Korean Job Discussion Forums

[buildbyflying]

I'm pretty frustrated with how some of my classes are going. I'm finding certain problems to be common enough that I thought I would post them here and see if anyone else could confirm or deny experiencing them.

1. Students get directions but disregard directions. This does not include the portion of classes that genuinely do not understand the assignment. Example: You assign a gap fill activity that requires one student to suggest the answer to another student without giving away the answer. Naturally they simply give away the answers and say "We're done".

2. Students are not inclined to volunteer.

3. Students are not inclined to do participate in role-plays.

4. Students are not inclined to speaking "out loud".

5. Many of the actions expected by Western teachers (eye contact, volunteering, speaking out loud) are taken as a reason to not respect the teacher.

6. Students will perform rote activities like copying pages of a dictionary more intently than creative activities like drawing pictures.

Essentially, any of the theories posited for langauge teachers to use int he classroom are contrary to how Korean culture exists in the classroom.

Thoughts?

[Senior]

My pet gripes.

1) Not understanding what to point at something means. eg I'm pointing at the TV saying "Look at the TV", blank stares.

2) 20 mins into class, still hasn't thought to get a pencil out.

3) Spends the next 20 mins refilling sharpie.

4) Saying "turn the page" 40 times. Then the K teacher says "turn the page" and they do it straight away.

More to come probably.

[winterfall]

LOL, count your blessings that only a few of your classes are like this. All of my students are like this.

1. I had my school bugging me about my paper usage so I started double siding the vocabulary sheets with the worksheets. The student�s didn�t even pay attention to the vocabulary and just did the worksheet and GOT ALL THE ANSWERS WRONG. Then they spent the rest of class complaining that its too hard. Because they were too busy doing the worksheets while I was teaching vocabulary. I just turn off the volume now, when they complain I just push them harder.


Either way, grumbling aside. We're paid to teach so we teach.

[oldfatfarang]

What level and age of students are you talking about? This advice works for middle and high school classes. Vocational high school classes are another story, but they can also be managed using these guidelines.

I get your problems everyday, but by trying to create a 'fun' and relaxed 'academic' classroom atmosphere - we manage to get around these problems and get 99% of the kids to participate.

NB: You have to know that in a PS class, there will always be some kids who have no English ability, and/or no motivation to learn. You simply don't have time to help these guys - you have to teach to the middle. Also, kids aren't stupid, the attitude of your co-teacher towards you, and your lessons, will largely determine whether K students participate in class. From over 20 co-teachers, I've only had 2 co-teachers that weren't up to it (although I've got one who's learning classroom management now and it's a painful experience teaching with that newbie).

Here are some tricks:
(1) Handouts: every student should try - except disabled or no-English students. No exceptions. Kneel down beside them and help them fill it out. They write - you don't. The kids soon learn that you will take 3 tables, and your co-teacher takes 3 tables, and they simply have to write something in the info gaps.

(2) Role Plays: Give the class 5 mins to practice speaking dialogs. Randomly check speaking at each table. Then either pick pairs from each table/group - or randomly. All the kids know that they may get picked for the class presentations - so this makes them practice speaking in the group work.

(3) Classroom Rules: Get a set of rules, print them out, and put them on the classroom wall. This shows the kids (and the K teachers) you're serious. Rule no 1: Respect your teachers. Rule no 2: Respect other students etc. Rule no 3: The English Class is where you can make mistakes - No-one is to laugh at another student's English. These rules really help and they give kids a framework to learn in).

(4) Interesting Classes: Don't use the textbook. The kids hate it. Try and write your own lesson plans based on their immediate experience: family, food, fashion, music, boyfriends/girlfriends, pop stars etc. They will listen (and) participate in lessons like this.

(5) Test Season: Play a game or listen to music. They aren't open to English then and you're wasting your time trying to teach them around major tests.

(6) Never criticize students' spoken or written English. Just roll with the mistakes - they're learning - and if you correct them - that's the last English you'll get from a Korean student. You have to ensure your co-teacher doesn't criticize the hell out of them, too.

