(This post has a Chris Rating of 6)
There are a few things that bug me about the book this program uses. One is the fact that there are grammatical errors. Most of them aren't really errors, they're technically correct. They are merely slightly weird phrases that show the sentence wasn't written by a native speaker. Some, however, are simply errors, such as things failing to agree in number or tense (i.e. is happened). It's really embarrassing to pause in the middle of an exercise, explain the book is wrong, and correct the sentence before going on.
Another thing is that the book is simply soaked in Korean culture. This is all well and good in Korea, but we aren't in Korea, we're in Mongolia. The Mongolians struggle with Korean place names, foods and brands, then look to me for guidance. I explain to them that the word is Korean, that I have no clue how to say it, and that they can refer to it as The Magical Land at the End of the Sewer pipe for all I care. Actually I just tell them to make up a Mongolian name, which they then do.
A third thing that bugs me is that the book is soaked in Korean culture. I know, I've been over this, but this time I mean something different. I mean that it is from the Korean worldview. Since Korea (like America) is a first world country, Korea's world view tends to be rather... um... patronising. In questions that ask for a comparison of Korean and western cultures (or products, or whatever) the suggested answers tend to be a "heads I win, tails you lose" kind of deal. For instance:
Do you prefer iPod or iRiver (a Korean brand)?
A: I prefer iRiver. I have one and I really like it.
B: I don't have a preference, I dislike mac products.
Firstly, the second answer doesn't really make logical sense. If you dislike one but not the other you have a preference. Secondly, what if someone wanted to say they liked iPod?
There are a few things that bug me about the book this program uses. One is the fact that there are grammatical errors. Most of them aren't really errors, they're technically correct. They are merely slightly weird phrases that show the sentence wasn't written by a native speaker. Some, however, are simply errors, such as things failing to agree in number or tense (i.e. is happened). It's really embarrassing to pause in the middle of an exercise, explain the book is wrong, and correct the sentence before going on.
Another thing is that the book is simply soaked in Korean culture. This is all well and good in Korea, but we aren't in Korea, we're in Mongolia. The Mongolians struggle with Korean place names, foods and brands, then look to me for guidance. I explain to them that the word is Korean, that I have no clue how to say it, and that they can refer to it as The Magical Land at the End of the Sewer pipe for all I care. Actually I just tell them to make up a Mongolian name, which they then do.
A third thing that bugs me is that the book is soaked in Korean culture. I know, I've been over this, but this time I mean something different. I mean that it is from the Korean worldview. Since Korea (like America) is a first world country, Korea's world view tends to be rather... um... patronising. In questions that ask for a comparison of Korean and western cultures (or products, or whatever) the suggested answers tend to be a "heads I win, tails you lose" kind of deal. For instance:
Do you prefer iPod or iRiver (a Korean brand)?
A: I prefer iRiver. I have one and I really like it.
B: I don't have a preference, I dislike mac products.
Firstly, the second answer doesn't really make logical sense. If you dislike one but not the other you have a preference. Secondly, what if someone wanted to say they liked iPod?
There's another question about Korean and American houses with a similar answer set: either Korean houses are good because they're so close together, or American houses are bad because they're all the same.
Whatever.
I would like to take this opportunity to point out to Americans that this is what you sound like to the rest of the world. Quit it, it makes me gag.
I find it amazing how the weather influences the mood of the students. When it snowed day before yesterday the students came in like zombies. No one wanted to say a word. I spent the entire day trying to be the energizer bunny, and it DRAINED me like you wouldn't believe. The junior class was the worst. The students sat there either glaring at me or drooling on their desks, and absolutely refused to speak anything but Korean. The one Mongolian student has given up on saying much of anything because the Koreans dogpile on her whenever she does and tell her she's dumb. I then explain to them that they're a bunch of puerile moronic imbeciles, but unfortunately my explanation is beyond their understanding of English.
Or perhaps it's fortunate. Keeping one's job is a good thing.
Still, when the last two classes of the day roll around and the studying professionals (the one's who are here because they actually want to learn English) come in, it makes the job like heaven.
There was a question in the junior class book, "Have you ever sent an email in English?" No one had, so I gave them my school address and told them that I would give them candy if they sent an email in English. Out of five kids, I got three emails (maybe I'll get more before class, but it's almost nine so I doubt it).
Here's one of the replies:
hello teacher
i'm ellen
it homework
give me candy
tomorrow
good bye
ROFLOL! -sigh- Self centered simplicity is so funny in kids, I wish it could be funny in adults.
Kids playing 'red rover red rover' outside the school.
Whatever.
I would like to take this opportunity to point out to Americans that this is what you sound like to the rest of the world. Quit it, it makes me gag.
I find it amazing how the weather influences the mood of the students. When it snowed day before yesterday the students came in like zombies. No one wanted to say a word. I spent the entire day trying to be the energizer bunny, and it DRAINED me like you wouldn't believe. The junior class was the worst. The students sat there either glaring at me or drooling on their desks, and absolutely refused to speak anything but Korean. The one Mongolian student has given up on saying much of anything because the Koreans dogpile on her whenever she does and tell her she's dumb. I then explain to them that they're a bunch of puerile moronic imbeciles, but unfortunately my explanation is beyond their understanding of English.
Or perhaps it's fortunate. Keeping one's job is a good thing.
Still, when the last two classes of the day roll around and the studying professionals (the one's who are here because they actually want to learn English) come in, it makes the job like heaven.
There was a question in the junior class book, "Have you ever sent an email in English?" No one had, so I gave them my school address and told them that I would give them candy if they sent an email in English. Out of five kids, I got three emails (maybe I'll get more before class, but it's almost nine so I doubt it).
Here's one of the replies:
hello teacher
i'm ellen
it homework
give me candy
tomorrow
good bye
ROFLOL! -sigh- Self centered simplicity is so funny in kids, I wish it could be funny in adults.
Kids playing 'red rover red rover' outside the school.
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