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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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Natasha Compagnon
Joined: 08 Nov 2004
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 4:58 am Post subject: Suck as a Teacher, Need Help! |
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I'm in my first year and teaching kids from kindergarten-level to high school-level. My director, through the head teacher, has told me a couple of times now - after letting it sit for quite a while each time, and without many specifics - that many students don't understand me when I try to explain things, and that I'm not interesting, too fast....
The speed bit was easy to figure out; they wanted me to move more quickly through the textbook, so I did, but at the cost of not being able to spend as much time on things as I would have liked. So I'm trying to slow down while still getting through the book quickly. Not sure how it's working.
The interesting bit ... possibly I've been too focused on teaching, and should loosen up and give the kids more fun things to do. Okay, I'll try that; I know there's a lot of material scattered about, can anyone recommend any sites, please?
Being understood ... that's difficult. I've had plenty of times where I tried over and over - with pictures, even - to explain things. Sometimes it seems to go well, sometimes it doesn't, and often the kids seem to forget quickly. I can explain relatively well to people with relatively high levels of English, but people at lower levels are very hard. How do you guys explain words and concepts to your kids?
Lastly, how do you guys deal with being told you suck? I don't think I do, entirely; some classes and kids seem to genuinely enjoy themselves, I've been told by some that they like my classes, and some kids have shown they like me with notes, gifts, hugs ... but I'm clearly not doing well enough. I'm willing to work on it, but it's hard.
Any advice appreciated. I don't think I'm horrible or a lost cause, so I don't want to quit, and I certainly don't want to get fired (and sometimes I fear I will). |
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ulsanchris
Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: take a wild guess
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:47 am Post subject: |
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Get some books on teaching? One I recomend is Teaching English to CHildren in Asia by David Paul. |
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joe_doufu

Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:06 am Post subject: |
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I'm learning Korean now and I gotta tell ya, the stuff that I learned two or three weeks ago is just starting to "gel" now. And I *want* to learn, which most of your hagwon students don't. So don't get too upset if the kids don't learn things fast enough. How long have you been working here in Korea? I suggest you experiment for a while, and then when you feel you know the students ability levels, go to the bookstore and pick out new, easier textbooks. Kids don't learn if they're too intimidated by the book, give them something that they feel capable of doing, and trick them into learning.
PS: if you need to go fast to finish the old book, for the parents' sake, just skip chapters! nobody will care... |
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gypsyfish
Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:08 am Post subject: |
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Join a professional organization - KoTESOL, here in Korea - and 'workshop' with other teachers. |
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peppermint

Joined: 13 May 2003 Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:35 am Post subject: |
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What I find is that using something in the classroom to illustrate a concept is good. ("what is something that is yellow in the classroom? Yeah, Min Ho's bag is yellow") That way whenever the kids see that object, they associate it with the lesson in a minor way. |
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jlb
Joined: 18 Sep 2003
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:13 am Post subject: |
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You sound pretty uptight about the whole thing. Relax, you probably won't get fired as long as you show up everyday on time, put in a decent effort and maintain a good relationship with the powers that be at your hagwon.
Play a few games, bring in some snacks. If the kids see that learning English can be fun, you've done your job.
I found that setting up an elaborate reward system worked for me. The whole class and everything we did in it became a game. Get prizes, give out stickers for doing homework, participating in class, winning games, etc. |
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Yu_Bum_suk

Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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First, don't take a Korean's word for it that you suck.
Second, try to observe other teachers' classes.
Third, where do you shop for supplemental material and books on teaching? You don't? Well perhaps you should find a place where you can get some educational games and books on teaching.
Finally, remember that you're teaching students of very different ages. Perhaps your teaching methods only suck for younger or older kids. I was a dreadful kindy teacher but I get heaps of compliments from Korean staff on my high school teaching (not that I should necessarily believe this, either, lol.) |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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The interesting bit ... possibly I've been too focused on teaching, and should loosen up and give the kids more fun things to do. Okay, I'll try that; I know there's a lot of material scattered about, can anyone recommend any sites, please?
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Ummm, that is not possible.
What you might be missing is that you can find activities that are fun for the kids and still focus on teaching the grammar point (or whatever) that is in today's lesson. Sites: just google 'ESL games' and you'll get hundreds of sites. Look especially for activities that can be adapted to different age/skill levels. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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Being understood ... that's difficult. I've had plenty of times where I tried over and over - with pictures, even - to explain things. |
I thought of something else.
It's remarkable how many people don't use pictures to explain things. It's the obvious, most practical way to get across the meaning of nouns and many verbs.
For the other explanations...Don't use slang or idioms in your explanation. Don't use words the kids don't already know. Strip your language down to the simplest grammar. Don't use ah, um, oh, urr or ya know? Speak slowly and clearly. Your vocabulary and grammar must match the students'. It grows as theirs does. |
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manlyboy

Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Location: Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah. It's a common motivational "tactic" of hagwon operators to tell teachers they suck in order to gain leverage over them.
Try new things. In spite of the efl courses I've taken, by far most of what I know about teaching has been learned on the job. The "Teaching English to Children in Asia" book recommended by ulsanchris has a games bank in the back with lots of good ideas for fun activities. |
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antoniothegreat

Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Location: Yangpyeong
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject: hmm |
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I assume you are teaching children or other beginners, but if they can't udnerstand you with a few pictures and examples, maybe the words are what is wrong, not your or the students. just a thought... I hope you aren't teaching a kindergarten kid "polarization"... |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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I saw a book a while back called "teaching English with pictures".
It wasn't your typical teacher resource book. It was shelved with the pop English courses for Koreans, and it was a pocket-sized book. I don't know if it's what you are looking for, but.........
Don't be too concerned if they aren't picking up all the grammatical points right away. Typically I've found that hagwans tend to go too quickly:
Example: The Oxford people recommend a 6 month
time period/book for each level of Let's Go. (This is of course using all the suplimental materials, workbook, grammar and listening book, videos, chant book, story books,picture cards, )
Hagwans usually try to go through them in 1 or 2 months.
Way too fast!
But they never seem to want to use the supplimental material either.
I suppose the main reason is .......money. All those books and things are expensive.
I've also read that Oxford recommends using Let's Go and English time together, so that the students will be going over the same grammar points but in slightly different ways.
Let's Go 2 - for 2 months followed by English Time 2 - for 2 months.
Anyway, I don't know if this has any bearing on your situation, but I hope it helps. |
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Yu_Bum_suk

Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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Another point worth bearing in mind is that what Koreans consider a good teacher is not necessarily a good teacher, especially a good EFL teacher. If I had to criticise my teaching style I'd say that I spend too much time talking myself, can seem a bit overbearing, and rely too much on listen-and-repeat. However, to Koreans, this fits in exactly with their idea of good, teacher-centred instruction.
Other little things can create the wrong impression on Koreans. With smaller classes of shy students I would prefer to sit, as this creates a better conversational environment; but Koreans seem to hate a teacher sitting. I'm always checking my watch to manage time efficiently, but this also can create the wrong impression.
The long and the short of it is that Koreans are usually very crappy judges of good teaching, and at some points you need to disregard whatever they say. |
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tomato

Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 1:54 am Post subject: Re: Suck as a Teacher, Need Help! |
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Hello, Natasha!
You're not crazy, your director is.
Ask any of the old-timers on this board. We've seen the same thing happen over and over.
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My director . . . has told me . . . that many students don't understand me when I try to explain things . . . |
Watch a Korean teacher's class and you will very likely see that they do it the quick and dirty way--by translating into Korean.
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. . . and that I'm not interesting. . . |
Watch a Korean teacher's class and you will very likely see that they go straight through the textbook--and with with no creative input whatsoever. If the students and parents don't complain, it is because they realize there is nothing they can do about it.
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they wanted me to move more quickly through the textbook |
There seems to be a Korean superstition that learning can be measured by the number of pages covered.
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. . .some classes and kids seem to genuinely enjoy themselves, I've been told by some that they like my classes, and some kids have shown they like me with notes, gifts, hugs. . . |
You're new here, aren't you?
Then you probably missed a similar story I told a few months ago.
The director gave me the same line your director gave you.
Each of my classes had a half-hour in the director's classroom and a half-hour in mine. According to the director, the students all loved everything they did in her class and hated everything they did in mine. So I printed out a survey and asked all the students to fill it out.
The survey indicated that the director was full of baloney.
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. . .but I'm clearly not doing well enough. |
Sez hoo? The director?
If the director doesn't have any collaborating witnesses, then she is probably making the whole thing up.
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I certainly don't want to get fired (and sometimes I fear I will). |
I hope you don't, but if you do, it won't be the end of the world.
There are plenty of jobs in Korea which are better than the job you have now.
You have convinced us that you are a conscientious teacher, and you can convince a prospective employer the same thing. |
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Rteacher

Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 4:25 am Post subject: |
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When I first got to Korea I heard from the other native English teacher at my hogwan that it usually takes about six months to really know what you're doing here.
The big range you have in age groups is an added challenge for you. Keep it simple. Younger kids are always interested in games, candy and stickers. You can't overdo it, though - or the parents will complain (because they always ask their kids what they learned in English class, and if they keep hearing "games" and "candy" they'll complain to the director - happened to me once...) The best games I found were "Go Fish" and "Crazy Eights" (School Zone versions) and "Word and Picture Bingo" (The kids loved "Harry Potter Uno, but it's not as good for learning English...)
Kids of all ages like music and videos. I've become more particular in that I'll only play DVDs that are in English with English sub-titles. It works well with movies they already know the story-line to like "The Incredibles" and "Harry Potter" With high school students I like to teach a little pop music history with DVDs like "Paul McCartney Concert" (2002 tour including his tribute to 9/11 victims in NYC...) the Beatles first U.S.A tour, Simon and Garfunkle's "Central Park Concert" (version with English sub-titles) and the Carpenters' "Close to Me" (which Korean students like because of its emotional content as well as clear diction and slow-paced songs...) I've also gotten a lot of use out of the "edutainment" activity package I sent away for that includes a cassette with great oldies music ("Let It Be" "Yesterday" "California Dreamin' and many other hits by the original artists) along with ready-made song-cloze exercises.
For me, it also helped a lot to take a 120 hour TEFL course (in Chiang Mai, Thailand with TEXT AND TALK) after I completed my first extended stint in Korea. I learned a lot about teaching strategies and lessen planning and many different class activities and got in valuable (observed and evaluated ) practice teaching... ( best time to be in Thailand: late fall through February...) |
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