Korean Job Discussion Forums

[weatherman]

I think the hardest part about teaching at Korean universities is getting the students, especial in the advanced classes to participate in their learning. Right now I am teaching the advanced class at my university, and I am finding that the students are having a hard time warming up to the fact that they have to try and speak English during class time. I realize that in most of their classes they just sit their not doing very much, but in my class they have to participate, or really my lesson plans falls apart. In the past I have tried different seating arrangements, played some George Winston as background music, joked around with them for the first ten minutes of class, and basically the students are in a good and happy kibun, until they have to practice the lesson taught that day. The good mood of the class changes to one of intractable obstinacy to using English to do various tasks. I know they speak OK, for they chat a little before and after class with me, so I know they can at least accomplish the tasks I ask them to do, but they don't, and this makes for bad class kibun. Good class kibun is what keeps you employed in Korea, (my opinion) and I am pretty down about the advanced classes personality. Do you have any suggestions?

[Ya-ta Boy]

Getting a class to gell is one of the tricks of the trade. It doesn't always work, and then the class is a pain for all concerned. If someone could distill the formula, he/she'd make a fortune.

Some of the things I do in smaller classes:

a. Have students change partners several times each class for the first week or so, till everyone 'knows' each other. Koreans seem to be painfully shy and forcing them to overcome it in as non-threatening a way as possible and as rapidly as possible, helps the whole atomosphere.

b. Use your creativity to think of ways to match people up. Best if it requires them to ask one or two questions. Example: Have everyone write down a number between 300 and 400. Then tell them this is their weight. They have to find a partner with the 'weight' closest to theirs.

c. If the chairs are sturdy, put them in a line and have the students stand on them. Then ask that they arrange themselves by height without stepping on the floor. (You can also use this to teach the phrase "cop a feel")

d. Make sure the activities you are using require them to speak. Give "A" and "B" different information that the other needs.

e. Team competitions often make for a lively activity. You can turn almost any grammar point into a tic-tac-toe game.

Hope you can glean some inspiration for your own strategies from mine. Good luck.

[Rand Al Thor]

Make participation part of the grade and not just teacher evaluation, but self-evaluation and peer evaluation. Have them evaluate thier participation daily. Monthy, have them write the names of the 3 best participators in class and hand it in to you. This may create a little more work, but when students get low grades they have no one to blame but themselves.

I use this in combination with a number of techniques, some which were hit upon by Ya-ta boy. I would suggest buying and extensively using some of these books:

Classroom Dynamics by Jill Hadfield
RolePlay by Porter Ladhousse
Keep Talking by Friedrike Klippel
Learner-based Teaching by Colin Campbell & Hanna Kryszewska

You can find all of the above books at Kyobo, English +, or Young Poong bookstores

[weatherman]

I use three of the books mentioned above, Classroom Dynamics by Jill Hadfield, Keep Talking by Friedrike Klippel, and RolePlay by Porter Ladhousse. I am have them change partners often, using information gap activities, and some role play and group discussions. I go over the target language and structures they might encounter while preforming these activities. I find that of my two advanced classes I am only having this problem with one of them, the regular day students at the university and not the night students, who are a kick-arse bunch. The day class is a little lower in skill level but not that much. I like your suggestion of peer evaluation tied into the total grade. I also think a need to add more of a competition element into this class, and really all my classes. Thanks.

[angela]

You could do a search on www.google.ca for "ice breakers". There are lots of good ideas on how to dissolve the social "ice" in a new group. Some of them work, some of them don't. I also have the students sit "boy-girl-boy-girl." Even the older ones secretly love it. You will see a little smile on everyone's face. I try not to have friends sit together. When they are separated, they usually talk to their neighbors more. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I try to do a little match-making by noticing who might have their eye on someone in the class. You will have perfect attendance if you do it right. Koreans are such romantics.

[angela]

Oh yeah, ESLCAFE also has ice breakers listed. Found this out on the www.google.ca search.