Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Beeston27]

Okay so I am nearly at the end of my first week working in my public school. I am teaching conversation classes to 1st grade high schoolers.
I just did introductions, talking about myself, and trying to get the kids to say their names and their likes and dislikes.
I also tried to get them to say where they want to visit in the world or where they have visited? Is this really dumb?
The kids don't seem to enjoy it at all, as a consequence I feel bad, because I think perhaps they are being patronised. But when they do start talking their spoken English is quite poor with one or two exceptions.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I plan to tie future lessons into the textbook material. Next week for instance I was planning to get the children to fill in blanks in a passage about poor countries and then get them to read it out, as a group, a couple of sentences each. Is this a bad idea? Quite honestly I feel like I am pulling teeth with some of the kids atm! I just want the kids to learn, and I would feel bad playing games. For the last 10 mins of one of my lower ability classes I played hangman as I thought it my cheer some of them up, but alas no, they just didn't seem to like it!

[bundangbabo]

It takes time to build up a rapport with the students. You are going to meet solid resistance at first from a lot of the students but keep ploughing through and you will get there - a week is nowhere near long enough to build the relationships necessary to make a class smooth - some classes it will never happen anyway - you won't get everyone to enjoy your class whatever you do. It sounds like you have the right idea with the classes though, I think the subject matter is sound enough - where is your co-teacher in all this?

[Beeston27]

thanks buddy.

The co teachers generally just hover in the background somewhere, but I could do with them becoming a little more involved quite honestly.

The main problem is I just feel like the kids hated my lesson.

Other than teaching things have been brilliant since my arrival. My co-teachers are lovely and I have made somereally good friends in the short time I have been out here!

[Adjumas Cheekbones]

You cannot have a discussion class with first graders. Hell, they can't even speak korean properly yet!

Take it easy and be flexible, they really are kids. 'simple' games are a good idea. Keep the lesson simple and changing. Their attention span is limited.

try www.esl-kids.com

The worksheets section is superb and colourful (yes the british spelling). Keep smiling and they will love you soon enough. A smile with the youngest really helps

AC

[oldfatfarang]

Time, patience, friendliness and kindness - these will all help you get on side with your students. At the moment, you are nobody - just another teacher.

Take time to find out about the kids lives. Ask them questions - their answers might horrify you: 7.30a - 11pm study days, 7 days a week, crushing homework and private academy lesson, daily homework beatings. None of it's fun. It's called 'School Hell'.

Just be firm and kind, and don't push them (they have enough of that). and they'll warm to you. Korean kids are lovely kids - when they're allowed to be.

Good luck. This can be a very rewarding job.

[Otherside]

[Rteacher]

I've found that I can connect with students by trying to relate to music (and maybe TV shows) that they like.

Find video clips with English subtitles on Youtube of Wonder Girls, Rain, Boa (and whoever else is popular now) and use that as a warm-up or ice-breaker.

If you have an overhead projector connected to the classroom computer there's lots of fun (and/or interesting) internet English-learning material.

Google "English-Korean quizzes" and you get to
http://iteslj.org/v/k/ which practically all Korean students can relate to.

There's all sorts of good stuff on www.manythings.org , including grammar quizzes, flash (and java) hangman games, tonque-twisters, and crossword puzzels for English learners of all ages.

www.englishpage.com has excellent "irregular verb flashcards" and all types of preposition quizzes.

I've found that in dialogue practices, it's very helpful to circle the words and syllables that correspond to the rhythmic beat of each sentence and have students tap on their desks while speaking (highlighting the fact that articles like a, an, and the usually are not stressed at all.

Music and video are very helpful, and my Korean high school students love Disney's High School Musical trilogy. You can quiz them on characters' names, descriptions, sequence of events, etc., and you can teach them their favorite songs from it - beginning with "Start of Something New".

When I first came to Korea I ordered the "Edutainment" activity book with cassette tapes (now they have DVDs) of popular oldies by the Beatles, Carpenters, Monkees, Simon and Garfunkle, etc. along with ready-made "song-cloze" exercises (which you can also do yourself, of course.)

Since I used to have after-school elementary classes, I became a paying member of www.wearebusybeavers.com , which has very attractive animated songs, games, and downloads (some free.) I found that some of them are very suitable for my high school classes as well.

A very nice free site is run by eslcafe forum member "deubel"
http://eflclassroom.ning.com/

Occasionally, I also use material from www.handoutsonline.com (which I also subscribe to...)

Probably nobody spends more money on things that make teaching easier than I do - including buy lots of candy and chocolate to use as incentives ...

Since I'm into online karaoke I also put my "gold membership" to use by having classes learn/sing some popular songs on this site.
www.singsnap.com

[D.D.]

Teaching to a mix of levels, with tired students and that don't care can be tough. There is so many teaching styles and you need to find one that works for you.

I would find your lessons boring if I was a student. This is the age of video games, youtube and things that are fast paced and exciting. One could say we in the digital age. If you teach lessons that are like the tape recorder age then expect bored students.

No matter what you do students here are hard to teach. Here are some things I have learned that reach them.

1. They like to talk about Korean things. Then tend not to be interested in things outside their culture.

2. Short videos to encourage talking work well.
3. Bugs Bunny works for all ages and students will talk and laugh with cartoons. Even the co-teacher will talk more when cartoons are used.

4. Youtube is your best friend.
5. Make sure you do listening exercises in the first month so they get use to your voice.
6. Give a task to occupy them and then put them in groups. Take a chair and sit down so you are on their level. Talk to them about their lives and make small talk. I have been asking them about Baskin Robbins this week to get them talking.

7. Make sure they can write sentences of 7 words or more. Show a video and ask them to make 5 sentences about the video. Then go and talk to them while they are making sentences. Get you co-teacher to help with making sentences.

8. Twice a semester take students to another room in groups of 5 for a speaking test. This let's them know that they are expected to actually talk.

9. Remember that your job is teaching conversational English. Many teachers go on a tangent from this or have little idea how to make conversational classes.

10. Teaching simple writing is not a tangent from conversation as it helps them to picture English sentences and speak them.

11. Youtube videos with the words lyrics in the search are great ways to learn reading, listening, and speaking all at the same time.

12. Try to teach them how to learn Englsih rather than teach them English. The computer is the best tool for this. The ones that understand it is their job to seek out and try do very well. The ones that are waiting for the spoon take along time.

Sorry out of time . I hope that gives you some ideas.

[Fishead soup]

Showing pictures of yourself and family is good for both speaking and developing a good repor. Try to set up a myspace facebook account on your laptop and show the slideshows to the students. If you aren't in these sites simply show some pictures. You can also use this to teach your family tree and words relating to families like inlaws cousins.

If you don't have a laptop you can color photo copy the originals and get them laminated. Don't hand out originals they will get destroyed.

I don't think it's always a good idea to do this kind of Ice breaking activity on the first day. Most of students will just clam up. Wait until at
least the third class.

[BS.Dos.]

You may also be filling very big boots.

[harlowethrombey]

[Adjumas Cheekbones]

Singing is also good. Twinke, twinkle and row row row your boat etc. Kids love this.

Good games are simon says and i spy...

[bundangbabo]

[Misera]

[cruisemonkey]

The OP is "teaching conversation classes to 1st grade high schoolers."

Hellooooooooooo!