Korean Job Discussion Forums

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

I have two students (of 830) who have lived in the States (or abroad) for a year or more. Their English is SO much better than other students and I want to challenge them more.

I am lucky enough to have the Lemony Snicket series here and I have lent them out to these two girls and I ask them to write a report.

They seem to enjoy the books and do a bang up job on their report.

My question: Anyone else have some good ideas to challenge these students who are patient enough to sit through a class of "What day is it today? What day is it today? Monday, monday, oh it's monday yeah yeah yeah"
(I should say i'm in elementary school)

jellobean · Joined: 14 Mar 2006

Some other book ideas... The Narnia series, Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prarie... You might be able to get ahold of some of these at a used English book store....

Another thing I have used is English logic puzzles... The ones with a few clues and some grids...

cubanlord · Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Location: In Japan!

A lot of the "overseas" students need a good challenge. The following website is priceless. Have your books ordered by your local book distributor. These books encompass every aspect of the English Language. They even have EXCELLENT printable tests, worksheets, and answer sheets. It makes YOUR life a lot easier. Check it out:

http://www.oxford.co.kr/eng/fd/yl.html

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

I teach about 85 of these kids combined between grade 5 and 6 at my school. These kids are an invaluable resource. Pair them up with students who have a much lower than average English ability and get them to help teach them. I can't spend each class only helping out the 5 or 6 kids who can not communicate at all in English, but when they are paired up with these fluent kids they really start paying attention. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but I have one student who gave me funny looks when I said "Hello" to her only 3 months ago, and now she can say basic things. I attribute this to having paired her up with a girl that speaks flawless English (and of course to myself Laughing

). This one girl, for example, has really enjoyed trying to 'teach' this student and it has paid off. These kids work wonders for me seeing as I don't co-teach.

Skaborough · Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Location: Toronto, ON

MadLibs? I know I always enjoyed them. It may just be a good way to keep them occupied while you're doing more remedial stuff...

just a thought.

Payce

poof · Joined: 23 May 2005

Get them to keep a personal diary. Perhaps you can create categories for entries, such as 'people who annoy me', or 'what I wish I could change with my parents', or 'my dream life', 'how Korea compares to the place I was in before', and so on...

You could also get them to give presentations using photos about their experiences abroad - reminds the other students about the international context of English.

Also, teaching content based classes rather than ESL classes is better for students who already have good proficiency - although a problem if they are mixed with regular Korean students in your class.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

The higher level classes at my academy include about 15 students who have spent at least a year, some as many as 5 or 6, overseas. Some of them are at least as good in English as in Korean. A lot of them you just relate to like you would a kid back in your home country.

This may not be helpful in your case. I wonder what these kids do during their regular public school English classes, with teachers babbling away in Korean and saying "jebra" and "orangee"

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

I had a class like that my first year.....we played alot of Monopoly, Life and scrabble.