International Education, Reflections of a English Tutor
I had never really thought about Korea before tutoring English. Well that is not entirely true, I have a friend that taught there and will be returning to the country in less than a week. However, I had not considered developing my own professional Korean experience.
Over Spring Break of my last semester in the HALE Program, I found an exciting part-time teaching opportunity providing live English training to students in Korea via phone. Currently, I have about fourteen students that I work with each weekday. My students are hilarious! We have lively conversations about politics, children, careers, love, and life. More importantly, my students are dedicated to learning the language because they wake up very early for my class. My first class begins at 6:00 a.m. in Korean time and lasts from 10-20 minutes, depending on the pre-assigned time allotment. Sometimes students are just waking up or preparing for work; I always try to greet them with a big happy southern “good morning.”
The courses are highly structured and begin with an icebreaker that consists of informal chatting between the student and me. I usually inquire about their day, previous weekend or night's events, or family. The Korean culture is socially oriented and family prone; therefore, this time really allows us to build rapport. I try to ask about topics that I know are important to the students. Next, the student will either describe a picture or respond to an issue. Conducting a role-play is the next element of the conversation. Lastly, students are asked broad-opened questions to generate hefty conversations. The curriculum is designed to spur conversation on daily issues, such as the environment, relationship, work, etc. As I reflect on the principles of adult learning, I realize the lesson topics pique students' interest and they became engaged because of the relevancy of the lesson. Also, the design of the program enables the student to speak and also listen to the instructor's word patterns and pronunciation.
In this virtual environment, it is a challenge to further students' thinking and not just give students them the answer. For example if a student says "I do not have shirt" and I respond with the sentence would be better if you say "I do not have a shirt," I am giving them the answers without giving them a possibility to develop their own corrections. bell hooks offers to this methodology as "the banking systems" and advocates for more learner- centered ideologies. I wonder if there is a way to help students think that I have yet to discover.
While I help them with English grammar, pronunciation, spelling and cultural awareness, they assist me in becoming a more proficient adult educator. Knowing a student’s reason for pursuing language training helps me to motivate them and put their learning in context. For instance, one of my students needed to demonstrate a high level of English proficiency in order to be considered for an internal promotion. If approved, the promotion would grant him a two-year international assignment in the United States or United Kingdom. For a month, we completed mock interviews and role-plays to prepare him for the test. He successfully passed! Now, we are preparing for the next phase. Other students are taking the course for professional development and many of them work for American companies such as General Motors.
Through working with these students, I have become more aware of the dominance of American entertainment. One student has taken a liking to Desperate Housewives and personally identifies with Lynette, a working mother with "naughty children." Another student thought everyone in America has a garden because the women on the show all have gardens. As a critical thinker, I wonder what messages are we sending to international peers about our culture through exporting entertainment. At least 85% of their understanding of the United States comes from television programs and movies, the other 15% of knowledge is obtained through their conversations from others that have lived here.
Humanity, patience, concern, kindness, and love exceed cultural boundaries. My Korean students have taught me the beauty of laughter. Although we have comprehension challenges at times, those intangible qualities are always understood. I have deepened my knowledge of Korean culture and have experienced educating in an international context first-hand.
Over Spring Break of my last semester in the HALE Program, I found an exciting part-time teaching opportunity providing live English training to students in Korea via phone. Currently, I have about fourteen students that I work with each weekday. My students are hilarious! We have lively conversations about politics, children, careers, love, and life. More importantly, my students are dedicated to learning the language because they wake up very early for my class. My first class begins at 6:00 a.m. in Korean time and lasts from 10-20 minutes, depending on the pre-assigned time allotment. Sometimes students are just waking up or preparing for work; I always try to greet them with a big happy southern “good morning.”
The courses are highly structured and begin with an icebreaker that consists of informal chatting between the student and me. I usually inquire about their day, previous weekend or night's events, or family. The Korean culture is socially oriented and family prone; therefore, this time really allows us to build rapport. I try to ask about topics that I know are important to the students. Next, the student will either describe a picture or respond to an issue. Conducting a role-play is the next element of the conversation. Lastly, students are asked broad-opened questions to generate hefty conversations. The curriculum is designed to spur conversation on daily issues, such as the environment, relationship, work, etc. As I reflect on the principles of adult learning, I realize the lesson topics pique students' interest and they became engaged because of the relevancy of the lesson. Also, the design of the program enables the student to speak and also listen to the instructor's word patterns and pronunciation.
In this virtual environment, it is a challenge to further students' thinking and not just give students them the answer. For example if a student says "I do not have shirt" and I respond with the sentence would be better if you say "I do not have a shirt," I am giving them the answers without giving them a possibility to develop their own corrections. bell hooks offers to this methodology as "the banking systems" and advocates for more learner- centered ideologies. I wonder if there is a way to help students think that I have yet to discover.
While I help them with English grammar, pronunciation, spelling and cultural awareness, they assist me in becoming a more proficient adult educator. Knowing a student’s reason for pursuing language training helps me to motivate them and put their learning in context. For instance, one of my students needed to demonstrate a high level of English proficiency in order to be considered for an internal promotion. If approved, the promotion would grant him a two-year international assignment in the United States or United Kingdom. For a month, we completed mock interviews and role-plays to prepare him for the test. He successfully passed! Now, we are preparing for the next phase. Other students are taking the course for professional development and many of them work for American companies such as General Motors.
Through working with these students, I have become more aware of the dominance of American entertainment. One student has taken a liking to Desperate Housewives and personally identifies with Lynette, a working mother with "naughty children." Another student thought everyone in America has a garden because the women on the show all have gardens. As a critical thinker, I wonder what messages are we sending to international peers about our culture through exporting entertainment. At least 85% of their understanding of the United States comes from television programs and movies, the other 15% of knowledge is obtained through their conversations from others that have lived here.
Humanity, patience, concern, kindness, and love exceed cultural boundaries. My Korean students have taught me the beauty of laughter. Although we have comprehension challenges at times, those intangible qualities are always understood. I have deepened my knowledge of Korean culture and have experienced educating in an international context first-hand.