Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Gimpokid]

So I'm supposed to teach a conversation class to the staff at my school and it's one of the most frusturating things I've ever done. Everything I say elicits nervous giggles, cold stares or an "X" hand gesture. Week after week I'm told that the material is too difficult and so we are doing things that my second graders would consider a piece of cake. One on one these teachers have shown a basic grasp of English conversation, but in the group I get straight resentment and basfulness rarely seen outside of middle school dances. I can stretch these 45 minute classes with a handout and explanation to maybe 15 minutes, but with zero input it's me standing there like a wank after that. The stupidest part is that this class is totally optional. It's an easy 20,000 won, but the extreme discomfort has wonameen wondering if ti's even woth it.

Anyone have tips for dealing with some extremely uncooperative ADULT students?

[bogey666]

I'm a little surprised, as several of the teachers, young females in my school, have some English ability and are always asking me about unofficial "coffee" times, where we can just "talk" (meaning I don't get paid, they buy the coffee I suppose)

I'd do this, if it weren't for my after school classses... I won't do both.


I suppose it depends on the level(s) of your students. The ones I mentioned , I think would be great... it'd be pure "conversation" class because they're already at a level where we can basically communciate, and I could just teach them and correct them and show them things along the way.

if they are very low level - gee that'd be much harder.

but in that case, I would then retreat into "lecture" mode, with lighthearted moments if possible - since that is the mode of learning these teachers (and ourselves) are familiar/comfortable with.

there are hierarchical and cultural issues which may be also interfering with your class, but I'm not well qualified to comment on them.

that's what it sounds like is going on considering you say they're ok with you one on one.

that's be a goddmamn nightmare..

anyways - try to pick everyday interesting new topics, etc they may be familiar with, interested in and discuss those.

for e.g. school discipline/corporal punishment in Korean ps... do you think it's useful, hurtful, helpful and why?

etc etc etc

[Gimpokid]

It's supposed to be conversation class so unless I develop disassociative identity disorder there has to to be a diadic exchange of some kind.

I dunno man. I have had plenty of one on one talk with 90% percent of them in impromptu raymeon and red ginseng bull sessions in my office, but get more than 3 of them together and it's GK's school for the vocally impaired.

I've addressed the whole Korean notion of poor English ability=low IQ by saying that this is a highly informal and purely optional class and not an evaluation of their English skills. I even openly butcher the Korean language around them to show that I suck at their language and am not ashamed.

It's attitudes like this that has Korea continuing to front load money into an educational furnace while the lead singer of Journey is a Filipino.

[bogey666]

as I said, there are other vastly more qualified to handle this, but there are hierarchical and cultural issues at play.

the concept of "this is informal" will not penetrate the closed off Korean mind.

[anynag]

Keep pacing around (the classroom) refusing to proceed with the lesson until they give you feedback. Force the issue or you'll be continually stonewalled. Use some Korean to break the tension and lower the barriers. Explain your cultural perspective as a "western" EFL instructor and let them feel your empathy regarding their awkwardness. Reiterate your expectations of them. Pair or group them bearing in mind their age and status.

Give them material designed for the lowest student to succeed. Do something fun, like play a game. Get their minds out of their immediate "situation" and into something enjoyable where saving face becomes less of a priority. (The opposite might work to: use the saving face approach to motivate them.) Perhaps show a humourous video clip. Continue mixing up your activities until you find something that reaps success.

And, if all else fails, make them write shit out until they realise it's easier to just speak their minds.

[thegadfly]

Are these adults of differing ages? I have had the problem where the eldest adult student was NOT the best student, and so the younger students sat in silence, so as not to show up their elder....

Just to get the ball rolling, maybe print out some sample dialogues, and have folks read them aloud...then maybe have the students write a few of their own... I know this is all basic stuff, but the nervousness/embarrassment needs to be burned away with fire...or in my own experience, burned away with stupid dialogues that the students would happily discard in favor of just talking....

[Rory_Calhoun27]

The OP is at a public school I'm guessing?

I had one at the PS elementary I'm at, and the teachers were split in two classes, intermediate and beginner.... none really liked the classes, mostly because they thought it was cutting into THEIR prep time.... at least that one hinted at who was friendly to me.... her family gave me a tour or Seoul, so at least she was open sometimes...


I could tell early on they DIDN'T like the book my coteacher picked for them.... turning the class around more to issues they liked help- travel and things related to it was the biggest bonus to the class.....

after a few months, they somehow got the class cancelled. My guess is the 50-something teacher who stormed out of the first class had something to do with it- never made eyecontact with me at ANY time in school, among other things....

[D.D.]

They don't want to be there and only show because they are expected to. Even though it is optional someone has told them showing up will look good. Maybe they are acting out their teen years in your class and you need to find a way to shock them into the present moment.

[Rteacher]

My teacher classes basically became watching popular movies with English subtitles with my offering occasional explanations of specific word usages.

And I usually provided some snacks - much less hassle than trying to do a regular class.

[John_ESL_White]

is this PS? are you being paid well?

If not being pd well, start a topic, intro it, give some ideas on how to answer., i.e., "I think...", I don't think... is a good idea because...".

still nothing? give them each a 500 won notebook and start writing on the board. Question and answer... treat them like children.

[poet13]

I don't think splitting them by level would work. If you must, try splitting them by hierarchy. VP, P, Head teacher, and any male over 50 in one group, and the giggly schoolgirl pretend teachers in another.
That way the VP doesn't have to worry about being shamed by a kid with better english, and the kid doesn't have to worry about never advancing professionally because he or she shamed the VP.

[JJJ]

I had this a couple years ago.

If you have a winter or summer camp workbook, photocopy it. Do the word searches, crosswords, readings, tongue twisters, creative thinking parts.

Or, give them a topic...like "If I had a million dollars I would...." works well. Their dream vacation, favorite restaurant etc. are good as well and tell them to write a small report on it. Say at least 7-10 lines. They can't make stuff up on the spot but don't mind using their Babelfish translator at home to write their story. Get them to read it, critique the grammar points, class is done, another topic for next week, good bye and good luck. This worked better for me than trying to pull thoughts out of their minds.

[LostinKSpace]

Get the Korean board game yut (yu no ri) it is played with 4 sticks it costs about 6000 won from E mart, plonk it down and get the teachers to explain how to play the game. (you can pre teach some verbs and nouns if you want or just do it as you go along)

It is a traditional Korean game and the adults get more competitive than the kids.

[Fishead soup]

Check out finchpark. These are a series of conversation books geared towards Korean students and young adults. I would use the materials for advanced students also try bogglesworld it has a lot of stuff about travelling something that would be useful to adults.

[gregoriomills]

My teacher class last year dwindled down to 3-4 showing up habitually, then we started having fun. We played scrabble, which they loved, played card games, and I did some fun lessons. It always helped a lesson to have a video to play with it.