Korean Job Discussion Forums

koon_taung_daeng · Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Location: south korea

Does anybody got any advice on teaching an essay writing/ debate class?

any advice would be apreciated

thanks

contrarian · Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Location: Nearly in NK

I taught it for five years in university.

Point 1: It is an incredible amount of work. You have to mark them.

Point 2: Strange as it may seem teach formatting first. Two other people that have taught it agree with me. It makes them easier to mark/grade and give the students the idea of capitalization, spacing, punctuation. It is nuts and bolts stuff.

Point 3: Stress word order over vocabulary. If they are university students they have memorized an incredible amount of vocabularly, and every grammatical rule known to and grammar/sadist. They do't know hoe to use the rules but they know them.

Point 4: Suggest the use an English only dictionary. The big Korean/English dictionaries and electronic dictionaries cab create problems. My classic was an engineering student whose essay said he was "passionately involved" in engineering. Poetry, women but not engineering. What she had done was to look up love (I love engineering) and get an inapproriate meaning.

If you are teaching at a lower level good luck, my advice may be useless.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

TOMODACHI-KID · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:15 am Post subject:

koon_taung_daeng wrote:

Does anybody got any advice on teaching an essay writing/ debate class?

any advice would be apreciated

thanks
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As someone mentioned on this particular forum--what's the age and/or grade of whom you are teaching?

More importantly, what's their capability? I have several High School students that seem to have their brains between their buttocks....

Seriously for debate, you can get some articles, or think of some topics that shed controversy. For example, is stem-cell research ethical? Is the war in Iraq justified? Define PROS and CONS to them, even the definition of what a debate is--this should be explained first...create two teams, one for PROS; the other, CONS...Have them jot down their PROS and CONS...let them do some research on their topic...next class meeting, have a debate...You are the moderator.

Now, for the Essay...Teach the format of the Essay--Introduction/Thesis, Topic sentence, Paragraphs, Conclusion--usually five parts that comprise a basic essay...Teach them when they write essays, they must be specific, very! For instance, a car--general...However, a Honda, blue, four-door sedan with chrome wheels and shiny tires, is specific...If their Writing is not specific, no matter what style of writing it is, then it's going to be difficult for the reader--clarity purposes. Wow, you gotta explain a shit-load to them, not only this aspect, but others...documentation, backing up assertions, transistions...

You can also do a creative warm-up of the sorts with your students. Have them focus on one aspect of their lives...a dream, a lover, whatever...then have them just write about it, all the while staying with their topic...Later, have them add two or three things...then use your creativity to implement the facets of THE ESSAY into it--you know, the five things I have mentioned above about essays...

It's really oh so easy, but it all depends on the tone of your students, and who, and what grade level you teach...Nevertheless, a lot of your teaching may be in vain because of students' infamous attitudes, except for a few students, you know who they are--those who want to really learn, which is not that bad....

GOOD LUCK... Rolling Eyes

*Give me a PM if you need more help...I have a Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing/English and know how to tame those B-I-A-T-C-H-E-S....

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

KTD,

I have hundreds of materials for teaching writing. Lots interactive and "fun", what a classroom needs. Used to be on my Batcave sight. Also on my community below, check out the writing links in our community link site. I'll make that writing folder public shortly, took it off line because of one kook. The price I pay for helping......

The teachers I teach gave me outstanding feedback about my writing courses. So I think it will help.

Same with debate. I have so many cool debate activities, ideas. Just taught it and have some private folders.I will make public shortly and send a PM with details for you to access. If you look at www.ddd.batcave.net , you'll see a public speaking folder. Lots there also which is related to debate.

DD

Tomodachi wrote,

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

If you have to give a grade, be clear in your mind beforehand what will qualify for an A grade. Will you give it to a student who starts low, and improves a lot or to the student who starts high and doesn't improve?

Will you give homework every class? Have them do a lot of re-writing? Peer-editing? How will you deal with students who copy from the internet (trust me, you'll get AT LEAST one!)? Will you have the students email you their homework? Hand it in in some form? (Notebooks, typed?) How much focus will you put on correct grammar and how much on organization?

Thinking these things through before you start will help you out in the long run.

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

Ajuma,

Good points to consider or as one person mentioned previously, it can be very workload heavy! Lots to consider.

I would add that for any teacher teaching writing beyond the intermediate level, they should consider two important things.

1. Writeboard . A class writeboard at www.writeboard.com Invaluable.
Students also can compare drafts and see error correction etc....

2. Social network/student blog. There are literally so many, educationally focused. Students should be keeping a blog where the teacher and students can comment. Edublogs is a good start. But you could even do it on ning, form a class community. www.ning.com Each student with a writing blog. Becareful, the teacher should set out clearly what is required (how many entries/week, topics, responses to others) and model it.

DD

koon_taung_daeng · Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Location: south korea

Hey everybody thanks so much for your help i really appreciate it. im much more confident now that this class will be successful.Right now their is just one student but that will grow.his English is pretty fluent but his writing skill are no too great.

Thanks again

dogshed · Joined: 28 Apr 2006

TOMODACHI-KID · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:42 am Post subject:

DDEUBEL WROTE:

I'd qualify what you wrote. We are here for those who don't want to learn. That would make you truly a teacher. Otherwise, you are just bidding your time and padding your ego.
***********************************************************

"We are here for those who don't want to learn."
(SUBJECTIVE) In addition to your above generalization--really? Then I suppose teaching must be a drag--I know of not one teacher who truly enjoys teaching to students who hate learning...

The term should be--I am here to share my knowledge, in spite of differences. For those who want to learn, great! For those who don't--out of my control; nevertheless, I will do my duty to teach effectively and, hopefully learn from you...

"That would make you truly a teacher."
(Would it? It seems to me, there's more to being a "teacher" than teaching those "who don't want to learn.")

"Otherwise, you are just bidding your time and padding your ego."
(ASSUMPTION)

Ego thrives within all of us (FACT), just as everything is based on emotions...to exude "Ego" is a no-no in our politically correct world, however, the correct use is confidence. A teacher should have confidence, needs it--that comes with extreme knowledge of subject matter.

cubanlord · Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Location: In Japan!

TOMODACHI-KID · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:14 am Post subject:

cubanlord,

I took a look at your website--what captivates me is how you approach your methodology in the subject of Writng--simple and easy to understand, which is essential for Esl students...Great template of going about THE ESSAY and/or Writing...

And yes, FORMAT is essential--outline of the essay....

cubanlord · Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Location: In Japan!

TOMODACHI-KID · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:06 pm Post subject:

cubanlord,

Excellent work, brother...Yes, being simple and to the point... Wink

By the way, I'm also from Florida...Pensacola, Florida--miss that town a lot....

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

Here are some other applications you can use with your classroom if you are digital....Great new collaborative, editing document features. I use google docs, for student essays, comment and storage...

http://docs.google.com
YourDraft - Online draft - shared editing - No registration neccessary
http://www.yourdraft.com
WriteWith - online collaborative word processing
http://writewith.com/
Zoho Writer - online collaborative word processing
http://writer.zoho.com/
WriteBoard - online collaborative word processing
http://writeboard.com/

I've reset my writing folder and it will be accessible to nonmembers for a couple of days. I have lots of great videos for teaching and these are for members of my site and located in our shared media fire folder...But go to the Batcave, www.ddd.batcave.net and click on Writing for lots of great resources for all levels, for "teaching" writing.