Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Sliver]

Tomato

Thanks for the insight. In fact I think most of what you wrote has some good substance and I thank you for the input. I have recently been thinking how to introduce a "total imersion style" to my classes and have been consulting with the more learned members of the teaching community in my group of friends.

In particular I have one friend who has been here around 20 years whom holds different opinions to yourself. I am looking forward to further discussion with him.

Can you please post some links to any research articles that exist to show a pedantic man some evidence to suport your writings.

My point is that I would like to do the best for my students and ESL is not my major.

I am getting married on sunday

[Blue Flower]

I have just started cracking down on my middle school students for speaking Korean in class. 3 push-ups. late to class 5 push-ups. if they annoy me 3 push ups. Will see how it works. I will never ever hit them, and can't be bothered thinking of alternatives. Has been working so far.

also, i have a nice stick, that i smack on the desk to shut them up. or if they are asleep, i whack it on thier desk.

p.s. congrats about the wedding!! that is awesome, and i wish you heaps of happiness.

[tomato]

[crazylemongirl]

I give my middle school students heaps over speaking korean in class.. They then tell me the reason that they do it is 'because we are in korea, we speak korean'... It's kind of an attuide of looking down ones nose about english... just rote learning a few phrases here and there and the grammatical rules but never actually acquring the language.

Agree actual issue of chattering away in korean is one of classroom management though.

I'm not to strict on the littlies.. if I was a 3 year old I would be terrified of some of the korean teachers. So I just back up whatever they are saying very quickly with the english word if I know it.. and now my 3 year olds aren't saying much in korean in my classes. They are saying 'this one?' 'here' 'I don't know' 'don't do that!' and 'awesome' but this is basically because I am very careful about how I talk to kindergarten. It's the same phrases every lesson, and I am gradually adding/altering words phrases to bring new stuff in.

But the older students know the rule.. you can talk as much as you want as long as it's in english... otherwise there will be.. trouble.

CLG

[Sliver]

Tomato wrote

[The Hamster]

[Medic]

Sometimes it helps to know some korean, because if you understand what they are talking about and answer them in Korean, they'll be more careful, and will actually try harder in English. Many students I've found appreciate you knowing some korean, and being able to use it in class. Even if all you can do is translate a few words. Maybe in the back of their minds they're saying "He's trying to learn my language, so I should at least make an effort to learn his"

[whatthefunk]

I found that when I tried speaking Korean to them, they were so fascinated by my attempt that they tried to get me to speak more Korean and then they wouldn't speak any English, so I nixed that plan.

[Keepongoing]

i think if too much korean is allowed in class that the students will not have respect for you as a teacher

[VanIslander]

I have a couple of new classes this month, as students begin the new school year, and I've noticed some trying to speak Korean in class.

They don't know me.

When a student talks to another student in Korean I stop everything and say "This is English class. Please speak English."

I never continue without their attention. If the student continues to speak in Korean then I say it's not math class or art class and again I stop everything.

It takes a couple of weeks to get everyone in line but I find it really stimulates them to try to be more expressive in English, even to joke with fellow students during a lesson.

Peer pressure keeps everyone in line especially when a new student joins because, you see, no one wants the class to stop, since the last ten minutes of the 50 min. classes, after the lesson is finished, are budgeted to be review games for candy.

The only exception is: when a student really doesn't get an idea, I'll turn to the smartest kid and ask that a quick translation be given. (Used sparingly.)

[tomato]

Hello, Whatthefunk!

Here's how I punish those who speak Korean:

I pretend not to understand. If a student asks for a ����, I say, "I'm sorry, I don't know what a ���� is."

I write their names on the board.

I lead the class in a chorus of "Connie! English yes, Korean no!" You may choose not to use this idea, because many students reverse the words "yes" and "no."

I hold repeat offenders five minutes late, drilling those students on Side by Side, the most boring textbook I can find.

If most of the class members offend, I have a Side by Side session with the whole class in place of the usual picture book. This renders the offending students very unpopular with the rest of the class.

Here's how I reward those who do NOT speak Korean:

I lead the class in a chorus of "One, two, three, four, who are we for? Andrew, Andrew, Andrew!"

If the class as a whole behaves, I have Bingo Day on Friday.

If the class as a whole behaves exceptionally well, I divide the class in half and have Card Game Day on Friday.

If the class misses a game day because of one or a few students, this renders the offending students very unpopular with the rest of the class.

The students whom I reward the most highly are those who spontanously speak English to other students. When I hear a student speaking English to another student, I take that student's photograph and add that photograph to my wall display.

The wall display consists of a caption reading "We spoke English to other students." Each photograph is mounted on a rectangular piece of colored cardboard, along with an typewritten block of type indicating the time of the student's class, the date of the student's utterance, and a direct quote of the utterance.

The first two students so honored were Oscar and Julia. Oscar said, "Julia is very, very, very, very, very, very ugly." Julia said, "Oscar is very, very, very, very, very, very ugly."

[schwa]

If the english activities in class are engaging enough, most kids will choose to participate. I tolerate korean banter if one student is trying to help another. I think 'immersion' is more about attempting to live in the target-language culture, not the artificial confines of a classroom. I promote a humorous & stress-free environment in my classes & get good results over time.