Korean Job Discussion Forums

[paddylopez]

Eek! I have my open class coming up in mid december. It's 1st grade and we're doing the 12 lesson in the middle school English book

12 "What's the matter?"

Any of you middle school teachers got any good ideas? It's hard to keep them intersted. If you have any ideas of what's worked for you I'd love to hear them.

[koreakowboy]

I actually just finished teaching that topic this week. What do you think of that textbook? Not all that great in my opinion.

Anyway, they are going to want to see your class doing alot of speaking. To teach the intro ailment vocabulary I used TPR. You might have to make a worksheet with the ailments on it (I supplemented with Side by Side 1) This works well if you are dramatic and introduce some funny actions for the ailments. My students like TPR so hope yours do as well. If the students are in pairs get one student to act out an ailment the other one answers. After introducing the vocab. I pre-taught the dialogue using powerpoint covering important grammar points and the "you should . . ." grammar. Give them another handout with the dialogue on it. I left the final "you should . . . . " blank so it creates an information gap and they will have to choose a good response. I let them practice in pairs for awhile then called on them individually to stand up and do the dialogue. I let the students choose which pair goes next to keep the class interesting. The only problem with this lesson is that the other students are doing nothing but listening. If Ihad an open class I might make a communicative bingo activity and put them in groups of four. Hope this helps.

[tiger fancini]

Has your co-teacher asked you to prepare the open class? In my limited experience, the open classes are planned and prepared by the Korean teacher, and the foreign teacher is given instructions and rehersal time (with K teacher and students) before the class. This is why I find it a tad hypocritical that the open classes are supposed to be a statement that goes something like "Hey! This is how we teach English here, this is just a regular lesson." In fact, it couldn't be any further from a "regular" lesson if it took place in Peru.

[rothkowitz]

There are 2 kinds of demo class.

The first the Korean co-teacher WILL be concerned about as it involves their promotion points.

People will stay after and they'll be a feedback session.

The second the Korean co-teacher WON'T care about and is done so that whoever is chosen to represent the local Education Board(just some teacher drawn from whatever school)can tick some box titled "done".

People will split straight after.

If the Korean teacher hasn't said anything by now then I wouldn't expect any real input from them.I think you're free to do as you like-do a regular class.

[rhinocharge64]

Think clown and circus or monkey and zoo and you will be fine. Honestly, i *beep* you not, it's like Arrirang but slightly more retarded. Make sure to involve all of the kids, otherwise those who don't participate will have their lovely parents waiting in the wing wanting to know why.

[spliff]

Mine was first rate! Korean CO-TEACHER Was a huge HELP... Even got it on video tape so I can use it w/ resumes, just plop it somewhere on the net and put the link on the resume! NICE...

[khyber]

I've had about 6 open classes...(but 3 of them were for my after school class). My teacher was involved in "some kind of contest".... She did ALL of the planning though and just toldme what to do.

Paddy...definitely involve as many students as possible...get them talking...it'd be a good idea if you get a bunch of totally ridiculous scenarios (shot by a robber, hit by a car [ridiculous like that ]); something to make hte kids be jusdt ridiculous.

Of course, knowing your relationship with your coteacher, I'd suggest you have the teacher walk in; have the students ask "What's the matter?"...to have him reply "There is a textbook up my ass.""

[rothkowitz]

There's a pronunciation chant right there