Korean Job Discussion Forums

[YellowFella]

It bothers me when learning becomes a function of filling out worksheets or listening to the teacher lecture in English. I've taken a few basic education courses and I KNOW that there are just so many possible ways to enhance the students' learning through activities that engage them at many levels, and in many facets of their capacity as learners. I was reminded recently of the multiple intelligences, and I am thinking out loud as to what we can do to use this insight in our ESL teaching.

What are your ideas, experiences and advice on how to do this?

[Mody Ba]

Fella,your post sounds like something out of the "X-Files' Care to explain what you mean by "multiple intelligences'?Are we talking ESP here?

Seriously(well semi,anyway)...you said you took 'a few basic education courses".Sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.Do you have any other qualifications to teach other than "a few basic education courses"?I am not trying to be insulting.Just curious.

[The Lemon]

He's right - it's true that there's such a thing as "multiple intellegences" - for example, some people are musically "bright", some are good with logic/math stuff... it's based on a theory by Howard Gardner, and it makes sense.

People also learn in different ways - some through listening, some people need to see a visual representation... the problem with using different approaches here is that our students are trained to learn in only one way - lecture/workbook. I'm not sure their radios are set to receive on other stations.

[mokpochica]

When we talked about teaching to the multiple intelligences in Ed School they gave us these ideas:

1. Plan lessons with a teacher of another subject (collaboration) and set up a time where you will co-teach a class. (i.e. do an art project where kids paint a poem in English or something).

2. Make your foreign language classroom a place where different subjects are touched upon:
a) use Music in the classroom
b) Do a dance/sports lesson with vocabulary being taught in English beforehand and then used during the lesson.
c) Teach kids math terms in English and give them story problems.
d) Teach kids scientific terms and read aboutscience in English.

The possibilities are really endless when you are teaching foreign languages.

[Blue Flower]

For those of you that don't know what multiple intelligences are, they are that each person has an individual style of learning that suits them best. there are about nine I think. They are as follows:

Kinesthetic - learns best when moving around, playing with things, using thier hands etc. If you have students that can't sit still for long, like to move around, they are most likely kinesthetic learners. Try to incorporate movement into the lesson. They are the "doing" kids.

Musical - as Lemon said - learn well through music and rhythm. these are the kids that are tapping out tunes on the desks, always listening to their walkmans etc. Have natural affinity for music.

Visual - visual learners learn best when they have visual objects to look at - movies, pictures, diagrams, maps etc.

Natural - not sure bout this one - supposed to learn better through the natural world. plants, animals etc.

Aural - learn best through listening - these kids like to hear you lecture on in english, that is how they learn best, by hearing.

Logical/Mathematical - these kids learn best when things follow a logical path, they can work things out, using numbers, etc.

Inter-personal - these are the kids that like to be social, moving around and talking to a lot of people - they learn best when they talk about the problem/issue etc with other people.

Intra-personal - these are the kids that do thier thinking internally - they like to sit by themselves, aren't as social as the interpersonal, they think over problems themselves, do not use other people as a sounding board.

and lastly Spatial - though have no idea bout this one. can't remember.

Best thing is to use as many of the different intelligences as you can each lesson. Obviously in your normal hakwan this is not going to happen, but if you can plan your own lessons, try to include visual, oral, and kinesthetic activities every lesson, and bring out the other intelligences when you can. This way you will be tapping into the widest streams of intelligences. As most people are kinesthetic, visual or oral.

[the_beaver]

The original theory of Multiple Intelligences put the number at 7 and a few more were added later. Gardner isn't looking at ways to approach teaching (by incorporating kinesthetic to augment linguistic learning, etc.), but at a completely revamped education system that stimulates all of the intelligences. It's more a theory of what should be stimulated than how to teach.

