Korean Job Discussion Forums

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

For my class teaching K-English teachers I'm gonna have a fairly informal discussion about North and South Korea. I shall hopefully get through the following:

What do you think NK is like?
What are the differences between SK and NK?
What's the 'Mass Games'? Why doesn't SK have one like that?
Would you like to visit Pyeongyang? Why or why not?
Should we let NK have the Winter Olympics?
Should NK and SK be united? Why or why not?
Should NK be invaded like Iraq?

How appropriate or inappropriate is that?

My justification for this material is that they're English teachers and Koreans and really ought to be able to express themselves, even just very basically, in English about their own country. If they cannot do that, then they need the practice! (I don't mean that in a condescending way!) Plus it's interesting for me.

Comment critically on my class idea - is it any good or does it suck balls?What have you done in teaching K-English teachers classes? How did you overcome the problem of vastly differing levels of English proficiency?

Freezer Burn · Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Location: Busan

If SK and NK untied who would govern?
What do you think of KJI?

Im not sure this would go over too well? try talking about rainbows and lollipops and sunshine, Laughing

But if you must talk about this topic, perhaps let them lead the conversation, introduce the topic and fuel the conversation with nuetral questions.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

It depends on your students and how well you know them. Your last question is likely to garner an emotional response or 2 , so be careful not to choose sides.

Another few questions could be.......

What will happen when KJI dies? Why do you think so?

Do you think the Sunshine policy was a good idea? Why or why not?

Are North Korean women more beautiful than South Korean women?
How about the men?

What problems do NK refugees have when they come to SK?

Do you think NK language is more pure than that of SK? Why or why not?

Hobophobic · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 11:00 pm Post subject:

You might get some ideas from a documentary called "Inside North Korea"
-you can download it using a torrent program such as AZUREUS and doing a search at www.torrentscentral.com or www.digitaldistractions...good luck

peppermint · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 11:08 pm Post subject:

I'd go for something less polarized for your first class, and maybe get them to tell you about South Korea before you deal with the North.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Is this your very first lesson with them? If so, I wouldn't choose this topic myself. However, for a later class why not, but maybe you could introduce the topic by talking about other countries which used to be divided first e.g East and West Germany etc.

I once taught English to Italians and I asked my Italian friend if she thought it would be a good idea to work on an article about the Mafia Laughing

She said best not.

matthews_world · Joined: 15 Feb 2003

Col.Brandon · Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Location: Seoul

If your students are women then they probably won't be interested in politics. It'd be better to talk about movies or something equally tame.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Kimchieluver · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

Although I agree with the above posters, I am cutting and pasting those questions right after this post. It should make for a real good session in a month or two.

Kimchieluver · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

Done. I don't think I will bring up the one about Iraq though.

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

teachmeenglish · Joined: 14 Dec 2004

I have taught adults here for 6 years and love to use questions like those. But, not in the first week and when you introduce it preface it as "too many English classes talk about dating, food and movies which gets quite boring after 9 years, so today lets talk about something different". I have had class discussions about everything from abortion to war to defending the US millitary after the school girls to japan (devils advocate is fun), and have never had any troubles, BUT BUT know your class first!!!

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

Thanks for the imput, everyone.

I'm slightly bemused by some of it, mind. Particularly baffling is the notion that I should avoid "boring conversation classes". Boring is a relative term and I'm an English conversation teacher. That's my job. I turn up, I speak to the kids in English, they reply in (very bad) English and I make some attempt to improve their capacity to spontaneously produce half-decent English. With K-Eng teachers, they all know the difference between the past simple and present perfect and can do grammar all day, but ask them "Hi, how was your weekend?" and they haven't a flying clue. My job ought to be to try and improve their English speaking ability. 90% of K-English teachers don't feel comfortable speaking English - something's not right there. I've even heard of someone with an MA in English who can't speak it! I also concur with Joe that discussing materials or teaching methods would be about as interesting as watching a slug move very, very slowly across a large rock. What we need is: new and useful vocabulary for them, creating an environment where they can randomly express themselves about a range of issues in English, (yes) some materials perhaps for them to improve their classes (that was requested). But what's gonna happen if we go through the motions for an hour about materials?

"Mr Kim, what do think of this activity?"

"I think it's very good"

"Me too"

They need stimulating and, even though I'm biased, my class was reasonably successful - I made an effort to introduce them to new words, did a pronunciation drill involving 'r' and 'th' (as in 'health') and they chatted away.