Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tzechuk]

I teach a student's mother reading skills - like reading out loud, comprehension etc... We've done a few children's classic novels at her request, like The Secret Garden, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Harry Potter 1/2. Took a year to go through these books - only an hour a week.

Now she wants to do something new. I am thinking may be modern adult novels and I am thinking titles like *Confession of a Shopaholic* and the whole series by Sophie Kinsella. I read several of her books and they are infinitely funny (yeah I am a chick in her very early 30s , so I can relate). Now this mother is a young-ish mother. She is not the ajumma type. She is just a few years older than me. She has a degree in English Lit. but obviously.. as she put it, she wasn't a very good student and she only did it because there wasn't much else to do and she didn't want to work or get married right away and doing a degree in English meant she was able to travel abroad to *learn English*. Haha... she is a nice person, really. Very generous and kind.

Anyway, my question is - has anyone ever taught using modern adult fiction? Should I do it? I mean, she will and can relate to it, there are modern languages that I can teach her and certain sarcasms and things that she will learn from reading it, which updates her somewhat archaic English...

I would welcome any suggestions, I just need them quick, cos we are starting the new book in a couple of days!!! Thanks a lot!!!

[tzechuk]

Oh.. and the reason why I am hesitant is because I am not sure what the drawbacks would be to use books like Kinsella's... so if anyone could enlighten me, I would be very grateful.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I think an anthology of short stories is the way to go. Much more variety of styles, themes, settings to discuss. And at around 20 pages each, easy bite-size pieces to digest.

[crazy tigger]

Whaqt about Marian Keyes under the duvet? Thathas short stories and is along a similiar chick lit lines? If you get stuck I have a copy but would requiring posting.

[articulate_ink]

I have used Orwell's 1984 here, with good results. With middle school students, even.

For your student, you might want to consider Audrey Niffenegger's wonderful The Time-Traveler's Wife. It's beautifully written, it's a terrific story, and it's very morally grey in places. It could make for good discussions.

[PGF]

I teach a student's mother too. We both read the same book and have discussions on the content. (it's more like a book club than a lesson). I always let her pick the subject matter/ author, etc. My mother sounds a bit more advanced than yours, but I still recommend letting her throw out some ideas on what interests her and go from there.

If she doesn't come up with an idea, then go for the modern short story anthologies. They were always my favorite reads in uni....

[tzechuk]

[PGF]

http://www.amazon.com/Best-American-Short-Stories-1997/dp/0395798655

looks like a good one. I like John Barth and it has a story of his in there acc., to amazon.