What a Lovely English - Teacher Kim

WHAT A LOVELY ENGLISH

My dad always said to me, “you have to study hard about English"; but I didn’t. I didn’t know why I have to study about English. He said, "It will help you and if you can speak in English you can easily get a job". I just studied because I don’t want to hear his scolding. I also knew if I study hard English, it will help me, but there is a problem… That is… I don’t have an interest in English. My father always felt that I didn’t study well. Idon’t want him to know my feelings... that I didn’t like it. So, I started to study.

First, I just studied about TOEIC during 2months, but it didn’t help me because, I didn’t study hard andinterested in English. After 2 months. I changed class which offered listening skills. The class started at 7:40-8:30am. So I had to wake up before 1hour and a half. I don’t know how I could go to the academy during morning. After that, Irode a school-bus in front of the academy going to my university. I studied about listening skills while at schooling (6months). I watched drama and repeat listening to dialogues. Itreally helped me but, I couldn’t realize how much improved my listening skills are. And I still couldn’t speak with another person in English. I just repeated and listened. After 6months, I made progress for the next level. But when I took the next level class, it was so hard for me. I studied with real drama. I just wanted to quit... but I endured and kept going. Also from day one, my teacher regularly gave some paper to me. I had to make sentences. Through Korean sentences ...I had to translate Korean into English. It was so hard for me. I couldn’t make even easy sentence. I was so sad and I was depressed. My teacher picked me and asked some questions but I still couldn’t answer. I thought about English after each spelling project. I didn’t think English will help me and it was not important anymore. After that I didn’t want to go to the English academy. I also had many assignments during schooling, so everything was so hard. I didn’t want to study English but, after time past my friend and I promised we will take an exam for exchange student program. So at the end of December 2007, we took an exam for studying abroad. After that, I spent the time just forgetting about it all.

Time passed and it was already winter vacation- 2007. I worked in the hospital the entire day with my friend as partimer. I just spent the time evenly. My vacation was so boring. At the end of February, I received a call from someone…he said, he is the manager for the exchange student and asked me something. It was related to the exchange student. He said, “You can have a chance to go to the Philippines for studying next year - June.” I couldn’tbelieve that! How can I go to the Philippines for studying? I always hoped studying in a foreign country. I didn’texpect that. So my mother and father were surprised and couldn’t believe. As soon as hearing what he’s saying, Idecided to go to the Philippines. That night, my father congratulated me so much. Before, few years ago, I didn’t want to study English and interested. But I changed my mind about it… I studied again and had great concern with it. I went to the academy again until leaving Korea. But everyday I couldn’t go anywhere, because I had to study about my major in myuniversity at the same time. From after that call, I had a good time and then face to stand hard things.I passed the exam for studying in abroad but my friend didn’t pass. We took the exam together, but we couldn’t go abroad together. I was so sorry for her. But I couldn’t do anything. “I just said that I am sorry”. “If Iwere my friend, I would feel jealous”. But she didn’t… she really wanted me to study well in the Philippines. I was so appreciated for her kind heart.

The new semester (1st) started on March 2008. I met others who will go to the Philippines with me. There was a female and a male. We met almost 3times for the preparation going to the Philippines. We decided a date and booked ourair-ticket. Finally, we rode the airplane on June 4 and arrived in Philippines on June 5. When we arrived in there we just feltthe country is so hot and dark. After that, my new life started with English!!!The time already passed 5months and I changed a lot. I never thought that I can continuously write and speak inEnglish. I couldn’t make even an easy sentence before. I just thought English was so boring and bothersome. I am still astonished about myself now. In my first time, studying English, I had so much hardship and feel depressed many times. But now, I can say that …” English is the easiest language to speak and I made it”. I already made it but notthat hard at all because of my wonderful tutor. Hahahaha!!!I really appreciate my tutor here in the Philippines. I will not forget my life in here. What a lovely English… ㅡ and tutor!!!

(Diary by: Mi Hyun)

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TEACHER KIM

When I was young, my father always called me, “Teacher Kim”. At that time, I didn’t have an interest to become a teacher while; I thought I have to be a teacher someday. But after I took an education course in Hannam University and had teaching experience, I got interested in teaching profession and I feel happy.

I took educational course in Hannam University while I was taking both English and French subjects. For 4 years in my campus life, I had lot of experiences not only teaching but also other various jobs like selling things, counseling in a call service center and so on.
I believe, “Experience is the best teacher”. That is why I worked in different companies. Through this, I’ve learn many things for example, how to handle or treat others. I always enjoyed working. In addition, I sense a feeling of contentment when I’m teaching my students.
I had taught English in some English schools since I was in junior course, 3rd grade in Hannam. I volunteered to teach some old people English at night school. Moreover, since I took Education course, I had a chance to teach English in a public middle school where I used to go.

