Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Rumple]

Hi,

I'm starting my first uni job pretty soon, and I'll be teaching Freshman Writing and Sophomore Conversation.

I've got a conversation curriculum I can use for the sophomores, but for the freshman writing class, I've currently got nothing.

So, what I need is a writing curriculum for a full semester. One that uses a textbook would be good, as long as my students can easily get the books.

If it is a high quality curriculum, I'd be willing to buy one as well.

One of my problems is that I don't know what level the students are coming in at. I've asked the department chair a couple times, but he isn't able to give me a good answer (i.e. one that I understand). All I get from him is that their level is similar to each other, with a couple stragglers at each end.

So I'm not sure if I should start with basic sentences and work up to an essay, or if I should teach an elementary "Freshman Composition" course where I teach them the basics of term papers, or what.

Any and all help is appreciated.

EDIT: I've done a little reading, and it seems like a "process approach" is good, so extra points for anyone who can direct me to a process approach curriculum for writing.

[bassexpander]

I have used the book, "Ready To Write."

http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Write-First-Composition-Third/dp/0130424633

You can find it in Korea at the major book stores. I used this book for university students, although most of them were juniors and seniors. Take a look at it, anyway. It spends a lot of time on learning to write a strong paragraph, step-by-step, and includes exercises in the book.

[Thiuda]

When I put together a curriculum, the first thing I think about are my own strengths and weaknesses in regards to the subject matter that I'm being asked to instruct. Then I think about the theme of the class, which is usually provided by the uni, i.e. Basic-, Intermediate-, or Advanced Writing, Academic Writing...etc. Finally, I consider the level of students - which you might be able to infer from the name of your uni; Seoul, Yonsei, Korea Universities = doubleplusgood, Noname Rural Uni. = doubleplusungood.

Ask yourself the following questions:

How familiar are you with grammar and style? Are you familiar with the writing process (Pre-writing, Writing, Revising)? Do you know how to instruct students in the different ways of how they might organize paragraphs (by Time Order, Space Order, Order of Importance)? Are you able to teach academic writing (writing abstracts, thesis statements, organizing coherent paragraphs, citing properly...etc.)?

Based on your answers first select several textbooks that are appropriate for you. If you think, for example, that your grammar is a little weak, then you might want less grammar intensive books, like the Ready to Write Series (Scroll down to see all three of the texts; at our uni book store they run at 14k per unit). This series provides a lot of practice for the students and is easy to instruct if you know how to read. If, one the other hand, you're pretty grammar savy, then you might be comfortable teaching books that have a lot of grammar, like the Quest: Reading and Writing series.

I like teaching grammar intensive books, because I can focus on reducing common mistakes students make. Practice only books, like the Get Ready to Write series, are great, but I found that students often made the same mistake over and over again, never realizing that their writing was ungrammatical - you'll never have time enough to correct every students writing, every class, thereby making them aware of their errors. In contrast, teaching proper sentence structure has led to a significant reduction in errors in my classes.

Once you've selected a variety of books, think about the other factors that I mentioned above and further winnow down the choices. Finally, select a textbook and write the curriculum based on the contents.

Hope that helps. All the best.

[Kwangjuchicken]

[icnelly]

[Rumple]

[PRagic]

How did you get the job to begin with? Nothing personal, but you're asking people to do your job for you.

[Rumple]

[makemischief]

[PRagic]

The OP wrote, "So, what I need is a writing curriculum for a full semester."

Not lesson ideas, not text ideas. I just calls em likes I sees em.

[Rumple]

[makemischief]

@Tragic: How would this be different than following a textbook with accompanying curriculum created by the textbook writer?

In both cases the teacher does not outright create the material. It could be argued that HOW the teacher utilizes the material in the classroom is a far more important job for the teacher. As long as the teacher utilizes a good curriculum why is it vital that he/she creates it? Hopefully the in-class environment is geared towards the needs of the students... but taking a well thought out curriculum created by someone else as a starting point is not always a bad idea.

In many unigwons the options for deviating from a prescribed syllabus are limited at best.

You are making too many assumptions about a job that is not your own.

[PRagic]

Again, I'm just going by the OP. All I DO know is that I've been teaching at the university level for over 10 years, and that I've worked with some really great teachers over the years. If someone were hired who wanted a complete syllabus/curriculum for an entire semester, it would be a let down, to say the least. Actually, I've seen this happen, and the professional opion of that person was extremely low.

Many university programs have text that must be taught, and in some cases, even specific chapters are recommended. Sure, I know that teachers do bat around ideas for certain chapters or learning objectives. But an entire semester long plan of attack? Man, you guys are VERY giving.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be provided. My point was that the OP was hired to do a job which he/she isn't prepared to do.

And, no, as I'm leaving for a long vacation tomorrow, I don't have anythin better to do.

[makemischief]

[Rumple]