Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Junkyardninja]

Expanding from the thread's title - I'm hoping to shortly begin evening Korean classes at Sogang University. The posts and stickies on this forum were at least partly responsible, as they pretty consistently indicated Sogang was the best choice for conversational Korean.

However, it's been a while since I was on the receiving end in a classroom, and I've been told that the Sogang classes are somewhat intensive.

What I'm hoping to solicit is advice from people who've actually taken this or other university Korean courses - what are your best tips, tricks, nuggets of linguistic wisdom, etc, for getting the most out of the experience? Any particular things to avoid or be careful of?

Appreciate any help offered.

JYN

[IncognitoHFX]

I'm also interested.

Can anyone also give some information about the night classes, and whether or not they're worth it? Do they work well with a regular public school schedule for someone living outside of Seoul?

[M-su]

I'm going to Sogang at the break of 2009.

Sogang has one of the best, if not the best program for conversational Korean. I've heard and seen level 3 Sogang students out-awesome level 4 or 5 Yonsei or Ehwa students with respsect to speaking.

One of my Yonsei friends was put in class with Japanese and Chinese students only. Initially he hated it, but was forced to communicate in Korean in class and outside of class. So, hang out with people who don't speak your first language, form study groups and just make an ass of yourself in class and outside.

My Korean is finally plugging along and it's certainly making life easier here. Good luck!!!

[BlaisePascal]

All the major language programs (Sogang, Yonsei, SNU, Ewha, etc.) are intensive. I feel like they are squeezing a year of US college language study into a 10 week period.

Some advice to the OP:

• I would try not to work and study at the same time. There are those who have done it, but it's rather difficult. The day classes are 9am-1pm everyday, and you need time to study and do homework. In my case, I live in the US, but I don't work during the summers, so I come to Korea, take a level at Sogang, and return to the US at the end of the summer. (I've done this twice now, and have just finished Level 2.)
  
• Don't miss class if you can help it. If you really have to miss class, it would be worse to miss day 1 of a lesson than to miss day 2. A lesson is a chapter in the textbook, covered in 2 days. The first day, you learn the grammar patterns and expressions, and you practice them. The second day, you use the newly learned grammar patterns and expressions to create new dialogues, do role-play, and the like.
  
• Do the homework. There can be a lot of homework at times, but it's necessary. It may not be worth much in calculating the course grade -- 10% for participation, attendance and homework in my experience so far -- but that 10% could come in handy if you're borderline between an A and a B.
  
• Do a lot of listening out of class, even if you don't understand what is being said. Watch TV and listen to the radio. Listen to the CD that comes with the book, too.
  
• Preview if you can. The night before each Listening lesson, I would listen to the lesson on the CD and follow along the transcription in the back of the book. Sometimes I would also go ahead in the workbook and start working on exercises in the next lesson, because I knew that I wouldn't have time later.

Search for posts in the General forum or the FAQ forum written by Beaver. They were helpful to me when I was deciding what language program to attend nearly three years ago. Sogang isn't perfect, but I don't regret attending there at the least.


BP

[PRagic]

I suggest drinking on a regular basis, preferably at Korean establishments. This forces you to communicate, and to do so in a less than perfect mental condition.

Also, when it comes to learing foreign languages, a hung over brain is an accepting brain, and this can be your best friend. People, particularly those who fancy themselves to be good students, often fight against the differences between their own lanuage and the target language. You have to accept, internalize, and then let it flow.

The worst students I've ever seen in a foreign language classroom are the ones who always challenged every little thing with, 'But WHY...?' questions. That's they way they say it, so say it that way. Period. Next topic.

[seoulteacher]

Merely anecdotal (ie. second hand, not from my personal experience)...

but I've heard that Sogang's is user-friendly and produces 'street smart' beginner capabilities, whereas Yonsei's is focused far more on grammar and so much drier/more boring.

And I do know a couple of FTs who paid for a Yonsei course, but then dropped out part way thru, citing these above reasons; that was enough for me...I'd start at Sogang (regardless of the cost to me) and, then, maybe later, if I got to a higher level, I'd take a Yonsei course.

[PeteJB]

Yonsei is by far more intensive than Sogang. You have to put in the hours outside of class to keep up with Yonsei classes in order to get a good grade. Yes, Sogang focuses more on conversation but Yonsei builds your vocab and grammar intensively until you explode. I've never found Yonsei boring. The teachers are fun, each with unique personalities. It's only boring if you aren't interested in learning Korean, in which case go away and do something else because you can not learn without the desire to.

[the_beaver]

[seoulteacher]

Well said, Beaver.

[Bryan]

[i4NI]

[postfundie]

[postfundie]

[PeteJB]

That being said, completing a large portion of Yonsei and then going to Sogang would be the best idea in my opinion. Building a good foundation is the key to success. Yonsei WILL build your foundation in reading, listening and writing skills. The conversation WILL come later. It did for me and I've never had any trouble communicating using all of the grammar and words that I've learned. My listening is even better. But YES, Yonsei is not for everyone. Yonsei is especially good if you are looking to learn the structure and origins of Korean - a long road. Sogang is the short road, and will teach you how to communicate easily and freely but may leave you stumped with being able to understand why everything is structured the way it is.

Yonsei produced some of those foreign television stars who can communicate naturally in Korean, so obviously it works for some.

[the_beaver]