Forgotten phonics and fraudulent faculty (Eng/Kor)

Posted: 2002/03/12  By: sashateacher (Views:3654)

Yes, I agree with a lot of what you say- Let me give you 2 reasons why students don't learn
English in Korea regardless of how much the parents pay.

1) Phonics and why Korean parents ignore it.

I have a friend that is a teacher in Yeoksamdong and he pushed and pushed the hokwon to make
a special phonics class. The director was hesitant at first but the teacher insisted because
the teacher said these kids never learn by teaching using normal hokwons parent-pleasing ways.
The director said okay and now the school has become a little famous for actually teaching
young kids to read books and pronounce English words properly. The teacher and school have had
classes DOUBLED because it really works and parents compare progress with each other which
spreads the success story.

Most Koreans don't understand what phonics is- its the sounds the letters and combinations of
letters actually make in words in conversation. In Western English speaking nations we learn
phonics from a young age and our whole reading and comprehension of the English language is
built on phonics. Korean parents don't understand how important phonics is; not just for
conversation but also for learning the basics that will ensure a high TOEFL score later in
life. My friend says that when he has tried to teach phonics in other hokwons the idiot
directors have said `NO, CONVERSATION ONLY' or the parents have complained. It's the parents
own fault if the child learns nothing but a few memorised English phrases after 10 years of
classes when a proper foundation was not built.

2) Enthusiasm and Standards of qualifications

I would much rather be taught English from an enthusiastic B.A. holder with a degree in
Ancient History or Modern Art than to be taught by a bored and uninspiring teacher with an M.A.
in Linguistics. Enthusiasm is the key. You might not believe that but its true. A teacher that
wants you to learn is more valuable than an uninspiring certificate holder.

I myself taught at a uni in Seoul for a while here and was quietly NOT offered another term
of employment (Korean style termination) much to the dissapointment of the students who
actually loved my class and were upset at the universities decision. I made a real effort there
and for what?

The university said to me "We are going to hire an M.A. next term". Which they did- he had
less teaching experience than me and the university accepted him blindly because he offered an
M.A. to them. I proudly state the fact that I have a B.A. and here's why.......

In Korea now there are more fake M.A.s being offered at job interviews than ever before.
There is even an internet site that allows you to pick which school and which major you want
and you can download it for about $20. Korean immigration doesnt check anything which is why
some of SEOULs biggest and most famous universities have teachers working for them with
absolutley NO real qualifications at all. I have met 4 `Professors' teaching at your renound
Seoul universities that didnt graduate from high school and never went to university!! Of
course they are American and their accents reveal they are from the poorer states. In fact, 2
guys even brag about that and the fact that they were in jail before coming to Korea and then
being offered tenure at a university. That's the truth, maybe its sour grapes from me but, to
listen to an idiot brag that he drove a Mars bar truck before coming to Korea and he was then
offered tenure at a Seoul University... then to hear him laugh that he left school at 16 and
never went back to school or college or university makes me damn mad!

# Fix your kindergarten and elementary classes- teach phonics as a foundation from an early
age.

# Don't believe hokwon advertising hype or miracle English systems work because of the high
price.

# Fix your university assessment requirements for potential lecturers.