Korean Job Discussion Forums

ABC KID · Joined: 14 Sep 2007

Almost all (if not all) of foreigners here teaching English in a public school have to team-teach. I appreciate that experiences vary widely (sometimes even within the same school if people work with more than one co-teacher) ranging from Korean teachers who leave the foreign teacher to do everything through to a genuine 50-50 split, going all the way to those schools that see the Korean teacher reduce a foreigner to a human tape recorder.

I saw one poster a few weeks ago comment on the 80% Foreign Teacher, 20% Korean teacher GEPIK guidelines (I'm not with GEPIK myself). What I am most interested to know is the actual way this all works in your schools...

For argument sake consider the following:
Case A - Foreign Teacher 80% Korean Teacher 20%. In YOUR case what does the Korean Teacher's 20% consist of? Is it genuine teaching or does that 20% consist of mere translation and classroom discipline?

Case B - Foreign Teacher 50% Korean Teacher 50%. In YOUR case what are the dynamics? For example does the Korean teacher translate and do a little bit more on top or are teaching roles genuinely shared (For example perhaps the Foreign Teacher does the listening and speaking work and the Korean teacher does Let's Write, Let's Sing and Let's Chant). Perhaps your Korean teacher does not actually use any Korean at all...

Case C - Korean Teacher does the vast majority of the teaching. In YOUR case what does this mean? Do you just repeat vocabulary, modelling your wonderful Native Speaker accent or do you do have other teaching tasks to do? Do you enjoy your role? How do you think the students perceive your role in the classroom?

When you teach do you stand side by side (i.e. looking like equals) or is one person there as the main teacher with the other standing or sitting away at the side somewhere?

It would probably also be informative if replies could add, where possible, whether your Korean Co-Teacher has good English skills or a major in English to see if this makes a significant difference.

Please share your thoughts and experiences...

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

We did / had a thread on this just a few months ago. Quite a lot of good responses. I'll try and help you to look for it.

I won't respond at length, no longer contributing in detail here on this forum. But I will note that you are making a mistake in your definition and notion of "teaching" - seemingly believing that teaching is about control/power and who is speaking.

In fact, teaching is much more.....so all these criteria and ratios of 80/20 or 50/50 etc...are poppycock and really aren't constructive in my opinion.

Here is a good ppt I've used often when giving workshops on co-teaching.
http://www.myplick.com/view/16E4oXCHIjq/Co-teaching-Workshop

...much more in my prof. development

http://www.esnips.com//web/TeachingResearch/?widget=red

DD

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

SHANE02 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003

DD, The ning page is great.

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

Butlerian,

Thanks for the support, comments BUT I was banned without even an email saying why, on the International side. (after contributing there for many years). Why should I contribute substantial content when just with a button some ghost can just eliminate all your contribution? I believe in inclusion, not that sort of totalitarianism.

PS> I'm busy but never busy for helping.

DD

ABC KID · Joined: 14 Sep 2007

Jizzo T. Clown · Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Location: at my wit's end

I don't think there's anything wrong with discussing team teaching in terms of ratios; they make it easier to talk about how we work together and easier for the KT to communicate their goals / expectations -- especially if their English isn't that great. Communication is key. If the only time you speak to your coteacher is in the classroom, then you aren't communicating enough.

Team teaching is always evolving in my case. I do have a pretty strong presence in the classroom and I am aware of the impact it has on my coteachers. Therefore I try to include them whenever I can if they aren't jumping in on their own, either by asking them to explain instructions if I see a deer-in-the-headlights look from the class, or by engaging them in (what I hope to be) genuine dialog about what is happening in the classroom, or by modeling a pair or group activity so the students know what we expect. Of course planning together would be ideal but (and dd you know what I'm going to say here) time constraints won't allow us to plan whole lessons together.

We do go over the basic lesson plan (which I've created completely on my own) before the bell rings, so no more than two or three minutes before class in most cases. We also discuss lessons after class if they go particularly well or if we feel we could do better next time.

In any case, I think it's best to reflect on every single class you have and try to improve upon it for the next time. That's the good thing about teaching one lesson several times--you get many chances to get it right.

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

ABC,

I wasn't trying to end any thread. I was simply trying to state matter of factly that it is wrong to assume X, Y or Z way of teaching is better. I've been around and teaching is an ART and coteaching even more so.

A role in the classroom is not a %. How can you quantify things? We've had thread upon thread here and I've always rallied against those that would a) suggest coteaching is a bunch of crap b) suggest coteaching is about who has power/control (which a % declares).

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

inkoreafornow · Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Location: Gyeonggido

"Do you think it is more difficult to teach solo or team-teach? Please explain your answer."

It all depends on the relationship you have with your co teacher. If your coteacher sees you as an equal it can be a joy. If your coteacher views you as the interactive English multimedia center it can be a nightmare