Site Search:
 
Speak Korean Now!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Sogang Korean Course for Waygookin
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> FAQ
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
krymson



Joined: 25 Jan 2008

PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rooster, I'd like to buy you a beer because that is exactly my philosophy.

I'm 80% through the level 1 of Seoul national university's Korean course. learned a lot of useful stuff since it's my first korean course but considering whether to go to level 2 or just get a job here and learn the rest through immersion.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
coralreefer_1



Joined: 19 Jan 2009

PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

delete-
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gtanime



Joined: 10 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am currently studying at the Regular A program of Yonsei and I can describe what "The Real Deal" is here..

I counted how many words we learned at level 1 which is a set of vocabulary provided by the school and the so many words you have to learn that are in the book. There were around 1700 words for a 10 weeks program. Pretty good I think, because you can learn 30 every day and repeat them at the weekends. The problem here is not to keep up with the vocabulary but with the grammar. I am currently in level 2, struggling to pass to level 3. This is my last week prior finals and I have to learn 6 conversation to recite infront of class prior finals, also I had to learn an entire song with the dance to sing it last week infront of 300 people. I have 2 finals this week (grammar and listening) and 2 more next week (conversation and reading). On top of that, the school does not give you vocabulary anymore, you have to gather your own, they doesnt even tell you to do it.

We learn 2 grammar patterns everyday, and around 15 words per day, regarding a certain situation in you daily life (post office, bank, sick, etc), next day is another 2 patterns, another 15 words, and another situation. Too much stuff, level 1 and 2 we have learned 130 grammar patterns (im not lying, I have my copies here with me).

I still can't talk at all, even tho I can say stuff, I can't make a compound sentence without having the need to think it for 5 to 10 seconds. If I dont pass this, Im going to Sogang. I guess with the 200 something patterns I have learned, is gonna be easy to have 3 hours of speaking at sogang. At yonsei they say is "one hour" daily but basically is not even 15 minutes, because the teacher ask one question to all 14 of us, and we have time only to answer one sentence using the pattern we are studying.

I thought Yonsei would be better (for me) to study, but I guess I have to try a different method. Yonsei method is more for people who have the same grammar or sentence structure (like japanese), not to Spanish speakers like myself. Ironically enough, my English has improve since I came to Korea, because the Sinchon Area is packed with foreigners. Want to speak Korea, get out of sinchon and move to places which foreginers are scarse... I might go to Daegu after I finish my Korean courses, to practice.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
rooster_2006



Joined: 14 Oct 2007

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 5:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gtanime wrote:
I am currently studying at the Regular A program of Yonsei and I can describe what "The Real Deal" is here..

I counted how many words we learned at level 1 which is a set of vocabulary provided by the school and the so many words you have to learn that are in the book. There were around 1700 words for a 10 weeks program. Pretty good I think, because you can learn 30 every day and repeat them at the weekends. The problem here is not to keep up with the vocabulary but with the grammar. I am currently in level 2, struggling to pass to level 3. This is my last week prior finals and I have to learn 6 conversation to recite infront of class prior finals, also I had to learn an entire song with the dance to sing it last week infront of 300 people. I have 2 finals this week (grammar and listening) and 2 more next week (conversation and reading). On top of that, the school does not give you vocabulary anymore, you have to gather your own, they doesnt even tell you to do it.
Ah, fond memories! All-nighters in PC방 eating 불고기버거 and cramming words for the midterm or final in the morning... It was a ritual I went through many times, even though I swore I'd be more responsible with my time management next time.

And I remember, when I went, we still had cassette tapes for listening practice. No joke. They finally phased out the old textbook and the tapes the term I graduated (I was deathly afraid of failing Level 6 because I knew that if I had to repeat it, I'd be doing it with an entirely new curriculum and would likely fail again -- I was ecstatic when I passed my writing subject by a margin of 2% -- I came so close to flunking).

- YSKLI graduate, class of '08 (and not gonna let anybody forget it, either Laughing )

Our Level 2 song was "사랑스러워." I have gotten so much mileage out of that song. That song continued to serve me for YEARS. I sang it basically every time I went to noraebang with my friends. I swear it helped me with at least a couple of the women I dated, as well.

In Seoul, I once sang that song at a public Korea Telecom booth. The executive of the booth later hired me to teach his kids part-time.

