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Help for Curriculum Development

 
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wayne1523



Joined: 14 May 2010

PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 2:30 am    Post subject: Help for Curriculum Development Reply with quote

I have really run into my first major wall as a teacher. I've been in Busan for 1 month. Teaching started off quite decently but now I feel as if my lessons are really starting to lack direction and the exercises of just repeating and pronouncing vocabulary is getting too redundant for my students to pay attention anymore. Since the beginning, I already loathed the fact that for someone as inexperienced as I that they just asked for me to devise my own curriculum. Any materials they've given me have been really poor.

I would just like to ask about any really strong textbooks/workbooks/series out there that can govern the content of my classes that practices writing, reading, phonics, speaking. If they are available to be purchased in Korea, that would be the best. But if they are available to be purchased online such as on Amazon or back home in a store in Canada since some relatives will be visiting soon, that would be splendid as well. This is for grades 1-2 (my first class), grades 3-4 (second class), and grade 6 (my third class). If I can a really strong brand name of materials/textbooks to not necessarily use word for word for my class, but just to anchor and give competent lessons, worksheets, and practice for my students, that would make my life a whole lot easier.

Thanks =)
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:10 am    Post subject: Re: Help for Curriculum Development Reply with quote

wayne1523 wrote:
I have really run into my first major wall as a teacher. I've been in Busan for 1 month. Teaching started off quite decently but now I feel as if my lessons are really starting to lack direction and the exercises of just repeating and pronouncing vocabulary is getting too redundant for my students to pay attention anymore. Since the beginning, I already loathed the fact that for someone as inexperienced as I that they just asked for me to devise my own curriculum. Any materials they've given me have been really poor.

I would just like to ask about any really strong textbooks/workbooks/series out there that can govern the content of my classes that practices writing, reading, phonics, speaking. If they are available to be purchased in Korea, that would be the best. But if they are available to be purchased online such as on Amazon or back home in a store in Canada since some relatives will be visiting soon, that would be splendid as well. This is for grades 1-2 (my first class), grades 3-4 (second class), and grade 6 (my third class). If I can a really strong brand name of materials/textbooks to not necessarily use word for word for my class, but just to anchor and give competent lessons, worksheets, and practice for my students, that would make my life a whole lot easier.

Thanks =)


time to learn to be a teacher and not just a walking tape recorder/player/regurgitating the book.

There are LOTS of resources available to you to assist you in planning, supplemental work and fun activities.

The best way to deal with kids and 40-50 minute classes is to break your time down. Young learners have short attention spans (depending on ages; 10-20 minutes) so you need to keep it moving or you will lose them to boredom and then your behavior problems begin.

Get into a bit of a routine. Young learners respond better if there is one.

Kids come to class.

Spend 2-5 minutes on a warm-up activity. A song with actions works pretty good for kids up to about grade 6. If they are a bit older (middle school) then you want something a little more age and level appropriate as your warm-up.

Spend about 10 minutes on your basic lesson development (teaching, demonstrating, showing what you want them to learn).

Do another fun type of (related) activity for 2-5 minutes. Wake up the bum to wake up the brain. Get them re-engaged.

Spend 15 minutes on practical use of the target language for the day. Roll plays, listen/repeat, practice, situational play.

Do another quick fun activity (2-3 minutes) to get them focused again.

15 minutes left, spend 10 on review and reinforce what you learned in the last class.

Spend your last 5 minutes on a closing activity - let them leave smiling and happy (or as happy as they can be after spending 10 hours of their day in a classroom).

Does it take some work on your part to actually prep your classes = yes.

Sorry but you can bite the bullet and put up with kids who are bored and act out (5 minute prep at the copy machine) or do your job as a teacher, keep them occupied and learning and have a great year with them.

.
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wayne1523



Joined: 14 May 2010

PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks alot ttompatz, that was helpful, but I would still like to know some books with worksheets that I can build my engaging/interactive activities around. so that it could help me establish my subject/topic. then, i can be more creative around that. thanks though for your two cents.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

wayne1523 wrote:
thanks alot ttompatz, that was helpful, but I would still like to know some books with worksheets that I can build my engaging/interactive activities around. thanks though for your two cents.


There are no shortage of books available. Just drop into your local bookstore. they will have a whole wall full of ESL books. "English Time" is popular as is the "Let's Go" series.

There is also no shortage of stuff on-line that you can use as well.

Google is your friend when it comes to material/worksheets/topics.
booglesworld is a popular place to start.
ddeubel has a website with tons of material. http://eflclassroom.com
Search back through here and there is more than enough material for any newbie to spend a year or 3 on. Look at some early posts from "tomato".

There is the teachers forum here on Dave's (separate registration required).
There is the idea cookbook here on Dave's.

Look at youtube. There are more than a few ideas there that you can grab (everything from songs with actions to full classes).

For a basic TEFL book and workbook (for you to learn how to teach) you can download one at:
http://www.vanisland.net/book/Smooth%20Moves%20workbook%20complete.pdf
http://www.vanisland.net/book/TEFL.Textbook.complete.pdf

.
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ddeubel



Joined: 20 Jul 2005

PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The first thing you need to tell us is "what are your student's needs"?

Meaning, do a needs analysis or at a minimum tell us ages/levels/likes/ socio economic background/goals etc....

Tell us about your students and we or I can send you along a whole package. Curriculum isn't too difficult unless you don't have experience. The hardest part is knowing your students and what will work.

Cheers, don't fret, it'll work out.

Oh on second thought - also use the hundreds of lessons on EFL Classroom's lessons in a can or try this new book i put out for ideas.
http://issuu.com/eflclassroom/docs/numberoneinelt

DD
http://eflclassroom.com
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lifeinkorea



Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Location: somewhere in China

PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 4:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I repeat what ttompatz said, look at the stuff yourself. You need to develop your own style of teaching. However, grabbing stuff from others is a good start.

Feel free to look at a wiki I have up at http://englishlessons.wikispaces.com

There aren't lesson plans, but notes on things you can teach. I also have a file with vocabulary categorized along with categorized lessons on the left.

Many schools use the "Let's Go" series, but other books are helpful too. I just find Let's Go to be more complete, and then I take ideas from the wiki and add to them. "Side by Side" is another good one for older students.

However, one note is that when you get to the 4th or 5th book in any series students will be better off working out of the book.
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wayne1523



Joined: 14 May 2010

PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you all for your help. I will be looking at the mentioned websites and do more research with google. Can I ask if those books that have been mentioned "Side by Side", "Let's Go", and "English Time" are available in Korea?

And to make sure, this link underneath is the "Let's Go" series, correct?
http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Go-2-Student-Book/dp/0194394263/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286000806&sr=1-8
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 2:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

wayne1523 wrote:
Thank you all for your help. I will be looking at the mentioned websites and do more research with google. Can I ask if those books that have been mentioned "Side by Side", "Let's Go", and "English Time" are available in Korea?

And to make sure, this link underneath is the "Let's Go" series, correct?
http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Go-2-Student-Book/dp/0194394263/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286000806&sr=1-8


2 questions:

1) Yes, they are WIDELY available in Korea. MOST bookstores will have them in stock in the ESL section (not too far from the English, English/Korean dictionaries.

2) Yes, that is the correct series.

.
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