Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jacksthirty]

Anyone here working (or worked) for a Technical High School? I'm completely stumped with what to teach them! I've worked in middle schools, but everything I do seems to fail. I think maybe 1 out of 5 lesson plans work and the rest just tank.

The main problem is the lack of motivation of the students. They just expect to be spoon fed the work. If it requires any aspect of thinking then they just switch off. Their level is low, and their English book is way over their heads.

I would appreciate any suggestions for lesson plans or other ideas other than quitting!

[Zulethe]

When is your contract up? I'd really like to teach at a technical high school. Maybe we can swap schools.

[Fishead soup]

Firsty do you have a Korean Co-Teacher who joins you to Co-teach Every lesson. It's important that he/she joins you for every lesson because once you agree to teach one of two lessons alone you have already opened the door for him and other teachers to skip out of your lessons.

Do you have adequate technology- Can you use Powerpoint in the Classroom can you play flash games like Baam or Fling the Teacher. These can be found on EFL Classroom 2.0 Ning. These things can really spice up what would otherwise be boring lessons. You can also use Kareoke through Karafun also linked to EFL Classroom 2.0 ning ( Google it) Don't settle for just using work sheets Empower yourself.

It's also really important that your co-teacher is not sleeping, or text messaging during class. He/She should be active controlling the students behavour or assisting you in Translating difficult material.

[winterfall]

it takes about 6 months to adjust. For some teachers almost 2 years (If you can last that long).

They're much lower than you think. Middle school level doesn't fly. And your gonna have to come up with a completely different teaching methodology, with these kinds of students, traditional approaches just don't work.

You should focus on elementary level vocab: colors, numbers, ranking, phonics, body parts, prepositions, etc.

They can't do any of those backwards construction stuff. Like here's the answer, match it to the question. And anything beyond I like _____ is pushing it.

Stick with a lot of task based stuff: worksheets, projects, group work. If you have to say more than 2 sentences, don't even bother. They won't understand / remember what you said before.

You'll need your KET to manage discipline. Its the biggest problem in tech schools, if I leave my students alone for too long with nothing to do. They're start brawling with each other. My first week, I broke up 3 fights. The full on fist fights with knees flying into heads.

Their level depends on your school. My students were brain dead during middle school, and late elementary school. So they're foundation is filled with holes. If your lucky, your students were awake during elementary school

[Captain Obvious]

You should count your blessings. You only have to see a really bad class once a week. Korean teachers have to deal with them three, four or five times a week.

[winterfall]

[bcjinseoul]

Yeah I worked at a technical high school once...first and last time for that. And yes, the level is LLOOOOWWWWWW. So I had to make really easy lesson plans, power points, and handouts. Had my coteachers translate a lot too...they HAD to, believe me. No more tech high schools for me, thank you.

[gregoriomills]

One website I found helpful the WHOLE year when I was teaching at a tekkie last year was www.eslenglishclassroom.com.

Basically its vocabulary, but you can base many worksheets, word scrambles, etc, right off these powerpoints. I give them a black sheet with numbers down the page for however many words were in the lesson. I would go through the powerpoints and make them write down both the English AND Korean. Wastes a lot of time, and they seemed to do a lot better in "worksheet" mode.

Also, my high schoolers LOVED Mr. Bean last year, even though I thought they were too old for it. Just make a worksheet asking simple questions about the videos, watch the 20-25 min vid, then go over the answers, reviewing, etc, easily a 45 - 50 min lesson.

The game BAAM also worked for me. And Jeopardy, but be careful about using games too much, maybe once a month or so, you can fill a lesson with a game. They loved scattergories, too (although do it very simply).

[eslville]

I'm just curious, Zulethe... why would someone want to work at a technical high school? Not saying it's bad, but I am trying to grasp why someone would want to?

As for the OP, if I were you, I'd just take it very very slow and very very easy. These kids probably don't see much point to learning English. So, just try to let them enjoy themselves, find out what they're interested in (probably video games) and try to incorporate that stuff in.

Your first research assignment: study computer games! Not so bad?!

[Sadebugo1]

[Aoisagi]

Excuse me for being a newb but what does a technical high school refer to? It has nothing to do with a lack of technology right? Is it a school with delinquents?

[Sadebugo1]

[southernman]

[jvalmer]

[southernman]