Korean Job Discussion Forums

justincan · Joined: 19 Jul 2006

I just started my job at a hagwon about a week ago.

So far everything is going pretty good. However, Im not really sure what Im doing in the classroom. I started teaching my very first day at the school, and have recieved absolutely zero training. All I have to go by are the work books the students have. I am able to 'wing it' decently most classes I think, but sometimes its a struggle, and at the end of the day I wonder how effective I am.

What I am looking for is some general advice on how to teach english. Like start each class with a review, how to keep them engaged and interested, how to draw up a lesson plan, etc. even information on how to maintain discipline would be good.

the level of student is kindergarden, and early middle school.

Got any good website suggestions or anything?

Thanks.

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

Just look at the pages that the class will be studying that day and try to think of it from a foreign language learner's perspective. This will become easier for you over time, but what you need to do is identify little things we don't typically notice, then drill those with the students.

If I have complete reign over a class, I'll do it like this:

- identify the grammatical structure and vocabulary being taught

- expose it to the students and see if they can understand it

- create a form, such as (for beginners): ____ ____ because ____ ____. Get them to understand the form, then have them open their notebooks and practice a few examples.

- after the written practice comes spoken practice. They will give me some examples.

- Next, I will teach related forms. If you are teaching "because", of course the inverse is "why". "Why does ____ ____ ____ ?" The answer is what they just learned previously.

For high beginner students and above, you need to assess their needs. What is the purpose of your class? Are you the only teacher they see, or do they have other teachers who focus on grammar or vocabulary? Once you identify their specific needs, it will be easier for you to structure a lesson around them.

With middle school students, it's likely that your goal is listening. If this is the case, here are some tips for conducting an effective listening class:

1. Have some listening material (probably the textbook)

2. Read it to them one time at a fast pace.

3. Ask a few very easy questions.

4. Read it again, but a little bit slower, and stressing key parts.

5. Ask as many questions as you possibly can about what you just read.

You can explain vocabulary and grammar using TPR (total physical response), which means using your body or your marker to explain things, since you can't provide translations.

Above all, remember to encourage them always. If they can't get it, it's okay. It's not life or death. If they do get it, let them know how smart they are. Remember that children respond more to facial expressions, body language and tone of voice than they do to spoken words. Also, if you have the best kids in class translating to Korean for the kids with weaker English skill, tell them to cut it out. Do not allow that. It will only hurt the weaker students in the end.

ChopChaeJoe · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul

Welcome to Korea.

No idea about middle schoolers. For now with the kindergarteners, just go by the kids' books. Stop after each page to see if they learned anything. If not, do it again. Change the order of things. Go slow, think of quick games. Change activities every 5-15 mintes. Be entertaining -- don't be afraid to be a jackass.

Study what is happening and come back here and ask more questions.

If you have written work, the kids will all cheat off each other, so do the written excercises as a class until you figure how to deal with that.

It doesn't have to be perfect. I didn't figure out how to teach until after about 6 months. I've only been here about a year so I'm still in training.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

The middle schoolers might need a lot of assesment. They'll require a very different approach from the younger kids, even though they may act like they're still in kindergarten sometimes. The hogwan's material may be far too easy or difficult, so don't be afraid to bring in your own stuff. Bring in some English stuff on things they're already intersted in like Pokeman, Magna, Britteny Spears, or fashion. Be sure to give them lots of praise for doing even simple things right, as at this age it's at least 50% confidence that determines how well they'll use English.

If you get any flak from management about not using their own boring, repetative curriculum just nod and say 'yes', fill out lesson plan guides the way they want, but nevertheless keep doing whatever works best in the classroom. If they like the storybook but hate the dialogue book, or vice-versa, focus more on what maintains their interest, as it's better for them to give 50% of the material their 100% attention than 100% of the material their 25% attention. Don't assume for a moment that any Korean at your hogwan knows anything about teaching English effectively.

Be patient, to the best extent you can. Don't put up with any shit and use whatever disciplinary techniques work regardless of what management may think, but always keep in mind that the type of learning you're trying to do is foreign to the kids and it takes them a long, long time to get used to thinking up anything on their own in English, whether it's speaking or writing. And smile a lot Very Happy

even if it's 7pm and you've already had a long, hard day of getting put through the grinder by the younger kids.

casey's moon · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: Daejeon

I'd start each class with a little routine. With the kindergarteners, you need a hello song and then talk about the day of the week and the weather. With the middle school kids, (are you sure they're middle school and not elementary?), you might want to skip the song and instead talk about just the date and weather (day of the week, which month, the date and weather).

