Korean Job Discussion Forums

[therooster]

Let me first put some thing in perspective . Although I've taught for 3 years , I make no claims towards being some sort of expert on language education .

However , I don't think I'm far off saying there is something very wrong with the Korean education system .

As I have an active interest in behaviourism , I find the system here to be seriously lacking . The only motivational factor the students have are aversive . They fear failure , but recieve very little reward for doing well .

In my classes I've tried to add in aspects of positive reinforcement . I have it set up so that students putting effort in are rewarded in various ways . As this is a "listening and speaking" class I try and encourage and reward any attempts to speak , regardless of how acurate it is . This is my opinion is workign brilliantly . to get them coming into class with a positive mindset , instead of heading straight for the fetal position I always start of with a fun activity . I try and let there be a loose correlation between this activity and the follow up conversation part , but generally I find you can't force this issue .Fun is fun and dull is dull and so this might be a song with some gap fill or the like . I find the sacrifice in 10 extra minutes of "serious learning" time is well worth it to just get their minds in the class .

Now here is the problem . Although I've got so much positive feedback from the students and co-teachers It's been suggested to me that these extra forms of reinforcement are redundant and could be better spent going over the language point more .

I couldn't agree less . You could lecture style spend your time with 35 teenagers who study until 1 in the morning , trying to get something across , but really this just won't work . Why do you think they study so much English and yet have such a poor level ? They have long switched into zombie mode with these old fashioned methods...why not give something new a try ? If anything I'm getting them to love their english class , to break the shakles of being so shy and to play around with their English .If anything isn't this the best possible thing I could be doing for them ? Presenting english as a fun and playful activity , rather than a sadistic ,hellish , impossible tirade ?

I actually really like my job and the way it's going , but the signs are there that the squeeze might come onto me to conform to "regulated methods" ..which i'm sure will lead to 35 zombies wasting their time and mine ...killing both the students and my enthusiasm and generally leading to a non constructive environment. Does anyone have any opinions or similiar experiences in this regard ?

[bosintang]