Korean Job Discussion Forums

[discostar23]

Ok I discovered this site this morning and made word puzzles for all my afternoon classes. These things are like pure evil They make the kids think they are going to be doing a fun puzzle but really it is quite hard and will take up your whole class . You can also personalize the puzzle so it makes the kids think the puzzle is special. HAHA I love it.

http://www.puzzlemaker.com

enjoy

[t bear]

Yes, I too have discovered this site and with only 27 teaching days till I'm out of here, I have been using them on a regular basis.
The kids love them, it takes a matter of minutes to make, cant get much easier...

[ryleeys]

I have been limiting myself to once a week... but now that my director has double my class sizes (now 10-12 students) and I have as many as 3 different levels (all studying different books) in each class, those puzzles are looking mighty attractive...

[Eazy_E]

That site is a gold mine. Great for the loud, boisterous classes and it actually has teaching value if the kids have seen the words before. You'll hear them mumbling the words as they find them and it helps them to memorize the vocabulary.

[sadsac]

Been using word puzzles and crossword puzzles for years. A great place to find a real variety is http://www.thepotters.com, an excellent site. I make my own, as I have licenced versions of a word search and crossword puzzle making programs. I use the crosswords to review lessons.

[saint_moi]

puzzlemaker... old hat. potters.com? url doesn't work.

[osangrl]

i used that site a ton my first year here. In time i became a better teacher, and don't use them at all...haven't in over a year....they are boring, waste of time, and offer no conversational help.

But power to you if you don't care about teaching.

[Kristsoy]

[The Man known as The Man]

[osangrl]

[kylehawkins2000]

I agree that MOST of the time puzzles are used to simply give the teacher a break and let the kids do some mindless activity. However they can be used in a very constructive way. I haven't checked out the site mentioned by the OP but there is another piece of software that I used to use called 'Vocabulary Worksheet Factory' and it was quite effective for introducing, reviewing, and reinforcing a set list of vocabulary. The Key is desiging the puzzles with learning as the ultimate goal in mind.

if you want to check out this software go to www.schoolhousetechnologies.com they have a shareware version. I think it's great stuff but I haven't used it in awhile. You can establish word lists with sets of clues that will generate 12 different worksheets with the sets of vocab. You can do a simple word search or much more elaborate types of worksheets. There are also some puzzles where you can paste in an entire section of text and change it around (ie omit verbs for the children to figure out).

[Kristsoy]

well i have 7 weeks left and what i learned here in the past 4 years is that korean kids will never learn english THere Conversational ability is terrible, and every school is like that. They dont study hard enough to ever learn this, so I do what the korean teachers do ... make it as easy on myself as possible.

Since I hate my school and the people I work with, why shouldnt I do puzzles, if I spend that time on something else in the book it's not like they are gonna get it anyways. It's only 15 mins a week anyways in my classes, why does that hurt? these kids come every day im giving them a break. AND BUILDING VOCAB. AND LETTING THEM SEARCH FOR THE SPELLING IS HELPING THEIR SKILLS AND I WILL KEEP TELLING MYSELF THAT THANK U VERY MUCH

[Kristsoy]

[osangrl]

i still don't believe them to be a valuable teaching tool.

But i do agree with Kristoy that most schools suck, and the teaching methods and retarded conversation books they use, will never imporve their English beyond the basic. I would have gone crazy if i hadn't found my current job. It thrives at improvement. Ive never worked at a place, where they are more concerned with the childrens progress then the money in there wallet. The directors have monthly meeting with parentsk, and keep the behind kids for extra tutoring. Its amazing, and it had opened my eyes that some do care.

I would stay at this school forever. I just wouldn't use puzzles here, because its not our aim. I totally would and did, if i still worked at the crap schools i did in the past

Sorry for saying that you were not good teachers for using them, because when i used them, i thought i was a good teacher, but in a crappy situation.

apologies.

[pet lover]