5 Things Working at MTV taught me about teaching ESL

Filed under GAP YEAR TRAVEL, How & why teach in Korea? by on January 11, 2011 at 8:04 pm {11 comments}

Before moving to live and teach abroad in Korea, I had a career in producing and shooting  some of MTV’s top-rated teen reality shows, such My Super Sweet 16, True Life, Engaged and Underage, Camp’d Out. What did this teach me about teaching ESL?

Directing a good soundbite (aka Pronunciation)

Did I just hear someone utter pibe vs. five?

Repeat.

My students may not be TV talent, but clarity and good enunciation is still important for an audience’s ear.

If I don’t correct their speech habits, their pibes will grow to sebens,  then to elebens… until their ” pishes swim in a riber”.

ESL students aren’t the only ones afflicted with bad pronunciation habits, though. It plagues English-speakers too. I remember sitting in many Super Sweet 16ers‘ bedrooms with camera on tripod and lav mic on the talent, directing interviews and promotional reads. Sometimes, a ‘regional accent’ or ‘southern drawl’ gets in the way, making a kid sound like they’re talking with food in their mouth. Other times, it can be a speedy delivery, as if the kid’s words are exhaled into one long and slurred, run-on sentence. There were times some of my show kids were really incomprehensible…

I gave the one favorite word that I use today–

(more…)

The Special Ed Kids in my Class will surprise you.

Filed under How & why teach in Korea?, Teaching English by on October 14, 2010 at 12:42 pm {no comments}
The Special Ed kids in my classes will surprise you. Honestly. They surprise me!  Korean schools don’t separate special needs students from normal students. They’re mixed into the class along with the handicapped, but the only teacher that really pays attention to them is their Special Ed teacher. Me? My favorite students are the special ed and slow students. Why? They’re the most challenging yet, they’re the ones I’ve seen the most marked improvement in if I show them a little extra attention. And I find, I can sometimes speak to them on a more normal level than my normal students. Unfortunately, my special students’ grades won’t reflect it and their performance is based on their moods and temperaments, but on a speaking level, they’re beginning to surprise me. Many have come out of their shell. Read more click here to go to My Crazy Kimchi!


5 Tips for New English Teachers in Korea

Filed under Teaching English, Tips & Tricks by on August 29, 2010 at 10:54 pm {one comment}

Comic by Luke Martin of ROKetship
(I love his comics on being an expat in Korean culture! Check it out and have a laugh!)

So the new troops are rolling in! Yes, a new batch of EPIKers just arrived in Daegu this Thursday to fill the district’s request to have at least one Native English speaker (NET) in each school starting this semester.  It’s all a part of the Korean Ministry of Education‘s  eager plan to boost the country’s appetite and  mastery of English.

To fellow EPIKer’s of my generation:
Woo hoo! We made it to the six month mark! Through good times and bad, we rocked through it to this far and (more…)

EPIKers under surveillance, DMOE plays parole officer

Filed under Korea, Survival Issues by on July 17, 2010 at 12:07 pm {2 comments}

You are being watched by Big Brother but now, you’re being watched more!

Korea steps up surveillance towards sex crimes against minors
So where are we on the news about the recent NET (Native English Teacher) sex crime? According to The Marmot’s Hole blog, Rep. Choi Young-hee (Korean Democratic Party) wants tighter enforcement placed on visa regulations for foreigners (and incidentally, the new controversy in drug tests administered to E2 teachers next year, will include a test for cannabinoids (more…)

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