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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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 Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:04 am Post subject: Korean classes at YBM (Jongno branch). Worth it? |
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I just went through my "level test" at YBM for Korean classes. The interviewer basically complimented me on my Korean (only after hearing me introduce myself) and let me decide for myself which level to take after showing me the textbooks  . I can't say that they really made the best first impression.
Has anyone here taken YBM's courses, and if so, can anyone tell me if it's worth the time and money?
I'm looking for an intermediate-advanced level class in the Shinchon or downtown Seoul area to take during weekdays, and the class has to be in the afternoon. I haven't found anything other than YBM yet that fits this bill, so if anyone can suggest other options I'm all ears.
Thanks. |
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Imbroglio
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Behind the wheel of a large automobile
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| Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:06 am Post subject: |
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S.D.
I'm not in Korea, haven't been in 6 years...but when I taught there I did some language exchanges with Korean teachers. Why would you pay instead of barter? Testify.... |
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FierceInvalid
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:33 am Post subject: |
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I'm studying there right now. It's my sixth month there. It may not be as good as the uni courses (though I don't know since I've never taken one, I'll let you know next month after getting an impression of Sogang) but the two-hour per day schedule is very doable if you're working at the same time. I've always liked my teachers, and the focus in class is on conversation - there aren't many written tasks in class compared with the amount of partnered conversation practice using the target language. It sounds like you're at a higher level than me though so I'm not sure if that is consistent all the way up - has been for me so far though.
Now that I'm not working I'm switching to Sogang but when the money runs out and I start teaching again I might go back to YBM. |
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krell
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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I dabble there off and on..and have studied at Seoul university too.
If you have a full time job I would not recommend the 4 hour a day
classes (intensive) offered at various universities. You just wont have
the time to do well ..A couple of people tried it and dropped out...
On the other hand YBM is FAR cheaper and gives you a smaller
classroom size(usually). More doable and I found the books and teachers good
but if you really want to master
the grammer and go for professional level quickly then
consoder the intesive programs. |
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seoulmon
Joined: 13 Nov 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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I've been to the YMB in ����3�� three times. When I first started I was taking classes in the morning and then in the afternoon I'd skip on over to YBM. The beginning classes were great and it was the first time I actually started to put the Korean language together.
Several years later, at a much higher level, I took a class for a month. My teacher was an elderly woman, about 50. It was OK. We worked from the book. We started out with a test to see if we had memorized the opening dialog box (like the visit to the post office dialog). Then we read through the text book, reading and then answering the question. |
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Toby
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Wedded Bliss
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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I went there as a beginner, with some pigeon Korean, 18 months ago. I was doing the evening class, starting at 7 and finishing at 9. She was a really nice teacher but I found, in true YBM style, that she had to do a certain amount of pages a day, reagrdless if the students understood or not. It moved too fast for those of me who can't grasp a new language easliy. I stopped after a two months. It, in my opinion, needed to move at a slower pace.
That as well as a full time job did get a bit tiring as well. |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 6:26 pm Post subject: |
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| krell wrote: |
I dabble there off and on..and have studied at Seoul university too.
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How did you like SNU? Their facilities look pretty impressive (on their webpage at least)
I quite like their text books. I didn't as a complete beginner but now I can see they are pretty good, if boring to look at.
I've said before on this board that I don't care about the reputation of the university I'm studying at... BUT I know how much importance koreans place on 'the name' and I wonder if down the track it would be helpful to have "studied at SNU" on the resume when applying for jobs in Korea (or korea related jobs abroad)
Anyone have any thoughts? |
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Chillin' Villain
Joined: 13 Mar 2003
Location: Goo Row
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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I agree about the SNU textbooks; I don't have a clue about the school's Korean program per se, but the textbooks are the best I've used, and I've pretty much gone through the gamut...
Ewha's are pretty good too, but I think are more intended for classroom instruction. The Ka-Na-Da series is alright, but I found the lessons kinda choppy and segmented after the first couple levels.
I'm seriously considering doing the Sogang program in September, but I'm also wondering about the SNU program, just on the weight of their textbooks... Using them for solo study and for class study could be completely different, though. |
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Toby
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Wedded Bliss
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Chillin' Villain wrote: |
I'm seriously considering doing the Sogang program in September, but I'm also wondering about the SNU program, just on the weight of their textbooks... Using them for solo study and for class study could be completely different, though. |
What program is this? You got any info on that please? |
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igotthisguitar
Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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>. Man, i dunno about where you live but, here in Daejon there's LOTS of "FREE" ( as they should be really ) Korean classes.
I go once every couple of weeks ( you can attend twice weekly if you like ) for an hr. long class.
Naturally, my instructor is more than happy to get a load of "FREE" English in return  |
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krell
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Mashimaro wrote: |
| krell wrote: |
I dabble there off and on..and have studied at Seoul university too.
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How did you like SNU? Their facilities look pretty impressive (on their webpage at least)
I quite like their text books. I didn't as a complete beginner but now I can see they are pretty good, if boring to look at.
I've said before on this board that I don't care about the reputation of the university I'm studying at... BUT I know how much importance koreans place on 'the name' and I wonder if down the track it would be helpful to have "studied at SNU" on the resume when applying for jobs in Korea (or korea related jobs abroad)
Anyone have any thoughts? |
The program was OK for the beginner levels and I had a lot of fun meeting people and learned quite a bit.
On the other hand it tends to use a "grammar/ pattern" approach. Despite what people say I do not believe there is much of a fundamental difference betwen this and the approach of Yonsei. One annoying thing I found is that the teachers there
and in other places tend to use too much English to explain Korean
words and ideas. While we may borrow occasionally from Korean
(eg adjuma nori-bang) when teaching in English anything approaching
a high level would quickly get many an English teacher booted from
any serious adult academy. (In SamSung no Korean is permitted in English class). I have heard that Yoinsei has a stricter no English policy and so I may try that program next.
The most important thing I learned however is that no amount
of this kind of program BY ITSELF is going to get you fluent in Korean
(or fluent in any language) There were people there who got awards
for classwork in grammar and tests that coudn't have communicated
in Korean if their life depended on it.
On the othere hand there were some people, ususally Kyopos,
in Beginner classes that had no trouble speaking the language in
everyday situations.
Most people fell between these extremes.
Grammer is important at a certain stage but is no substitute for
learning through meaningful interaction. |
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krell
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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| igotthisguitar wrote: |
>. Man, i dunno about where you live but, here in Daejon there's LOTS of "FREE" ( as they should be really ) Korean classes.
I go once every couple of weeks ( you can attend twice weekly if you like ) for an hr. long class.
Naturally, my instructor is more than happy to get a load of "FREE" English in return |
Free classes are great ..I use the one near Sookmyung University mostly
to socialize..sometimes you get what you pay for though and to learn
Korean this way for a a complete beginnner would take a rather long time. |
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Derrek
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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| seoulmon wrote: |
I've been to the YMB in ����3�� three times. When I first started I was taking classes in the morning and then in the afternoon I'd skip on over to YBM. The beginning classes were great and it was the first time I actually started to put the Korean language together.
Several years later, at a much higher level, I took a class for a month. My teacher was an elderly woman, about 50. It was OK. We worked from the book. We started out with a test to see if we had memorized the opening dialog box (like the visit to the post office dialog). Then we read through the text book, reading and then answering the question. |
Whoa! Elderly at 50? You're going to anger Bobster with that one (joke , joke). |
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peppergirl
Joined: 07 Dec 2003
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Toby
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Wedded Bliss
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| Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 10:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks |
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