Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cater]

Hi there,
I am a new teacher working at a Public Elementary School in Daegu. Each week I have to teach 1 hour to the Korean teachers. The principal wants it to be fun and interesting ( of course!) The problem is it is a really conservative class, and no one wants to participate. I am trying to teach them " English Survival Skills" for different settings, like the doctor, shopping, ordering at a restaurant, etc. They seem pleased with the idea, but I need some help!
What types of activities can I do with them that won't insult their intellegence? There is a huge range of levels in the class, and there are about 60 people in total. Most are at a very basic level. I have done songs, dialouges, pictures, comics... any suggestions?

[ChuckECheese]

[butlerian]

Yeah, first week or so will be unpleasant, but most should stop coming after awhile. That'll hopefully leave you with a more reasonable number of teachers with a more similar standard of English to each other.

[gsxr750r]

You need to break them up into groups of 2 or 3 and do activities where they can actually talk to each other and use their English. Very, very few Koreans will talk in such a large group -- ESPECIALLY the English teachers. Gosh forbid, someone should have better English than them, and show them up in front of the entire staff!

We've got a janitor at my school who speaks better English than one of the English teachers at my last school. I think Yum Bum Suk mentioned a similar situation once.

[poet13]

I think the most effective, if not appropriate way to get them to talk, even all at once, is to ask the prettiest lady there up to the front of the room.
Then douse her with fuel oil and set her on fire. Tell the teachers a similar fate awaits those who don't speak.
If you're not comfortable with that tactic, then I would have to agree with what the other poster said about talking in large groups. Many Koreans aren't comfortable with that.

I would break them into smaller groups, maybe 5 or 7 people. Give them a topic to discuss, like a news story, or something historical, or have them create a skit. A very small skit (one minute), like asking for directions, ordering a pizza, making an appointment. Have them present it to the rest of the class. I think it's better if it doesn't include the whole group, cause that allows the very shy an escape route. It allows them to talk in their group, but doesn't force them to talk in front of the whole class. Go group to group sorting out pronunciation, structure etc. You could even choose the best one or two English teachers as assistants.