Korean Job Discussion Forums

CanadaCommando · Joined: 13 Feb 2004 Location: People's Republic of C.C.

K, this question is aimed mostly towards the Highschool/Middleschool Teachers out there.

So I have a middle school gig, and I am loving it, but I have a little difficulty with one thing, and I was hoping you guys could help. In about 5 or 6 of my classes (I teach 20) I have at least one student who is fluent. What the hell do ya do there?! Here I am trying to teach some kids fairly basic English, and then the student next to him speaks it as well as me!
Example:
ME: So, what is the weather like today students?

AVERAGE STUDENT: Today, ...the weather...is...r-rainy.

FLUENT STUDENT: Hmm..well, I guess it's a little rainy right now, but it looks like its gonna clear up later. Should turn out alright.

Arghh..I feel bad for these kids cuz they MUST be bored outta their tree, but the level of the rest of the class (49 other kids) just isn't high enough to challenge them at all. Its an hour long conversation class (I am supposed to avoid bookwork altogether) so it's not that I can assign them o more difficult work in class.

Brought the manner to the Head of my department, who said that it doesn't matter, as long as they are talking a little English in class.

Suggestions?

CC

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

The head of the department is wrong. If you have fluent kids and nonfluent kids in the same class there is a big problem. If you cannot accomodate the fluent kids, they will leave the school. This is why you need to bring the problem to the attention of someone higher than your department head.

Fluent children should be studying from American textbooks at their appropriate grade levels.

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

American text books are the most common in Korea and the most demanded by parents.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

I have fluent kids in my high school classes.

99% of the time they won't talk, as they don't want to "show off".

I just let em be. Sure they must be bored, but what can i do? I have a lot of other kids that need to learn what I am teaching.

If anything i get more bitter the fluent kids won't talk, rather then they are bored.

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

peppermint · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2004 11:31 pm Post subject:

work on your reading comprehension guys. A kid isn't gonna change middle schools cause of English class. Why not give them stuff that's more challenging to do, but related to what the other kids are learning.

It seems like Korean kids don't learn to write essays even in Korean, maybe getting them to write a journal or something?

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

Draven · Joined: 03 Feb 2003

Saxiif · Joined: 15 May 2003 Location: Seongnam

You people don't use your waaaaay advanced students as free interpreters in class Shocked

Doing that has saved me an incredible amount of work.

VanIslander · Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 1:56 am Post subject:

Like Saxiff, I put the more advanced students to work helping me by translating or by helping them with spelling or pronounciation, or, for their own development too, helping fix grammar.

I teach in a hagwon but a couple of students have spent months overseas and absorbed so much more, and are in a class with lesser students simply because the time slot was more convenient than the advanced class time, or the student is too young to put with older students, or some other typically Korean reason.

Get the advanced kids involved helping with the teaching process. Start a lesson with questions the unofficial aide tries to get, then have the aide repeat it to the class.

I sometimes pair up the advanced kid with the slowest kid, sending them outside the classroom with a specific lesson to master, and test whether it was successful afterwards.

Trying to teach others is a great way for them to learn and practice their English, and all Korean students could use more practice.

I wish every class had one of these whizzes.
Make the most of it. It can be a blessing rather than a curse.

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

In the hogwon, I'm not sure how pleased parents would be that you are using their child as a free teaching assistant, rather than giving them the English instruction they are paying for!

In the OPs classes, why not shift your lessons from the boring "what's the weather like?" questions to content-based topics that would challenge even the fluent speakers. Things like "What is the process of evaporation?" or "What were the causes of World War II?" The lower students might do even better if they are recycling the content they are presently studying in their other classes.

wylde · Joined: 14 Apr 2003

CanadaCommando · Joined: 13 Feb 2004 Location: People's Republic of C.C.

Thanks everyone for the advice. Problem is, as mentioned, the middle school class is collective for all subjects, so they can't be moved into a special class.

I do use my advanced kids as free T.A.'s sometimes-saves a lot of gesturing . Thing is, this doesn't REALLY help him, as usually it just involves him rattling off my instructions in Korean. Helps me a hella lot though Very Happy

.

I dont do any composition with my kids-my classes are strictly verbal, as per my contracts instructions; kids have a fluent Korean English Teacher for that. So assigning more difficult compostion is not an option. Also, questions such as the process of evaporation are WAY outta the range of 99%. I am asking the simple weather question for a reason, not cause I am lazy...

I DO like the idea of using the advanced kids to work with the remedial students. Sounds like a good idea. Just hope the advanced kids don't realize I am using them and start demanding a wage. Laughing

I have discovered the fluent kids are BRILLIANT when it comes to reeming out the bad students. You can let those ill-behavers know exactly how you feel.