Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Skippy]

Don't you hate the blank stares.

The open mouth and lookin of uncomprehension when you ask a simple question.

Having them to ask a friend for a translation of what you said

Be doing english for over 5 years and have trouble putting a sentence together.

THIS is from
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YOUR FELLOW KOREAN ENGLISH TEACHING COWORKERS!

My head teacher for one school speaks horrible english. Can not put a sentence togother with out thinking a minute. Writes yoda like messages. (heck I understand Yoda I barely comprehend her messages). And the has been teaching english for over 5 years (at this one school).

I have other teachers who are supposed to be ENGLISH teachers be confused by a simple question or statement like - "How was your weekend?" or "I like your earrings!".

On the other end I have very capable and knowledgeable coworkers. Can talk away the day with them

But this mystifies me. Why do these teaches get a job teaching english when the can not speak it.

ARGH make me want to scream!


AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Skippy <shakes head and walks off>

[just because]

I have one teacher at my hagwon.

She can only basically say hello and thats it.

Can read great from a book but when it comes to conversation it is shocking.

[The Evil Clown]

The head teacher at my old school would get really pissed when I corrected her English. She was a a total cunt and I loved pull her chain as much as I could.

Her response was, "My major Englishee Litelatule!"

I'm sure there's a disconnect in the brain somewhere that blocks off one's listening and reading skills from their speaking ability. Some of them can write well or use proper grammar but when it comes to speaking they can barely string more than three words in a sentence. I'm sure she has a massive vocabulary from TOEIC studying but can't use most of those words in normal conversation, let alone have a conversation.

[Apple Scruff]

I work with a total idiot who has a miniscule grasp of english, and even less control of the kids in his class. Bad combination. I think the kids can tell when the person at the front of the room is a chump.

[ryleeys]

The first English teacher I worked with was fluent, very good.
The second teacher I worked with wasn't good at first, but after four months talking to me, got pretty good.
The third teacher was okay.
The fourth teacher couldn't speak a word of English.
The fifth teacher isn't very good at all, but is really nice I guess.
The sixth teacher was a math teacher converted to English, and it showed.
The seventh teacher I haven't met yet, she starts tomorrow... although I've been told she's a college student.

Keep in mind, teachers 3 through 7 have been in the last 3 months... and that's just the English teachers... that's not counting the science and math teachers coming and going. I know this industry is all about change, but should the one year contract foreigner outlast at least 7 English teachers?

[Grotto]

Last night at the hogwan the word 'often' came up. The middle school students were a bit confused about the pronunciation.

often=off ten they tried to tell me that the proper sound for it is
often=opt ten that is what their english teacher at school teaches them.

Many Korean English teachers pronunciation is abysmal, their grammer is usually excellent but their speech is sub-par.

[wylde]

[VanIslander]

I don't hate.

[PECisDplace2B]

I work with one teacher, whom I can barely understand, but when she's with the Kindy kids she's magic. The kids end up speaking better english than her by the end of the year. She's awesome at singing and storytelling. The other elementary teachers are good not great. I bet if they spent a couple months in an english speaking country they would be completely fluent. There is not a lot of english speaking happening in Kwangju!!

[Badmojo]

I was teaching the elementary school teachers here and used the same book for them that I did for the kids - Red Interchange. Like most of the above, they had a large vocabulary, but their fundamentals, their basics, were weak.

[jajdude]

I guess it basically comes down to this: I have two models in mind. Of course there could be more.

1. You can study a language for years, where really all you do is read and try to comprehend whatever you read or listen to. And spend lots of time with grammar. Maybe learn to write a little. But it always remains a foreign language, a school subject, something to study, perhaps even loathe the way many loathe math. There is no or not much real life interaction with English speakers in a real world way. After 5-10 years speaking is still weak.

2. Or you can have interactions with speakers of English and learn it in a real world way. It does not involve study, just speaking and listening (real conversation!) trial and error and practice. This is evident in some places where some people with less than high school or even middle school can speak English not bad or even well. Maybe they can barely read English. They may simply work at something that brings them into contact with English.

A few Thai women come to mind.

Guess which model most Koreans have.

[Demophobe]

[CurlyQ]

[VanIslander]

[frogrocket]

I say - If you "hate" you hate...feel free to express and feel your emotions. Other people who 'claim' they don't hate can go float their Korea-loving bubble somewhere else.

I SAY EXPRESS DON'T REPRESS!
GOOD FOR YOU!

As for Korean 'English' teachers...ours don't need to speak English they need to find the 'play' button on the tape player....

"CH...CH....CHOCOLATE"....I would have already said screw English if that was my education...I can press the button as well as the teacher can.

Our Head Teacher is infamous for teaching all her students the phrase:
"You make me funny!"....I'm not going to correct her, it makes me laugh!

And sometimes that's all I need to get through the pathetic day at the hogwon!