Korean Job Discussion Forums

[DrOctagon]

I work at two of the top high schools on Jeju island, so I was expecting my students to at least be at an intermediate level of speaking. But after a few weeks I realized that they are below elementary. I was designing lessons that I thought were fairly easy, but now I have to rethink my approach. Should I just begin at the basics because it's obvious previous English teachers have failed them? I have a couple classes with advanced students, but for the most part their English is poor. Looks like I'll have to do some differentiation.

Does anyone have any tips on how to motivate students to speak without doing a song and dance or acting like a clown? That's just not my style. The Korean English teachers tell me to threaten them with punishment, but I'm not sure I really like that approach. What about giving them rewards like a free day to watch a movie or something? Your suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

I'm not sure what you've been doing with them so it's hard to say what the problem is, but I wouldn't necessarily jump to the conclusion that their English is poor until I was absolutely sure that they weren't just afraid of me.

How have you been interacting with them? Has there been group work? Pair work? Presentations? Role plays? I don't know you or what you've been doing, but if you've just been standing up there carrying them through lessons, then they're probably just going to let you keep carrying them...

I work in the sticks of Joella-do, and at my middle school there are at least a handful of students who can communicate with me, and maybe five or six who can hold semi-articulate conversations... I find it hard to believe that at your 'top' schools the kids can't speak at all.

Also, Koreans tend to learn through rote memorization so if you can touch upon a topic they know, like food or jobs or school subjects where they just have to use common vocab, it might make it easier to get them to open up and get them ready for the harder stuff.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Just remember that trying to pay attention to another language is really hard work, so mix things up a bit - phonics / vocab / listening / dialogues / slide-show / games / - don't try to make any one activity last longer than it can. Unfortunately they're much better at copying and repeating than coming up with things on their own; remember that if you can get them to come up with a couple of original sentences you've probably taken them further than any previous teacher.

Don't worry - in time you'll develop a much better idea of how to relate to their uneven levels.

[DrOctagon]

Today's lesson I played them examples of voicemail/answering machine recordings. I also gave them examples of informal and formal recordings in writing. I tried to keep it light and play some funny recordings, which they liked, but when it came around to them writing their own recordings I got a bunch of blank stares. The examples were right in front of them, and I even game them the option of just substituting their name in one of the example recordings. Some of them finally came around to writing their own after I walked around and helped individual students.

Then for speaking I told the students to get in pairs and practice reading their recordings. Maybe two students actually did it. So I stopped the pair activity and just asked for volunteers to read their recordings. No one volunteered of course. So, I eventually just called on random students and in my 1st class many students refused. But my second class had more fun with it and actually read their recordings. At the end I gave them the challenge of making a voicemail recording on their cell phones for homework with both Korean and English so their 'imaginary' English friends will understand their recording.

I wanted to bring in a tape recorder and have each student record their message, thus making it a bit more realistic, but with 45 students in a class it just didn't seem possible.

I have a degree/certificate in secondary education/English if you're wondering, but this is my first teaching job. Plus, ESL is a completely different ballgame. Is there a way I can tap in to their excellent reading skills to incorporate speaking? Each lesson I try to have a little of each category. The speaking is what needs the most work.

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

Actually, your classes sound similar to my middle schoolers... most of them don't do anything, don't try, and don't want to. Usually it's the same people volunteering over and over and when I try to get someone else to do it they refuse, and get angry if I push them.

But I trust that your 'recordings' project focused on a small amount of target language? Kids still think a lot like when you were in high school or even uni-- a lot of it is just knowing what the teacher wants to hear so you can get a good mark. Just tell them exactly what you want to hear from them and they'll do it... it's not perfect, but it's better than nothing.

Maybe you could focus on rewarding speaking in class... try handing them an outline of a 50 word essay they have to write, and then mention that they are exempt from doing it if they get a certain amount of points, and hand out points for speaking. But don't pose it as a punishment for not speaking, promote exemption as a reward for speaking English in class... that way, they won't turn against you. They'll think it sounds like a lot of words at first, but once you give them an outline or a 'template' (basically, the whole thing laid out for them but they have to fill in the blanks) and show them how to do it, they'll realize it's not so tough...

Or you could try doing team projects where everyone has a role... like you could have 'researchers', 'writers' and finally 'presenters', and give them separate due dates so everyone gets a chance to shine in their own way... but of course, the presenters don't have to do as much work.

Just some ideas.