Korean Job Discussion Forums

[OiGirl]

English only in my classroom. But I have no problem with using Korean with co-workers, office staff, parents, and even students, but only outside of class.

[tomato]

Hello, Easy-E!

At every school where I have ever worked, the Korean English teachers have shown me absolutely no respect as an English student. They have steadfastly refused to speak to me in Korean. If a third party was present, the Korean English teachers crowded me out. If a third party ever managed to say the simplest thing to me, the Korean English teachers always jumped in and translate.

It came as a shock to me that teachers of a second language could have so little consideration for another person learning a second language.

On the other hand, the children have always been delightful. I hope that you have plenty of time between classes. If you have songs, games, storybooks, or any other material in Korean, the kids will eat it all up. They will speak to you in Korean, they will write messages on the board in Korean, and they will encourage you to speak to them in Korean.

You will quickly learn what "�ѱ��� �غ���" means. If you play teasing games with the kids, you will quickly learn �ٺ� and ��û�� mean.

Does newborn innocence protect the children from the usual prejudices of their society? Or is this generation growing up better than the last?

Whatever the case, stick with the kids and stay away from the adults.

[Eazy_E]

Yeah you're right tomato. I'm shielded from having to understand anything in Korean, by the adults. But the kids talk to me in Korean and expect me to understand. In my opinion, "�� ��" is the most overused expression in Korean, at least by children. I actually have learned a lot from the kiddies. They've probably taught me more Korean than I've taught them English .

[Toby]

I use what little I know - just to help the kids understand certain words - months, days, numbers etc.

The BEST place to practice is in a taxi when you are drunk. Taxi drivers LOVE it when you do and drunk is the only time I feel confident to sustain a conversation. I can talk to my better half all my way home on the phone when I am in a taxi. Usually she is lucky to get more than two words out of me. Dutch Courage. Great stuff. And that is also why Korean men will talk to you in English when they are drunk. Whiskey Courage.

[just because]

I love talking to the Taxi drivers as well. They are usually so cool if you show a little knowledge of their language

[Eazy_E]

Yep, the cabbies. I don't have to be drunk to talk to them but usually I'm glad that I did. Them and hairdressers. With those people you're kind of stuck with them for a little while, and chances are they don't speak any English at all. They love speaking Korean with a foreigner! It's usually only a matter of time before you get hit with the inevitable, "isn't Korean food too spicy for you?"

[Medic]

I use it as much as I can, because a lot of the students knowledge of English is poor. Basic instructions like "explain it---", "write the answer---", "I can't hear you---", "speak louder---" and so on are unintelligible to them. Now and again I'll ask them to explain something to me in Korean, and they are happy to do so.

Breaks the ice too if you can use some Korean in the class. Students I've found will dispense with their shyness if the Waeguk can use some Korean.

[waggo]

[Medic]

waggo, i do try to teach that sort of dialogue to the younger students, but i get a lot of older university students now and again. they are the ones i have to use the korean dialogue with. they are so burned out of english because of the way it was taught in highschool they need as much help as possible to learn new concepts

[Len8]

It's true about university students. You can just about tell who wont continue coming from day one, and anything creative you might try will be shot down in flames. Students want to know what they have to study for the test with out any complications, and as little extraneous details as possible.

[igotthisguitar]

[gi66y]

I do...

I speak with ridiculously bad pronunciation in order to show the kids the importance of speaking clearly. An idea that works well I got from a post by The Beaver (I hope I'm quoting the correct person).

And for joking around to keep the kids entertained.

[krell]

Yes Korean teachers can be snotty .
Even though my Korean is at a high intermediate level and
at least as good as the English spoken by the Korean teachers
they almost never talk to me. The director's wife
truly resents that I speak Korean (she has no English)

On the other hand I have worked in Hogwans where the teachers
have gone out of there way to speak Korean to me..

so your milage may vary ..