Korean Job Discussion Forums

[BS.Dos.]

So, what gives? Can you offer any advice or tips?

From next week I'm scheduled to have 2x50 minute classes teaching my CTs'. So far, I think 8 have signed up, all of which speak very, very little English.

I'm not expecting too much from them and half expect the classes to reduce in size after a few weeks once they realize that they'd rather be surfing the net etc, but I just wanted to hear about how others play it all the same. Hope you can help.

Thanks in advance.

[KYC]

Never had a teachers class but I would recommend starting out slow so that they feel confident in their abilities.

Icebreaker games or maybe scategory (sp?)

[cruisemonkey]

I did it there in Onionville and the first lesson was a disaster - had these 'great' (many hrs. of work) lesson plans, and none of the Ks were into them. It turned out they just wanted to talk. The next lesson, everything I had prepared was' thrown out' - we just talked... it was easy... 'things' would come up and I'd explain.

One problem you may encounter is trying to get someone to speak first. If they're all low level, they'll sit there like mute owls - deathly afraid of 'loosing face' should they open their mouths. However, once you break the ice...

[fromtheuk]

www.breakingnewsenglish.com

Edit whichever article you want to use, to fit your lesson.

My old co-teacher used to criticize everything I did in my teachers lessons, she criticized the website above, saying it was too complex, even though most of the activities involved multiple choice questions.

[Easter Clark]

I would just chat about work. Maybe talk about the students, the new school year, how you can improve your classes, their views on coteaching and what role they should play as opposed to the role you should play, what they think of LMB's English plans, some good places to eat in town, differences between Korean food and other food, likes and dislikes, how to tell time / days of the week in English, differences between Western and Korean public schools, what they like to do in their free time, is Korea a male-dominated society and why, etc...

In other words, get to know them, your workplace, and your city/area--CTs are a wonderful source of information, and in my experience are more than happy to let the foreigner in on these kinds of things. But be sincere!

[mistermasan]

be cool. they dread it as much as you. they have so much to lose.

i used to have a weekly class for the teachers. about me and 8 ladies. it was really sweet. taiwan had some great current events magazines in both languages. we could discuss current stuff and it was all going great.

then it happened. the head teacher hear all the talking and laughing and decided to join in. ruined the dynamic entirely. the ladies weren't at ease showing their "real" english to the boss. some went into "shut down" mode. a few soldiered on (yes, the head teacher had great language skills). the class withered into duets.

another month rolled around and two of the sweeties the kids loved were gone. what happened? their "conversational" skills are displayed in MY class weren't up to snuff and they got axed. that they were great with 10 yr olds was besides the point.

shame. sigh. alienation.

[BS.Dos.]

[pandapanda]

Get a copy of something like Interchange and work your way through it. They learn something useful and you have a structure.