Korean Job Discussion Forums

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I got my two new classes of grade one middle school students today and was generally impressed with what they knew. Most knew days of the week, months of the year, telling time, numbers, prepositions, etc., though like I expected most had trouble giving simple responses to simple questions.

Am I right to assume they've been getting English lessons at elementary school since grade 3 - i.e. for four years? If so, how many lessons a week would they have received?

When I asked if they go to or have gone to English hogwan most put up their hands. A few have been to the only one in town that has a near-native speaker and it really showed. So it may be that what they know is mostly not from elementary school, but I'd still be curious to know from the elementary school teachers here what they've basically covered.

peppermint · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:10 am Post subject:

Grade 3 and 4 in elementary school get one class a week, grades 5 and 6 get two a week. We cover things like days, months seasons and numbers pretty repetitively from grade 4 on. They should know a little about the past and future tenses

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

thursdays child · Joined: 21 Sep 2005

Little bit off post.... but ..... taught my new 1st grade high schoolers today and was totally blown away - the English was awesome (well comparitively speaking) a good couple of levels higher than usual. Teachers from all subjects are buzzing out at the freakiness of academic ability. The students have all popped out of the same middle school as last years kids with the same teachers and arhaic books.

An old timer said that every decade or so this phenomina occurs.

So getting a little on post - YBS, perhaps the opposite thing is going on for you?

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

There was a little kid in my parking lot yesterday who could ask where I'm from and if I can speak Korean. I'm sure he's the first one I ever met who could say more than "Hello, tee-hee-hee". Anyway, I was impressed.

peppermint · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:06 am Post subject:

Ya-ta boy, it's not a matter of can they, but will they. There's a girl about 10 or so who lives in the villa across from mine. We see eachother a lot at the bus stop and stuff, so she chatters about her school and upcoming tests once in a while to me.

YBS- they only get a really brief intro to tenses, so don't expect much there

Past: " what did you do this summer?" " I played/ went/ visited.. "

Future: "What will you do this summer?" I will play, go, visit. . ."

I_Am_Wrong · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever

I had my first class of middle school grade 1's today and I was decently impressed.

Peppermint is right on as to what amount they receive at most Elementary Schools. However, it depends on the school. My Elementary school had 3 native teachers and 3 Korean teachers that could converse quite well. Some elementary schools rely on their homeroom teachers to conduct the English classes. Some teachers have to teach English despite the fact that they have little to no English capability.

At my school the grade 5's and 6's had 4 English classes a week, the grade 4's and 3's had 3 english classes a week, and the grade 1 and 2's had 1 English class a week. It can vary greatly depending on the school.