Korean Job Discussion Forums

[robinnz]

My boss keeps telling me that they don't, and to use easy words. I'm trying, but they never tell me at the time or ask questions so it's really hard to know what to change. Does anyone else have this problem? Any advice?

[Ramen]

not while i am carrying my love stick around.

[marsavalanche]

speak slower speak slower SPEAK SLOWER.

problem solved

[schwa]

OP touches on a big widespread problem in efl teaching here. K-teachers & students have a valid complaint that many native speaker teachers really dont have a clue what constitutes comprehensible spoken english in the classroom.

The OP doesnt mention grade levels but heres a few suggestions for elementary through middle school.

Slow-speak isnt the answer (plus it just sounds retarded). Clarity, simplicity, & repetition are the key.

Dont go off on tangents. Dont toss in needless qualifiers. Keep your sentences short. Emphasize key words. Dont worry about nuance -- always choose the simplest synonym. Hone your ear to words the students have obviously learned or that are common loan words in korean, & use them a lot. Ramp up your volume a bit. Repeat yourself often.

Watch their eyes for comprehension. Dont be fooled by the few advanced students who can follow your speaking into thinking the whole class is with you. They almost certainly are not. The brighter kids wont mind you simplifying things & its good review for them.

Theres an art to speaking to be understood by low-level learners. It takes some time but especially sensitivity to where your kids are at. Then you add incrementally according to what you've taught them. Education is a process.

[DBXD]

Im with schwa 10000000%
I once worked with a guy that would talk a mile a minute, used difficult words AND talked like he had a mouth full of food...and to make it worse, his sentences tailed off at the end making it very difficult for me to even understand what he was saying.
He talked no different in the classroom.
This is what Korea gets, though. They hire any warm body, the bottom of the barrel (I'm not saying that's you OP); people that have absolutely no teaching credentials and have completely NO idea how to teach.
I am not tooting my own horn, but I have a teaching license back in the states and I feel my previous schooling and work related assignments really taught me and trained me how to "teach." I don't walk into a room and spit words at a kid and expect him to get it. I speak slow, very slow, use clear pronunciation and use simple words they can understand. If they understand what I'm saying, it builds confidence and spurs them on to want to master new words and concepts.
I really wish Korea would hire more qualified people.

[Mr Lee's Monkey]

I also agree with Schwa about keeping it simple, repetition, and clarity. The suggestion to speak slowly is not one I agree with unless it is very carefully moderated. I think it does more harm than good. I have worked with foreign teachers who speak to Korean students and staff as though they (the native speakers) are recovering from a closed head injury - it's unnatural and does not condition listening or understanding that has real world applications.
Speaking to qualifications, it is also a drag to work in a school and hear this ..... you guys, like, need to like, work harder on your like, listening skills. That'll teach 'em......

[ThingsComeAround]

I disagree with the 'speak slowly' part. I do agree with the part about using short, simple sentences.

Why not speak slowly? Students will become accustomed to it. When someone speaks to them at a normal speed, it will be "too hard" for them to understand. Tough. That's the speed the world speaks at, so listen better! Simple sentences students can build on, so having a good normal speed helps with the foundation.

Also, OP- what grade are you teaching? Kindy? I've learned a loud strong deep voice works best in any situation- but try not to be scary

[sojusucks]

The schools will always tell you what to do. If it works, they will take credit. If it doesn't work, they will blame you. The best bet is to find out what works and to use it. Then the school will shut up. Be a teacher. Find out where the students are at and help them get better. I used some activities that got them to make short sentences (think 3-5 words) and how to use because, and, or, and so on, which really helped. Do what works best for your students.

[murmanjake]

Confirm their comprehension as much as possible. Like Schwa said, check that they are looking at you. Check that they are looking at the right part of the book, the board, your hand. Just make sure their attention is directed to where it should be. If it's a speak/repeat exercise then make sure they are speaking along. If it's a reading exercise make them follow the text with their fingers. You pay close attention to them and they'll do the same for you.

Personally I don't think the speed of your speaking is too big of an issue. For me, I can be speaking gibberish, but if I inflect it in the right way, paired with the right gestures, even my kindergarteners will understand.

[jonpurdy]

Also, try to check the understanding of individual students. During a repeat exercise some students might not participate though you wouldn't be able to tell if everybody was speaking. Choose individual students at random and make sure they are repeating correctly. For higher levels, ask comprehension questions individually and at random.

[koreatimes]

Language is both written and spoken. When I have my way, I have students write out what they hear. Then they practice speaking it. Off course, they don't understand it spoken and maybe they won't understand some of the words. All they have to do is take it to a teacher that speaks their language and that teacher can help them with the meaning. Older students can use dictionaries.

I don't walk into a store and ask for thin cabbage that looks like a soccer ball. I tell them lettuce.

All this monkeying around to make words easier to understand ends up creating a useless third language students will have no use for.

[Kaypea]

I have big touble with this, but one thing which sort of works is instead of telling them stuff, show pictures and let them tell you what is in the picture. Or, have a sentence on a PPT or on the board and ask the students to read it, as if you can't quite do it yourself because it's hard. Yes, comprehension check early and often. "Jisun. What are we doing today?" etc.

[jonbowman88]

[Skill]

Speak clearly and naturally but modulate your speech, slow it down couple of notch and I don't mean speak really slowly that yousound retarded, and don't forget to grade your language.

Also when giving instruction, CCQ, concept check. When you need them to do and activity, modal it if needed, get a student to participate if you have to.

Don't forget hand gestures and body language are important, utilise it as much as possible.

[ddeubel]

I'll add to what Schwa and others well said -

1. Pause. Don't slow your speech but pause between sentences and give Ss time to process the language. In an L2, your brain has much less processing ability.

2. Visuals. Use visuals , photos , pictures. Takes preparation but providing context is essential for learning.

3. Move around the room. The kids in the back have a hard time understanding you believe it or not.

4. Learn a little Korean and when students do have some problems, try to clarify with Korean if possible or through a coteacher. But do this with a signal that you will speak Korean. A timeout, so the student's brains can prepare to shift gears into their L1

5. If possible, be upfront with Ss that they have to deal and "tolerate" the ambiguity in order to learn. They can't understand every word.

my 2 cents.

DD
http://eflclassroom.com