Korean Job Discussion Forums

[minos]

Long story short, I was offered a special program at my company where I'll teach 5 kindy students together for about 2 hours a week. That's their only english education they'll get.

I think parents are expecting the kids to magically pick up english via immersion, but at 2 hours a week I can't see any learning occuring other than basic phonics and random english phrases.

Has anybody taught something similar? I have little kindy experience so I feel I should turn down the offer.

[northway]

We've got a couple classes of six hours per week at my school, and I actually think even that much is too little to accomplish much. That said, what age are they? If they're Korean five year olds it's totally pointless, if they're seven year olds you could get some decent phonics work in and expand upon it, perhaps.

[ttompatz]

[amnsg2]

I'm not saying that they magically pick up English, but mine have improved so much. One of my pre school girls is really smart, and somehow she learnt to speak in full sentences more often just from chatting to me before class (((and then me yelling at them in class!))). Even the hyperactive kid who refuses to stay in the classroom could understand me talking to his mum (my boss) in English the other week. He was really proud of himself, and it's a big improvement.

I used to teach those two half an hour twice a week, now I have more students for 50 minutes every other day the progress seems to have slowed a lot but I think it shows how easy it is for the little ones to learn just from listening. They really improved even with me not knowing what I was doing.

Random English phrases are so useful because they learn to speak, and get used to it. Every single one of my little kids now knows 'delicious' and to say 'you're welcome' after someone says thankyou. I never taught them that, but I say it all the time in class and now they do.

Saying all that- omg I hate teaching kindergarten...

[Swampfox10mm]

At that age, you can help work with them enough to teach them how to properly pronounce "L's" and "R's", among other things. That alone will be a huge benefit later in life.

[cincynate]

I taught Kindergarten for only 1 hour a week. You'll be suprised what a young energetic mind from a 6 year old can pick up. They will learn a lot more than you think. But remember, you'll be teaching them ABC's, songs, and very basic vocabulary. Don't make any lesson plans, because when teaching kindies you totally have to wing it. If you loose their attention for 1 second, its gone, and its so hard to get it back lol.