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SeoulNate
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Location: Hyehwa
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 Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:29 pm Post subject: Good Korean Classes? |
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Anyone have any advice for Korean classes? I'm looking for something that has smallish class sizes and meets on Fridays and/or Saturdays. Prices would also be helpful.
I'm pretty fed up with tutors as I seem to be making little to no headway with my speaking skills and want something that is a little more structured. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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| SeoulNate wrote: |
| I'm pretty fed up with tutors as I seem to be making little to no headway with my speaking skills |
Saw this online:
"One on one tutoring is the best and most efficient use of time. It’s also usually the most expensive use of time, depending on the language and country. But if you have the money, grabbing a solid tutor and sitting with him or her for a few hours every day is the fastest way to learn a new language I’ve ever found."
Are you studying with the tutor for several hours every day? Probably not.
If you want to learn Korean, you should be prepared to spend millions of won and thousands of hours of your time. It's that hard of a language.
| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| I know about twenty foreigners here who are married to Korean women and not one of them can have a proper conversation in Korean |
Last edited by World Traveler on Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sireno
Joined: 19 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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| When I was in Korea I quite enjoyed 숙명여대 free courses on Saturdays. They have structure, though are taught by volunteer students who may or may not have any idea what they're doing. However for the free price or perhaps 1,000 won, it's not bad. Search for Sookmyung Korean Education Volunteers on facebook. |
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SeoulNate
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Location: Hyehwa
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
| SeoulNate wrote: |
| I'm pretty fed up with tutors as I seem to be making little to no headway with my speaking skills |
Saw this online:
"One on one tutoring is the best and most efficient use of time. It’s also usually the most expensive use of time, depending on the language and country. But if you have the money, grabbing a solid tutor and sitting with him or her for a few hours every day is the fastest way to learn a new language I’ve ever found."
Are you studying with the tutor for several hours every day? Probably not.
If you want to learn Korean, you should be prepared to spend millions of won and thousands of hours of your time. It's that hard of a language.
| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| I know about twenty foreigners here who are married to Korean women and not one of them can have a proper conversation in Korean |
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Thanks for the troll bump.
I've worked with about 15 different tutors over the years and have not found any of them able to help me much more than I can do on my own. I guess I expect the same level of work that I put into a lesson when I do private English tutoring, but that just has never been there for any tutor I have tried. |
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spaceman82
Joined: 01 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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| You might want to give YBM's Korean classes a try for the upper levels. Some of the teachers are really good and the classes don't get too big. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Not trolling. Just giving information. Maybe try a new approach to how you study with the tutor (ask them to speak more slowly, etc.) and up your hours or give up on tutors entirely, but I don't think it is possible to get good at Korean without a lot of speaking practice. Classes alone (especially part time weekend classes) aren't enough to get you to a decent level. You need to study every day (on your own or otherwise). I've found for me, most classes in Korea suck (that has just been my own experience) and that tutors are the most effective route to go. I guess do whatever you want, but keep in mind almost no Western expats end up being able to speak the language (including those with Korean spouses). You really have to commit youself big time if you want to get good. |
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spaceman82
Joined: 01 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Sorry, I forgot to include prices. It should be around 140,000/month for around five hours a week of instruction. That's for the weeknight classes, which are the ones I have experience with, but I'm sure the weekend rates are about the same. |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Nate, have you considered simply giving up on tutors and classes entirely? I strongly believe that 100% of the value of language instruction can be acquired through alternative means, and generally cheaper or even for free. I know your question was about classes specifically, so if that's what you're set on of course I don't want to patronize, but the resources for learning Korean independent really are adequate to the task I think. |
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SeoulNate
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Location: Hyehwa
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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| spaceman82 wrote: |
| You might want to give YBM's Korean classes a try for the upper levels. Some of the teachers are really good and the classes don't get too big. |
Yeah, I looked into them, but my schedule really doesn't work for any of their offerings at my level, I would like to do something similar if I could find ones that work would within my time frame |
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SeoulNate
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Location: Hyehwa
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| Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Fox wrote: |
| Nate, have you considered simply giving up on tutors and classes entirely? I strongly believe that 100% of the value of language instruction can be acquired through alternative means, and generally cheaper or even for free. I know your question was about classes specifically, so if that's what you're set on of course I don't want to patronize, but the resources for learning Korean independent really are adequate to the task I think. |
Yeah, I have thought about that, and tried it. I just dont have the motivation for self study without attending a class, which is probably the same reason that tutors dont work for me since it is always a "go at my pace" kinda thing. I need the structure of a class, even if its one that just meets twice a week for an hour or two each time.
TBH, the free resources online are actually better than most classes/tutors that I have ever worked with here, I just dont have good motivation for using them effectively. |
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wings
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:47 am Post subj | |
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