Korean Job Discussion Forums

heeckan · Joined: 10 Sep 2006 Location: Seoul

Here's the scoop,
My g/f is privately teaching this older guy whose English is pretty good, but he just has trouble understanding expressions/ idioms and slang. Does anybody know of a good book for this type of thing? We went to Bandi & Looni's (spelling?) last week and couldn't find anything that great.
Please let me know.
Thanks

koala5 · Joined: 21 Aug 2006

The best idioms/expressions I have ever seen is the one I bought recently. It is called idiom 1000 written Ron Seiber. It is only 6000 won but it is the most useful idioms and how to use them in a sentence. the problem most Koreans have with learning idioms is they think they have to learn all of them. You have to be able to explain to the student that the book is just a guide. Reading books or watching movies in English ( with no Korean subtitles) is their best way to actually improve their Idiom usage. In my experience most students try to memorise a hole idiom book when they study and then use it when they meet a native person, but that native person never really uses that idiom in every day English.

that is just my 2 cents worth.

thanks hope this helps

JeJuJitsu · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Location: McDonald's

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

You know....this is going to sound really student "unfriendly" but I think the time and energy would be better spent explaining to the student that unless he travels much and spends much time in an English only environment or watches copious amounts of TV/reads exclusively English newspapers/magazines.................learning idioms out of context is just beating a dead cat over the head......a waste of energy.

I mean that sincerely. I have lots of experience and unless it is just for a test, it really isn't retained as "usable" unless learned in context. So much that is too subtle about their use, so more often than not, even if they think they can use them in conversation, their idiom comes out like a lame duck.

That said, if they insist, newspapers are great for finding, analyzing idioms. I also have a ppt on my site about idioms.

Cheers,

DD

Pak Yu Man · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Location: The Ida galaxy

There is a series called Slangman. I use this for my advanced students.
Try to find that. It's a good book and fun for the kids...er students.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Those Texan "sayings" are great!

I agree with DD, pointless to memorize a bunch without context. Like memorizing a ton of vocab for a test, but not speaking or understanding simple spoken sentences.

rockstarsmooth · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Location: anyang, baybee!

the all clear series is pretty great. there are 3 levels, and all idioms are presented in context, as well as clearly defined. i've been using it for about 5 years now, and i've had a lot of positive feedback on it. it's available at kyobo bookstore, tapes are available also.
rss Cool

right now i'm listening to: ted leo and the pharmacists - little dawn

Greekfreak · Joined: 25 May 2003

Casey Malarcher's "Everyday Idioms" is a decent set--I've got the original and the 2nd edition which is thicker and they've got indices in the back. In full colour, and lots of funny cartoons to make the silly points a moot point.

'Slangman' is hard to go through; I've found I use a chapter once in a while, but the whole book is a bit much.

heeckan · Joined: 10 Sep 2006 Location: Seoul

Thanks for the ideas, everybody.
We're gonna hit the book stores today and look for those books. I like the other ideas too and will probably use them in my classes. However, the guy my g/f is teaching is a bit of a stiff. You know the whole "it's not real teaching unless there's a book involved" frame of mind.
Anyways, thanks again... Have a great weekend.
Cheers