Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pkang0202]

I don't want to name any names of hagwons. I know a few big ones in Gangnam teach conversational English to adults. My question is, do your students actually improve?

The reason I ask is I have a few Korean friends who wish to improve their speaking. I hesitate to recommend any of the big Hagwon coversation classes because I'm not sure how much real benefit they get out of it. I have another Korean friend who took a class at a big hagwon in Gangnam. 6 months later she gets a great evaluation, when I haven't seen any marked iimprovement in her speaking. Its like the hagwon took their money, made them feel like they were getting better, in hopes that they will pay more money to advance to the next level.

I could be wrong. I wanted to get some feedback from actual conversation teachers to get their honest opinion.

[lifeinkorea]

Depends on their level. You can expect to see greater leaps in proficiency after the initial stage.

First level - 2 stages, one stage is where the student knows nothing. The other stage is where they have basic vocabulary, but they can't use grammar as effectively to make even a single sentence.

It's this second stage you can expect to see more regular improvement during the year (or even 6 months).

Second level - students make simple sentences and usually know what to expect from you. You now have to direct them to context and show where the importance in grammar they know can guide their understandings and misunderstandings. You won't see much progress here. They are working on more internal issues than the obvious areas on pronunciation and vocabulary knowledge .

I think this is probably where the student in question is at. The student has probably been in this for a long time. If they are an adult, they never really got any better than where they were in high school. So, it's very frustrating for them not being able to advance.

Third level - this is a breakthrough level. Students demonstrate less of a need for the teacher, and more for a "sparring partner" to chat with. This will help them move from one topic to the other and weave back and forth. They will start to be able to "bounce" around ideas and bring in new information that is pertinent to the conversation. Sometimes they will say less and get across more. Most of these students will be asking you about phrasal verbs and choice of words when more than one is suitable.

Fourth level - pre-native level. Here the student comes across fluent with bumps in the road and with a obvious accent. Typically, this is the level you would want your co-teacher to be at. They know the essentials, can look up new stuff, and don't need to ask you for clarification. Your main asset to them is to be there in the long run to catch these bumps so they don't look "dumb".

Fifth level - you, the native speaker

[Michelle]

[some waygug-in]

If your student is expecting a "converstation class" by itself to improve her level of English, she will be disappointed.

She can't expect to just attend the class and magically expect results.

She has to be willing and able to do work on her own outside of the class.

Reading, writing, listening and speaking (the class will help of course but it won't be enough). If the class has a textbook, tell her that she must do the listening and workbook on her own or she won't improve.

If there is no textbook, she could ask her teacher for advice.

I have seen a lot of adult students come into classes with unrealistic expectations and then be disappointed and complain afterwards. I once asked my classes how many of them were doing the listening portions of the textbook (they all had CD's). Not one raised their hand, they all complained that it was too boring, or they didn't have time or some other excuse.

If she really wants to learn, she has to make time, she has to put in the effort to do the listening, she has to do this outside of the class or she won't see much improvement.

Not many students want to hear this. They expect the teacher to do it all for them and then they complain when it doesn't happen.

I'm not saying students can't improve with just the class, but the improvements will be minimal and very slow.

[djsmnc]

[skim234]

How structured is the curriculum at these places?

At the hagwon I work at, I'm teaching my 50-ish year old boss once a week. Her English has improved by leaps and bounds, and I had zero experience before coming here in September.

I basically come to her apartment and talk to her in English for 3 hours. We use no textbooks, CDs, etc. She has a voice recorder and an electronic dictionary. It's very, very simple yet effective in the 2 months I've been teaching her.

I don't really know how much effort she puts into learning English outside of when I teach her, but she's improved a lot. She says that she listens to the recordings when she goes to sleep and that it apparently really helps her. She says she understands about 80% of what I say to her when I'm teaching her. Then she's able to understand the other 20% when she listens to the recording.

So, from my small experience with teaching adults, a lot of it is just having a normal conversation with the adult. I find this more practical than using formal textbooks. It's definitely more functional.

[Easter Clark]

Your friends will get out of it exactly what they put into it.

[santafly]

ditto

You learn language by using it - that is entirely up to the student, the program is inconsequential - unless your in class 20 hours a week

[some waygug-in]

[some waygug-in]

bump

[Juregen]

[some waygug-in]

Good point.

And mine is that group conversation classes often don't accomplish that very well.

It's not always the case, it depends on the student and their attitude.

[skim234]