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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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 Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 6:37 am Post subject: SMU-TESOL |
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Is anyone on here a teacher in that course? A friend of mine is taking it and for the life of me, I have no idea why they are even doing half of the things they do in the course.
My friend's lesson plan that is due this week is 20 pages long. They have been working on it for 2 weeks.
I find it completely ridiculous to turn in a 20 page plan for a single 2 hour lesson. They have to do everything from teacher/student responses, and defining "schema", what techniques were used, etc...etc...
My question is.. "Why?!?"
It seems like they are writing a complete car manual just to learn how to put change a tire. |
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Maneki Neko
Joined: 15 May 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 7:21 am Post subject: |
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| SMU-TESOL is one of the best around town. They will have a reason for it. |
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sigmundsmith
Joined: 22 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:44 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not a teacher at SMU but I am in the same boat as your friend. Let me just say that it is not fun. I can't wait for it to be over.
However, to answer your question, it is not a waste of time but a process of the different methods of teaching you are able to show that you can use in the classroom. From CI's, MIC, how do you activate formal schemata, how you address different error corrections; the list goes on.
All up, this methodolody assignment (for me) will be a total of anywhere from 40 to 50 pages long. All handouts, PPT etc must be submitted in the paper.
It is one of the most intense experiences I have done. If you are thinking of doing a high quality TESOL certificate I recommend this one. But be prepared, your personal life will disappear to a certain extent for about 20 weeks. |
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Tobias
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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| All that work just for a mere cert? Give me a break. I hope this comes with a babysitting endorsement. |
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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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Teacher Instructions | Teacher Talk | Tasks | Target Response | Technique
Activate Ss� Schemata by asking a question | How's the weather outside | Listen to T and answer | "it is sunny" | T/D(content)
Ask S a question for comprehension | "why is it sunny?" | Answer T | "There are no clouds" | T-S CIs:Comprehension check(CC)
Open/Refential Q
That is jsut for asking 2 simple questions. Someone tell me why it is necessary to do all that work just to ask "How's the weather" and "Why is it sunny?"
Now, imagine doing above with every single line and rersponse (funny how they make you script the student's responses like you are clairvoyant).
Completely unneccessary in my opinion. SMU-TESOL one of the best programs in Korea? Now it is dawning on my why Korean English teachers NEVER veer from a script or plan and are adamant in getting detailed, SCRIPTED, lesson plans.
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dmbfan
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| high quality TESOL certificate I recommend this one. |
High quality? Compared to what? Korea has nothing.....NOTHING (but the British Council CELTA) to base anything on.
20 pages? YES......that is a waste of time.
Besides, people know that when it comes to TEFL courses, there are only two legitimate courses that have WORLDWIDE recognition (not from some college in Korea that nobody cares about)....and they are the CELTA and Trinity TESOL.
dmbfan |
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Confused Canadian
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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| pkang0202 wrote: |
Teacher Instructions | Teacher Talk | Tasks | Target Response | Technique
Activate Ss� Schemata by asking a question | How's the weather outside | Listen to T and answer | "it is sunny" | T/D(content)
Ask S a question for comprehension | "why is it sunny?" | Answer T | "There are no clouds" | T-S CIs:Comprehension check(CC)
Open/Refential Q
That is jsut for asking 2 simple questions. Someone tell me why it is necessary to do all that work just to ask "How's the weather" and "Why is it sunny?"
Now, imagine doing above with every single line and rersponse (funny how they make you script the student's responses like you are clairvoyant).
Completely unneccessary in my opinion. SMU-TESOL one of the best programs in Korea? Now it is dawning on my why Korean English teachers NEVER veer from a script or plan and are adamant in getting detailed, SCRIPTED, lesson plans.
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What do you actually know about the SMU-TESOL program? From your comments, not much...
This is an internationally recognized TESOL certificate program. Credits can be transferred to MA programs in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia.
All of the instructors are native speakers, hold MA's, and regularly undergo evaluations by coordinators from the US. These coordinators travel the world, evaluating the instructors in person. This program is used in schools all over the world. I'm not saying it's the only program, nor am I saying it's the best program. What I am saying, is that it's a VERY GOOD, internationally recognized program.
As for the lesson plan...
The purpose of writing the teaching script and the students' responses is to show that as a teacher, you are aware of what classroom language you should be using for certain levels of students. Writing the students' responses shows you can anticipate what errors you expect your students to make. Then you can show how you would deal with correct those errors. It is not meant to be a script that you follow rigidly. Think of it more of a final written exam, where you show how you can integrate all the techniques and course content. All students in the course also do a teaching demo, but due to logistical time restraints, each person can only demo 10 minutes of their class. This final written lesson plan is meant to show the lesson as a whole.
So, to answer your question, it's necessary to write all this to show you know WHY you're asking these questions, and that you can anticipate how your students might answer. It's also meant to show that you have thought about the most effective way to present the material, and that you've thought of ways to get the students speaking in productive ways.
Students are not expected to teach to a memorized script. The teaching demo will follow the outline of a particular part of the lesson plan. The lesson plan shows the theory behind why you're doing what you're doing. The demo class shows you can actually do what you're supposed to do.
Is it a lot of work? Hell yeah! Are you expected to do this for every class you teach in the future? Hell no! However, by going through this close scrutinization of a proposed lesson plan, you are forced to think about how you teach, how you interact with your students, and how they interact with each other.
I would venture a guess that any Korean teacher that has completed the SMU TESOL certificate program would NEVER teach from a script. They would most certainly have developed the skills necessary to teach a lesson in English, as well as deal with any of the 'curve balls' that might come up in class. FYI, there is a rigorous application process, and not all applicants are accepted. Several students drop out due to the workload. All the classes are conducted in English (most of the instructors speak little or no Korean anyways). Students not only develop their teaching skills, but also their English skills.
SMU TESOL is perhaps the best in Korea, and so it should be. Give it a try sometime and see if you learn anything, or if you become a better teacher.
*Edited to fix typo
Last edited by Confused Canadian on Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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yamanjoe
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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Kyung Hee University (Suwon Campus) has an outstanding 120 hour certificate program that is both on line and in class. At present the course takes 8 weeks, with in class part on Saturdays. It is a TEFL International Certificate. The program encourages teachers to modify activites they are taught to meet their students' needs. Furthemore, the students are encouraged to be creative and design their own activites.
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Tobias
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:10 am Post subject: |
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| Confused Canadian wrote: |
This is an internationally recognized TESOL certificate program. Credits can be transferred to MA programs in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia.
This is a good feature. But how much credit are we talking about?
The purpose of writing the teaching script and the students' responses is to show that as a teacher, you are aware of what classroom language you should be using for certain levels of students. Writing the students' responses shows you can anticipate what errors you expect your students to make. Then you can show how you would deal with correct those errors. It is not meant to be a script that you follow rigidly. Think of it more of a final written exam, where you show how you can integrate all the techniques and course content. All students in the course also do a teaching demo, but due to logistical time restraints, each person can only demo 10 minutes of their class. This final written lesson plan is meant to show the lesson as a whole.
Weed out strategy.
So, to answer your question, it's necessary to write all this to show you know WHY you're asking these questions, and that you can anticipate how your students might answer. It's also meant to show that you have thought about the most effective way to present the material, and that you've thought of ways to get the students speaking in productive ways.
At least those who bother to do the necessary work. Is there a portion of this program devoted to hypnotic suggestion? This would accommodate your students who show no motivation or sleep in class.
Is it a lot of work? Hell yeah! Are you expected to do this for every class you teach in the future? Hell no! However, by going through this close scrutinization of a proposed lesson plan, you are forced to think about how you teach, how you interact with your students, and how they interact with each other.
And to think I need to use an interpreter when I go to the bank, bus station, or tax office. I bet this program will save the day!
SMU TESOL is perhaps the best in Korea, and so it should be. Give it a try sometime and see if you learn anything, or if you become a better teacher.
No thanks. I've been in the trenches too long to devote much to a mere cert. I damn sure wouldn't do 20 pages just to use it to babysit the apathetic.
