Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hugekebab]

My new uni has issued us with a textbook that is the wrong level for our students.

My students are all freshmen and therefore are beginner level. The textbook we have is lower-intermediate (Person to Person Book 2.)

Any tips on how to grade it down and fill a two hour class without completely alienating the students whilst maintaining consistency with what is taught and what is tested in the exam? I have some ideas, but would like some advice to add to it please.

[iggyb]

I don't know --- make note of each focal point the book has in the section or page, then Google a lot to find supporting material. And break the time up into blocks with mini-lessons for each point or most of them.

Also, set aside 10-15 minutes for strictly test prep.

Also, as you make plans for the divided time, try to use activities that work each type of language use: speaking, listening, writing, reading.

In Korea, even if the college freshmen are beginning level, they would still have had several years of English instruction, right? I would guess they have enough background to make material you can find on the Internet useful.

What size is the class?

[iggyb]

Besides class size, what type of class is it -- just general ESL or is it specifically for conversational/speaking English?

A resource I like, but you'd have to order it and have it shipped and have the department or school pay for it --- which might not work for you now that the class has started ---- is the Oxford Press reading series:

http://www.esolers.org/lessons/Resources/oxfordreaders.html
These condensed books come in different levels and have some grammar and other focus items to go with the chapters.

I've used the lower levels with Hispanic students in the US who were like beginning level Korean adults I taught before in hakwons.

[Hyeon Een]

This can be a difficult situation. In my experience it's much easier to be given a book which is 'too low' a level and supplement it than be given a book which is too advanced and produce supplementary materials to somehow make them grasp the concepts of the higher level book.

Some people might say "Just use your own supplementary handouts and screw the book", but in a university setting this isn't an ideal answer. In most universities someone is making a lot of money, or at least a decent few meals out of having the students buy the book. Furthermore if you do try and avoid the book the students will feel that they wasted their money by buying a book which isn't used in class. You have to use the book enough that the students don't feel like they're being ripped off by buying a book which isn't used, but at the same time teach classes which they're able to comprehend. It can be really tough. I don't have a good answer to this problem. (In the past I've tried to persuade the professor in charge that the book isn't suitable but have basically been told "tough luck, we'll change it next semester").

The best thing you can do is to try and condense the key points into some kind of handout your students can understand and use this in conjunction with the book they have to buy. Make an effort at using some of the exercises or listening materials in the book, but don't feel you have to do every single thing in the book.

This isn't something I'd recommend in a theoretical language teaching situation, but with the constraints we have as university teachers it's about the best we can do.

I'm lucky this semester in that there are no prescribed books for my classes so I can do what I want, but in the past I've suffered the awful situation of having to make my Chinese students buy an advanced reading book which they couldn't read, because THEY COULDN'T READ. It sucked. It sucks even further when the teacher evaluation questions the students answer include questions like "Were the assigned books useful for your studies" and so on. Being judged on some other idiot's book choice is not a good situation.

I feel for you OP, I really do. I'm glad I don't have that situation right now. Good luck with this semester. Only 14 weeks left to go ^^

[iggyb]

Given what Hyeon Een says, I'd think with a two hour class, you'd be able to bridge the gap between the book and the other material you bring in. That's a long time for a language class. You'd have to split it up into parts just to remain sane.

[hugekebab]

It's a private uni, the students are not motivated as they are forced to take my course.

I'm really concerned about this, I mean in a university they can't even get a fundamental decision like that right. It's pathetic.

[mistermasan]

they are freshman so they are beginners? lotsa them have already been studying english for 10+ years and they are beginners?

yeah, they may be putting on that mute "false beginner" front but should you ever break the ice it is very well possible that it will be stunning how deep those still waters run.

[hugekebab]

As deep as a puddle with my class mate, private uni, but point taken.