I never punish kids - I encourage them. They soon work it out that they can't really slide too much in class - and that you and the co-teacher is there to help them. That said, co-teachers will still take kids outide and discipline them for rudeness and breaking Korean classroom norms.

Good luck.

[winterfall]

My personal favorite:

Tell my KET we're doing numbers this week. KET this is too easy for them, they already know this. I ask a student "How old are you?". Student: "I....... 10... 7 "

[lukas]

[buildbyflying]

@oldfatfarang: great suggestions. I've had students sign behavior contracts before, and putting rules where they can see then might be useful. I'll give it a shot.
As for not using the textbook, that's a battle. The textbook is useless. I've had better results from having the KET draw up a sheet summarizing the target language of any given chapter... but not using the textbook has them gnawing at the bit. Same thing for test season. Teachers insist I teach -- even when they don't.

@senior: pencils, books: is it that hard? Or bringing a worksheet from last week to class, I've asked students if they have their worksheets, only ot ahve them say "I forgot." Then when I offer candy to the students who remembered, they miraculously find the worksheet.
As for waiting for the KET's direction, I can see that beign a problem, however in my classes I have the opposite, because the teachers are so hesitant to give instructions (even when I've said all I can) they let the students do the activity with no clue as to what to do.

What are some possible solutions? Things like pointing, these are cultural issues I believe, as are students not speaking when they're supposed to and speaking when they're not supposed to. As ESL teachers we can't impose our cultural norms and expect them to understand. But how do we use Western research and pedagogy, in a context that out and out refuses it? (Please someone prove me wrong.)

[detourne_me]

I usually open up each class by pulling out the core vocabulary and grammar points from each lesson.

I write a short A sys, B says dialog on the board with blanks open for the vocabulary.
I get the students help me make list of what the vocabulary should be by looking at the pictures in the textbook and shouting out whatever they want.
On the board it's all color coded so they can see where to drop in the specific words, etc.
after a few practice runs with students that I know speak well I then "randomly" pick student numbers for the kids to stand up and role play.
I make it look like random selection with random numbers, or asking "what's the date today?" Ss: "April 11th" , "Okay student 4, student 11, stand up!" and other tricks like strategic Eeny-meeny-miny-mo.
Within 15 minutes nearly every student has audibly practiced the dialog using variations of the vocabulary and listened to other students practicing.
I've done this every day for classes of 6 students up to 48 students, elementary and middle school ages. As long as it looks like students have the chance to "dodge a bullet" they'll lose the inhibitions when they see their peers standing up too.
I give students encouragement even if they make poor grammar mistakes but I make sure to get the class involved in listen and repeat stuff in order to correct the mistake and lessen the pressure on the individual.

[buildbyflying]

@lukas: great suggestions. My problem with the KET as disciplinarian is usually that what the students need is a strong EFL role model. Ss need to see a Korean L1 speaker using English successfully without fear. This rarely happens unfortunately. With only a NET as a guide, what expectations does that give them for the future?

@detourne_me: I do the random calling thing myself. I hate the listen and repeat section of the book... making dialogues from scratch, and inserting the vocab is a great idea though. I'll try it.

One thing that bothers me: Ss need to see Koreans speaking English. Do your co-teachers speak English? Not only that, but there's a need to change those deep cultural setbacks, to get students to produce language. They can listen and understand but they can't use the language creatively (which is the essence of using a language). Is it the KET's or the NET's responsibility to prepare students to use the language outside of mimicry?

[Senior]

5) Self mutilating themselves with exacto knives. There is probably one near maiming a month in my school. Why are they even allowed those things? What do they use them for?

[NYC_Gal]

[Fishead soup]

Demonstrate- Models dialogue with Korean co-teachers. Then have KET teacher translate.

Controlled Practice- I like to write the dialogue on the board. have students repeat then erase a few words and have them repeat it again.
They repeat again I erase more words then have them repeat again. I do this until the enitire dialogue is erased.

Substitution drilling- change dialogue to fit a different situation. The Side by Side powerpoints from EFL Classroom 2.0 ning are great for this.

[toadkillerdog]

OP: your students sound exactly like my University students.

[lukas]

[eljuero]