Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cerriowen]

I have 580 students.

40 students per class.

45 minutes with each class, one time per week.

They can comprehend about 1% of what I say.

The text book is, naturally, not that interesting or helpful.

My co-teacher kindly told me that he bet if I were teaching advanced level, my classes would be very interesting (as consolation for the complete lack of interest from the students and inability to do any of the worksheets I brought in).

I realize that I've taken a job that is primarily babysitting, and filling the role of "whitie"... but I'd *really* like my classes to at least be moderately interesting, if I can avoid flat out boring.

Can I get suggestions? I've never taught this age-group before. Also I've never taught this low of a level. I said "Hello, my name is Cerriowen", About 2 minutes later they asked "What Teachaa Name?"

[mts07]

Welcome to Korea. Or at least, welcome to Public school

[Dome Vans]

You need to be aware of the grading of your language. Speak very simply, slowly and expressively.

Because you have just started don't barge in with your 'A' material because it won't be suitable for all the kids. Take a month or two trying some things out to gauge what works and what doesn't, get used to the level of the students and give them time to get used to you and your voice and your style of teaching. Don't get too het up about seeing instant results. It takes time. Even then teaching that number of kids can mean taking the small victories as they come.

Say your name. The next week at the beginning of the lesson "Can anyone remember my name? Can anyone remember where I'm from?" These are all simple questions that they can do standing on their heads. Do this for a few weeks until they remember.

If you are allowed to plan your own lessons, look at the material in the textbook and the chapter they are teaching. Take out Vocab, maybe a speaking exercise, or a story. Re-vamp it to make it more appealing. Have a structure with the lesson.

Start-Greeting-Introduce topic-Pairwork-brainstorming-teach vocab, speaking, task to do-Give the students time to do the task-Open class feedback-drill pronunciation-then the quiet bit at the end, my students love to do wordsearchs for words they have learnt that day. You'd be amazed at how quiet the class gets as they try to be the first to finish (I give a sweet to the winner)-Then end of the lesson.

This all takes about 45 minutes then you're done. But try not to *hurry* , the children need time to get used to you as you need to get used to them. Good Luck!

[waynehead]

I agree with everything in the above post.

I'd also add that when you need it, ask your co-teacher to help. Some of mine do so automatically, some of mine sit in the back of class and twiddle their thumbs. I used to let it slide in their classes but now, whenever I think I need some translation I ask my lazy co-teachers to do it. They do.

Also, if you're doing your own lessons be sure to use lots and lots of pictures. Give them something to stay focused on even if they can't keep up with what you're saying. I recently did a two week lesson on the Regions of America and it was basically 90% pictures 10% vocab/explanation. It worked pretty well.

[agoodmouse]

[poet13]

I have found that my Middls School boys love the idea of having some say, or choice in what they do, or even who does it first.
This year we are experimenting with modelling dialogues in class.
I will put something very simple on the board, like,

A
HOW IS/ARE......
Mr Big Head.
Miss Smelly Pants.
Crazy Mafia Boys
Min Su
your father. etc
your dog
your girlfriend(s)

B

I
You
He
She
It IS/ARE fine, happy, angry, so-so, crazy, dead, delicious, etc.
We
You
They

Then I write two rows of numbers 1-20 and 21 - 40?(however many in the class) so that they are paired up. Mix up how you organize the rows too so that they are not predictable. You can hand out numbers too, but they will destroy them. This gets them to work with students they wouldn't ordinarily choose to be paired with.

Once they have their pairs, we do some repetition on what are appropriate answers, fluency and rhythmn. Dog is always delicious....but then fairly quickly someone will girlfriend is delicious too. but they can be guided back on track.

The students will call out who they want to see model the dialogue next. They can get quite loud and competitive about it, and hard to settle again. I like a noisy classroom, but I know some don't.
They will catch on very quickly, and for the ones who don't, it's ok, you can coach them through it, word by word.

[Draz]

[poet13]

There are any number of very simple conversation exchanges that you can use this way. I think a critical part in promoting spntaneous speech is the availability of choice. When they can choose which greeting, which response, what question, I think it gives them a sense of control. They have precious little of that, and the little bit I give them is welcomed.

I put the following in big letters on the chalkboard.
A
What are you going to do this weekend?

B
I'm going to....
I'll...
I hope to....
I plan to....
I have to....
I must.....
I should....
I need to....
I'd like to....
etc.
Followed by.... How about you?

A
I'm going to....
I'll...
I hope to....
I plan to....
I have to....
I must.....
I should....
I need to....
I'd like to....
etc.

I like to start them off with some brainstorming on weekend activities. When they slow down, I throw in a few to get their interest back, like, "I plan to ROB A BANK".or "I"m going to STEAL A CAR."
That usually makes their ears perk up, cause someone always immediately repeats it in Korean.

[KYC]

I teach in a rural elementary school. The level is ridiculously low. My coteachers almost never show up to class. It sounds obvious but it does work.

Speak slow. Repeat if necessary and ALWAYS try to be patient when they don't understand. Off course it's easier said than done, but try your best. You'll get used to it. I have.

[mnhnhyouh]

Just a quick note, there maybe some students in your classes who have very good English. Some go to hagwons every day, and have done so for years.

If you can identify them, scatter them around the room and get them to help you.

h

[majolica]

it's going to take them a while to get used to you too! when i first started teaching i thought my kids were idiots because they had such a low level of english... a few months later, they had warmed up, gotten used to my tone of voice, etc, and i was continually amazed at how much they'd changed.
it might be a good idea to take a look at what they've been studying in elementary school. grade 6 students are learning about the seasons, how to say their birthdays, what they did on summer vacation, etc. the vocab is very simple, many of them don't have much grasp of sentence structure, and will be stunned into silence if you're expecting much indepedent thought in english out of them.

[Cerriowen]

[Chris_Dixon]

I have a good simple game for vocab that they seem to enjoy..

Fire a word on the board like Teacher

Then they have to think of a word starting with R *last letter of teacher*

so maybe Red (red, 3 letters, 3 points)

Next letter has to start with d

dead (4 points)

and so on, cant use a word twice.

gets quite competitive, i normally have four teams, and they have to think of some big words for big points....

Can be quite funny.

[Draz]

[mnhnhyouh]