Korean Job Discussion Forums

[iggyb]

Thanks.

I used it in the hakwons with all levels (adults). I would use an episode first with the highest level who could do the most talking about it. By the end of one or two classes at that level, I'd know everything that went on in the scenes I'd use and know what was said in most cases. Then I'd use it at low levels.

But I could use it at low levels from the start as well. You just drop the level of questions from asking what was said to basic things like What did she just do? Is he a good boy or bad boy? Who is she? What is his relationship to her? What is his job? and so on...

Having taught in Korea before, the biggest problem I imagine I would have is with the parents and thus administration, because I was not using "immersion" English ---- by bringing Korean tapes into the classroom.

With my low level hakwon kids classes, I came up with a wide variety of games and activities to drill vocabulary and spoken sentences using vocabulary flash cards with Korean and English --- and parents complained all the time...

I didn't have that problem with video tape lessons, because I used it with adults who could see the value in it firsthand...

[Easter Clark]

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=135413

[iggyb]

Thanks.

I read the first two pages of that. I was surprised at the first couple of posts at how low the language ability for the students was, because when I was in Korea last, about ten years ago, it seemed most families sent their kids to ESL hakwons after public school, and there they were exposed to a hour of English a few times a week in a small class environment.

The thing I liked about children hakwons over adults was that you could actually teach the kids. Adults were so burnt out with having spent years learning English in public schools and getting no where, they balked at doing anything resembling classroom teaching.

Public schools having the native speaker teach one class only once a week is a sham of an education - at least with the native speaker, but they set the system up.....I can understand that it is difficult and expensive to bring in more than one native speaker to a school, but it doesn't make the situation work any more effectively understanding that...

I wouldn't dream of teaching elementary school kids outside of a hakwon due to class size alone. I'm a secondary school teacher to begin with, but I also know I'd be even less effective with younger kids if the class size were not smaller.

That's why if SMOE happens to put me in an elementary school - if I get the visa from them anyway - which is looking more doubtful as the days pass ---- I'd have to think hard about giving them my notice and switching jobs.

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

[D.D.]

[laoshihao]

Not every school has the technology to do videos and such. While my high school did, I knew some teachers who just had white boards.

I think the reason many schools seem to have low level English speakers is because the government provides NSETs to many more schools than they used to. Before it was probably only the richer districts and schools that could afford a foreign teacher. Since Korea is investing so much into English education now even poor schools can get an NSET, but they aren't likely to have students whose parents can afford hagwons. You'll notice that hagwoned kids are much further ahead in their skills than non-hagwoned kids. That doesn't mean they will speak though without coersion.

[iggyb]

With SMOE dragging its feet until the last possible minute for giving me a Visa and now dropping my contract a couple of levels because they will only accept one type of proof of previous experience in Korea - and with this one class every week or two weeks stuff ---- I'm considering jumping ship beforehand to a hakwon....though the seas are perilous, I know...

[Hank the Iconoclast]

I teach at three high schools and I'm the only native HS teacher in my county. At my Monday school, I teach the grade one students. At my Tuesday school, I also teach the grade one students. At my main school, I teach all of grade one and the academic classes for grade 2. I only see my students once a week and the grade 2 classes are canceled very often. Don't think I will be teaching any classes twice a week anytime in the near future. No matter, after I finish my contract here in December, I'm heading to a uni.

[iggyb]

Thanks.

Like I said before, I've heard of a few counties in my state hiring a TESOLer and using them as a floater for every school in the county - K-12.

My guess is that such a county just wants it on paper that they are "taking care of" the ESL student needs - something they can show the state and federal education system.

I wouldn't even consider working in such a position over here, but I guess I'll have to take what is given in Korea. Time is pressing and SMOE is supposed to be working on my visa number, and a different recruiter I got in touch with yesterday about an adult hakwon position said he couldn't move forward if SMOE was processing the visa number because I could end of with two of them and that would be bad.

I've been waiting for the SMOE number for a few weeks now...

...I guess I'll either get the number or have to wait until that deal completely falls through before seriously looking for another position.

Time is too pressing for other reasons to just cancel the SMOE job on my end.

I've got a pretty good imagination for coming up with stuff. It is one of the things I like about teaching --- keeping the brain active trying to figure new ways to skin the cat...

...I just can't imagine I'll be too effective as a real teacher if this is the public school norm...