Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hanson]

Does anyone like these sorry excuses for ESL books? I've just been assigned his "Chat for Teens" book for a conversation class, but the only good it will do me is for wiping my a-hahaha (swear filter dodge).

Seriously - how can anyone find these books ... um.... educational?

[roadwork]

Dude those books suck arse. I was expected to teach at my first hagwon with one of those and it was a joke. I think it was some "conversational" book for young learners. I think he got published because he has a PhD.

[Goku]

His adult speaking conversation books are decent. I also seem to agree with many sides he takes on issues. Pretty level headed and mature opinions contained in it.

But I agree with the sentiment with the children's books.

They go from insanely easy to post high school level in like 2 chapters. Waste of money

[the_beaver]

Actually, he didn't write them. Just edited them.

[Hyeon Een]

I've never used one of these books, however I've glanced through a few of the adult ones.

They didn't appeal to me to be honest. Some of the topics were a touch too controversial for my tastes. I'd be happy to chat about all the topics in a bar or with friends, but I don't want to chat about, say, abortion with a bunch of girls in their early 20s some of whom will have had abortions.

They are also just conversation, and perhaps a touch of vocabulary building from what I remember. Even though I teach conversation classes at the moment they don't really provide a lot of testable content for large classes. In a small class just interviews would work I guess. I think they could be decent in an adult hagwan "free talking" class or "English circle" or some such thing but they don't seem very usable for someone teaching a conversation class of 30 odd people which needs to be assessed like I'm doing this semester.

Oh and looking through a couple of the books I found that a bunch of topics would be boring as hell, then there'd be a couple which would be awkward as hell (abortion etc.) then maybe a couple which might be cool. Maybe I'm too sensitive or something.

[HapKi]

I've used the adult conversation books before. If i remember correctly, the article tone is archaic with very little in terms of current conversation style. You might spend an hour just explaining the wordy text. Then a list of 3 or 4 highly general questions, which students must use to create some form of free talking. I personally don't talk to my friends for an hour about rising rates in lung cancer- I don't see why we should force students to do so.

[Fishead soup]

Controversial discussions and debating with Korean students is really hit or miss. When it goes well it goes really well, when it tanks it really tanks.
It's important to know when to use this approach.

I Prefer the Text" Small Group Discussion Topics" by Jack Matyre. The never books have lots of global topics that are not insulting to Korean students.

Currently I really like books by Andrew Finch. Easy to use and Culturally sensitive.

[HapKi]

Sorry, above I was referring to Open to Debate-70 wide-ranging topics of current interest to Koreans.

The Vorhees book Express Yourself also is quite archaic in it's text.