But

Whether or not the theory is correct about the number of intelligences, it is great food for thought. Reading about Multiple Intelligences has reinforced the idea in me that all people are different and learn differently (I knew that before, but I came to understand it while reading "Frames of Mind"). At the very least, whether or not it's what Gardner intended, using approaches that are directed at stimulating the different intelligences will make for varied, interesting classes.

[Mody Ba]

All that multiple intelligence theory stuff will not help you a whit teaching the typical kiddies at the typical hakwon.Just play bingo with them.Maybe the theory is valid for other venues,but not at a hakwon.

[Ody]

useful links.
bookmarked them all.

here are the multiple intelligences as listed in one of mokpochica's links:

The Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence
The Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
The Visual-Spatial Intelligence
The Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
The Musical-Rhymic Intelligence
The Interpersonal Intelligence
The Intrapersonal Intelligence
The Naturalistic Intelligence

thanks

[Dugsby]

Mody Ba, I think that the multiple intelligences theory is valid in all venues where education is concerned, even at a haegwon.

Quite often I find myself in front of a class looking at a list of words that are the day's "lesson" and wondering about how to translate the lesson into something that will stick with the children without sending them into a repetition induced coma --- I find there are only so many times one can say "repeat after me" and get a response.

One tool I was taught by the instructor of my TESOL course was a total body response (where you remember with your body as well as your mind) method for location terms, where the students use hand motions to show on, in, under, in front, behind, beside and next to (sung to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb"). I've used this tool effectively with all my classes (and it makes things a little more interesting than a straight-forward verbal drill).

Anytime I can figure out a way to get the class to do more than just speak during practices (which is not that often), I'll give it a try.

[rapier]

I believe mulder and scully can be of service here. They could also investigate fan death and the gummiho and the practise of sticking pins in your fingers.

[rapier]

scully:"I owed you big time".
Mulder: "I need you Scully. You make me a whole person."
Scully:"But I'm bored with trying to figure out Korean's. Its impossible!"
Mulder: " We owe it to the human race to continue. We've completed nearly a year of our contracts, and besides, I think Koreans are aliens that were beamed down onto mount Seoraksan 4000 years ago."
Scully" Its no good. I can't take it any more. I'm going to Thailand."

[angela]

I just left Korea and as I reflect on the experience, I think that teaching ESL with the Gardner theory in mind, would really help the students. Most Koreans are judged / evaluated only on their abilities to memorize and use language skills as their basis. Learning through music, movement, etc. is not considered "learning" but "playing." I had one student in particular that was a gorgeous, long-haired teenager, creativity oozed out of every pore, but he did not do well on any test where "words" were needed (not at our hogwan or at his regular school). His parents fortunately saw this wonderful child, and all his potential and encouraged him to join a singing group. His uncle started a choral group and they traveled to the USA. When he told us all about his trip (speaking English very well by then), it was just magical to hear. He was so expressive, so feeling, and I realized he was such a rare find in Korea. Most children are worked to death, their creativity is controlled and it must be part of their studying. Have you noticed many children draw in "steps", mechanically reproducing a skunk one step at a time? I know that many young parents are now leaving the memorization mold, and stepping outside the status quo. There have been articles about the Korean Education system changing to use the "levels of intelligence" which is Blooms Taxonomy. That would certainly help, but Gardner and his suggested methods of teaching will take a bit longer to reach Korea. In fact, it has hardly touched the surface of education in North America, never mind Asia. I think that utilizing Gardner's theories will help foster positive self-esteems in all children, and future adults. It is just saying that we are all different, learn in different and unique ways, and are geniuses in our own way. We all have the potential to tap into the genius inside of us if we keep striving for our highest potential.

[rapier]

Deep throat (puffing on cigarette): Agent mulder, proceed immediately to the hamilton hotel. We have a new victim of fan death. I believe you'll find the answer you're looking for in the aircon."
Mulder: I've already analysed the victim, its the same every time, not enough blood in the soju stream"
Scully: Scientists claim that Gimchi definitely can cure SARS. I've sent a communique to president Bush telling him to flood the supermarkets with the stuff."