Korean Job Discussion Forums

[thomas pars]

1. Create a level test. students are then placed in a class based on level
and not grade.

2. Class has no more that 15 students.

3. 2 teacher: One teacher 1-3. The other 4-6.

4. Have an actual curriculum instead of the current book.

5. Tests each week. Tests to pass the level.

6. Each class has class everyday.

I realize that some of these would require us to work longer hours, but
that trend is coming in anyway. And the rest are well pretty easy to
implement. Anyone else got any ideas to make public actually work?

[Xuanzang]

1. Some schools sort them into levels. Mine doesn't. I would feel sorry for the teacher in charge of the low level students.

2. Unworkable. Many schools have too many students.

3. Some of the wealthier schools have 2 teachers. It would cost more money and you know how they are cutting costs.

4. They do have an English curriculum. It's just not very good. Would need some of those EFL geniuses to do one up. Problem is the static nature of the Ministry of Education, school boards and the numerous ajeoshi administrators.

5. A Western style test would be nice. Not those stupid listen and select the answer tests. Something integrated and creative.

6. I'd get sick of that.

[thomas pars]

what if we made it an elective. No sense in forcing someone to
study something they don't want to and have no propensity for.

[Xuanzang]

[ddeubel]

I'm really convinced that the only way to "change" is to actually change the delivery method of lessons.

It isn't tests/numbers/curriculum/funding which is that "motor" that drives a lot of poor performance. It is the framework by which "learning" happens that is at fault.

I'm convinced that we should be teaching functional and conversational English. Small groups, at a table, speaking with each other. The native speaking teacher doesn't "teach" directly but in a face to face, human way -- the way language is/has/always will be learned.

Plus, one lesson / week mandatory, with students in a language lab. Speaking / listening with rich, leveled content.

Both these allow students maximum time with level appropriate input and maximum time to practice and produce (output).

So much else of what happens is flywheel. We need more sparkplug.

DD
http://eflclassroom.com

[some waygug-in]

Get rid of co-teaching, let the foreign teachers sink or swim.

If the waygook can't handle the class, fire his/her arse and get someone who can.


And regarding the textbook/curriculum, stop treating it like a Bible.

Allow the teachers to suppliment as they see fit.

[mmstyle]

some waygugin,

While I agree that the curriculum needs to be supplemented, I am sick of doing it because the material is so bad. Even though it is bad, that isn't why I do it. The Korean teachers use it and I am basically not allowed to use it (because they might not have enough) even if I want to (except dialogues).

Access to real resources would be great. Good material, and hand on stuff. The internet is not this magically fantastic resource that everyone claims. I wade through hours of complete dung to find anything decent, and as a result, I make 90% of my materials-which I won't claim is all that great, but I understand it. As I have no proofreader, and many levels, I cannot come up with quality materials to meet the needs of my students. Frankly, it's stressful and exhausting because I take pride in trying to do a worth while job. That may be my biggest downfall.

[Xuanzang]

A workbook with some review questions would be handy. Or a PDF with worksheets related to the unit. Beyond wordsearches and look and listen.

[some waygug-in]

Yes, I know.

I was going to suggest that FT's choose their own textbooks to use as they see fit, and the KT's could follow their crappy little textbooks if they want.

This means that the FT and the KT would teach separate classes, so how they would manage this is up to each school. Divide each class in half, and the FT teaches half and the KT teaches half - then switch.

I am not saying this would solve all the problems, but it would solve a lot.

[Xuanzang]

[some waygug-in]

There are some supplimentary workbooks published by Oxford that are the "cat's ass" for elementary school.

They have no textbook and the exercises are pretty much self explanatory.

They come in 6 levels and I know no one in hagwans uses them, because they don't come with a textbook. So there would be no students saying they've already seen them.

Not all classes/teachers/situations are created equal. Each FT would have to use his/her own judgment and may not choose to use a book at all.
They might feel more comfortable using power points and internet resources, videos etc.

This would never fly in Korea because they want standardization, but it is what is needed. Give the FT the freedom to choose and use whatever they want, make your own resources or choose a book or both but the worst thing they can do to us is force us to follow these idiotic textbooks they have now.

[PatrickGHBusan]

Make Foreign Teachers full teachers only if they have the qualifications for it...sorry but if you are a full teacher your grading impacts the future of your students in a very real way. So if you "sink" so does your classroom full of students whom you just screwed because you forgot to take swimming lessons....

[ardis]

Having levels is absolutely crucial, as is lowering the number of students per class. But how would this work when there are not enough teachers, not enough time, and not enough space?

I wish English COULD just be an elective. Maybe they have to take one year or so, then test into level two and up. The levels they'd have to test into could be electives.

Contrary to what some have said, I don't think all the parents would force their kids to take English for every year of their schooling. Many or most will, but not all, and even having 5-10 less in a class of 30 or 40 would be a huge difference.

Not having levels is ridiculous because the advanced kids are wasting their time and most of the other kids are sinking fast. I don't see how it's productive at all.

[some waygug-in]

[Juregen]