Korean Job Discussion Forums

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

My university is encouraging teachers to create content courses in an effort to give students more chances to improve their English. Just wondering what other universities are doing in hopes of improving students' English.

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

My previous school didn't give a damn about anything as long as the students didn't complain.

Anyhow, since I am currently working with you, I would have to say my university is encouraging that and I've already gotten about 30% of my proposal ready.

BigBlackEquus · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 5:21 pm Post subject:

Content courses?

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

BigBlackEquus · Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 5:51 pm Post subject:

I took a Sociology class that was all about sex when I was in college. We called it, "Woo and screw" but the technical name was something else. Laughing

weatherman · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: Korea

I��m teaching two right now. Some issues that I have, are that I don��t really have control over who sits in the class. Some students truly can��t even say a sentence, or read one, never less write. I wish I could give a placement test to the students, but the university wants numbers and not quality. This means that there is very little discussion going on, and mostly me lecturing and them doing comprehison sheets of the courses readings in pairs or groups. I wish these courses could be a lot smaller, (I have 90 one class!) so the students could get the full benefit of taking one of these courses.

I wish you all the best with it! Cheers.

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Nobody else?

desultude · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 4:20 am Post subject:

I teach in the American Studies Department, and we three waygooks teach content courses, along with the requisite conversation and writing courses. I teach a graduate "culture" seminar, but, unfortunately for me, they recently hired a very well qualified Political Scientist who specializes in American Politics, so I don't get to teach what I trained for years in.

I wish we could get more content courses. I agree with weatherman that there should be a proficiency test for students in courses taught in English. Really most of us spend most of our time teaching English, with a little content emphasis- which is a real disservice to the students, and a pain in the posterior.

Harpeau · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC

I teach a Public Speaking course (Speech Communications) and a Movie Course. Last Semester, I taught a psychotherapy/counseling course (but that was at a different college than where I teach at).

They are very stimulating, but as previously mentioned, make sure that people who take it have an adequate level of English.

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

I've heard the Seoul National and Korea U. dabble with content classes. Anybody know what they are doing?

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

I'd love to teach a Social Work (Social Welfare in Korea!) discussion class! SW majors usually have a pretty good grasp of English and it would be great to compare social work services in different countries! I may propose it to my uni for next semester!

Hanson · Joined: 20 Oct 2004

Hey Beav,

Although I work at the same Uni as you, I work in a different campus, and my campus is doing sweet f*ck all to encourage teachers to come up with proposals. In fact, the powers that be at our campus have made it so that at least a few teachers are jaded with the way our proposals have been handled.

At the beginning of last semester, we were encouraged to come up with proposals, and several (at least 3, including myself) teachers did. Afterwards, we were informed orally through our 'coordinator' that 'no new classes would be opening' with a 'thanks anyway' kind of answer.

Doesn't exactly make one want to submit another proposal...

Kyrei · Joined: 22 Jan 2003

Our school has made noise about this in the near future but we have as yet seen no guidelines regarding what kind of courses they want proposals for, or anything at all. It is still a rumour at this stage. It would be interesting though. There are several "guest professors" here in the Engineering graduate school who only teach for one semester - professors who have taught in the States and elsewhere who are truly qualified for their positions. I guess it is part of a sabbatical program or something. I really wonder how they are doing since Engineers are the worst English speakers/studiers in my experience here.

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

A few people here have expressed the problem with students of the innappropriate level taking the classes. Do you think that's the number one difficulty with creating an effective CBI program?

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

Absolutely!!!! A lot of my students have textbooks written in English...but they can't read, write or speak at the level the books are written at. This leads me to believe that the Korean professors translate everything for the students...

CBI would be the ideal, but I'd be happy with a SMALL group discussion class (interview required before admission) that is content-based.