Korean Job Discussion Forums

[earthbound14]

One of my least favourite things about teaching Koreans (there are many things that I like, but I don't question that) is how they ignore basic requests or questions.


I had a class full of adults that out of the blue simply refused to answer a single question I asked them. For almost 2 weeks they were unresponsive in class and spent most of their time looking down at their books. I only asked them to answer questions about people they knew and character traits they admired (a high intermediate class). I asked them to talk to each other, still silence. It was horrible. I just stood there asking questons thinking they hated me (which was odd, cause all my students like me......or at least I think so). A few weeks later I seem to have sorted everything out. They are all happy and eager to talk with me or other students. We even went out and got drunk together. Although every so often tumble weeds blow through class when I ask them a question. Just random questions, nothing out there. As simple as "How are you today?". Not all classes are this odd, but it demonstrates how students simply ignore you if they feel like it.

I often don't understand why and have a hell of a time dealing with some students who do it on a regular basis. The worst is when students are given enough time to start talking amongst themselves in class. Sometimes they simply will not stop when asked repeatedly. I've yelled at students or slammed doors in order to get their attention. Then they look all suprised as if they didn't expect that. With younger students I've told them I will take them out of class if they don't listen. They get 3 warnings then I try to take them out. They usually refuse to go and cry as if they are about to be executed if I drag them. They grab onto the door, pull desks, pull chairs....it's completely nuts.

I just don't get this, they live in a whole other universe I seem unable to fully grasp. I have gotten better at understadning this yet I could never explain to you what I do or how I've changed in order to deal with this. I simply seem to have adapted somewhat.

[VanIslander]

Korean students have learned through their public schooling that their role is a passive one of listening and rote memorization.

The older and bigger the class, the more this approach has been fossilized.

[Fox]

Yes, I still don't understand the occasional incident of "I'm clearly not listening, I'm not learning anything, and I obviously don't want to be here, but if you try to send me out I'll fight tooth and nail."

[skeeterses]

Welcome to the World of Teaching ESL in Korea my man. First thing is to try avoiding the confrontations. Give candy and stickers to the good students and get the bad students to sit at another table. If you're rough with the bad students, they can quit the school and get you fired in a real hurry. Remember, none of the kids want to be there. So you don't want to rock the boat.

Over time, you'll learn different ways to get the motivated students to learn, and you'll be amazed at the things they can do. But you'll also learn how to keep the lazy students pacified by doing things like spoonfeeding answers and letting them have break time as long as they're quiet. Usually, you only want to bring a Korean teacher in if the students are too loud or talking on their cellphones. Otherwise, don't force a lazy student to study. They know the system better than you or I.

[Fishead soup]

Korean students are lost without a textbook. I can remember going through a lot of trouble to present pictures of my family and hometown just to get them to ask questions just to get a bunch of blank looks.

I then switched to this activity and got them out of their seats and active.

http://iteslj.org/t/tmm/i/026t.jpg

[Steelrails]

Asking things can be difficult....I had a similar problem with one class...
The way I solved it was by having a whole lesson on 'how to answer loudly and often' Reward answering...punish silence...competition also works.

In Aretha's words- R E S P E C T. Earn it. Then Demand it. Then Use it.

I do think the silence factor is somewhat related to ability- I have one class of unusually skilled students and they enthusiastically answerd questions and volunteered from day 1.

To agree with fishead- Physical activity is always good. Often you can overcome language barriers through roleplaying and being physically active.

This problem is not unique to Korea....at my University tumbleweeds abounded as we plotted the weekened's beer-pong tourney via text msging...and the glorious spitball fights of middle school...ahhh the memories...I do remember that when I dealt with a hardcore teacher, who acted like a drill sergeant, I shut up and sat straight.

[dporter]

[Rusty Shackleford]

[NightSky]

for some reason it really annoys me when my adults answer a simple yes or no question with "but..."

I say, "do you think that korean society is -----"

"But, koreans don't like to do this blah blah blah...."

I also have students that when I ask, "How are you today?" they just respond, "Yeah..."

[Privateer]

[DCJames]

[superacidjax]

[Goku]

Simply this,

Students don't like to participate because teachers, especially in Korea, provide little positive reinforcement and the feeling of "no... that's wrong" outweighs the pat on the back.

There is no easy way to remedy this as it's both a natural human prediciliction as well as a learned habit.

Curing the cases of "I'm so shy don't call on me" can be resolved in this manner.

I had one teacher that would record who would speak in class. He would require that you speak at least 5 times during the course of the semester or he would fail you.

All students would fight for answers and quite honestly, it was a lot of fun. No one would care or blame someone else for answering the questions incorrect, because the dangling dagger of ACTUALLY failing by not answering questions was greater.

If you have control of their grades this should totally be done. In fact, I would use a ranking system (if I could) for participative students. All students would recieve a curved score based on % of questions answered right in class...

I'm a genius I know.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

One advantage to teaching PS is that you have control over their time and that makes it a lot easier to demand their attention. If the Q & A that should take two minutes is taking ten because they won't pay attention, just put it aside and save it til after the bell goes. Once it's a choice between paying attention for two minutes or losing a ten-minute break it's remarkable how quickly they can make an effort to tune in.

[NightSky]