Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TJ]

[Len8]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'll watch out for this student for the next half of the semester, and see if I can give some extra help

[inkoreaforgood]

I hope you didn't make your students stand up in front of everyone to give answers to a spoken test!!

I usually do mine in the office, 3 minutes, then let them go. If they do extremely poor(ie, tell me I'm sorry in Korean, then get upset if I suggest they did poorly), I fail them, but if they put effort into it, then they pass. The first year beginner classes are not really worth anything, as a language class with more than 12 students, let alone 30-50, is not a real language class. I don't know where they get the idea that a class of 30-50 students is a language class.

[ajuma]

I give "group" oral exams (3-4 students). They have a week to prepare a conversation that includes the things we've been covering in class. I'm really clear about what I expect, but even if they read the whole thing from a paper, it's only -5 from 30 points. I try to find an empty classroom for their "performance"...and there is safety in numbers! I've NEVER had a student NOT talk during this type of exam!

[Len8]

I give my oral exams in a seperate room, and I try to make it as non threatening as possible. I usually quiz either 3 or 4 students at a time depending on the size of the class, and like adjumah said all of the students usually manage to say something. Even if what they say is only remotley related to the material for the test I still consider it a job well done. They at least tried, and maybe they will remember it as a positive English language experience later in their lives.

The girl I have mentioned in my post though refused to speak. She just looked at me and said absolutely nothing. The other 2 studentd in the test group were relaxed and really tried. You would think that she might have cued herself from them, but no way. I had three types of questions that the students were supposed to prepare for, and there is no way that she wouldn't have known what to do. I told everyone including her that the test would be a speaking test as well.

First time I have ever met somebody like that.

[Cedar]