Korean Job Discussion Forums

[katydid]

OK, this bugs me...I hate having to speak slowly to my students. I try to make a conscious effort to do that, and there are just times when I don't realize I speak fast.
I have an upper internediate adult class, and everything was going well, until about three students told me I was going too quickly. I just find it disheartening.
I have a friend who told me a teacher should go at a normal speaking pace, and maybe slow down if asked to. Does anyone know if speaking slowly will make someone learn another language faster? How can anyone go through life like that? Taxi drivers know I am not from here and they blahblahblahblah at me in Korean all the time. I've learned to listen for words I know and to ask them to repeat themselves. Worse are the "slowly speak" students weho then blahblahblah at warp speed to you in Korean when you ask where their book is.
I know it's like the hagwan/Korean school mantra, and so I am probably not going to go anywhere with any mini-crusade I decide to start. Well, maybe back to America, then, if I am too vocal. Heh.
But I remember in French class specifically learning about what two words together sounded like, and I wish we could just do the same here. This is how normal people talk. Learn to pick up the important words....
On a related note, one of my students said hi to me today in Korean and when I said "Hi, how are you?" in a friendly tone back at her, she giggled furiously, tried to scuffle away quickly from me and almost tripped over a poster strategically placed on the floor.
Ugh. Where is the emoticon of the smiley smacking her head?

[eamo]

It's all about their level isn't it?

Try talking at your normal pace to any student lower than mid-intermediate and you're wasting your time and theirs. It's a basic fact of TESL.

However, I distinctly remember the tutors on my TESL course telling us constantly to speak normally. I think they just forgot to mention that the students should be at a decent level first.

You mention how Korean taxi drivers always talk at full speed. That's so true but I think it's just inconsiderate of them to do that. Everyone knows slower is easier except Korean taxi drivers and ajumma shopkeepers.

[Sweet Zombie Jesus]

That doesn't look good for me... I'm from Australia AND generally speak very fast, and even worse alot of people here think I talk weird and have a weird accent. One of my friends family thought I sounded Canadian, even though that doesn't make any sense... I hate talking slowly, I guess they'll just have to deal with it, coz I don't think I can consistently slow down.

[Zyzyfer]

When I want to seriously talk about something important with a Korean in Korean, one of the first things I say is for them to speak slowly.

The French thing, that's a hard and fast rule that's really easy to learn. English runs together in a seemingly random fashion to anyone except ourselves.

[gang ah jee]

[BTM]

I always speak normally, unless perfect comprehension is required (ie test date or something of the kind), and even then I usually go at at least 3/4 speed, and repeat a lot.

I reckon it's the only way they're going to develop the listening skills to ever be able to understand English as she is spoke.

[jajdude]

yeah, that one has bugged me at times too, seeing that I have slowed down a good bit naturally after a few years over here. I can go real slow when I'm tired or whatever, or just frustrated at not being understood. Then..... it's...... talking....... like....... this......so....they......can.....mentally......translate.....each....word.

[Tiger Beer]

This is the #1 reason Koreans don't learn English. They demand from their teachers to speak super-slow and super-clean.. but no one from any nation on the planet speaks like that. It annoys me too, and its widespread throughout all of Korea and Japan and who knows where else.

On the other side of the coin, you have to speak like a moron at super slow-speed because if you don't you'll be pulled aside by the owners that people are complaining about your class.. they'll say either you have a strong accent or you mumble or something other than that you are actually speaking how natives speak.

But yeah, its annoying. Even more annoying is when you meet other foreigners living in Korea.. and then they start talking to you in the same way.. 'do you like beer? i like beer.. do you know beer?' and you want to yell at them and say 'i'm a damn foreigner too just give me the fucking beer you dope!' kind of thing!! hehe

[Tiger Beer]

By the way, I do what BTM does as well.. I just always speak in complete sentences refuse to Konglicize it.. and just repeat it over and over.. and insist on them doing the same.. and I'll repeat it enough and write it down on the board as well.. without comprimising a normal sentence.

I'm also like jajdude however in that my true English is completely fucked!! I speak super slow and in complete sentences everywhere I go. Even back in the States people were amazed I was born there.. they just assumed maybe I was from god-knows-where and told me that I speak a very clean English.

[katydid]

[toomuchtime]

[Tiger Beer]

[Ya-ta Boy]

It seems to me that a teacher's obligation is to do both. Speak slowly and distinctly so the students get each word's placement in the sentence, then repeat it at normal speed so they hear what it really sounds like.

One thing I do is speak a sentence at normal speed then ask what they heard. I write those words on the board along with blanks for all the missing words. Then I keep repeating the sentence and they listen for the 'missing' words. The blanks help them focus on where to listen. Then I show them where the final consonant has slid over to the following word and point out how the prepositions and articles are unstressed.

If you are an English teacher who gets frustrated because your students don't speak English, then maybe you'd better re-think your job choice.

[katydid]

[Ilsanman]

I have been told by a few people that my pronunciation is very good and easy to understand.

I slow down a little bit, but what I also do is break down my sentences a little bit. After every main idea I state, I pause for 1 second, alllowing the listener to absorb the idea.

I seem to be understood.

Cheon cheon hi mal hae ju se yo