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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Boodleheimer
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Location: working undercover for the Man
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 Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:25 am Post subject: Re: A newfound feeling of hopelessness |
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| Qinella wrote: |
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.
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one of my friends had a student like that in her hagwon in Beijing. the kid was going to a Korean International School, spoke no English, spoke no Chinese, was thicker than pig poo, and wanted to be a translator when she grew up. (and she was 1 |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:06 am Post subject: |
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| Junior wrote: |
| Qinella wrote: |
| Junior wrote: |
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. |
Dude what on earth are you talking about?  |
I assumed this is the same racist brat you were complaining about earlier in your "shut up" thread.... |
Ahhh... nah, that's a different little angel.  |
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LateBloomer
Joined: 06 May 2006
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| Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:11 am Post subject: |
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mindmetoo wrote:
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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 at "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 did something similar with my adult class. Using questions and answers is a great way to teach many grammar points...but sometimes students stumble over how to answer. So, I wrote out many examples with the formula.........subject, verb, and then object. It really seemed to help and they got it through their heads that in a simple English sentence, the verb comes second. |
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Boodleheimer
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Location: working undercover for the Man
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| Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:49 am Post subject: Re: A newfound feeling of hopelessness |
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| KWhitehead wrote: |
| one of my friends had a student like that in her hagwon in Beijing. the kid was going to a Korean International School, spoke no English, spoke no Chinese, was thicker than pig poo, and wanted to be a translator when she grew up. (and she was 1 |
stupid thing should have said 18. she was 18. |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 4:21 am Post subject: |
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| laogaiguk wrote: |
| 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. |
I love the "keeners" (as they say in Canadia) but I make it real clear from the start when I teach elementary that we raise our hands before speaking.
Anyway, Q, I can dig it. I have certain students, even classes, that make me wonder if anyone would notice if I started speaking French instead. I have, on occasion, tried that, just to see if anyone would notice. Oh, I do all sorts of stuff in the classroom to keep myself amused. I enjoy drawing so I'll find reasons to sketch things on the board, just for those few moments where we're on the same wavelength.
You might want to see my recent post on feeling like a hack/superstar where I echo some more of these sentiments. |
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Fredbob
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: Yongin-Breathing the air-sometimes
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| Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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Everyone has different learning styles, maybe the student is different rather than indifferent. Occasionally I have had a student like this and I try not to push them too hard in front of the rest of the class because it pushes them farther away, makes me frustrated and eventually sours the mood in the classroom. Eventually they may come to you if you remain open and encouraging, if they don't- they might be learning through osmosis or maybe they just can't or won't learn- not everyone is good at learning everything. The more frustrated I get, the more encouraging I try to be and if it gets too bad I try to step back and gain some perspective, this is a child, most children are likeable as people (even if they aren't likeable as students).
Perspective is key and based on my admittedly limited time in Korea, sometimes it is very easy to lose. You seem intelligent enought to get past this mood. Not to get too philosophical but anything you do has meaning, it's just up to you to determine and define that meaning- not some kid who can't or won't learn English, some hagwon owner or principal or parent who has a completely different perspective from your own or some poster here who is getting their jollies pontificating or berating you in a moment of weakness.
From the teaching perspective, I do find that many teachers seem to take the structures of questions and answers for granted when in reality they can be a little difficult for some learners to grasp unless it is expressly taught.
Take care of yourself. |
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