Korean Job Discussion Forums

poeticjustice · Joined: 28 Feb 2009

Alright, so at my public high school in Seoul, my whole schedule has been nixed and replaced. Instead of teaching 16 "mixed bag" classes, I now teach a bunch of "high", "medium", "low" and "very low classes." Now, the class sizes are smaller and the lowest performing English students have been shaved off into large "very low classes." Also, instead of teaching 16 classes a week, I now teach 21 classes every week and a half.

I'm not sure if this regards all subjects, though it's safe to say that most of these kids in the "very low class" are equivalent to being "special ed."

Overall, the class-by-level thing makes a lot of sense. It's what we'd have back home. The problem is that I don't honestly think I can do anything with these very low classes.

First off, the "very-low-classes" have more than fifty students divided up into girls' classes or boys' classes (the boys being the worst). Their English ability is close to zero and their is no English co-teacher for these classes. I'm pretty much left to my own devices.

They don't understand the most basic English expressions and seem to be limited to Konglish and the alphabet. Once we got the "I'mfinethankyouandyou?s" out of the way the way they were completely lost. The textbook is much too difficult for them as is the lesson plan I use with the "low" students (which is just a simplified version of what I use with the mid to high students).

If I say "quiet down", they don't understand what that means. Sentences that start with: "what is..." or "how do you say..." are completely lost on them. At most, I can get an answer in Korean that I can understand. At worst, which is most of the time, they've already decided to give up and they just sit and chat with one another regardless of what I'm saying. Not that I can blame them. If they can't understand even Kindergarten level English and I only see them once every other week, what am I supposed to do with them?

I'm lost. I need help. For the LOVE OF GOD HELP ME!

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

I can't help, but I do have to ask: why don't you have a co-teacher? I thought that was the law in Korean public schools.

poeticjustice · Joined: 28 Feb 2009

Goku · Joined: 10 Dec 2008

Sounds like they are a lost cause.

IF it were me, I'd try to do 1 of 2 things:

1) Be the English clown, give them some games, enterain them... it's not like they are going to learn english anyways. Might as well bring some joy to their lives. And give them something so they won't act up. I'm 15% for this option. Mainly because it'd make the job easy and well... life's short. Even the "dumb" people deserve to have some fun once in a while.

2) Something I'd be more inclined to do with higher risk, less return (aka. more complaints)is to give them some INSANELY easy english worksheets. Like basically insult their intelligence. Literally. Make English seem like the easy thing in the world. Ask them how to spell Cat. Or do activities that list the alphabet. What comes after A in the alphabet?

You run the risk of literally insulting them, but there is potential to either a) build their English confidence or b) motivate them from boredom to harder material.

Contrary to popular belief. I do think easy easy materials are important to refresh memories, help motivate and reinforce the idea that yes "I do know something about English".

Imagine going into a spanish class and they are going through the alaphabet again. I'd be like OHHH my god this is SOOOO easy!. You've got to be kidding me. Gives them the confidence that they can move onto harder material... and they will be begging for it..

Well that's the ideal response anyways. They could also toss the paper, or make oragami cranes and swords...

It's risky but the reward is high if your students can learn at least a little from you.

tomato · Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:20 am Post subject:

Emeliu · Joined: 31 Mar 2009 Location: Korea, i'm OMW

If they're from the very beginning, maybe you should try and learn some basic korean needed to teach. Korean is pretty simple, just pick up a book or take a hagwon class. No one learns a language without "comprehensible input", so, make something, comprehensible :-\. (I'm just a TESOL college student, so I really don't know)

Dazed and Confused · Joined: 10 Jan 2003

I'm with Goku on this one. Teach them the alphabet, even get them to do handwriting practice, and try to get them to comprehend phonics. You can go from there. Teach lots of vocabulary too.

I'd also suggest you learn some classroom language in Korean. Get a Korean to help you if you need it and make a translation sheet. Have the kids memorize it. Make games, flash cards whatever. Give them a test on it the next class and generously reward the ones who have top score.

Teach TPR. Since there's no speaking they'll get the hang of it quickly and it has a high retention. They'll feel like they are learning something.

tomato · Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 4:13 am Post subject:

Mainah · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Location: Camden, ME USA

Any background on the group? Low intellect, developmentally delayed? Behavior problems that nobody wants to bother with?

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I sure don't envy you. I'd like to think that I've developed the skills to handle most kids of classes but quite frankly I'm not sure what I'd do with a class of 50, no TV, and no co-teacher. But in a class that large and that low, a CT might not actually make all that much difference, depending on the individual.

Let's face it, the greatest, completely bi-lingual teacher in the world is probably not going to accomplish a great deal with a class like that. I'd be doing a lot of bingo, puzzles, and pop songs (you can at least find a CD player, can't you?), punctuated with very brief (like five minute) periods of STFU unless you're called upon and actually try to learn something.

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

This might be really unfashinable but I think this would be your best solution. Get a copy of Word By Word, and Side by Side,

Word by Word is basically The Oxford Picture Dictionary with Korean translation.

Ask your Korean co-teacher what he she is teaching that week and for a copy of the textbook. Find the similar dialogue in Side by Side. You can get it copied using the cheap re-cycle paper. Most schools do it on the first floor. Start with lots of choral repetition. Then assign roles. Girls A boys B. then reverse roles. Then you can get the students to do substitution activities using the language learned for different situations. Example The Post office is next to the school. The school is between the post office and the Hospital.