Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

So my students had their nationwide English test today... and when I walked into my classroom, they were moaning and complaining and fretting over what had just happened to them, because apparently the K government has had the brilliant idea to switch their emphasis to British English after having spent so many years and having done up so many textbook CD-Roms using American English... and they couldn't figure out what the heck the test-giver was saying.

Can anyone tell me why they've decided to do this?

(And I really don't want to hear how British English is the best, blah blah blah with Americans saying 'remember WWII', etc. etc.)

[shostahoosier]

[BigBuds]

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

Sorry, yeah, it was a listening test.

This is one of the examples of how the government seems determined to screw up English education permanently.

I'm not against diversity or whatever but when you have one accent in schools and books and another when it comes to the test, it's not going to work. My school has only had two NETs, both Canadian... and they're not exposed to the British accent anywhere.

So I guess they're going to have to fire me now.

[littlelisa]

A couple of years ago at my old school my students (grade 1) did some British-based English test. They had no trouble with the accent, but they did get confused by some words. I remember "trousers" being one of them. There were two parts to the test, written and listening, and it was in both parts. I remember on the written part there was a picture of pants/trousers and they had to unscramble the word "trousers", and one of my bright students told me after, "I didn't know the answer, but I think it was the same word I didn't know in the first part".

There had been an English guy at the school, though, so even though he wasn't their teacher, they did hear it sometimes.

[shostahoosier]

[Ramen]

Ah! korea has caught on to our belief that speaking with british accent makes a person sound more intelligent and gentleman like. 007 like.

"My name is kim. Jinho kim."

[itistime]

I should say first and foremost I think students of a language should be exposed to as many accents as possible.



"and they couldn't figure out what the heck the test-giver was saying. "

This is it. I have Brit and Aussie friends that I must constantly ask to repeat themselves, because I don't understand what they've just said. But, I've also had friends from Carolina, N. Florida, Mississippi that would be just as misunderstood.

The students don't get as exposed to it.
It's probably also some silly marketing strategy that the gung-ho, business oriented owner has decided to adopt. Suck it up, students!

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

I guess that it could have been just that hearing that it was different made them nervous... so they panicked and it hurt their ability to think properly.

It was my high class and I know they're still not amazing or anything, but I have been able to carry on simple but coherent 10 minute conversations with them at my normal pace without needing translation.

I have to admit, I didn't hear the actual test, I just experienced the aftermath... so they were pretty wound up anyways.

[shifty]

[Swampfox10mm]

Nothing wrong with the British accent.

[ED209]

They have to get their Ps and Qs ready for when they work in Tesco Homeplus. Not too mention Will and Kate will be honeymooning in Jeju.

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

[stevieg4ever]

Another master stroke by the resident geniuses that are the Ministry of Education. A Nobel prize is on the way I am sure....

And this will make what difference I wonder? 0.00000001% + or -

[offtheoche]

Seems a little odd.

When I talk to my Canadian/Aussie/Kiwi/South African friends, I speak just as I would to my friends back home.

However, many Americans don't understand very basic slang and idioms, so I often have to dumb down the conversation and speak to our US friends and treat them as non native speakers.