Korean Job Discussion Forums

Zyzyfer · Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2003 6:38 pm Post subject:

OK, some real advice, instead of just laughing at your plight. Find out who the class clown is and joke the crap out of them(don't make them cry though, both of you should have fun). This is guaranteed to loosen everyone else up. Also, never ever ever let any sarcastic or snide tones slip. Middle schoolers are awesome at picking up these vibes.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

I actually forgot that I have another middle school class that is heaps of fun to be around. But they are a bit weird, so we connect on some level I'm not sure why though.

CLG

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Ok, thanks guys- some nice ideas here...
regarding the numbers, i had a class of 16 last year, my current comatose selection is only 7. Specs, fatboy, fonzie, ghost, she- genius, aloof princess, and crazy gal.
think i may try the acting/miming idea, newspaper articles. i'm a bit too nice to turn fatboy into the butt of humour though. Laughing

Austin · Joined: 23 May 2003 Location: In the kitchen

Belittling others is misguided advice. Why resort to such a method, when there are so many other positive ways to win kids over?

I will be sending you a PM on some ideas, as soon as I get the time.

Zyzyfer · Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2003 11:17 pm Post subject: Re: No...

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Yeah, I think fonzies fair game- only he is the only student that speaks well with a good grasp of English so I don't want to p**s him off.
I devised a new idea today- I cut out a few articles from the Korea herald and glued them onto a B4 sheet, arranged like a real newspaper. Seemed like a good idea- I have a couple of photos to liven it up, the astrological forecasts (they can read their own, talk about it and write one for their neighbour). Also dtuck on the TV schedule, they can answer q's about what programmes are on and when, etc.....

ratslash · Joined: 08 May 2003

shoot 'em! shoot 'em all!

i didn't even read your post. just read the words "middle school" and that was what came into my head! Very Happy

Austin · Joined: 23 May 2003 Location: In the kitchen

Zzyfer,

It was not clear what you meant, but I stand by what I said about belittling your students. You said "joke the crap out...but don't make them cry..." You obviously meant something different, but by the response of the OP, it is clear that he took it as meaning something different as well.

Zyzyfer · Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2003 7:31 pm Post subject:

Point taken.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

I can't stand Middle Schoolers. They are so either tired and don't say anything or tired and don't shut up speaking Korean. AHHH!!!
Well not all of them but about 75%. The 1st. year ,iddle schoolers are Ok but 2nd. and 3rd. are problems.
I got very angry at one the other day, sent him out to the WonJangNim and was told the next day by students in his class that i should be very careful when walking at night. I nearly pissed my pants laughing which has made him even more angry. he is a gangstar wanna be, I'm loving the midle schoolers. Confused

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

If you can come up with enough jeopary-style questions it might help. Or Monopoly? "Go fish" is good with all ages because all they need to say is "Do you have a jack?" And Crazy Card is not bad for fun too. And if you have lots of flash cards, like the Let's Go cards, you can play "hint game"... just describe the card and they guess what it is. Some may even want to be the hint-giver. And if you can talk about computer games, most boys will be interested. I had one boy about 15 yrs old before who didn't like speaking more than minimal one or two word replies until I asked him about "Starcraft" or whatever game he liked. He liked talking about that, how to play etc... Another simple idea that was good sometimes was simply asking a question to one student, hopefully getting a response, then see if that student can ask the next student the same question. They often screw it up, misuse the grammar or whatever, but to get it right they have to listen. And the 20 questions game is good sometimes too, with only "yes or"no" questions allowed. "Is it ...., Does it....? " And if you got internet and and a printer availabe go to www.puzzlemaker.com and make some word searches and crosswords.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Someone suggested "celebrity chatshow- it was on another thread I think. Thankyou whoever did. I tried it today- very good results. I adapted it into a straight "who am I?" 20 questions-type game, they had to answer questions from their classmates without giving away their identity.

The Lemon · Joined: 11 Jan 2003

Posting for "FUBAR":
_______________

Teaching middle school students can be tough. During each school vacation, my previous Director thought that that it would be a great idea to have these jam packed middle school classes. Problem was, they were all different age groups. Factor in the gender issue, and you get a class that feels very unconfortable with each other.

If you want them to get talking, arrange them to do some group work or partner work. Maybe even give them teams, team names, whatever... Most them know how to speak English, but speaking it in front of a group of strangers is very unsettling for them. Just imagine if somebody asked you to speak Korean in front of a total group of strangers. When the students group together, let them basically decide the group.(With some proper nudging on your part) Don't force boys and girls together or break up friends. Trust me on that. You won't succeed at all if you get them out of their confort zone.

You can try using worksheets, from www.bogglesworld.com . It has been a life saver for me. However, you may need to bring in a Korean/English and English/Korean dictionary since some of the words are not easy to explain. I found, that, alot of the time they wanted to talk, however they just didn't how to put it in English.

Just curious, but what text book are you using to teach them?

waggo · Joined: 18 May 2003 Location: pusan baby!

I think middle schoolers are a wonderful challenge to a teacher...they CAN be the ultimate difficult class.
They are tired,bored,uninterested ,of mixed ability and most of all reluctant to speak or to contribute because they might look stupid.
Also they smell funny.

Youre not going to break them into a free speaking English class in one lesson. You have to take it one small step at a time.Try and improve one small thing about every lesson that you teach them.

Do not, as I have done, perform for them and try to be their friend,they can see desperation a mile away and just sigh,groan and look at the clock.
So far , their English speaking lives have consisted of putting their head down into books for hundreds of hours.They have had no chance to really enjoy the language by using their productive skills..speaking and writing...the fun bits!

Get them writing letters...get them writing letters and lying!(Its a national trait after all!)
One of my students has just had a letter back from the White House after she wrote to Laura Bush! She delighted in writing to her how much she loved her elegant dresses and how handsome her husband was....and she got a reply!!!

My coup de grace was a couple of months ago when a student got a HAND WRITTEN LETTER complete with photos and autographs from Robin Williams (God Bless Him!)...I couldnt believe it myself.

Everybody's address is on the internet somewhere.

Except wrestlers.Steer them away from wrestlers.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Another great idea Waggo. I'm just a little worried about students spending all leson writing rather than talking.