Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Rigamarole]

Hi.

My school does this stupid thing where the parent's come to watch their kids in class to see what they've learned. I just do activities with the kids, but now I have to make it seem like I'm teaching them something. I've told the directors here that I have no idea what I'm doing, but they tend to just ignore me about that.

Anyway, I'm hoping that some people on here might be able to help me with ideas of games to play that would show the kids have learned something from me.

Thanks.

[Rigamarole]

Parents, not parent's. Sorry.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I did one of those at my old hogwan. Dress smart for one. If you look "handsome" / "pretty" that will be 90% of the battle won. Do lots of listen and repeat sfuff, first correcting the kids' pronunciation and then praising them for it. Teach the kids a song ahead of time and then make it look like you're teaching it to them for only the second or third time. First teach them how to say the lyrics and then get them singing. Korean parents love to hear their kids singing English and genuinely believe it will help them.

Of course, all of the above is if you like your school. If you don't and they've been crappy to you, don't give a rat's ass and waste time worrying about it.

[Rigamarole]

I don't like the school, but unfortunately, they like me and they're trying really hard to keep me by giving me most material things I've asked for, but not training. I've been able to wing it pretty well so far. If I could get out of the kindergarten and just do primary school, I'd like this place better.

Actually, just my second kindergarten class. My first kindy class are all pretty smart and/or creative.

[re:cursive]

I had one of these 2 weeks ago.

Here's what I did:

For my youngest class (4 years old):
I started the class by saying the obvious "Hello" then asking them how they were? how the weather was? and what day it was?
I then did a kind of role call to show that they were capable of recognising there English names.
After this we all sang a song with a little bit of a dance which involved asking the kids "What's your name?" to which they responded "My name's____."
Next was about 3 songs with movements, dancing and me acting like a bit of a clown.
Finally I did about 10 minutes worth of phonics where I basically taught the kids the letter "S"...got them hissing like snakes, repeating some simple words and a couple of the smarter kids were able to shout out the names of pictures I drew on the board.

For the older classes (5-7 years old):
We did a more complex introduction where the kids stood up one by one and said something like "Hello. My name is____. My Korean name is____. Im 6 years old. I like _______. When I grow up I want to be a_______. (the parents seemed impressed by this)
Next again was a few songs and then a short example of a typical class. For two I taught some phonics. For another I did a science class where the kids made some 3D glasses (in hindsight this was a bit of a mistake).

It went fairly well because we didn't try and do anything too different from the normal classes. The songs we have been doing for months now and the kids seem to love them and we practiced the hard bits like introductions for the week before hand. The Korean teachers were really helpful as well.

The most awkward bits were when a couple of kids got stagefright and when a bunch of the boys in one class decided it was a good idea to get up out of their seats and try to hit me in the nuts. Not sure what the parents thought about that.

I wouldn't stress too much about it. Just try and showcase what the kids are good at and do a few practice classes to get the kids used to it.

[mole]

[whatever]

[mole]

[re:cursive]

[Rigamarole]

Thanks so much for all the help.

Any suggestions for songs to sing. I think it'd be awesome to teach them Fight the Power by Public Enemy or *beep* Tha Police by NWA, but I doubt the parents would think it as awesome.

[casey's moon]

I disagree about rehearsing it. That can backfire on you (and if you don't speak Korean, you won't even know it). Last year I was told to rehearse before the open classes, and on the day, in every single class someone said, "Oh this again?" in Korean, to the amusement of all the parents and other kids.

This year, the week leading up to the open class, I was more particular about the kids' answers to the things we did every day and more strict about not speaking Korean during class. I also made them speak up more than I usually do, because I know parents want to actually hear their kids.

On the actual day, I did a relatively new lesson with materials they hadn't seen before and some that they had seen before, on a theme that we'd been working on for a few weeks. I also read them a new story.

Everyone is different, but it worked well for me and it wasn't fake. I really felt like I showed fairly accurately how I teach day to day AND the kids gots to show off their English ability.