The other advice on this thread is good -- just wanted to add that part. ESL students respond well to routine. It builds their confidence.

riley · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Location: where creditors can find me

Don't forget to do review with all levels. Spend about 10 minutes at the start reviewing what they learned last class. It could be grammar, vocabulary, etc. They need this to help them to remember.
Remember that kindergartners tire out quickly but have high levels of energy. They learn best through active learning, and like to be active. Try to use English songs with them.

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

These are all very good ideas. I like to manage my time the following way based on a 50 minute lesson with 12 elementary level students:

1. Hello, and how are you? I don't accept "I'm fine thank you, and you?", or "so, so." I start to offer them alternatives "Are you hungry, thirsty, tired, bored, angry, sick, hot, cold, ect..." and ask them to honestly tell me how they are. Eventually, the students actually start telling you how they are. After that, I get them to tell me why they feel that way. I try to get them to speak in sentences. Depending on their level, will depend on the complexity of their next response, and I will correct it somewhat, or offer them an alternative again. Soon they start coming up with the formula, and can get the sentences out with ease. This exercise shows them you care about them, and second, you are getting them started talking with what they know, themselves. (It may take 10 minutes the first few times, but soon enough they pick it up, and you can get them down to 7)

2. I go over their homework which was a reinforcement of the previous lesson. I do board work, and verify students answered correctly. I demonstrate with a few kids' work where the errors are and show them how to correct them. (Another 7-8 minutes, if the students are of a lower age, or the homework was a simple task i.e. phonics work, word list writing I re-inforce the previous days tasks.)

3. Depending on what materials you are teaching, i.e. conversation, reading, listening comprehesion, or writing, the style of warm-up will vary, yet revolve around themes that will appear in the lesson. Remember that while the information might be easy for you to comprehend, many of the students will be talking about these concepts for the first time. I get them to relate it somehow to them. I try to get their minds in gear. If there is a wordlist that they needed to go over for this lesson, I will get them to create sentences to put the words into context. (10 minutes)

4. I get into the lesson from the book. Remember that there are three types of learners: those that learn getting up and doing, those by speaking and hearing. There are also those that just learn by the drill technique, just rewriting everything over and over. You need to be flexible in your lessons, and change up your tactics from time to time, as what works for one student may not work for the next student. The bottom line is that you want to try and get everybody involved on a daily basis. (20 minutes)

5. Review the concepts, themes, and ideas that were spawned by the lesson at hand with an activity. Assign the homework, and how to do it. (5 minutes)

The students tend to have an attention span that equals 1 minute per year old they are. So you need to change your style accordingly. Prepare a number of activities so that if something isn't working, you can switch it up to re-gain their attention.

Just keep them active all the time, and you must first enjoy the material, cause if you don't, they certainly won't. Have Fun. Very Happy

cuckoococoon · Joined: 11 Sep 2006

First of all, it is normal not to get any training. It's great that you asked the forum for advice. Smile

You have already got some good teaching advice. Here are a few things that I can tell you to keep you, the kids, your boss and the parents happy:

1. For kinder: Have enough activities to be able to switch up the class every five minutes. I'm not saying that you will use it all... but sometimes 5-year-olds will decided they don't want to do whatever it is you want to that day.

2. Don't sit down. I know it seems silly, but often parents can't understand what you are saying... so they judge the class by what they see. If they see a teacher sitting down during class, then they wonder where their money is going.

3. Use the board a lot. same explanation as above.

4. Mark every page of homework or class work with a red pen. Again, maybe it doesn't seem important to you.... but if you put some kind of mark, that means that you have seen it. Even if you don't have time to go over it and check for mistakes (but I think you should try) just a bit of red pen on the workbook, homework or game lets the parents know that you are paying their kid some attention.

I have found that using those rules... even if I don't feel like giving 100% in a class on a particular day... will keep me under the radar. I mean, if the bosses are going to pick at someone, they will probably pick at the one that they can SEE doing something wrong.... like not checking homework, sitting down or not using the board.

It seems nit-picky, but once I figured that stuff out... life seemed easier.

Good Luck and welcome to Korea!

justincan · Joined: 19 Jul 2006

Thanks for the advice.

Two weeks in and I feel a lot more organized.

Got any good quick games? I dont play a lot of them but, there has to be something better then hangman everytime.

CBP · Joined: 15 May 2006 Location: Korea

Have you introduced yourself beyond the basics? There are some great ice-breakers that I found on this site somewhere that could translate into a fun series of exercises when you run out of things to do. They involve getting to know you better, where you're from and what you like, and getting to know them better. This might be fun for the last few minutes of the last class each week. These could also be used as lead-in exercises for grammar and vocabulary and whatnot.

Anyway, thanks so much for daring to bare your newness to teaching. This is a really helpful thread. I look forward to reading more here.

Cheers.

jinks · Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Location: Formerly: Lower North Island

tomato · Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject: