Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cgroch]

So I'll be starting my teaching job next month teaching middle school kids preparing for their high school entrance exams. Anyone with experience with this age group care to enlighten me? How is their english at this point? Will they be too old for games? Are they anything like American middle schoolers (aka little monsters)? Will the be difficult to teach? Are they resistant to speaking out loud?

Thanks! Any advice would be really helpful!

[Qinella]

Well, I'll share with you my experience.

Middle school kids I've taught have generally had low conversational English ability. So, I can speak at a normal speed, excluding slang and idioms, and be understood fairly well.

One thing you might run into is stonewall silence. This is the worst thing, imo. You get a class that simply will not respond to anything you say. Nothing you do can draw a reaction. It can be frustrating at that point.

Of course they like games, but they don't want an easy game. Here are some ideas for middle school.

1. Scattergories. Print up a Scattergories table with categories that are somewhat broad. If you don't know about Scattergories, look it up.

2. 2 lies, 1 truth. Or, 2 truths, 1 lie. This is a good icebreaker.

3. Word description. Have some paper slips with a word listed, and also two or three words that can't be said. The student must describe the target word without saying the verboten words, and other students must guess what is being described.


For your first class, you should just have conversation. No games or anything. Just get to know the students. Don't correct their English at all in the beginning, because you want to build confidence. Just try your hardest to understand, and if you don't understand pretend to anyway and go on to another student. Give heavy reactions.

This web site (eslcafe.com) has some great ice breakers under the Idea Cookbook section. You should check it out.

The main thing is to stay positive, and remember they are not little kids. If you patronize them, it won't turn out too well.

Q.

[ddeubel]

Good post and advice Qinella.

I just started teaching middle schoolers , twice a week, late afternoons.

Frustration. They seem shell shocked, post grammar book trauma. Seems their years of English education has seized up their vocal cords and they are truly petrified to speak. When they do it is in a whisper.....

They understand me. We do fun things. But even much harder than the adult teachers (some 50-60) I teach, to get to loosen up........I feel in attacking this problem I am more a psychologist than a teacher....

Games/singing work. But I still think they should be chatting up more. Maybe also the fact it is the end of day and they are brain dead, has an impact.

But you have to loosen them up towards English. Doing really stupid things , adolescent things helps. Tongue twisters, stupid songs Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do.....you have to get them over the "terror " of English.

Also relate to them not on a childish level as you said and also a very personal level. Talk about yourself (do the family photo thing, do the apartment on the board and they ask Where is....???) One way to open them up to speak.

My thoughts.

DD

[Yu_Bum_suk]

It mostly depends on what type of institution you're working at. If you're preping them for HS entrance exams you'll most likely have grade 3s. Get them to bring their school text books to get an idea of what level they should be at.

As for teaching, try to make it a balance of hard work and fun. Forget what some may say about Korean middle schoolers - they're really much nicer than kids back home and in the right context are a real joy to work with.

[melbournegirl]

Hi, I've taught Grades 1 - 3 at a Public Middle school now for 10 months and its both exhilarating and frustrating. The hardest part is that I'm dealing with anywhere between 35 and 42 students per class so its almost impossible to get a whole lot of conversation going. Remember this age group 12-16 yo is very changeable, unpredictable and at the same time charming, risk takers. I generally love the 1st graders as they come in cute and shiny and love to speak in class and some are very smart. I teach in an affluent area so 1/3 kids have been abroad. Once they hit 2nd grade they seem to clam up and won't speak much, then by 3rd grade they change again. The hardest bit is getting them to speak in class generally. I know some kids have great skills but they get really self conscious. Then there are those that have accents from abroad and when they do open their mouths they get ribbed. So you can't win. I just constantly check my own expectations and enjoy small rewards. Its about building trust and confidence and having fun. Mix it up try songs, board games, small groups, word search puzzles (I know yawn but they keep quiet) and I don't need to talk, and they respond well to rewards.
Oh and they have tests ad nausea so they get v stressed and v sleepy. I often wonder about their study methods. Have fun!