Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Smee]

Actually, it's called an English Town here, but my county decided to put an English Town at my elementary school. It was supposed to be open at the beginning of this semster, but now it's postponed for several more weeks.

Anyway, it's up to my co-teacher and I to plan every last thing we're going to do there. We know we'll have a few stations---post office, hotel, restaurant, 안마 (kidding)---and we've made up a few dialogues to go along with these scenarios . . . and that's what we've got so far. While the key to these villages is immersion, that's really not possible since we're in a backwoods, and since most kids know only a handful of words. We'll try our best, though.

But I'm curious what else goes on inside an English Village. Do you have textbooks, or is it up to the foreign staff to design the curriculum? Did Gyeonggi province provide a general syllabus or any type of information for its teachers (similar to what it did for GEPIK folks)?

I'm basically looking for tips to make this work and to fill out our classes. I'd also like to bang out a few lesson plans so I'm not stuck doing thing slast minute (like everyone else in this 읍). Any insight into EVs and what goes on there would be greatly appreciated, as well as recommendations for books, materials, activities, etc.

Thanks.

[Hotpants]

I think you've got a lot of work on your hands! I also think that some people here are abusing the term 'English Village.' I'm currently seeing the word 'English Village' attached to some Taekwondo gym signs, and I saw one attached to a pharmacy - all English medical advice????...

Therefore, I think English Village can mean just about anything you want it to be, and moreover should be something of a suitable scale that a set number of teachers can reasonably manage. Running a full scale English Village long term could burn you out quite quickly, I could imagine.

As the idea is about immersion, I wouldn't just think along the lines of structured dialogs and text books. Try to come up with as many naturally simulated occurances of English as possible - arts and crafts, games, music, video production, sports, science, drama, cooking. That will also make it more fun for both you and the kids.

[Paji eh Wong]

Aye, the hotpants.

[Smee]

bump

[PRagic]

Run away!

[Smee]

Not an option. It's a real tiny set up . . . 3 teachers, and we rotate classes every day. I personally don't think EVs are a good idea, and they generally aren't thought through well enough to work, but I'm giving it my best. It's free to attend---unlike the ones in Gyeonggi---and the kids down here don't have much of an opportunity for anything, let alone English.

So, nobody knows anything about an English Village? Nobody can tell me what resources they used?

[Smee]

마지막 bump.