Korean Job Discussion Forums

GerryTulip · Joined: 14 Nov 2007

So I've been teaching at hagwon for 3 months now, everything is going well but my speaking classes are getting a bit stale for the middle schoolers.

I've done a CELTA course and I hate focussing on one skill for a whole lesson, I'm sure many agree it is best to vary between productive and receptive skills throughout the class.

I am given a set conversation to focus on in the class and teaching is not a problem but does anyone have any ideas how I could liven the class up a bit and make it more enjoyable for both myself and the students?

Any input is will be greatly appreciated.

poet13 · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:39 pm Post subject:

I think that Korean kids get taught one way to say something, and that's it. There's a stale joke about MinSu getting run over by a car. The foriegner walks over to his crushed and near lifeless body and asks, "How are you?" MinSu gurgles through bright red blood bubbles, "I'm fine thank you, and you?"

I like to take a set-piece conversation, say.... "Hi Big Head. It's nice to see you again. Hi, Giant Mouth, it's nice to see you too.", and then break it apart by asking the students the different ways to say the same thing. Hello, good morning/afternoon/evening, Hey, and What's up? >> wassup? >> sup? It's nice can become, It's great, it's good, I'm happy, I'm glad, I'm pleased etc. Again can become also, as well, etc.
Then we do a lottery to choose who partners with who and each pair will model a different greeting. The students really enjoy volunteering their friends to model conversation.
Then we expand it. What can you say next? It's been a while, I haven't seen you since, or how's it going, etc....

I like the students to at least have the feeling of control over what they're learning, and they can get pretty excited about it.

GerryTulip · Joined: 14 Nov 2007

Thanks for the advice, has really helped.

Could you describe the lottery you use to select partners it sounds good!

poet13 · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject:

Lottery. I have a set of numbers laminated. Poker chips and an indelible marker would work well too. I give each student a number. Then I write half the numbers on the board thusly.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9......
and under each number I write the other half of the numbers.
18, 19, 20, 21, etc.

The students call out number pairs (in English no less!). They can get really noisy, and they have a good laugh when they see who their partners are.

a few rules.
-You destroy my numbers, you do pushups.
-No trading numbers.
-Respect each other talk time.

Each class the partners change. Good fun.