Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Grotto]

I have a bit of a dilemma.

I was just informed that the grade 3 students are not allowed to see writing. Only pictures and oral, no ABC's. As I have five grade three classes to teach every Tuesday any information would be appreciated.

Thanks

[peppermint]

Let the fun begin! You won't be allowed to let the grade 4's do any real writing either.

Kids that age have fantastic memories, and songs work really well, especially if there's hand movement. Head and Shoulders knees and toes, Three little monkeys, and baby bumblebee are my kids favorites.

If you can sneak it in, kizclub.com has some good alphabet worksheets with practice lines for letter writing and a section to color the picture.

BTW, the actual curriculum will fill in around 90% of your class time if you use it well.

[justagirl]

Did anyone else want to break out laughing when they read this post? I mean, come on--3rd graders "aren't allowed" to look at written English? That is so stupid! ha ha ha--like the written word will make the 10 year olds spontaneously combust or be detrimental to their learning...

[peppermint]

One of the joys of public school. My school is pretty cool about it, but other schools aren't. I think the theory is that it will interfere with their Korean language skills.

[Grotto]

The not reading or writing for the first three years is a concept in English teaching. I don't agree with it but it is their curriculum so I will abide by it.

I just am trying to think of ways to get the students involved away from the textbook while still complementing it.

Does anyone know any good flashcard sites that you can download from?

[crazylemongirl]

you have to pay but

www.eslkidstuff.com

has great graphics for kids. I use them with my first graders and they love them.

[pecan]

You condemn them, but I doubt you have any experience in the field. Their reason is very sound, and it is completely logical.

Instead of making fun of something you do not understand, why not take some time to read about it! Sounds crazy, I know, but you might come to agree with the practice.

Babies have little to no exposure to written words for several years, and they learn to speak without difficulty.

Use chants, action songs, TPR, etc. to teach your children.

Please be mindful of your students and encourage any and all approximations at learning the target language.

I wish I could teach your young children.

Nut

[prosodic]

The problem is that a rigid policy against using the written language is that it does not accomodate different learning styles. While most young children learn a language well through aural media only, others may learn better visually.

Personally, I am a visual learner. I have a much easier time with written Korean than spoken Korean. If I had to learn Korean only through conversation, I would probably get lost. I remember written words better than words that I hear and therefore I learn conversational Korean best by reading dialogues. Admittedly, I am an adult, but the same was true for me when I was a child with my native English. My verbal skills improved dramatically when I started to read.

The policy of the public schools may be fine for the majority of children, but imposes a severe hindrance to those children who do not learn best through aural media. By the way, pedagogical studies have proven that learning is best achieved when multiple senses are involved because each sense reinforces the other in the learner's memory.

That being said, there is no sense in trying to persuade to change their policies.

[Grotto]

It amazes me how fast disagree turned into condemn.

Followed up by an assumption that I have no experience.

Then another slap putting words in my mouth...I never made fun of them and I don't see any other posters making fun of them either. Then another assumption that I dont know anything about this methodology.

Pecan come off your pedestal and join us mere mortals. It ticks me off when someone assumes things and speaks condescendingly to people they dont know.

I have an Ed degree! Do you?
I have experience teaching! Do you?
I have read up on this method! Have you?
I just dont agree with it! Do you?

By preventing students from learning the written word you are blocking off a whole other set of kinesthetic learning.

I believe that the reason they dont want students learning English writing early on is that it is so much easier to use and more expressive than Korean. If children learn this early on it will be the deathnell of the Korean written word. The way Korea is embracing English I could see Korean writing going the way of Latin..only studied by university students. Of course that is true of many languages on the planet. English has gone from one of the least spoken languages on the planet to one of the most spoken most used languages.

The world language pool is dying out as we become a global village. The language of the internet is English, the language of transportation is English, the language of medicine is English. As English becomes used more globally other languages will die out. A sad fact.

[Dawn]