are good for ice breaking. you can get scrabble, boggle and all kinds of books and other games here in seoul. but then again, scrabble and other similar games are expensive here. so if you can slip an old one into your bag then you might save yourself a little bot of money. otherwise, leave it at home.
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kimcheeking
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 1:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The most important thing is to bring a steel plate to protect your bum-hole from all those evil dong-chim's

other than that bring plenty of energy and enthusiasm... also do some reading on theory and practical ideas before you come or at the very minimum bring a book and start reading it on the plane.
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ratslash



Joined: 08 May 2003

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

not really got a lot to add to this post apart from to agree with kimcheeking.

the real reason i'm writing is that this is my 100th post! oh, the little joys of living in seoul. they keep you sane!
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CanKorea



Joined: 23 Jun 2003
Location: Pyeongchon

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys, I may cruise around for some games and such..and I think I'll try to bring some magazines as well. My last class loved magazines.

The director also told me bringing things wasn't necessary but I hate to be totally unprepared.
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crazylemongirl



Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm going to do a waterbaby impression and suggest that you visit her most excellent FAQ's or more specifically the What teaching materials to bring as a newbie thread.

CLG
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chronicpride



Joined: 16 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 10:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

CanKorea wrote:


The director also told me bringing things wasn't necessary


That's one of the only honest things that I've heard a director being quoted. I think there's a couple of esl bookstores in this country Wink . No seriously, Korea is arguably the biggest producer, publisher, and importer of english teaching material in the world. You can find whatever you need once you're over here.

Your school probably had the foresight to get some teaching material prior to opening up their doors.
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VanIslander



Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2003 5:51 am    Post subject: Tip: Bring many small, unique gifts as prizes and examples Reply with quote

Here are some gifts that have served me well in the classroom as learning aids and as prizes for the students.

POSTCARDS. These are great lesson and review tools, and after you can give them away! Anything with husky dogs, polar bears, baby seals, baby foxes, baby anything, moose, beavers, the B.C. Rockies, the RCMP, parliamentary guards, hockey goalies. My students almost never choose postcards of the prairies, rivers, cities, adult deer or owls.

STICKERS. Most of my younger students work very hard at their exercises to earn the right to choose first, second or third the sticker they get to keep. Anything with special themes or Canadian images, or English words.

COINS. I used them in lessons about numbers, money, 'flipping', 'sailboat', 'beaver', 'maple leaf', 'queen', 'silver'. More importantly, students value the money and they make great prizes.

STAMPS. One-, two-, and five-cent stamps are an incredible goldmine because they are cheap, come in great variety, and can help students with numbers, money and mail lessons. It combines the features of stickers with the value of money. Very Popular.

FOUR-COLOUR PENS. My students freak over the fourth, green colour that is missing on the three-colour variety found around here. Any school supplies that are clearly foreign will be appreciated.

THEMED SMALL ERASERS. Pencils here have no erasers on the end so erasers are one way the competitive students make fashion statements.

CANDY. Small, fruity (or cola) candy with distinctively foreign wrapper. Avoid minty or licorice flavours.

COFFEE CRISP MINI-BARS. This originally Canadian chocolate bar has been a big hit with my students. (Can you find them outside of Halloween season?)

COMICS. Photocopy a few dozen comic books and they can be great learning aids. It's the one thing I wish I had brought and will stock up on next time.

ADVERTISEMENTS. I have had great success capturing student interest with magazine, newspaper and t.v. ads. The pictures are colourful and the words are simple and largely displayed.

Of course, none of these items are necessary for teaching though they sure help:!:

There is a kind of gift you should bring if you want to honour Korean tradition: gifts for when you visit someone's home, and of course, when you first meet your director and staff. CIGARETTES are highly valued, especially with those funny warning labels. ALCOHOL. A couple of those tiny bottles of "Alberta Premium" whiskey or B.C. wines will be appreciated (though beer more so). MAPLE SYRUP is a novelty item that has served me well. A WATCH. Many Koreans see watches as fashion statements and even a cheap Zellers brand can impress. SPICY HOT SAUCE. A small bottle of Texas hot sauce would surprise many Koreans who 'know' Westerners don't like spicy food. A PACKET OF INSTANT GRAVY would have to come with an explanation as to what it is and what it is to be used with. LIPTON'S CHICKEN NOODLE would be educational as the Canadian product closest to the Korean staple of ramyeon.

Happy packing Surprised
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CanKorea



Joined: 23 Jun 2003
Location: Pyeongchon

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2003 8:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hadn't really thought through the idea of bringing a gift. I suppose it would look well to do so though.

Looks like I have a lot of shopping ahead of me if I want to be fully prepared. I have 4 days so I'll have to be selective. We'll see I guess.

Thanks for the help guys, I do really appreciate it.

Take care, I leave bright and early on Wed. morning (7:40!)
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mokpochica



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Location: Ann Arbor, MI

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2003 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CanKorea wrote:
I hadn't really thought through the idea of bringing a gift. I suppose it would look well to do so though.


Bringing a gift is recommended. If you do a search with the word 'gift' in it you can find a lot of good ideas. Bringing a gift for the director/principal and a co-teacher (if you have one) is probably the most important.

However, I've found that teachers and staff were most appreciative of the times that I brought in a special (Korean) treat for everyone though. I did this sometimes after I went on a big trip (ex: Cheju-do..brought back oranges). I also did this a couple of days before I left the school (had Korean rice cakes 'dduk' made for everyone in the school). These were the easiest gifts to give because I didn't need to use my limited luggage space and just got them right in Korea. Also, I was working in a school with a lot of teachers, many of whom didn't really care a whole lot about American candy or culture.
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canuckistan
Mod Team
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Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Location: Training future GS competitors.....

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2003 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bandi and Loonie's (sp? ha ha) bookstore at Coex mall has more English textbooks for kids than you can shake a stick at. If you're teaching kids who are in grade 7, pick a native-English speaker textbook 2, 3, or even 4 grades lower. Depends on the kids you get and that you will find out soon enough. I just buy a whole series and settle on something that's a bit above their level.
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SanatKumara



Joined: 27 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul Sister

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2003 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bring Uno cards, poker cards, and any other games you can find that are cheap and small enough to fit in your luggage.
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Wishmaster



Joined: 06 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can get Scrabble at Kyobo but it is damn expensive. I think something like 26,000 won......
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