Korean Job Discussion Forums

[diablo3]

Well, religion is not really a problem to talk about. I think the sensitive issue is "Da Vinci Code" which hit a few nerves with some religious groups in Korea.

Anyway, religion is not interesting to talk about, that might be the other problem. Politics is so boring for the Koreans also.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I think the title says it all.

It is kind of a traditional maxim to avoid politics and religion in 'polite' society. I think that was developed for a good reason. These are essentially private belief systems with very strong emotional attachments.

The 'rules' have broken down lately, which is too bad. They are very important topics, but are best discussed with friends in a more private setting.

Since we are in a language teaching situation, there are ways to teach the vocabulary for these situations without actually discussing people's beliefs.

[FUBAR]

[dreaming_saturn]

[The Lemon]

Topics that always got me in trouble with Korean adult classes:

1. fan death
2. those two girls and the tank thing
3. North Korea
4. IMF
5. why Korean-made products cost 300 percent more in Korea than in stores on the other side of the world
6. why there are almost no foreign cars on Korean roads (but plenty of Korean cars on North American roads.. fair trade?)
7. *anything* that might be taken to be negative about Korea (see 1-6, above)
8. Sex
9. World events that don't directly involve Korea (in general, a total, mindnumbing lack of curiosity or knowledge about the outside world)
10. Interracial relations
11. Japan

I enjoyed adult classes, but found them to be highly weird in ways kids aren't. Some classes would latch on to me and keep requesting me semester after semester - and I'm not boasting about this, because I really do run out of tricks after 4-6 months with the same people and would have rathered they moved on to someone else.

But other classes would start off with 10 students and through the semester would drop down to 3 (they got bored? I offended them? fickle? who knows.. I stopped caring and learned to not let that bother me)

I also had a real problem with the mentality that the students should only discuss "safe" topics, which quickly run out as the months pass.

To the OP: consider pair discussion, at least to start the class. Get the students to discuss the topic in pairs and have them report on their conversations later to the whole group. Among the benefits this offers is an increase in time they each spend speaking in class, as opposed to the usual way, where everyone waits their turn to talk one at a time.

[Aussiekimchi]

[i]1. fan death
2. those two girls and the tank thing
3. North Korea
4. IMF
5. why Korean-made products cost 300 percent more in Korea than in stores on the other side of the world
6. why there are almost no foreign cars on Korean roads (but plenty of Korean cars on North American roads.. fair trade?)
7. *anything* that might be taken to be negative about Korea (see 1-6, above)
8. Sex
9. World events that don't directly involve Korea (in general, a total, mindnumbing lack of curiosity or knowledge about the outside world)
10. Interracial relations
11. Japan [/i]

Ok that's just scary.
I have had problems with all of these apart from IMF and interracial relationships.
Fan death is an interesting one.
I always thought that the danger was electricution or the fan falling on you or something, but no. The danger that spooked all of the koreans was hypothermia! In the middle of those hot July/August nights, Koreans are petrified of leaving their little 30 watt fan on because they might freeze to death! Unbelievable.
So I quickly found out that some people do not like discussing how they were all made out to be idiots because they threw away their fans and bought an air conditioner at 100 times the cost!
I was teaching adults here when the tank thing happened. We couldn't get through much other than the Koreans wanted the Americans to say sorry. It was a real dicey subject.

North Korea....well like us, South Koreans really just do not know much about the place. Some students may parrot something they heard on the news which sounded ok to them, " We must have reunification!" but really do not know why they are saying it.

The IMF subject I have found to be ok as I simply ask what happened to the average joe in the street at that time. e.g. selling jewelery etc. they can talk about this but always end up chanting that it is all USA's fault.

Sex, well you have to have some level of maturity to discuss this, so this was quickly forgotten.

World events, well I am Australian so I have no idea either. We are as isolated and as nonchalant as the Koreans. I would not know where to start...and if any American can talk about a world event that does not involve America I would be all ears!

Interracial relationships, most students are curious about my love life and would throw gasoline on themselves if their own daughter brought home an Aussie...but at least we can talk about it.

Japan, well they know they hate them, but do not like talking about why.

