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michaelambling
Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Location: Paradise
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:10 am Post subject: Taboo topics in Korea? |
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In planning my classes, I keep a very loose structure but give the students a topic to talk about with partners and then with the whole class and me. I've done the usual stuff--where are you from, what'd you do on your birthday, what's your favorite food--but I try to push the envelope a little, because a class's politeness is inversely proportional to its interestingness.
What topics are completely taboo in Korea? Obviously suicide and incest are out, but what about domestic violence? Gender relations? Drugs? Politics? Religion? North Korea? Money? What can I have them discuss, what can't I?
I should mention that I'm at a rural private university with students who range from hard-working and smart to stupid and lazy. |
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Straphanger
Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Location: Chilgok, Korea
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:34 am Post subject: |
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If I had a million dollars.... |
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BS.Dos.

Joined: 29 Mar 2007
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:56 am Post subject: |
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Keep one eye on the news and see if anything topical comes up that you can work in. I used the deaths of four Koreans at a mountain top reed burning festival recently as the theme for an impromptu lesson which worked well. I incorporated language that dovetailed with what happened, such as first aid, the weather, how it could have been prevented etc.
I'm assuming that you teach kids, so I'd say whatever you decide to do, just make sure it isn't to high-brow for them else you'll end up with a classroom full of  |
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michaelambling
Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Location: Paradise
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 2:01 am Post subject: |
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BS.Dos. wrote: |
Keep one eye on the news and see if anything topical comes up that you can work in. I used the deaths of four Koreans at a mountain top reed burning festival recently as the theme for an impromptu lesson which worked well. I incorporated language that dovetailed with what happened, such as first aid, the weather, how it could have been prevented etc.
I'm assuming that you teach kids, so I'd say whatever you decide to do, just make sure it isn't to high-brow for them else you'll end up with a classroom full of  |
I keep forgetting to mention--I teach university students. |
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Jeonnam Jinx

Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Location: Jeonnam
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WoBW
Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Location: HBC
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 4:45 am Post subject: |
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If they are adults, try relationships. You could also do a lesson on the drinking culture in korea. How about stereotypes for different nationalities. |
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Ilsanman

Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 4:48 am Post subject: |
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Dokdo is taboo, unless you fully support them. Even just asking them to justify their claim (as in trying to make them speak) is taboo.
So is 2MB unless you want to insult him. |
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michaelambling
Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Location: Paradise
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:46 am Post subject: |
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Ilsanman wrote: |
Dokdo is taboo, unless you fully support them. Even just asking them to justify their claim (as in trying to make them speak) is taboo.
So is 2MB unless you want to insult him. |
What is 2MB? |
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D.D.
Joined: 29 May 2008
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:07 am Post subject: |
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The three T's -Taiwan,Tibet and Tinnamen square. Oh crap am I still in Korea? |
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ontheway
Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:20 am Post subject: |
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michaelambling wrote: |
Ilsanman wrote: |
Dokdo is taboo, unless you fully support them. Even just asking them to justify their claim (as in trying to make them speak) is taboo.
So is 2MB unless you want to insult him. |
What is 2MB? |
2MB = 이명박 President of Korea. Myungbaak Lee. |
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tenchu77491
Joined: 16 Mar 2009
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:18 am Post subject: |
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Don't talk about Dok Do~ or Japan for that matter. No matter what you know or think you know, they won't listen and it will make things awkward. |
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Easter Clark

Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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Lately I've been asking my students why Korea doesn't have a Spring. Seems to get a few laughs, but they chalk it up to global warming. |
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cdninkorea

Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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I find topics can be good or taboo depending on how you approach it. If you start out aggressively, giving an air that you want to "get the dirt" on Korea, they'll naturally get defensive. Instead I'll try to be as objective as possible and listen to the students.
Using this, I've talked about a lot of subjects you'd think were taboo: prostitution in Korea, international relationships (specifically, white guys like me with Korean women), slavery in the Joseon era, and whether or not Korea is a developed country (surprisingly, my students all said it wasn't).
I like treading on thin ice because that's where things get interesting. |
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Fishead soup
Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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My overall experience with these pro's and cons class are.
I would try to avoid anything sexual, or anything that might be percieved as an attack or Korean culture. In the past I have talked about eating dogmeat and I did admit that I had tried dogmeat during the lesson. The material was percieved as an attack on Korean culture.
I think pro's and con's type discussions are hit and miss. When they go well they go really well. When they tank they really tank. I would go in with a back up plan. Look up some material by Andrew Finch. Culturally its pretty nautral and it would make a great back up plan for a discussion that flopped. |
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