[casey's moon]

As for songs, I really suggest you pick a lesson theme and then a song will fall into your lap.

Some themes with well-known song suggestions:

Zoo theme -- 5 Little Monkeys song (or chant)
Transportation theme -- The Wheels on the Bus
Pets theme -- BINGO song
Body theme -- Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes

If you choose a different theme but can't think of a song, post here -- I or someone else surely will.

[tomato]

Rigamarole, I know three ways you can make a song about whatever the lesson is about and devote a stanza to each letter in the word.
Let us suppose the lesson is about cats.

You can sing these words to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell":

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

or these words to the tune of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm":

Old MacDonald had a word, E-I-E-I-O,
And in that word he had a C, E-I-E-I-O,
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, E-I-E-I-O.

or these words to the tune of "Oh, Susannah":

O the C says /k/, the C says /k/, the C says /k/ /k/ /k/,
O the C says /k/, the C says /k/, the C says /k/ /k/ /k/.

If you would like to introduce the kids to the parents, here's a good one:



Here is a thread about simple songs:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=28815&highlight=
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=30992&highlight=donald.jpg
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=59061&highlight=kindergarten+songs

This thread relates somewhat with singing, but--well, take a look:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=60054&highlight=action+songs

If that's not satisfactory, ask again.
If you're in the Seoul-Kyeonggido area, we can meet someplace.
I have a whole boxload of kiddy songs which I brought over.

A few other people have written with questions similar to yours:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=49688&highlight=
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=42830&highlight=
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?p=554281#554281

[passport220]

I double dog dare you to teach them some NWA! Funny.

I have not taught kindy�.. But this is a poem that I observed a Philippine teacher present to Thai students. She would do simple pantomime for some of the words (make a gesture as if her head was on a pillow for �Lay fast asleep�). It was a big hit with the kids�.. Most actually learned it!

The Little Plant:

In the heart of a seed,
Buried deep so deep,
A tiny plant
Lay fast asleep.
"Wake," said the sunshine,
"And creep to the light."
"Wake," said the voice
Of the raindrops bright.
The little plant heard
And it rose to see,
What the wonderful,
Outside world might be.

I agree with Casy�s suggestion the �Dog named Bingo� song�� you know the one B-I-N-G-O��.. B-I-N-G-O and bingo was his nameo. With the individual letters in the song it would give them something easy to latch on to. Last time I was on a train a little 4ish year old girl was singing it all on her own.

[Rteacher]

When I was teaching kindy classes a few years ago I got good results using a downloaded Raffi version of the Hokey Pokey (It has a different name, though ...) When I tried finding the name I found this link recently discussing kindy songs on the Japanese Dave's ESL Cafe site:

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:39 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Re: Hokey Pokey

I taught shogakko for a few years and used my simplified version of Hokey Pokey which the kids loved.

Even a simple version might be too tough if your kids are really young but I used to teach them the words "left" and "right" and some body parts words such as "hand", "foot", "head", "back" etc.

I think the lines like "You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn around" and "shake it all about" are just way too difficult so I'd do the song with these words:

Right hand in
Right hand out
Right hand in
Shake, shake, shake

Clap your hands
Turn around
Jump, jump, jump
Sit down!

The kids loved it and the fact that they remembered "turn around" and words for "left" and "right" meant they were easily able to pick up "turn right" and "turn left" when we played games to practice giving directions.
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=40452&sid=034ae4ece623793f2e3ee6bf8ae1d283

Personally, I like the Raffi version best because he gets to a part where "EVERYBODY CIRCLE TO THE LEFT... TO THE LEFT....EVERYBODY CIRCLE TO THE RIGHT! ...TO THE RIGHT! and the music and running has the kids excited and trying hard to learn their left from their right...I think that Raffi's song is called "Shake Your Sillies Out" and it's on his "More Singable Songs" album.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_Singable_Songs

For presentations to parents (for many hogwans that's the main way they increase enrollment...) I used to make some props - with a lot of help from a talented Korean teacher, and often we'd make masks and simple costumes and do simple skits...