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Linda868
Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Location: Korea
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 Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:35 pm Post subject: switching from elementary to adult students |
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| I really enjoy teaching children but I have an opportunity to teach adults in Seoul vs the small town I am living in. What were some major differences between teaching children and adults? What were some difficulties you had transitioning between the two? Thanks for any help you can provide. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 10:19 pm Post subject: Re: switching from elementary to adult students |
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| Linda868 wrote: |
| I really enjoy teaching children but I have an opportunity to teach adults in Seoul vs the small town I am living in. What were some major differences between teaching children and adults? What were some difficulties you had transitioning between the two? Thanks for any help you can provide. |
The difference between elementary kids and adults is like night and day (even in Korea).
Beyond that it will depend entirely on what you are expected to teach: basic conversion to adjumas, business English to salarymen, EAP, writing skills, TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS test prep, etc.
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ayahyaha
Joined: 04 Apr 2011
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 1:42 am Post subject: |
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As ttompatz wrote, it really depends on the types of classes you're going to teach.
The single biggest difference between adults and kids, at least in my experience, is that if an adult doesn't like you as their teacher, they'll get another teacher quickly and without a thought. So, it's a lot more about customer service/value for money.
With kids, I felt more free to have bad days or play around whereas with adults, I had to be very professional most of the time. Most of the adults I have taught were (a) under a lot of pressure to learn English for work or school (businessmen, college students); or (b) doing it because they think they should, not because they really want to (housewives, college students).
The psychology of keeping your students happy, then, is completely different.
Also, the hours teaching adults usually suck. |
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drkalbi
Joined: 06 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 2:03 am Post subject: |
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| Bring alcohol instead of candy. |
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Rutherford
Joined: 31 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:15 am Post subject: |
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| one of the reasons I left Busan was the complete lack of non-club, non-binge drinking activities available in the city. |
When did you leave? I've felt the same way sometimes but have managed to find enough activities / groups to keep busy and have a good time. The groups are mostly Koreans with an active minority of foreign members.
I think part of the problem is a lot of info for groups that are mostly Korean doesn't make it from whatever "cafe" page into the Expat oriented pages / forums. By chance I recently found a club practicing a sport I'd been trying to get into for a few years here. Once I met everyone involved I learned there's been a club for a year and are other clubs in most major cities. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:21 am Post subject: |
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| Rutherford wrote: |
| Quote: |
| one of the reasons I left Busan was the complete lack of non-club, non-binge drinking activities available in the city. |
When did you leave? I've felt the same way sometimes but have managed to find enough activities / groups to keep busy and have a good time. The groups are mostly Koreans with an active minority of foreign members.
I think part of the problem is a lot of info for groups that are mostly Korean doesn't make it from whatever "cafe" page into the Expat oriented pages / forums. By chance I recently found a club practicing a sport I'd been trying to get into for a few years here. Once I met everyone involved I learned there's been a club for a year and are other clubs in most major cities. |
A little off topic for this thread isn't it? |
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Linda868
Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 4:33 am Post subject: |
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Hmm thanks so far for the replies.
I have been teaching children the whole time I have been here so I am a bit nervous about the potential change. However, I would be 2 hours closer to Seoul and a lot of my friends and I would be able to get a new start...
Are split shifts really that bad? The place I was talking to said they do it on a rotating basis. Right now due to my own studies I get up around 6ish and head to bed around 11 or 12. |
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