Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Man-e-faces]

Hi all,
I've got an assignment to do regarding the issues when teaching speaking in elementary schools.
Basically what I am looking for are some of the issues we, as native teachers, have when trying to teach our students speaking. Also what methods and/or techniques do you use to improve your classes?
Any and all points of view would be appreciated, serious or otherwise, as often in humour lies seeds of truth!

Many thanks!

Edited for silly sunday morning spelling errors!

[chris_J2]

Correct spelling, for starters! (assignment, appreciated). I'd say:

* Motivation of students
* Discipline of students
* Empathy with the students
* the right balance for teaching, for both low grade & high level students
* preparation / lesson plans
* 'dumbing down' big words like 'veterinarian' to 'vet', 'immediately' to 'now', eg.
* self motivation (can be difficult, when coteachers don't always give the support they could or should)
* interesting supplementary materials & activities
* good observation skills (spotting perplexed expressions or kids playing with cellphones or toys)

I'm sure they're are many others.

[Kurtz]

[D.D.]

Getting away from the Korean methods as soon as possible. The system here does not tend to produce people that can use the language.

Finding co-teachers that value speaking English as a valuable skill.

Stepping on the co-teachers that sabotage most efforts towards speaking and give off xenophobic vibes to the kids.

Showing video that the kids like and getting them to talk about it.

Finding ways to get in small groups and talk so the kids learn that talking will be expected from them.

Getting the kids to use the words that they already know rather than filling them up with more vocab.

The real battle is the conservative teachers that never learned to speak telling the kids that they also will not really need this skill.

Teachers who feel scared of little kids that speak more English than they do.

Show off the good students in class so the other kids see that level of expectation is high.

Encourage them to start to think in English to produce conversation about things that are relevant to them.

Try to get them towards speaking part or complete sentences as soon as possible.

Take out the Korean ending added on English words such as egg =egga, sausage =sausagee.

[chris_J2]

I missed classess, but did spot appreciated. And made a grammatical error of my own, with they're are (It should be "there are")

Yes, role play is good for shy, self-conscious students.

I'd also add:

* flexibility (no point getting upset when your classes don't show up, because your coteacher forgot to mention they have a field trip today)
* preparedness (spare pencils, erasers, textbooks & photocopies for those few students, who invariably forget to bring them)
* pointing out to students that it's not a good idea to copy other students work. On Friday, I had all the correct answers written on the board, but students were still copying from each, other despite lots of errors.

[Kurtz]

I never went to teacher school so I read these types of threads with interest, but sometimes I just have to scratch my head.

What the hell is a xenophobic vibe which is given to the students from some co-teachers? I mean, that statement is pretty out there.
FT "Mrs Kim, please stop giving a xenophobic vibe to the students, if you continue to do so I'll complain to EPIK"
KT" Oh sorry, it's just that I hate foreigners so much I can't help it, it's our nature"

Not being too critical, but where are these expert English speaking Korean teachers who want to teach English going to appear from? isn't that the reason we are here because most Korean teachers teaching English at an elementary school can't in fact speak English at an even passable level?

From what I've seen and heard, one or two K teachers get roped into it, much as they don't want to do it they have to if told by the VP, so it comes as no surprise they might feel uncomfortable co-teaching as they don't want to lose face.

This is THE major problem I think we face, the level of co-operation from the K teacher, AND the level of flexibility from the native speaker "I have a degree in chemistry but I speak English so I want to do everything in class"

Sorry, this wasn't a hijack, please enjoy your meal ladies and gentlemen and enjoy the free entertainment.

[chris_J2]

I forgot the 2 biggies!

* rote learning. Repeating a point over & over & over ad infinitem

* TPR (Total Physical Response) is another useful early childhood technique. The kids go wild over this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBWQCHb95rg

I never went to Teachers College, did a TEFL course, or majored in Education in my degree, either.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[ddeubel]

Might I be so brave as to mention - affective filter and assessment. Or are these terms too old fashioned? Not to mention providing real and authentic "need" to speak.

I hope they do come to mind first when thinking about getting student's speaking.

DD
http://eflclassroom.com

[chris_J2]

ddeubel: Is this website any good? I just googled 'affective filter'

http://76.12.8.76/secondlang.htm

[ddeubel]

Chris,

Not bad but not a very complete glossary of ELT terms. I've been developing my own but in the meantime go here for a look and click the two glossaries mentioned. http://setiteachers.ning.com/page/teacher-training


Affective filter is a term and hypothesis of Stephen Kraschen. Without getting into it much, his idea is that students because of problems with anxiety, motivation and environment/personality have difficulty processing language. This is a good rundown ...
http://www.crosscultured.com/articles/affect3.pdf

I mention this and assessment together because they are so important in regards to decisions about CI "comprehensible input" , another term Kraschen often used. Learning happens (and not just with language but all learning) when students are dealing with problems / information just a little above their level. Too much information outside their level and they turn off, there is too much noise and no learning takes place.

To effectively teach speaking (and why experienced teachers are so much better- and I'm not talking about credentials but inclass experience), the teacher needs to be able to manage this - just keeping the students reaching that little bit extra. The teacher is the carrot meister -- knows just how and at what distance to keep that carrot swinging infront of the students. The affective filter arises when the students aren't given the carrot correctly. There is little comprehensible input happening.

This becomes ever more difficult in mixed level classes and it is why experienced teachers are needed in our schools. Those less experienced would be better to be "conversational assistants" and speake in small groups with students. It is this model I'd love to see Korean's adopt rather than the direct instruction, stand and deliver (control) students....

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

Xenophobic vibes......

It can be seemingly small but significant. For example a laissez faire attitude by the CT to deliberate, even provocative rudeness by students which goes unchecked, maintaining student "face" but not granting one at all to the NT.

At a more overt level I remember 2 CTs telling me that as students they used to go to Itaewon to try to pick fights. One managed to get over himself, the other was a grotty little ajosshi and I'd hear stuff in class like sul saram, the native teacher is not correct..etc etc. He was universally disliked through the school anyways. I'd just tell him not to come to class-when he did come he'd do extramural study.

The lower level stuff is part of student and KT training. The KTs may feel that foreigners have been foistered upon them but they have to get used to it. The more odious stuff, if you have senior management who you can communicate with then bring it up, or perhaps better, just get rid of them altogether. Tell them to "take a rest"-they're looking for an excuse not to be there anyways.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Man-e-faces]

Thanks to all for their replies.
There is a lot of advice and issues that I can deal with so thanks.
As a continuation, are there any hints or tricks that people use to either
improve the overall speaking level in their classes?
Any further advice about how to lower student's affective filter?
Any advice or hints in general?

Again, thanks!