Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Smee]

Hello, I'm gearing up for my class of 2nd graders. I appreciate your suggestions in the last thread about phonics, and I'll be trying some of them in the near future. (It's so difficult when they can't read and they don't know any English beyond "hello" and loan words like "bus" and "banana.") But, anyway, "bus," "banana," "boy," and my name are all examples of "B-words." I tried to explain this concept to them last time, and to demonstrate it by using tons of English and Korean examples, but they just didn't get it. (There's no Korean teacher in the class wtih me, so sometimes very simple tasks become quite difficult). So, how would you say "B words" in Korean? Is there even an equivalent? Thanks.

[kat2]

If they really know as little as you have said in your last thread, then they may just need more time. An immersion environment can be frighetning and difficult for them at first. They'll warm up. Prepare yourself with some flashcards of B words. They probably don't know very many. Drill on the sound. They'll get it after a few class periods. the first few weeks you teach beginners, they won't learn much. Its more about getting them used to "the system" and speaking in English.

[Qinella]

How did you try explaining it? I would use an approach like this:

Write 3 words, such as your examples of banana, bus, and boy. Underline the B in each word. Then write another word, minus the B and put an underscore. Like this: _ean. Elicit the answer: 'What letter?' If they can't get it, just show them. Then do another. _ear. Then try it in reverse. Write a B and then some underscores, and get them to guess letters, sort of like hangman but without the drawing. B_ _. Big!

You can say '그 밖에 다른 B로 시작하는 단어들을 생각할 수 있니?' But first try to ask them in English.

[BrianInSuwon]

At first, you shouldn't be teaching them to read words.

Reading a word is way too hard. You want them to learn the first sound, middle sound, and end sound all at once. And each word has a different middle sound, and end sound to remember. Way too hard.

Do they even know the alphabet yet? And I don't mean the song. Make a set of alphabet flash cards. Teach 6 letters the first day, the next day review the old letters and add 2 new ones. The first day, I would teach the vowels and B.

Once they know the vowels then you can begin teaching the first sounds. Tape the vowels AEIO to the board. Hold up the B card and say "E ROOM HAH GO SO RE TELL I O" (which means the name and sound are different) "E ROOM, B .... SO RE, bah...bah...bah" Now, one by one, hold the B infront of the different vowels and practise. bA, bE, bI, bO. Keep practicing until the kids can yell out the right sounds as you randomly place the card in front of a vowel.

The next day introduce two new letters; M and T. Repeat the steps above to introduce and practise the sounds.

Wait until the end of the course to teach R and L, V and Z, and F. They are harder. The V and Z are hard because they vibrate. The V, Z, and F are hard because they don't have these sounds in Korean.

Also during this course you can teach vocabulary. The kids don't want to work on phonics the whole time. Maybe 15 minutes of phonics, 15 minutes of vocabulary, and 10 minutes of TPR.

You should be teaching them vocabulary using picture cards.

Have 8 picture cards, 7 are objects that begin with b and 1 doesn't.
Once the students can easy yell out the name for the pictured object then ask them "B SO RE E SAW YO?" (Which means, does it have the B sound?) Later you can shorten this to "B?" (with a puzzled look on your face).

The next day introduce 8 new pictures (7+1). Once they know the new vocab. Mix the old vocab cards into the pile and review.

Once you've taught the alphabet (names) and first sounds. You can begin working on the end sounds. Pick one or two end sounds per class. (sun, fun, gun, run). They are reviewing the first sounds and only learning a little new, the "un" sound.

Tape the SFGR to the board and hold up the "UN" next to a letter and have them yell out the word.

Know they are reading words!

[Qinella]

I don't mean to be argumentative, but I have to disagree with a few things you said.

[BrianInSuwon]

I don't mind, actually I enjoy a good argument.

I agree that most students wouldn't have a hard time learning some basic words. But I believe in building a strong and solid foundation and adding sound and solid levels on top of that. Yes students should learn a set of "sight words" but they should also follow a well developed progression.

I agree, definitely challenge the students. But don't throw them in the water and play "sink or swim". Follow a progression that is easy for 15%, challenging for 70%, and too difficult for 15%.

E ROOM HAH GO.... 이름 하고....name and.....the HAH is the sound of laughing. I apologize..English is a FCK up language. There is no great consistance. Korean is a much more consistant language. It is a shame that the Korean language lacks letters for certain sounds the mouth can make. I hear that punjabi or maybe udu from India has a letter for pretty much every sound. And that chart at the beginning of the dictionary is pretty good for consistancy but they use backwards letters and dots and such.

PAUSE...disclaimer...I just finished a bottle of soju and I'm about to go to the freezer and get another bootle...so please don't point out any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors in this message.

Okay, I'm back.

I left out the U because its easier to leave it out. It is a combination of sounds. When I have the students practise bA, bE, bI, bO, they are not practicing the various sounds the A or E or I or O can represent. In other words the combination bAbE would sound like baby and the bI would always sound like buy or bye. There focus is on the 'b' sound.

sounds they don't have....my argument is yes, they don't exactly match but certain sounds are a lot closer and easier to reproduce than other sounds, from my experience. Start with the sounds that are easier for them while they are still learning the method of your teaching style and hold off on the more difficult sounds.

Yes, I admit, I do have the students do a matching exercise with ㅁ with M, ㄴ and n, ㄲ and g, ㅋ and K... and they have no problem with it. Neither I nor the students I teach have perfect pitch. We both seem to agree that they sound the same.

I personally don't see a problem using Korean in the classroom. Especially for a foreigner, I might spend 2% of the class time speaking Korean, unlike a Korean teacher that would spend 80% of the classtime speaking Korean. I always follow it up with the English equivalent, which I repeat at least two times.