Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Qinella]

First, the successful idea.

Reward Program

This was a concept I read about on Dave's for several months before finally trying it. On the wall in our classrooms are charts for each class. Every student's name is on a chart, and they receive or lose stickers for daily behavior, test scores and homework. There are four levels that can be reached, each one resulting in increasingly better prizes.

The first month we did this, the students didn't know what to expect, so we saw no results. However, after they saw the prizes that some students got, they became motivated. We are now into the third month of using the reward program, and I've seen surprising results in the volume of homework completed, student behavior in class, and test scores. The best results have been with students who were previously quite lackadaisical, never studied, and always received zeros on tests. Many of them have transformed into great students.

However, I should note that this has only worked with the elementary students. The middle school students are too concerned with being cool to care about prizes.

And now the unsuccessful idea.

Signs in Class

I posted this idea a few months ago at Dave's, and received feedback that it would not yield results. That feedback was correct.

What I did was make signs with English on them for various phrases that kids use most often (Please give me..., I need a..., How do you spell _____?, etc.) and make them use those sentences when necessary. I have a total of seven signs, and only two of them have really been internalized with most students ("I have a question" and "I can't see").

By and large, when a student doesn't have a book, this is still what I get from them: "Teacher, me book no." If they need a pencil sharpener, this is what I get: "Pencil sharpener." If they need to go to the bathroom, I get this: "Me, bestroom." If their test book is full and they need a new one, I get: "Teacher, me book no."

It's been a completely fruitless effort for all but maybe two or three students. I still make them use the sample sentences when applicable, but it's merely a matter of them reading the signs every time rather than internalizing the meanings.

Q.

[pet lover]

On signs: When students ask me a poorly worded question, one that is clearly modeled for them on a sign, I stare at them blankly. Sometimes I point to the sign, wordlessly, but usually the other kids chime in with the correct sentence. Irritates the heck out of the student who wanted a drink of water.

Student 1: "Me water."
Me: *blank look*
Student 2: "MAY I GET a DRINK of water, PLEASE?"
Me: *lookly directly at student 2 with a big smile* "Yes, YOU may."
Student 1: *tries again* "May I get a drink of water, please?"
Me: "You can't go until 'student 2' comes back."
Student 1: *frustrated look*
Student 2 comes back in and Student 1 has to try again and is not allowed to look at the sign. If student 1 gets it right first try, fine. If not, he/she has to say it ten times before I let him/her go get the water.

They are getting very good.

[tomato]

Qinella, I have made a major attempt to break the "teacher, book no" habit. Each week, I printed out an illustrated page, showing the correct version of one of their favorite holophrases, along with variations. I spent the whole class period on that page.

One week, I spent a whole class period on "I have to go to the bathroom." "I have to go to school." "I have to go to the store."

Then what did the students say the very next week?
Yep, you guessed it: "hwajangshil."

[Qinella]

[peppermint]

On the verb issue- usually when you study a foreign language, one of the first things you learn is how to conjugate the verb " to be" and then you build out to present tense verbs, past tense etc. For some reason, verb patterns seem to be completely ignored in the Korean public school curriculum, and I haven't really seen them dealt with in any hagwon text books either.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[BigBlackEquus]

Pep, you hit the nail on the head. Or the Kim on the mori, or whatever the heck should be said.

It is something I learned eventually and was never taught to teach, either. But it is what works.

[Qinella]

Hmm.. I don't know, Peppermint. My hagwon is using the English Time series, which concentrates heavily on verb usage, especially after volume 3. Also, I do multitudinous handouts wherein the students must answer with complete sentences, and I make them speak to me in complete sentences during class.

But... out of 98 students, perhaps four of them make real efforts to incorporate learned vocabulary into their speech with me. Even the others, who do seem to want to learn and show sincere attempts to understand and improve, just can't get it. It's mind boggling.

Q.

[VanIslander]

Both ideas work well.

[Qinella]