Korean Job Discussion Forums

[CaptainConjunction]

I've just been given a number of really low level classes. Looking at the books, I have to teach them something like 'This is a cat' for 20 minutes. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to fill up the time.

If their levels were higher, I'd have a ton of games. But, honestly, what can you do with that kind of language for 20 minutes.

The school wants the foreign teachers to get as much speaking practice with the students as possible. Not really sure how (other than repeating the same sentence a thousand times).

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[tomato]

Hello, Captain Conjunction!

I should be able to help you.
I work with the four-year-olds three hours a day,
so this is exactly what I specialize in.

Here are some of my ideas:

�� teach the word in sign language

On the night before, print out a few pictures of cats from a Google search.
After you show each picture, slap your knees and say, "This is a cat! This is a cat!" in rhythm.

Then say "This is a cat" in sign language.
Teaching sign language every day may be easier than you think.
Every day, your sentence will begin with "This is a . . ."
Your only new word in sign language will be the children's new word.

�� use alphabet tiles

During my first year, I saw some small bits of siding, all about the same size, which were being thrown away at a construction site. I scooped them and painted letters on them.

I had to pay for the paint and I had to pay for a plastic box to put them in. And it has been paying for itself over and over ever since then.

Take out the letters for CAT and lay them down. Take out one letter at a time and ask, "Who can put the C back in?" That may seem like a ridiculously dull task to you and me, but you will be surprised how quickly the kindergarten kids will throw their hands up and yell, "����! ����!"

If they can do that well enough, mix up the letters and ask who can put them back in order. That should bring another chorus of ����'s.

�� spell the word in Braille

The next time you finish a box of Rice Krispies, cut the front off.
Cut out six squares of white flannel and glue them on one side, in two columns of three.
Find a Braille chart somewhere on the Net and glue that to the back.
Cut out six circles of a dark color.
From another cereal box, make a container for the white flannelboard.
From stiff paper, make an envelope for the six circles.

You now have an apparatus for teaching Braille to a group of kids.
That's a lot of work, but it is something which you can use every day for goodness knows how long.

Each of the six places on the flannelboard has a number.
The upper left place is 1, under that is 2, under that is 3.
The places in the right-hand column are 4, 5, and 6.

C is 1-4.
Place two dots in the 1 and 4 places and count the six places:
"ONE, two, three, FOUR, five, six."

Then take the dots off and ask "Who can make a C?"

Repeat the procedure for A, which is 1, and for T, which is 2-3-4-5.

�� sing a song which spells the word

To the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell," sing:

The C says /k/,
The C says /ik/,
Ev'ry letter has its sound,
The C says /k/.

And so on for A and T.

Or to the tune of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," sing:

Old MacDonald had a word, EIEIO,
And in that word he had a C, EIEIO,
With a /k/ /k/ here and a /k/ /k/ there,
Here a /k/, there a /k/, ev'rywhere a /k/ /k/,
Old MacDonald had a word, EIEIO.

And so on for A and T.

If you have an extra musical instrument available, ask for a volunteer to play the two measures that say, "Here a /k/, there a /k/, ev'rywhere a /k/ /k/." That's all one note.

�� draw pictures

With a crayon, draw a simple cat several different ways.
Then hold up the crayon and ask, "Who can draw a cat?"

In the college library in Kimcheon, there is an excellent set of simple step-by-step drawings of animals, houses, threes, and whatnot. The set of books is entitled �׸� �׸���. I asked someone to call the publisher, but they went out of business. If anyone knows where I can buy this set, or where Captain Conjunction can buy this set, please write back.

�� read a picture book

There are lots of very easy picture books about cats.
Don't limit yourself to books in English.
If you try the local library, you can find plenty of picture books with very few words on each page, and which you can translate easily.
If you have a scanner, copy the illustrations and put them in a notebook with plastic sleeves.
Before long, you will have a collection of books which you can use again and again.

�� have a gross motor activity

About halfway through the class, have an activity in which the children stand up. Show a picture of a cat and say, "Let's walk for the cat, [rhythmically, while walking] This is a cat! This is a cat!"

Then jump for the dog, run for the bird, and dance, turn, shuffle, and crawl for other animals. Persuading the children to return to a more orderly state might be difficult, so I usually reserve stamping for the next-to-the-last verb and tiptoeing for the last verb.

�� rhythmically thank each child who volunteers

The preschool teacher has a dilemma which you have probably already noticed: when one child is volunteering, the rest of the kids are doing nothing. Don't let them sit still too long, or the Devil will find work for their idle hands.

I resolve this dilemma by slapping my knees and rhythmically thanking each child who volunteers.

After Bobby puts the C back in place, slap your knees and say, "Thank you, Bobby! Thank you, Bobby!" After Suzy draws a cat, slap your knees and say, "Thank you, Suzy! Thank you, Suzy!"

I've been on this message board for a while.
There have been several OP's asking for ideas for teaching kindergarten.
Try some of these threads and see if you find some ideas which you like:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=44251&highlight=
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/posting.php?mode=editpost&p=551309
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=34653&highlight=
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=4422&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=29953&highlight=
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=16204&highlight=
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=14162&highlight=
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=11817&highlight=
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=5804&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

Also, visit my Website. You might get still more ideas.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I try to focus on survival English for my lower-level classes. Think about what's most valuable to you in Korean - numbers, directions, the five Ws, greetings, days and months, etc. There are a number of word games you can make up for these. English magazines are great resources for descriptions, shopping, etc. You can do a lot of fun games when teaching currencies. Pictures really help, as does a good picture dictionary. Lessons about movies and pop songs are great.

However, I'm talking 15-18-year-olds whereas I suspect you're talking 5-8-year-olds, so if that's the case you might want to go for the singing-and-dancing routine if you can stomach it.

[Mills]

Basic commands in English; stand up, sit down, point at the board, point at the door, John go to the door, John and Suzy go to the board, take out your notebooks, etc, etc...

Once they have a good grasp of basic commands, then you will have the freedom to introduce other activities.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I found out this morning that I'll be teaching low level kids 4 hours a week (only 2 hours a week with the high ability boys--what's up with that?). So I think you and I are in the same boat.

Day One:
What is this?
This is a cat. (with a picture)
This is a (4 more pictures)

Repeat a few times, then do a team thing with the pictures. One kid from each team...I hold up one of the 5 pictures...the team reps have to say, "This is a cat" first for a point.

Tape the pics to the board and give two teams a fly swatter.
I call out the noun, a kid from each team runs to the board and swats the correct noun for a point.
At the end, let a kid say the nouns for the other students.

Then concentration with two sets of pictures. A kid turns over any two cards and identifies them. If they match, they keep the cards for a point.

Day Two:

Change 'this' to 'that' and repeat the team race.
Intro some new nouns for Concentration.
Add a spelling activity...maybe a word search with all 10 nouns.

Day Three:
Spelling Bee with the 10 nouns.
Y/N questions with the 10 nouns and 'this/that'.


I use candy as prizes...but I don't give it out till the end. Let the next teacher deal with the sugar high.