Return of the video nasties, repeat after me...

Awkward to teach at times as I co-teach with a KET. She's generally open to suggestions. So I can actually say that she's supportive of my efforts at SMU TESOL. Good stuff, but the annoying bits of teaching in a Korean classroom (not that I've known any other that I've taught in) is some of the classroom management techniques. That squeaky hammer is a right killer. The material is at times, kitsch, simplistic and extremely not conducive to communicative language teaching.

Thus far, I've worked on their pronunciation through repetition. Repetition. One more time is sometimes enough, but the definitions given to me was until they get it right. One more after that, perhaps. At this point in time I don't think I'm in danger of them getting bored at any point. Universally, the way they pronounce bedroom still sounds like bathroom to me. So, it's a [d]/[t] error. Drill and repeat. Wash, rinse, repeat. Keep at it. Repeat. Keep at it.

As far as TTT/ STT ratios goes, it's getting there. I just have to get off my butt and give the instruction. But, isn't that contributing to TTT also? The warm up activity is pretty well set, I could do with another, so I'll keep on thinking. It just occurred to me to recycle the target language content from previous lessons. Good for them, good for me, and they get their feedback at the end too.

Do I understand? Well, they hear me, but I have yet to think up a line of questioning to have them paraphrase my question. Sheesh, I just got here with the repeat after me routine, time for another. In line with my previous blog entries, developing the perfect CIm. Classroom Interaction method. Some militaries have something similar, in the form of a CEM. I'm not that lethal.

Oh, and here's my video nasty. It was done today, October 14, and is of one of my fourth grade classes. They're not a bad lot, with some inclination towards naughtiness. I'd taught the same type of lesson all morning but, as soon as that finger goes down on that record button all sorts of strange things start happening.