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Tobias
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:13 am Post subject: |
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| yamanjoe wrote: |
... It is a TEFL International Certificate.
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I knew ol' TI still had its hands in something in Korea. Those guys are like mormons--all over the place. |
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agoodmouse
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Location: Anyang
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| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:56 am Post subject: |
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| How much does the SMU-TESOL certificate course, not the M.A. program, cost? |
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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:12 am Post subject: |
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| agoodmouse wrote: |
| How much does the SMU-TESOL certificate course, not the M.A. program, cost? |
3,500,000w
That is just for the Cert. Is it worth it? Confused Canadian sure thinks so. Personally, for that much money I'd go get a CELTA in Thailand or take an online MA TESOL course.
| Confused Canadian wrote: |
| What do you actually know about the SMU-TESOL program? From your comments, not much... |
I know a lot about the program. Probably because almost everyday I have people in the SMU-TESOL program asking me for help. I take a look at the workload and wonder how anyone who is working full-time can actually do even half of the assignments.
Half of the assignments/work is crap. It is busy work, plain and simple. The biggest complaint I get from SMU-TESOL students is that there is too much cut and dry material, and not enough hands-on learning. If it were a MA course, I would understand why they are doing what they do. However, this is just a certificate course.
The time invested in the course does not equal the benefit of completing the course. The students are spending 27 hours a week on the class (9 hours of classroom instruction + 18 hours outside of class reading, writing, homework, projects, etc...)
3,500,000won + 27 hours a week X 4 weeks in a month X 5 months in the program.
So, at the end of the SMU-TESOL the student has invested 540 hours of their life, plus 3,500,000w and the end result is a...... Internationally recognized TESOL CERTIFICATE. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 7:03 am Post subject: |
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I endorse the SMU TESOL, as well as the CELTA. The more people that spend money and time on these (and ignore getting an MA) the better. That means fewer MA's and more jobs for me! 
You can take these on your way to an MA, though. The CELTA+DELTA are considered to be I think half of the way (credit-wise) toward an MA, according to Cambridge: http://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/teaching-awards/delta-exemptions.html
I know the SMU-TESOL is the same, but don't have the details on me. |
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agoodmouse
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Location: Anyang
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| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:16 am Post subject: |
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bassexpander, you're in your late, late thirties.
Your salary separates you by ~$400/month from anyone who is twenty-one years old working at a kindergarten. Get over yourself already.
At the rate you're taking your graduate studies (e.g. you've said 1 to 2 courses per semester with UMissouri), you'll sadly finish your M.A. in TESOL when you're 40! |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| agoodmouse wrote: |
bassexpander, you're in your late, late thirties.
Your salary separates you by ~$400/month from anyone who is twenty-one years old working at a kindergarten. Get over yourself already.
At the rate you're taking your graduate studies (e.g. you've said 1 to 2 courses per semester with UMissouri), you'll sadly finish your M.A. in TESOL when you're 40! |
Aw, c'mon, Mouse. University jobs are all about the 4 months of vacation, not necessarily the pay. Besides, I didn't know there was an age limit on when one needs to finish their MA?
So, mouse... you're now getting your MA after your CELTA... why? Wasn't your CELTA providing you with everything you needed and more? Regardless, I'm happy to see that you've come to the conclusion that you'll need an MA to advance farther than where you're at now.
Please, everyone... don't get an MA. Get a CELTA or another TESOL degree, and stop there. I'm begging you -- please. It will be much better for those with MA's who want to keep their university jobs.
Eventually you'll end up like Mouse and realize you invested over 2 million won in something that university employers look at and say, "That's nice, but we hired someone with an MA." There is no shame in having this happen to you. You'll still be able to impress your online friends with your shiny 2 million won TESOL certificate, regardless of what those universities think.
Getting a TESOL certificate from a reputable place is great, but do it on the way toward an MA, making sure the credit transfers to a school you can finish the MA with. As I mentioned above, the CELTA and SMU TESOL both allow transfer of credit to some universities. It's up to you to research if one of those is where you care to do an MA, though. |
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