Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yaitsaj]

So, I'm set to go to Korea to teach 2 elementary and 2 middle school classes next week.

I'm extremely nervous (probably normal) because I feel unqualified. I was looking through these forums and someone said something about an Idiom, I had to look it up!

I'm basically looking for a little reassurance right now. I've heard teaching English is easy work, but i'm still worried that i'll be asked something I don't know or remember. I regularly misspell words and my hand writing is horrid. I honestly don't know why forfeit sounds like fit instead of Fee-it, i've just always pronounced it, and hundreds of other words, in that way because..well thats just how I was taught it.

Do I have to worry about these things? I've always been told, if you can speak English you can teach. But thats like, remember Harry Potter?

Harry, you can do magic!
But I don't know to do magic!
you can do it!

Yeah, so any reassurance? Is it really easy?

[Goku]

It's good you feel this way.

Tons of people are in the same boat as you. Most of us don't have any qualifications. We don't know how to teach, hell some of us barely even understand English.

It's ok!

Really it is. People will be understanding, just don't tell the Korean Co-teachers you feel underqualified, nor boast about your abilities.

You will find material off websites such as boggles world for worksheets
http://bogglesworldesl.com/worksheets.htm

Or you can pick up some books on English pedagogy if you really want your students to learn.

As for reassurance. REALLY don't worry. I misspell things all the time. Don't make a big deal out of it. I get asked basic grammar things but I tell them that I've been speaking English so long, I can't remember. It comes naturally. They understand because it's the same way for them in Korean.

Don't worry, grammar and spelling come up rarer than you would think. You will be basically be paid to talk... and correct a few things here and there, but you know it all.

Don't fret, we've all been there. It's easy. Just prepare some activities. The rest of the stuff doesn't even matter.

Don't sweat the small stuff

[Fishead soup]

If your handwritting and spelling is poor simply use Power Point instead of writing on the board. Go onto the site EFL 2.O and download lots of Power Point and use it. There's a guy on this site called dduebels he can get you started.

I use Baam from this site a lot . The Kids love it. You can make your own variations of the game. I also play the name game.

[I-am-me]

Den't wory about it. Most of us are unqualified and koreans dont kare. We are seen as entertainers anyhow. You will fit rite in!

[Yaitsaj]

Thanks guys, great advice. I just went though a couple quizzes on boggles world. I guess if anyone has any more solid advice for a first timer i'd love to hear it.

[Pwillig]

You could write Swahili all over the board and it wouldn't matter. I have 1 student out of 240 or so that can ask me questions about English that I have to explain.

[Sector7G]

I know exactly how you feel. I arrived 2 years ago( Sept. 8, 2007 to be exact). The recruiters made it sound like I would receive a couple days training. Ha!!! I did not even get an orientation. I was pretty much thrown to the wolves!!

But it sounds from your post that you will be teaching public school, just like I was. They will almost certainly have a text book that they use. Just use that as your base and try to ad lib and add as much as possible.

I only saw each class once a week so I was able to get through the first week on introductions alone-asking each student one by one their name, how many in their family, their favorite hobby, etc. I also let them ask any questions they wanted of me, and I had some pictures from home that I showed.

I also sang "Moon River" for them and was treated like a rock star.

[Yaitsaj]

Haha thats awesome.

I actually thought of asking everyone to make little name tags (probably 15 minutes) then just ask "What did you do yesterday?" For the rest of the class period.

If it matters, i'll be teaching at a private (I think) school. Two at an elementary and then walk across the street for two more at a middle school. Some where in Saha-gu, wherever that is.

[DrugstoreCowgirl]

Well, most of the kids don't speak much English, if they even speak any at all, so they probably won't know if you slip up once in a while. And I doubt you'll be getting into hardcore grammar rules in elem and middle school.

[Hornbill]

[Carla]