Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Qinella]

I was standing in class today, reviewing a story with some students. The story is about a robot named MOSH and a boy named Carlos, who owns MOSH. (Or as Carlos would say, is MOSH's bff.) The story was about Carlos delivering newspapers, and the robot following behind him and collecting the newspapers, then disposing of them. Later, Carlos had to deliver the papers again when he realized what his robot had done.

Okay, so I'm standing there going over some parts of the story, which the students had read for homework. I ask this student who always stares at me like I'm speaking a foreign language or something the following question: Why did MOSH pick up the newspapers? (The answer was that Carlos taught him to throw away garbage in the previous story.)

She just stares at me. Okay, I ask again. No response. One student starts to translate to Korean, but I cut her off. That's a no-no. I repeat the question again, this time pausing at key intervals. Why / did MOSH / throw away / the newspapers? Noooooo response.

So I toss her a bone. "Carlos taught MOSH to throw away garbage, right? (she nods, yes.) So, why did MOSH throw away the newspapers?"

NOOOO RESPONSE.

So I'm standing there, looking at myself through that camera that always hovers above me about 10 feet away, and realizing the absurdity of what I'm doing. I was exasperated because a little girl who doesn't speak English can't tell me why a fictional robot committed a fictional act.

Hhhhhhhhh.....

Moments like that murder aspiration.

Q.

[john]

Funny story!

I always write at the top of the board:
_________________________________________________________

What does _________ mean in Korean/English?
__________ means ___________ in Korean/English.

I don't know.
I don't understand.

_________________________________________________________

It help them produce at least a little real English.

[mindmetoo]

I'm teaching my high level english essay class. I ask them what is the most important invention. The wheel, right? No answer. So I draw a circle on the blackboard. I think I'll prompt them. But because the circle is in the middle of a rectangular blackboard and I've been here long enough to recognize that anything vaguely circular in a vaguely rectangular space = a JAPANESE FLAG (ie remember the out cry about the Japanese flag shaped park in front of City Hall), I draw some spokes on the circle. I point to my spoked wheel and ask again "okay what's the most important invention ever?"

Silence until it clicks with one boy. He's figured out my drawing.

"Pizza?"

Fark.

[laogaiguk]

I live in the country, so maybe this explains it, but half of my students will always yell out an answer when I ask a question. If they are wrong, the continue to answer until they get it right. Sometimes I wish they would shut up, they are quite aggressive in the answering. This is elementary school though, maybe they get it beat out of them by middle and high school.

Also, I only wish I could ask those questions to my students and them understand

When I study Japanese or Chinese at a hagwon, it's the same as you guys are saying though. The children refuse to answer anything, same for adults actually. There are a few exceptions, but maybe my elementary school is just full of wonderful children (well, ofcourse it is, but really wonderful children )

[mindmetoo]

One thing I've been drilling them on is actually how to start the answer.

For example, a question like "Why did MOSH throw away the newspapers?"

I get them to identify the subject, verb (and any preposition), object in the question and then I teach them how to reuse the question's s/v/o in the answer.

"Why did MOSH (s) throw away (v+preposition) the newspapers (o)?"

So I write

s_________ v__________ o__________ because ____________

on the blackboard

They then plug in "Mosh threw away the newspapers because" and then remind them that "why" questions need a new SVO phrase after the "because".

It's frustrating after years of english lessons they can't even answer a simple question in a simple SVO form. My tactic now is to try and arm them with templates on how to start the answers for what/why/who/where/when questions, both simple is/was and questions with auxiliary verbs. If they have a solid way of starting the answer, then they're a lot less tripped up and can spend their time figuring out the blanks.

I like to say "dong sa" like "ddung sa" (basically "crap poo"). And then when they forget a preposition I remind them sentences need myeong sas (nouns), ddung sas, and many ddung sas need prepositions, which I reason must be called "sul sas" (diarrhea) in Korean.

"YOUR DDUNG SA IS MISSING A SUL SA!"

Why not use their coprophilia as a teaching aid, I say?

[jinju]

[Mashimaro]

I think a lot of the frustrations teachers feel in korea are due to korean's seeming lack of logical/critical thinking skills. You throw in a second language to boot and it is a recipe for frustration at times. I don't know the answers, it's hard enough just to teach them English, let alone how to think as well!

[mindmetoo]

[some waygug-in]

This happens to me when I am in Korean class. It happens less when the teacher is using vocabulary and phases that I know well, but it still happens from time to time.

Questions that I should be able to answer suddenly become unintelligable.

My brain just refuses to process what is being said.

My brain goes numb and I can't make sense of what is being said.

My guess is this is what is happening to your students. Be patient.

[VanIslander]

[ajgeddes]

[Qinella]

[Junior]

I think you need to drop your grudge against the little girl. So she hates you and hates English, so what? Just let her be. Concentrate on the students that are responsive.
Don't get angry, it'll affect your teaching and morale. Plus you're giving an indifferent student more attention than she deserves.

[Qinella]

[Junior]