tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154452806180550551.post2065136176445948533..comments2024-03-29T02:16:10.331-07:00Comments on South Korea Inside Out/Australia Inside Out: Troubles with the Co-TeacherSmudgerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00449129060365290678noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154452806180550551.post-30668322540831760832013-09-08T16:53:24.918-07:002013-09-08T16:53:24.918-07:00Yes, I agree. I think the biggest challenge is to...Yes, I agree. I think the biggest challenge is to make your lessons interesting in Korea, do that and it is half the battle won and it is my number one priority in planning a class.<br /><br />Completely agree with the way they teach English too, you use a cooking analogy, but I as a sportsman did use a football analogy on another blog somewhere: i.e. they get taught all the tactics of football, do a few dribbling skills maybe, but never actually play a game.Smudgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00449129060365290678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154452806180550551.post-4883663886885758562013-09-01T23:53:01.351-07:002013-09-01T23:53:01.351-07:00My bugaboo with the Korean co-teachers is that the...My bugaboo with the Korean co-teachers is that they refuse to actually teach English in their own classes (2 days a week), so when the students come to my class (1 day a week) they see me as an unreasonable freak, the fat person with the funny-colored eyes who expects them to SPEAK ENGLISH! <br /><br />In our school, the co-teachers teach exclusively in Korean. They don't say as much as "Open your books to page 22" or "Which sentence is correct?" in English. I sat in one one CT's grammar class. The kids were epxosed to exactly 8 sentences in English, 6 of which had grammar errors in them but were taught as being model sentences.<br /><br />The method the kids are exposed to 2 days per week is akin to teaching home ec by having the kids read cookbooks aloud, memorize how many teaspoons in a cup, etc., but never actually having them cook.<br /><br />Since my students have spent 6 years being taught that English is dull, tedious, and difficult, it's an uphill battle to get them to stop resenting it. To enjoy it? That's the Holy Grail.Christina Duniganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04785550737493692252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154452806180550551.post-55283378452909712952013-07-15T16:26:25.118-07:002013-07-15T16:26:25.118-07:00Yes, I think you are pretty much spot on here. I w...Yes, I think you are pretty much spot on here. I would never deny that there are a great many bad foreign teachers out there, but you can iron-out most of the creases with a good system. There is not much consistency with regard to the relationship between co-teachers and NETs and it can vary from school to school. The only thing you can be sure of is, in fact, the inconsistency.<br /><br />It was never my intention with this article to paint a picture of all schools being like mine in Korea, only to say that as an NET you really don't know what you are going to get when you start a new teaching position. That is the one thing I am pretty confident in generalising about regarding this subject.Smudgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00449129060365290678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154452806180550551.post-12547068549702952342013-07-14T08:15:59.519-07:002013-07-14T08:15:59.519-07:00I have spent considerably more time around Korean ...I have spent considerably more time around Korean teachers of English (albeit elementary teachers) than I have around NETs in the public school system, and it is interesting to note that the Korean co-teachers often have complained about their foreign NETs, about their lack of training, poor attitudes, about immaturity, about lack of cultural understsnding, etc. Mostly I have attributed this to poor recruitment and a lack of instruction/preparation for the NETs, but I guess inadequate preparation and instruction for the Korean teachers can also a problem. I too am a strong advocate of having NETs in the Korean school system, but its a shame and a waste of public funds if the team-teaching system so frequently breaks down, regardless of which half is the cause. If Seoul and Gyeonggido are any example, however, it is likely that NETs in Korean high schools will be a thing of the past anyway.<br />(FYI my experience is in teaching at the tertiary level and in teacher training)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154452806180550551.post-46900173359495656662013-07-13T15:29:41.848-07:002013-07-13T15:29:41.848-07:00A few people have picked up on that one paragraph ...A few people have picked up on that one paragraph and, I agree with you I can't really comment on all other public schools. However, This is pretty much the exact language used at my orientation with the other teachers. They said things like, "usually you will have one co-teacher assigned to you" and that they would be working with us together. I think what I said was accurate; there will be many exceptions, but this is what we were all lead to expect at orientation.<br /><br />Thanks for commenting and giving me the chance to clear this up.Smudgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00449129060365290678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154452806180550551.post-29499059187940329632013-07-12T23:31:02.251-07:002013-07-12T23:31:02.251-07:00A bit interesting. I can definitely relate to what...A bit interesting. I can definitely relate to what you said about co-teachers getting in the way more than helping... and also about them having no time to actually meet and talk about troubles or students.<br /><br />I would recommend that you change the language in this article because you often use terms like "mostly" and "usually" and "often"... but I don't think you really know what goes on in many other public schools across Korea. From the people I've talked to, and my own experience, the coteacher doesn't help plan or deliver lessons. They walk around helping students, grading, and disciplining. They're more like babysitters - as the ones you described.<br /><br />CheersCarbonChrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17904146966814347947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154452806180550551.post-38609386591847314402013-07-12T19:04:40.532-07:002013-07-12T19:04:40.532-07:00Well, it's in Korean here: http://m.news.naver...Well, it's in Korean here: http://m.news.naver.com/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=003&aid=0005164031<br /><br />The article I found it was on a site called everydaykorea.com: http://everydaykorea.com/2013/06/government-study-in-favor-of-native-english-teachers/<br /><br />Thanks for pointing that out, I should have linked that on the article, I will do now.Smudgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00449129060365290678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8154452806180550551.post-23458901418770201302013-07-12T17:37:13.494-07:002013-07-12T17:37:13.494-07:00Hi, I am also teaching at a HS in Korea. I was won...Hi, I am also teaching at a HS in Korea. I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the research that suggests NETs can improve Engish ability. ThanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com