Korean Job Discussion Forums

[CoolBoss]

My school has recently asked me to run some Korean-English teacher education courses in the evenings. I'm lucky enough to work at a foreign language school where most of the Korean-English instructors speak relatively well, so there isn't going to be a need to start from square one. I do think there's a lack of confidence among most of them, since a good number of the students speak fluent English and can recognize their mistakes, and only a handful of them have made a dedicated effort to get to know the foreign teachers in the three years that I've been here.

My current plan is to divide the two-hour classes into three segments.

The first will be centered around conversation; there's a part of me that thinks they might see this as a waste of time, but if nothing else, it'll give the majority of them their first chance to develop a rapport with one of the foreign teachers. Is it naive to believe that they would use this part of class as motivation to actually talk to the students in a language other than their native one? I'm not sure, but I'd like to at least try to encourage that.

The second will involve methodology and classroom strategies dealing with the skills they are teaching (Reading and Listening Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary, etc.) I am going to make an effort not to make this segment of class too preachy, but some of the strategies they use are completely out-of-touch; I have a background in English Education, and while I know that doesn't mean I know everything, I know enough to say that giving students lists of 50 unrelated vocabulary words to memorize each week isn't doing much for them. I'm hoping I can create an open discussion about what works and doesn't work among Korean students. More realistically, this part of class will also introduce subject-related vocabulary to them and explain how to implement it into the classroom.

The final section will consist of student-led model lessons. I'd like them to teach in front of one another so that they can develop more confidence instructing in English in front of a group of peers (or students). I'll be giving them different types of lessons to prepare, again ones dealing with the English skills that they're responsible for at the school; in other words, one week a few of them might have to do a 10 minute vocabulary lesson, and the next week a different group might have to explain how to approach a certain reading passage. I also want to have time at the end in which they can give each other some constructive criticism, of course.

Having never taught teachers here before, I'm not sure how this is going to go, so I figured I'd ask for advice here. Beyond general advice, I'd specifically like to know:

1) Should I expect arrogance and ego to affect their willingness to learn from a foreign teacher?

2) Do you think they could accept delicate criticism of traditional Korean English teaching methods? Could they accept alternative teaching strategies?

3) In the case that you've taught teachers here before, are there any resources you'd recommend? Are there any particular lessons you've used that are effective?

[Faunaki]

The best thing to do on the first day is ask your co-teachers what they want. I went into teaching co-teachers just like you are now - lots of plans, a big lesson but then everyone complained. They all said they just wanted something light and easy as they were tired.

I ended up just taking sections from the Korea Herald's Korean/English pieces and then reading and discussing them in class. It was fun and we all had a good laugh. My prep time was a total of 5 minutes and my co-teachers got what they wanted.

[refikaM]

I agree.. Spend some time discussing what they'd like to do and what helps them.. what their weaknesses are, etc.. If some seem reluctant to talk about their weaknesses, perhaps give them a short questionnaire to fill out individually. I taught a very high level (almost fluent) K English teachers' class for over a year, and it can be a challenge when one or two of the teachers speak much better than the others because they can be intimidating.. Sometimes, there can be a little competition, too! It's best to include a variety of activities that appeal to different levels... not necessarily at the same time, but during the same class period.. Good luck!