Korean Job Discussion Forums

[IT'S JUST ME]

Hi:

I started teaching adult conversation classes recently and have a few questions on teaching and learning styles in Korea.

My students seem to have opposite preferences from what I expected.

Pair Work: I was taught that students can benefit more from pair or small group practice because it increases student talking time and minimizes teacher talking time.

However, my students prefer 1:1 with the teacher (to me this increases student's wait time to practice conversation, as we allow each student their turn to talk on a topic).

Error Correction: I was taught to minimize error correction, that it can make students fearful of participating in class and also interrupt the rhythm of the conversation.

However, I've had students tell me to correct them in class.


What's your experience?

I decided to suvey students to see what they like and dislike, and develop lesson plans around their responses.

[ED209]

[Sadebugo1]

Try to read up on the educational culture in Korea. Once you understand it, you can develop approaches to circumvent it. I used to explain to the students the psychology behind the techniques I was using.

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

[lifeinkorea]

[frankly speaking]

There is nothing wrong with correcting students. The point is to minimize interruptions. Don't stop a student while they are talking, that disrupts their flow and natural voice. After they are done, then summarize what is said using the correct verbs. If it is a reoccurring problem for all the students then address it as such. In an ESL environment it is not as necessary to correct students grammar and syntax, but we are not in an ESL environment, we are in Korea where the students don't have exposure to properly spoken English, so it is necessary to also build accuracy as well as fluency.

I don't think that students are typically the best judge for what they need. I will take some of their comments into account, but for the most part, I don't think that they have a clue.

One on one is not the ideal situation. Koreans prefer it but most people can learn from the mistakes of others. Pair work is a good thing when done in the right context. However just having students pair up and randomly talk isn't always good either.

Just try and get them to do things your way. Encourage them and build up their confidence. If it doesn't work then do what they want, but try and be a leader.

[ajuma]

I've tried a variety of approaches, and it all depends on the class.

Do your students know each other or are they all strangers?

If they know each other, pair work will work well right off the bat. You might tell Jin Young that her friend Eun Hae needs help with past tense verbs, so please remind her when she makes a mistake. Believe it or not, this works out really well. They can ask each other (in Korean of course!) "Should I say "I GO store" or I WENT store." Sure, it should be "went TO" the store, but at least they're paying attention to the verbs!

Are they all strangers to each other? That makes a HUGE difference and makes your job a lot harder. You've got to break down the walls between them. If it's an evening class, take them out for a beer after class. It's amazing how much more relaxed they are after a night out together. Play some drinking games (3-6-9 is a good one...in Korean Sam-Yuk-Gu) in English! (You can either decide that you'll pay for all, or say right up front that it's dutch!)

Morning class? Bring in some coffee and donuts or something for one class, or go out to the nearest coffee shop. Sit in the middle of the group and be prepared with a few "conversation starters". Make connections between students that they might not realize that they have: Min Su! You have a 2 year old baby! Wow! Eui Sup has a 1 year old baby!! "

Sure, they all want to work 1-1 with you. Tell them "Well, there are X number of students in this class. I can spend X number of minutes 1-1 with each of you, or we can all work together and help each other improve. What do you think?" HOPEFULLY they'll see the sense in practicing with each other.

I know that some of these things sound trite, but if you really want your class to feel good about themselves and you've hit a wall with them, you need to get them out of their comfort zone somehow and make them comfortable with you and each other.

As for error correction, I don't correct every single thing every single time, but if the lesson is past tense verbs and Min Young says "I eat breakfast", I give a look and a "huh" expression. I might have to say "You what?" or "Again?" Until the student gets it right.

[andrewchon]

[scorpiocandy]

My adult students mostly prefer working in smaller groups. When I first started teaching them I tried the whole "big group" dynamic and no-one said a word.

Since then I've allowed smaller groups and they talk up a storm. I circulate among the groups, talk with them and am available for questions on vocab or grammar.
I make a list of common mistakes and have some correction time at the end of the lesson.

Obviously I've had some students who say, "We pay to speak to a foregner not other students." but those are few and far between. I try to make them happy but then the others are uncomfortable and quiet during the lesson.

So it can be hard.

Each class will have different requirements. How comfortable they feel with each other determines what they will and won't do during your lessons.
I've found it helpful to spend 2 or 3 lessons at the beginning of the term for "getting-to-know-you" activities.

[ytuque]

I have discussed these topics with my adult conversation students. Here are some things that they had to say.

1. My students seem to have opposite preferences from what I expected.

Korean students have different ideas on how language should be taught than westerners. You could teach in a western manner, but it would make many students uncomfortable.

2. My students prefer 1:1 with the teacher

Students paid extra to have a native speaker teaching the class, so they want the native speaker to speak as much as possible. They just want to get their money's worth. They also find foreigners entertaining/interesting.

3. I've had students tell me to correct them in class.

Most high level students are aware that they have been taught Konglish and expect the foreign teacher to correct them.

You can either teach in a method which you feel is best suited for language instruction or teach in manner that the students are requesting. Teachers get canned frequently for not keeping the students happy. I have yet to see a teacher canned because the students were satisfied but not learning.