For 5 years I have simply tried to get away from the topics of:
1. Children's education
2. Mother inlaws
3. husbands/wives

These can get a little boring day in day out.
But you know, all of the above topics are potentially interesting, but if I was a student, I might think they are a little heavy to be discussing at 7am each morning. Maybe I should plan lessons on cereal or sleep deprivation.

[The Lemon]

[Aussiekimchi]

yeah funnily enough, these points are never raised...go figure!

[jacl]

Also, if you don't want to teach the class, those are great topics to bring up.

[ChopChaeJoe]

As far as I know, my job is to provide quality English instruction, not raise consciousnesses. If i can provoke thought in an area, well that's a bonus. But I see no reason to involve controversey when there are thousands upon thousands of topics at hand.

I certainly wouldn't make students watch a divivsive and illegally produced movie and then attack each others opinions about it.

[dreaming_saturn]

[jajdude]

Just depends on who the students are. I taught ajumma/mother classes before and no topic was really off limits because they liked each other and got used to me, and would often talk about personal things in English. If a man joined the class it might have been awkward.

I liked that woman class. They were all older than me, and had good English. They were mostly well-educated, or travelled or sophisticated enough to understand various perspectives. I revealed personal things too. It was a good class. It may not have been typical of adult classes in Korea though.

Teaching adults who are beginners at English: now that is a drag.

I think it just depends on who the students are. Some, from college age and older, are quite intelligent and sophisticated, and can talk about just about anything. Sure "Japan" or whatever might raise some emotions, but still there are many adults willing to speak intelligently no matter the subject.

[WorldWide]

Maybe it was the fact you spent 2 days discussing a movie, instead of teaching them. I tend to limit discussion time to no more than 15 minutes because students realize that its not really work on the teachers part. Adults like to be lectured to and see that a teacher is working for them. Not just sitting back and chatting to pass the time.

[The Lemon]

[Aussiekimchi]

Adults like to be lectured to and see that a teacher is working for them. Not just sitting back and chatting to pass the time.


Would you not consider the perfect class is where the teacher creates a situation for student interraction and then merely has to correct and lead in certain directions?
The teacher should be aiming to speak as little as possible. The first mistake many teachers here make is this. They do not know when to be quiet and listen to what the students have to say.
In fact in a class discussion where all students are active, the teacher should be working harder to ensure the objective is met.
The idea of discussion is to hopefully have the students thinking in English rather than just regurgitating grammar sentences.
If the teacher simply stands there and lectures, how are the oral skills of the students improving?
You are simply helping their listening skills and maybe simply making parrots of your students.
Actually for a week prior to these two lessons, we were practicing skills that would aid their discussion techniques.
In my opinion
What do you think about
Have you considered
I heard that
I have read
We also went through a lot of vocabulary and wrote predictions or critiques.
There are different teachers in the school and I am the only foreigner. The other classes are straight out grammar classes using reading and writing. The students come to my class for discussion and to learn about western culture if only through the mind and eyes of a simple Aussie.

Again I stand by my decision to use the class style because I knew it would create emotion. By doing this, I hoped that the students would want to speak and would want to put forth their opinions when challenged because this is real life situation. They are passed "What is your hobby?" "I am fine thankyou and you?"

I was hoping for an adult conversation and got it. It seems though I just misjudged the maturity level of some of my students or the passion they had for their own beliefs, or maybe the fear they have of their own beliefs.
Because let's face it, how many classes have you participated in as a student or teacher where someone else had a different opinion to yours?
If you discussed various viewpoints, did you or the other quit?
Probably not.
So in hindsight, I admit that I made a mistake with the content, (religion just is too dangerous) but I stand by the style of class, the result of the class and the interraction it created.
I just wish I could get the same result using the topic of what you like to do in your free time.
Oh yeah and by the way, the students are coming back to class but my boss simply wants me to teach the grammar in the text book from now on. No more controversial classes. He has promised the students that.
He told me that if I want to have a discussion class, please use topics that the students "want to talk about". His words.
Sometimes ya just gotta tow the line.
Ok the rant is over. I'll just step down off this box now.