Korean Job Discussion Forums

truthfulchat · Joined: 30 Sep 2007

According to my coteacher and other coteachers the goal is to significantly reduce the number of foreign teachers. First, seperate the students to two different groups then they will judge who is going to teach the children the best, foreign or Korean coteachers. Second, there is a step for next year to drop a number of foreign teachers from schools and allow only Korean English teachers to teach at the school. Third, if this works, the goal is to allow all schools to virtually be taught by Korean English teachers only.

The reasoning for this is the students do not know English and when a foreigner tries to teach English the students don't understand and will never understand. A move supported by some Korean coteachers would to have the Korean English teachers only teach because they know Korean and English and feel that they have the advantage to use Korean to help them learn English. For example, give them the Korean word then the English translation, repeat the English translation and have them write it down.

Here is where this is flawed. When a Korean coteacher tries to teach class, at least from a few I know, they basically teach the whole class in Korean and only say what is in the textbook in English. Hence this gives the old phrase "textbook english." What they forget to teach is essentials like open your textbook, turn to page, and stuff that will lead them to their subject.

Now my coteacher fully supports this proposal and has some support from Siheung Korean coteachers as well as some from Suwon and Bundang.

cbclark4 · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Location: Masan

As long as they continue to teach Grammar Translation Method they will
be unable to grasp the spoken tongue.

Yes, GTM has it's place and you can't avoid using it in part. But, to solely
depend upon it is ridiculous.

How many Korean teachers can use the Lingual Audio method with any
degree of success?

Do KETs even understand eclectic methodology?

GTM is most useful for studying dead languages.

JustJohn · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Location: Your computer screen

Regarding the plan if it's true:

Sounds like a half baked solution. Sounds good at first, but the kids are only seeing you half as much and are probably going to benefit less than before. (Even with half sized classes you can't have a real conversation class. That's still 20+ students in my school.)
Also, no Korean teacher is a bad idea if the English teacher isn't fluent in Korean. Who's going to make sure they understand everything exactly? Most likely a nightmare for discipline as well.