Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lastat06513]

While at my institute, taking a break between classes, I read an article written by Paul Dunn-Morris from Busan in the Korea Herald.
In the article, he states his disgust about the poor quality of English being taught at institutes and in schools around the country.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I found this article biting in a sense that it puts down one way of speaking while trying to persuade the readers to learn "Standard English".
I have a question, what is "Standard English"?
What is a "Real Teacher" ?
I feel that anyone who has been here for any length of time will obtain the same experience as someone who has just finished their M.ED. Actually, in my opinion, I have seen some "real teachers" and they could be as incompetent as someone just coming off the boat with no degree.
Here's the article:
www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2003/12/24/200312240025.asp

Read it and tell me what do you think?

[Rand Al Thor]

There is no such thing as standard English only different varieties of English that may be standard for a particular country or region.

here is a debate about are you a real teacher.

[mishlert]

Me thinks Mr. Morris is a Brit and wants Koreans to learn British English; he won't say it, but calls ir standard English. I've taught both British and American English and , except for a few exceptions it's English.

[hellofaniceguy]

Morris has a few screws loose. He thinks he $$it doesn't stink. Why even give him acknowledgement?

[Gord]

[Jaundiced Jonz]

Traditionalists would also take issue with Dunn-Morris's two sentences in the final paragraph beginning with 'But' and 'And' respectively.

I, on the other hand, take issue with his lack of a unifying thesis statement. What an unfun oaf.

[weatherman]

Maybe he is right. I don't know one derogatory slur for head up your ass brits at all.

[Gord]

Should we tell Paul that "idiom" is countable, so he should be saying "grammar and idioms"? Poor Paul, he has so many mistakes in that letter he has become what he wanted to damn.

That, and I believe he his Canadian instead of British.

[The Man known as The Man]

[Ya-ta Boy]

I also would like to take issue with his idea of 'standard English'. As someone said, every country has its own 'standard English'. It seems he wants his standard to be adopted as the standard everywhere since all others are substandard. Humph!

I will agree somewhat with him about teachers. While getting training does not automatically mean someone will be a good teacher, it does tend to raise the level of performance. I went to a teachers school and got training, but I was a dreadful teacher my first year out. I knew my academic subject, but it took a bit of time to get my chops down. I'm of the opinion that teaching is more of an art than a science, but learning from other skilled teachers is a big help. I found I ended up drawing on the teachers that inspired me in public school, some of the lessons at the teacher training college and my own talent.

I posted a question on the Job related board about a co-worker who doesn't think he needs to require his students to answer in full sentences. He graduated with a Masters from a rather prestigious school. He's a bright man. But he just refuses to see the utility of making students deliver complete sentences. Further, he had a revolt in his adult beginner class because he would skip pages and pages of material because it was 'too easy' for them. Them weaker students finally spoke up and said it might be too easy for him, and it was too easy for the same 3 strong students that he always asked if they understood, but it was not easy for them. I think a little professional training (and common sense) would teach him to let the students take turns answering questions so everyone gets a chance and he can check the individual progress of each.

Sorry, I kind of got on a rant about a specific case rather than sticking to the subject.

[rapier]

The standard of english taught here is low(ish) for a variety of reasons:
1) poorly trained, or not at all "teachers".
2) Students who would rather die than study english.
3) Inneficient system and school management in Korea.
*What constitutes correct English, and by which nationality, is subjective.

[matthewwoodford]

[On the other hand]

Some people seem to yearn for English to be a language like French, with an elite academy on hand to keep things in line. But, for better or for worse, and for whatever historical-cultural reasons, English is NOT that type of a language, and at least to my knowledge never has been.

Even the dictionaries disagree with one another. Gord's apparently lists an adjective usage for "fun", whearas the Random House I consulted at home lists the word as a noun only. The Oxford I looked at in the bookstore today also lists it as a noun only, with a note saying that it is often used informally as an adjective, a usage which "some" consider to be improper. The lexicographer can't even bring himself to say that it is outright improper, and instead just points to an unspecified number of people who think it is. Interesting also that the British Oxford is more liberal on this question than the American Random House.

[coolsage]

I read his piece in the Korea Herald. To paraphrase another contributor to this forum, he comes off as someone who was 'toilet-trained at gunpoint'. He does make one cogent point, though, and that is that the bar is set too low here; a BA in beekeeping will land one a teaching gig here. That is unfair to those who take this racket seriously, and it's most unfair to the students who deserve the best that we can serve up. As to 'Standard English', this unfortunately is where he descends into the land of Hooey. There is no such thing anymore. There are many variations of English, all equally valid. Now correct or impeccable English is possible whether or not one speaks with a British or American or Samoan accent, for what it's worth. And to all, a good night.

[TheUrbanMyth]