Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ramen209]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good text book for an afterschool class (3 hours a week) for 4th and 5th grade students at a Korean public school?

I get to choose my text book, and want one that is useful with good activities.

Last year we used a Backpack book, and I was really disappointed with the content. Some of it was way too easy, and some was way too difficult for the students.

Please let me know if you have any experience with this or have a recommendation!

[Kurtz]

What level are they though?

I'd seriously give "Let's Go" a wide berth, there are too many grammar points in each chapter.

English time is OK., maybe book 5 for 5th grade. I like a book with a decent story, a good amount of vocab, well thought out grammar points, practice time--> your turn to make some kind of game, and a phonics component.

I find many of the books very similar though so I have to keep coming up with new games/activities.

[emichelle18]

We use something called Backpack. I haven't done too much yet, but it seems ok. (I teach 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th after school)

[ramen209]

They are an intermediate level for elementary students. They can read and say simple sentences, so they are on track for the public school 4th-5th grade curriculum. A few are at a higher level.

Backpack's activities (level 2-3) were too varied, the songs were suitable for 1st-2nd grader, but much of the grammar was almost middle school level! The vocabulary was inconsistent and the activites/games were too simple and took only 5-10 minutes. I ended up having invent most of the activities on my own, and felt like the kids wasted time and money using that book.

They did like the sticker activities in Backpack, though, but once again, a 2 minute activity.

I would NOT use the Backpack series again or recommend it to anyone to use.

Has anyone used another series that they have been happy with?

[Countrygirl]

I was going to recommend Backpack. I found it was better than the other books the kids had previously used which were only reading based.

Backpack had a little of everything, which is what I liked. Some activities took the whole class such as the group project. I always made the poster they made into a presentation and the kids loved it. They got stickers for presenting and for asking questions about the other groups presentation. The grammar was a little difficult but we did it together in class because I don't like to give homework to overworked Korean students. We just went quickly over the songs, and I didn't think that they would like them, but mostly they did.

Most books you have to add your own touches to so I don't think it's unusual to have to add or take away activities.