Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tud Ferguson]

I find it quite astonishing how some adult learners of english(or even korean teachers) can't even string together ther most simple of sentences. Is it that hard to say "where are you going?" no they say things like "where is go?", it's amazingly inane. Things like "did you eat dinner?" seem to be out side the scope of the average Korean's intellect, saying things like "do you dinner?" it's laughable the depths of their ignorance. I might not be the best at Korean but atleast I don't mutilate the most basic of sentences. And this is after "studying" english for some significant period of time, but still their use of English borders on imbecilic. Are these people the retards of the population cause if so they constitute a large percentage.

[unknown9398]

[Tud Ferguson]

Ya it's tough, but most of us can say 어 디 가 요? So why can't the average Korean say the same simple sentence in English? It's really very hard for me to understand, why they say "you is book" when they mean "do you have a book?" It's not like I expect alot but simple sentences, come on, after learning and studing not to mention haveing so much English in their 나 라.

[Ginormousaurus]

Maybe you're a terrible teacher.

[caniff]

Dude, bless your lucky stars they suck at English. If they were fluent, you and I would be out of a job.

[uberscheisse]

[yingwenlaoshi]

I don't teach adults with such a poor level of English. If they were really looking to learn and improve, I'd think they'd have to choose some other avenue of learning. Like an outfit specialized in teaching it to people such as them. Three hours at the hagwon isn't gonna do it.

That's unless you can dummy the class right down and teach basics such as you're talking about. Sometimes this is impossible because a book out of their scope of learning is provided or there are other students whose levels are higher or varying.

[Tud Ferguson]

[Ginormousaurus]

[caniff]

[yingwenlaoshi]

[yingwenlaoshi]

[Dysupes]

I don't teach adults but I think the whole stock reply of "Maybe it's because you're a horrible teacher!" is just kind of lame. English education here isn't done well at any level. The people who want to learn to speak English DO and the people (90% of them) who are in the position mentioned above (forced to learn) absolutely don't learn anything.

I just finished a lesson plan for grade six students last week that went terribly. Why? I'm sure part of it was my fault but an even bigger part of the problem was that in the six years of mandatory English education these kids had received they had never actually had anyone really try to teach them English. Now, at the age they're at, they aren't too terribly interested in starting to make an effort because they're already well behind where they should be. And they've been taught that they don't have to make an effort in English class because it doesn't matter one iota. Sure, later on they'll have to take a big standardized test where they'll have to memorize a ton of stuff but they already know how to do that. It's easy. Regurgitate.

I don't agree with how Tud Fergeson made his point because Korean people are not morons or retards. They've just been taught English for so many years in such a way as to make it almost impossible for them to learn unless they really go out of their way to learn it. It's sad that a university educated Korean whose major is English Literature can't speak English. If he's the reason for this problem then I'd say he would've had to have taught a good 80-90% of the population. Doesn't seem feasible does it?

[Qinella]

'Inane' is one of those words that people throw out there without really thinking about whether or not it fits the sentence.

[yingwenlaoshi]