Korean Job Discussion Forums

[BS.Dos.]

I've got a Trinity College TESOL and before I grew a little longer in the (Korean) tooth i.e for the first 6-months or so, it proved priceless. However, while it gave me the confidence to walk the walk and talk the EFL talk, I now feel that I haven't really taken enough responsibility for developing my teaching skills such as what a CELTA or TESOL accreditation promotes. What a TESOL/CELTA gives you are skills and self-assessment/evaluation techniques, but If you aren't proactively developing your skills or receiving feedback, then you'll soon pick up bad habits etc as I have. I'm sure my TESOL tutors would cringe if they observed one of my typical lessons.

Your lesson plan looks okay, but I'm just wondering if your smarty-pants recruiter feels it doesn't conform to his ideas of what a lesson plan should look like. My TESOL didn't specify any particular lesson plan format, but it did specify that the teacher should always outline the aim of the lesson, whether that be a particular grammar point, core skill work or whatever. I also think that use of words like 'brainstorming' conjures up images of silent classrooms full of students pondering over one thing or another. Illicit responses sounds far more proactive.

I'd also be inclined to present your lesson plan in a way that doesn't resemble a list. Lay it out in table format, clearly identifying the time for each activity, a rough outline/plan for each exercise, learning outcomes, material you intend to use, key skill utilized (listening, reading, writing, speaking), any phonetic points/vocab that may be used/difficult to pronounce/understand, indicate explicitly the activity dynamic (solo, pair, group, class etc). That's the kind of thing I used to include in mine, but I'm not required to produce lesson plans at my school, only at the end of each semester at on one of my schools for 10 CA classes and I don't put that much effort in to them.

Ultimately, I wouldn't worry about it. That recruiter isn't going to be getting much in the way of commission if he's going to be so picky about who he tries to recruit. Your plan is probably a lot more thought out than most FTs over here could knock out.

[Jimskins]

Okay I'll stick my neck out here...

I worked for a year as a total newbie in a hogwan a few years ago before going home, getting an MA TEFL and am 5 months into my second year of teaching, at a girl's high school (average class size 40-43). Although my experience in Korean public schools is therefore very limited I found my MA extremely useful.

I think the guy's response with regards the communicative content is pretty fair, though he is also mixing in the realities of public school teaching in Korea to reinforce his criticisms. With classes of this size you should use as much pair and group work as possible and essentially be a "monitor" rather than a "conductor."

In the first class "In the Street" is not really communicative at all. I don't know if you've read any articles on the communicative approach in ELT but basically the idea is to use the language to do something, to transmit an idea. When he talks about producing the language he dos not simply refer to speaking but what they are speaking.

The "pronunciation practice" section does not involve any communication on the part of the students.

In the "answer questions" section, I agree (and this relates more to the teaching reality than communicative point) with a previous poster, that you are unlikely to get many volunteers. If I asked such questions to my students I would be lucky to get 1 volunteer per 20 classes. Using the language to make comments/ ask questions is communicative but the guy's view will probably be that this section will fail, hence no communicative practice. The same with asking the students questions about words or meanings, they simply won't respond in front of the whole class. It is better to give one question or word to define to a group, give them some time to discuss and then present their answers.

Again, the "partner practice" involves no communication, they are simply repeating someone else's dialogue. I only really use such activities in a 5 minute warm-up to introduce a new topic. It requires almost zero student input above beginner levels.

Situational dialogue

Part 1 - I don't think there is anything wrong with brainstorming but I think you are doing too much for them, it is too teacher centred, you are giving them all of the answers, so completing the dialogue just becomes a slightly more difficult version of fill in the blanks. I would (having first myself given them an example exchange) give each pair 2 activities and tell them they have to take turns to suggest the activities to their partner. You could then either let the students give their honest opinion on doing the activity or have them agree to one and disagree to the other.
At the end a few pairs could be selected to report on their activities and partner's responses (if you tell them at the start that they will all have to do this it should make monitoring that they are staying on task a little easier).

Part 2 - (see Part 1)

Homework- I know it is not actually in your class but memorising situational dialogue beyond a few key sentence linking phrases is not helpful at all, and certainly not communicative.

Second class

Repeat pronunciation drill = (see pronunciation practice above)

Review situational dialogue = fine but only for a warm-up, maybe 5 minutes for listening practice.


Speaking quiz = Again, this is just pattern practice and not communicative at all, merely repeating someone else's words.

Brainstorm = This is actually quite a difficult brainstorming task, (in my classes at least) I would only expect 3 or 4 students per class to volunteer anything, and unless at upper-intermediate level would struggle to find many ideas, even working in groups.

In communicative language teaching I try not to use more than 2 tasks/activities per lesson, communication (especially in an L2 and in multi-level classes) requires thought and therefore time. Using 4 or 5 activities in each class may seem to be giving the students lots of fresh starts and keeping them interested but if you choose the right activity you can just let them go at it without interuption for 25 minutes+ at a time.

The communicative approach is not the be all and end all of ELT (as some would suggest) but is generally more appropriate in most situtions (especially beyond beginner levels) than pattern practice and drilling.


I could have gone into a lot more detail, but as I said the communicative approach is not perfect and my suggestions may also be criticised, but I hope this was helpful.

[dmbfan]

O.P.,

I think it is outstanding that you let it all hang out by posting one of your lesson plans on dave's. I have not seen that happen too many times.

Honestly, I think it is a good job. Most people will speak about it, only to hear themselves speak.


The problem with a CELTA is that it is geared towards adults, not a classroom filled with 35 or more apathetic, low leveled Korean students (which is usually the case). THEN, you have to deal and battle with the Korean "co-teacher" who does not know his/her asshole from a hole in the ground, when it comes to teaching English.


Here, in Korea.........the best thing is to form a lesson plan that engages the students, requires them to practice, then activates the lesson, bringing it full circle.


Good job OP.


dmbfan

[Ed Provencher]

jimskins, can I watch you teach sometime? Seeing is believing.

[Jimskins]

Anytime. Won-Hwa Girl's High School, Dalseo-gu, Daegu.

[crusher_of_heads]

[dmbfan]

[agoodmouse]

Here are the documents I use to create my lesson plans. I may post more. Every time you plan a lesson, in an effort to clarify your language goals, it's a good idea write out a procedure and do either a language or skills analysis sheet.

These were the documents our CELTA lessons had to adhere to. It's a good structure. I left in the lesson planning information I made inside these documents, so you can see how I plan. For better or worse, I learned how to lesson plan in my CELTA course.

http://rapidshare.com/files/195007236/CELTA_Lesson_Documents.zip

[Ed Provencher]

[maingman]

1 http://www.languagemarketplace.com/phoenix-translation- services.html


2 http://mediaeducationlab.com/


3 http://www.eyeoneducation.com/default.asp



hope theyy help