Korean Job Discussion Forums

[CustomX]

I just started teaching this week, though I have been observing classes at my hagwon for 3 weeks. All of the classes that I observed were elementary school students. I have been given 2 classes of adults. One class has 2 students and the other is just 1. The textbooks that I use are designed for kids, which I would think the adult students would find boring. The class with 1 student is pretty challenging. Her English is advanced and she is looking for mostly conversation help. The director wants me to focus on learning out of the grammer book though. Though this is my first week, I feel like I am doing a really bad job. Teaching kids seems to be easier. Also, I get the feeling that students want to be entertained. How do I accomplish this with adults? I have been taking notes from previous threads on adult converstion classes and will try to improve my classes. I'm frustrated at this point because the director keeps telling me that the students will be bored if I just teach from the book. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

[Ya-ta Boy]

The first thing I'd do is ask the three students involved. What do they want to learn? Using that information as a guide, then you can develop lessons that will satisfy them.

Consider using the newspaper for conversation topics. Don't just read an article and then 'discuss' it. Really use it as a text book. For example, focus for part of a lesson on building vocabulary. (Be warned: almost any topic related to Japan can be dangerous if you disagree in any way with the students.)

Advice columns can be a gold mine. Common vocabulary and idiomatic expressions. Then you can ask the students to agree or disagree. Then you can ask the students to give advice. This can lead to discussions of cultural differences, because often the criteria the students use to determine advice is quite different from what you would expect.

Use the sports page to teach the vocabulary of the sports the students are interested in. Most Koreans need lessons in 'win' and 'beat'.

You said one student is quite advanced. Use the crossword puzzle if she is interested.

Have students write a letter to the editor about some public issue. Use it to work on grammar.

It's perfectly OK to use one article for several different purposes and therefore used over several days.

BTW, several Korean papers are published in English on the internet: Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo and I think others. The 'Seoul Searcher' column in the Herald on Tuesdays is usually very good.

Good luck.

[CustomX]

thanks a lot...i just found this site http://iteslj.org/questions/ which i think will help me a lot.

my director is really weird. she wants me to teach them grammar, yet she wants the students to do most of the speaking. i have never studied grammar, yet i feel like she's expecting me to be a grammar expert.

when i reviewed the grammer book with all 3 students yesterday, they said that they were all familar with the grammer rules, etc..they need help with their conversation skills however. do you think i should spend more time doing what the students want (conversation) or what the owner wants (studying from the book). i could tell that they were really bored when i reviewed the book with them. in fact, the director told me the students were bored because she asked them after class. i didn't expect the classes to be easy and i dont mind putting time into trying to become a better teacher, i just feel like im on my own without any direction or help provided

[JacktheCat]

Ah, the ye olde "grammar class must be fun" schtick.

Try working the grammar in your conversion topics, having the students use the targeted grammar as they talk about that night's conversation topic.

Quickly review the grammar at the beginning of the class and then launch into the conversation topic.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Yeah, what JacktheCat said. Introduce a quick grammar point at the beginning of class, then a discussion topic where the point may or may not be used. (Better if it comes up, but you can't control it in most situations.) Both the students and the director will be satisfied.

Keep a scrap of paper handy when the students are talking and make a note of grammar mistakes. Talk about the mistakes later. Use them as a guide for the grammar points that need to be focused on.

And keep looking on the internet. There are tons of free materials available. If pronunciation is a problem, take a look at enchanted learning.com.