Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kurtz]

I have never taught absolute beginners. I have to teach an after school class to 1st graders and so far they only know how to say Aa Bb Cc, apple, axe, ant and bed, bag, bat.

Are there any creative minds out there that can help pad out a 40min lesson with only the above vocab?

[hockeyguy109]

Good post! I actually just started teaching an after school 1st grade. After trial and error, I recommend spending the first full class (or two) teaching them the following words:
1. Point
2. Listen
3. Write
4. Trace
5. Say

It sounds really simple, but needs a full class (at least) to get them to understand. And then in the beginning of every class, go through those words. It will make the rest of your lessons so much easier once they memorize them.

Create games with them or something.
Teaching 1st graders (for those of us who mainly teach older kids) is a whole different ballgame.

[Kurtz]

Hockeyguy, I found this game

1. write down the alphabet letters the students know, having one letter for each student

2. tell them they can only say the sound of the letter, not the name of the letter

3. put the letters in a bag, each student takes one letter, memorizes it, and puts it in their pocket.

4. Students then walk around the class saying the sound of their letter, students with the same sound will form a group. First group to form is the winner.

Hopefully is works

[hockeyguy109]

Kurtz- Sounds like a great game! Let me know how it works.

Out of curiosity, do you have a Korean co-teacher in your 1st grade after school classes? I don't and giving them instructions is so hard. I thought about learning a few Korean words like "finished, class break, go home, attendance", but the school told me the mothers only want us to speak in English.

Sometimes it takes me 10 minutes of pointing and waving towards the clock and door before they figure out that class is over.

Also, are you supplied the teaching material? I have 4 books I'm suppose to get through with them each week (3 classes, 40 minutes long). We don't have a lot of fun, I'm jealous that you're getting to form your own games!

Is it a new after school program you are in?

[Straphanger]

Start with the hard consonants.

Move to the long vowels.

Then move to the short vowels.

Then move to dipthongs.

It should take about a year.

[Straphanger]

[hockeyguy109]

Straphanger- haha yeah that's actually a good idea. I'll try that out.
Are you in an after school program? How is teaching 1st graders going for you?

[Straphanger]

[Kurtz]

hockeyguy,

I have a very good K teacher with me always. My class is more for revision, so I'm not really teaching, well I sort of am but it's more for practice with a native speaker.

I have to come up with games to make it fun, as they already are familiar with the material.

With the older kids, I have a book. We just follow the book, a few role plays, a game and it's over, piece of cake.

The first graders are only just beginning. I'm told to review what they know, which is VERY little, so I'm trying to come up with ideas/games/activities to get through a 40 min lesson. I'm totally out of my comfort zone teaching absolute beginners.

The ASP is not new, but as I have been told I have a good "reputation" in my area for being a "great teacher" (AHEM..cough cough) I feel I need to do a very good job, not only for the students, but for me too. It's quite easy to win over K teachers, as I think they have seen some terrible NT's so if you put a little effort in, they think you're a great teacher.

[wings]

MES English has a lot of great phonics stuff. go to their "fun fonix" section, they have a whole book you can download with flash cards and online games to go along with it. Start with reliable consonants and soft vowel sounds, that alone will take months. If you do the alphabet in order ignore soft 'c' and other things like that until later on.

[I-am-me]

I usually have them reading words after about 2 months. Find a good phonics book and start off with the simple sounds such a ba, ca, da, fa, ha, ja, ka, la......etc. Start with leltters of the alphabet with the vowels. Works with my beginners.

[Kurtz]

Thanks for your responses.

This class is only once a week, but still, I would like to try and do a good job. I don't have any control over what I teach. Like I said, the K teacher will teach them a few letters, like maybe 2 every 2 weeks, and about 6 words and that's it, it's up to me to have a speaking class out of this. Maybe calling this thread "phonics" was incorrect.

My first lesson was OK, but I made the mistake of walking into the class alone, as I then received about 10 little fingers and intervals attemping to penetrate my anus, funny little habit these kids like to do (and no, I didn't enjoy it).

Any easy, fun games you guys know of to get them interested? tried the fly swotter game which went OK.

[ddeubel]

These Videos many teachers have used and given good feedback about A-Z. Kids will enjoy them. Under resources on EFL Classroom I have 2 fully loaded phonics powerpoints. They are super. Look under Resources - Reading and stories.

You might also see the ABC discussion we have on the main forum.

Cheers,

DD
http://eflclassroom.com

[busanliving]

The website barryfun english has some basic games etc to use with short and long vowel sounds, really simple to use for beginners.

[bobranger]

http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/#

Good link for physical modeling of phonetic alphabet.