In fact, I even stumbled upon a Korean-owned karaoke joint in Taipei and busted out "사랑스러워" for a crowd of Taiwanese. And got me plenty of free beer.

I hated memorizing that song and waving pom-poms made by a bunch of Japanese girls at the time, but the long term benefits of having that song burned into my brain were really worth it.

Quote:
We learn 2 grammar patterns everyday, and around 15 words per day, regarding a certain situation in you daily life (post office, bank, sick, etc), next day is another 2 patterns, another 15 words, and another situation. Too much stuff, level 1 and 2 we have learned 130 grammar patterns (im not lying, I have my copies here with me).

I still can't talk at all, even tho I can say stuff, I can't make a compound sentence without having the need to think it for 5 to 10 seconds. If I dont pass this, Im going to Sogang. I guess with the 200 something patterns I have learned, is gonna be easy to have 3 hours of speaking at sogang. At yonsei they say is "one hour" daily but basically is not even 15 minutes, because the teacher ask one question to all 14 of us, and we have time only to answer one sentence using the pattern we are studying.

I thought Yonsei would be better (for me) to study, but I guess I have to try a different method. Yonsei method is more for people who have the same grammar or sentence structure (like japanese), not to Spanish speakers like myself. Ironically enough, my English has improve since I came to Korea, because the Sinchon Area is packed with foreigners. Want to speak Korea, get out of sinchon and move to places which foreginers are scarse... I might go to Daegu after I finish my Korean courses, to practice.
You're right, the Yonsei University KLI curriculum is an absolute fire hose -- they shoot words and grammar points at you so fast, it's impossible to learn them all. I was very stressed in those days, so I can sympathize.

However, I can console you by saying this:

- In later levels, there will be almost no new grammar. By the time you hit Level 5 or 6, you'll learn almost no new grammar at all (ridiculously large amounts of vocabulary will take its place). In Level 7 (the post-graduation level) we didn't learn any grammar formally at all.

- The difficulty surge from Level 1 to Level 2 is immense, and the difficulty continues to ramp up, BUT at a much slower rate (the next time you'll be shocked is around Level 4's final or Level 5). To give you an idea, here were my semester grades for the six levels of Course A:
Level 1: 98%
Level 2: 89% (9% drop)
Level 3: 84% (only a 5% drop)
Level 4: 76% (an 8% drop)
Level 5: 74% (a 2% drop)
Level 6: 75% (Yay! I got better!)
Level 7 (post-graduation): 80% (YAHOO! First B in years!)

If I had to do it all again, though, I wouldn't have done a university program. I simply would have attended a Korean hagwon part-time and spent extensive time on my own learning vocabulary based on frequency and what I actually encountered. I don't like having a course dictate to me which words I have to learn, blocking my brain from being able to accommodate what I want it to accommodate.

I have to say, I agree with you that there is not nearly enough speaking practice in those classes. Basically they just explain the grammar to you, have you crank out (at best) one sentence, and then BYE-BYE! You never practice it again in class...

To be honest, nearly all grammar learned after Level 3 or 4 is useless, anyways.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
sevenseven7



Joined: 27 Nov 2010

PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 1:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not really related to course material, but do you get access to the fitness centres when you are enrolled in these uni programs? I've heard gyms with freeweights are not common.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bobbybigfoot



Joined: 05 May 2007
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 2:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

tenninjas wrote:
I've been using the online resources from Sogang on the recommendation of two friends who have been tutoring me, and I have to say I find it to be quite good material.


I find the Sogang online website to be outdated and not overly enjoyable. The audio is often messed up and the speed is too fast for a beginner. It's just not very well laid out, in my opinion.

I hear people praising Sogang, but I remain skeptical. If they can't bother to update a 14 year old website, why would I bother signing up for their classes?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
sm



Joined: 23 Apr 2012

PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 3:32 am    Post subject: update Reply with quote

Is anyone taking a Sogang course currently? How much does a semester cost?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
DaeguNL



Joined: 08 Sep 2009

PostPosted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 9:45 pm    Post subject: Re: update Reply with quote

sm wrote:
Is anyone taking a Sogang course currently? How much does a semester cost?


currently 1,740,000 per semester
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> FAQ All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Page 5 of 5

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

TEFL International Supports Dave's ESL Cafe
TEFL Courses, TESOL Course, English Teaching Jobs - TEFL International