Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yu_Bum_suk]

What would you ask a new class of adult learners (likely mixed range) about their interests re: learning English. Next term I'll start teaching an evening class twice a week, likely consisting of 10-12 students. Obviously, what they initially think the can or would like to learn may turn out to be different from what they actually can or enjoy doing, but I'd like to get a feel for what they want to get out of the course. I'll paste the survey I've come up with so far - which I'll get a Korean teacher to translate for me once I've finished it - and if anyone has anything to add or suggestions on how to change it I'd very much appreciate it.



Welcome to Continuing Education English Class


Adult learners of English have many different goals. With this in mind, I�d like to take a survey to learn more about your interests in learning English. Please rate the following on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 indicating the highest level of interest and 1 the lowest.

How interested are you in learning the following things?

A. English pronunciation (syllable articulation, syllable stress, intonation, proper pronunciation of letters and sounds not found in Hanguel):

Circle: 1 � 2 � 3 � 4 � 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

B. Canadian, American, western, and world culture (cultural differences, western manners and etiquette, English greetings, western foods, western lifestyles, sport, TV, cinema, etc.):

Circle: 1 � 2 � 3 � 4 � 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

C. Reading English stories and literature (comprehension of short stories, magazine and newspaper articles, English essays about Korea, English comics and magna):

Circle: 1 � 2 � 3 � 4 � 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

D. Writing (sentence structure, paragraph structure, short essays, personal letters, speeches):

Circle: 1 � 2 � 3 � 4 � 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

E. English listening skills (listening for main idea, listening for accuracy, understanding English news reports and popular TV / movie clips):

Circle: 1 � 2 � 3 � 4 � 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

F. English conversational skills (short dialogues, common questions and answers, interviews and introductions, oral grammar skills):

Circle: 1 � 2 � 3 � 4 � 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

G. English grammar (vocabulary, types of words, word usage, syntax, sentence and paragraph structure, verb tenses and usage, etymology, etc.):

Circle: 1 � 2 � 3 � 4 � 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

H. English presentation skills (preparing a short speech or introduction, giving a report in English, group presentations):

Circle: 1 � 2 � 3 � 4 � 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

I. English drama (short skits and monologues):

Circle: 1 � 2 � 3 � 4 � 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

Please indicate anything else you would be interested in learning or any topics you would like me to use for lessons (you may write in Hanguel if you cannot adequately express yourself in English): ________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

[Yu_Bum_suk]

So no one has any ideas?

[Juregen]

[Easter Clark]

That looks good. I would have them first fill out the survey individually, then choose their top three in pairs, then top three in groups, then vote as a class. If they're keen this is a good opportunity to teach them language for agreeing / disagreeing (or make up a handout to go with the survey).

I predict the final 3 will be:

1. F
2. B
3. A

I've had adults tell me they can practice pronunciation with a tape, but I told them that a tape won't correct them when they're speaking unintelligibly.

[Easter Clark]

[branchsnapper]

I used to ask students questions along those lines, way back when, but I think it isn't a very good idea. Korean students in particular find the whole concept of teachers not knowing what to do very confusing. Try and secretly find out what they respond well to by using a bit of variety and chat, and go with that.

[Easter Clark]

[branchsnapper]

There's nothing wrong with the concept. It is just a tricky thing. For example, a lot of students will ask for grammar, because they think that they should, that it is "important". That doesn't mean that a dry grammar lesson will go over any better than usual. You have to be a bit broader then simply going by what they actually claim to want, and find out what they actually do want. Privates are no different, in my experience.

[ddeubel]

I'd use the teaching reflections -- the surveys of Andrew Finch. they are comprehensive and the vocabulary is manageable/appropriate. Lots of them , survey the needs of Korean teachers.

You can get them in the Resources - Share area of EFL Classroom 2.0. Look under Korea. I don't know if they are still up on his site, check http://finchpark.com/books

DD
http://eflclassroom.ning.com

[Easter Clark]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[branchsnapper]

One thing that makes the class (in this respect) more difficult than privates is that certain people have more influence in class. The class big mouths and strong personalities dictate what will go over well much more than the shrinking violets. If you do things very democratically that won't necessarily get a great response. If you have given out a very fine-tuned questionnaire like that you also certainly give yourself a lot to live up to.

Another thing is of course that in a class, everyone will want slightly different things. In most cases, giving the class what the school has written on the label of the class (if anything), and changing things a little bit as you go if you feel it is necessary, is a bit safer. The only exception I find is when you have adults who really feel that they do want to dictate what you do, and in that case the problems in the first paragraph often apply.

Actually, I prefer a class, because it is usually unnecessary to get into such methodological debates with people who have poor linguistic knowledge and assorted odd motives, whereas in privates you often need to.

[ddeubel]