Korean Job Discussion Forums

[elizabethbennet]

Today I met my new elementary level classes. We did very basic introductions with the Korean head teacher. Problem was, she had to translate nearly everything I said including sentences such as "What is your favorite color?" or "What do you like to do?"

I was not told that the students would be at such a basic level and hence I am not well-prepared for it. To make it worse, I don't speak Korean. I have been trying to learn, but it's very slow-going and none of my books contain useful phrases. So short of bothering the head teacher constantly (the only other teacher at my school who speaks decent English), I'm sort of out of luck. There are no other foreign teachers at my school.

Any advice on how to make myself better understood or games/activities I can do which will work with these levels? My books are very minimal and I'm going to need to supplement them heavily. I'm already trying body language and drawing pictures.

[oskinny1]

First thing you do id tell your co-teacher that it is an English class, not Korean. Tell her not to translate anything unless you ask. What is the point of asking students questions when they already know the answers (reviews and tests notwithstanding).

Start with the basics. If it's colo(u)r, teach them those (flash cards are good). Teach them what "like" means. Teach them what "I" means. Put them together. Have the students repeat and let them tell you what colo(u)r they like. 40 minutes are done. On to the next class.

[Scouse Mouse]

Flashcards are good, but if you have access to a TV/projector, powerpoint is easier and cheaper.

Teach the vocab, then use it.

[the ireland]

as said before, flashcards are key here.

make them simple, start with colours, easy/common fruit & vegetables, objects, house, rooms of a house etc

Help them with the alphabet too.

Then when they have that done I would start with little sentences.

she has a banana
the ball is blue
he is in the living room

If they have books, point at things in the pictures and get them to repeat. listen and repeat should become your favourite phrase for these kids. when they start getting better, I would have them write the name of the objects beside them in the book by copying what you have written on the white board.

you will find these kids will be like a sponge and absorb everything. Don't let your co-teacher translate. I had kids like this in my first ever class in my hagwon, they became so good at english in the space of a year I couldn't believe it.

[Ji]

Elizabeth,

I think the fact that you speak little Korean and they speak little English could work to your advantage as long as you keep yourself flexible. Think of all the difficulties you are facing learning a new language. The same applies to the students.

Immersion works to a point...but if there are no fundamentals to begin with immersion in a language is simply background noise.

Like it or not, your co-teacher is your life line. I'd work with and not against them. Even if the co-teacher is flat out wrong or belligerent, I'd recommend you find a way to work in tandem.

Build fundamentals. Once those are established, things progress much faster. Keep things simple. Illustrations. Multimedia. Activities. Get the students involved.

Just a general piece of advice:

I was guilty of this, but direct confrontation or disagreement with a co-teacher, especially in any kind of public venue is a "loss of face" for them. Korean culture is all about team play and sacrifice as an individual. Working in a public school, working directly in Korean culture, it's not them that needs to adapt. It's you.

The teachers I've met that have had the best experience in the public school system, are those that did the above. When you become a friend and colleague rather then "the native English teacher", you'll find Koreans are extremely warm and supportive in general.

[oskinny1]

[the ireland]