Two years ago, one of my dreams came true. And that is to go abroad as an exchange student and that is the Philippines. I took the most numbers of classes among other exchange students. Through this, I could make lots of friends and gain confidence to have conversation with them. Fortunately, I met a tutor, who taught me how to speak English without thinking grammar things. Thanks to her, I had a chance to teach some Filipino children English and Math.

cover letter by: KIM

ENGLISH ON LINE (MOST AFFORDABLE ON LINE TUTOR!!!)

THE ENGLISH FOR FOREIGNERS PROGRAM

The program is designed primarily to improve proficiency in English in a very comfortable way and fast. So the language can be used effectively and efficiently in various situations with enough self-confidence. An integrated approach consisting of the communicative, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Direct approach method will be used and American accent.

"What you need is what you will learn"!

LEVEL 1 - READING,LISTENING AND SPEAKING - SURVIVAL ENGLISH ( ELEMENTARY)

LEVEL 2 - READING, LISTENING, SPEAKING WITH CONFIDENCE (INTERMEDIATE) AND WRITING

LEVEL 3- READING, LISTENING, SPEAKING FLUENTLY (ADVANCED) AND WRITING BUSINESS LETTERS AND SPEECHES.

Each Level comprises of not less than 130 hours for the duration of 6 months or more.
We are not using ESL but ESP. Because through ESP method you will speak fluently faster. It is also more effective,save time and money compared with ESL.

(CERTIFICATE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT will be given to every deserving student.) Interested may send email in ENGLISH OR HANGUL to maestraviajes2004@yahoo.com

" Why not try our method and see the difference"!

Role of Written Language in Speaking

Role of Written Language in Speaking

The Facilitative role of Written Language in Speaking:

Using Writing to Improve L2 Speaking by: T. Tagasaki

“Since writing and speaking have many features in common, by deliberately controlling a number of variables, writing teachers can make writing closer to speaking. The important thing is that the task itself should not be very difficult when the aim of writing is to improve speaking. In this sense, free-writing techniques and the communicative approach are thought to be appropriate for this purpose. If the students already know the basic skills of writing such as grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation, the task becomes much easier. “ T. Tagasaki

With the above statement of T. Tagasaki, I do not believe in his opinion. Because, non-verbal (written) studies of grammar, writing, reading, and listening, all of these activities may increase recall memory for written examinations, but they have little benefit in teaching you to speak fluent English. "The best way to learn how to speak fluently is by speaking. (using ESP method which is what I'm applying to all my KOREAN students ). Without simultaneous involvement of all components of speech, (tongue, vocal cord, auditory system, brain and lungs) it is impossible to effectively retrain students' proprioceptive sense to accommodate a new language. Yet,this is exactly what ESL has traditionally done by introducing grammar, listening, writing, and reading as segregated activities. It is not surprising that it takes ESL students so long to learn to speak fluent English. This is according to the study of Lynn Lundquist. It is already observed that there are lots of students though they were able to get high score in TOIECand TOEFL and get perfect score in grammar but they cannot speak the language. Which is also proved in the article

written by: David A. Leaper - assistant professor at the English education department of Hankuk University of ForeignStudies and teaches language testing on TESOL certificate and post graduate courses. It was said, “An April 2 front page article, ``Korea Ranked Bottom in English Proficiency Test,'' said that out of 120 countries, Korea placed 78th, despite the ``colossal amounts of time and money learning English.” “The article goes on to detail the awful evidence: Korea placed 136th out of 161 countries in speaking, scores in listening and writing were lower than the world average and the only section better than the world average was reading.”

I had a great advantage when growing up because my mother exposed me a lot in watching English movies and series, including English news. So, I was used to listening to correct English in addition to my favorite children show. And also through the help of reading aloud newspaper even though I did not understand it very much. That is why before I went to school I could already express myself in English though; I don’t have a formal studying in grammar ( morphology , syntax, phonetics, phonology, semantics and pragmatics) . And I was able to answer the grammar quizzes/ exercises and write a narrative because I already knew how to speak. My auditory system is already trained in listening correct English so I could immediately sense if it is right or wrong based on hearing it even uttering it inside my head. Certainly, I learned many important things about English through grammar study. But it was of importance to me only because I had already achieved basic English fluency. I did not learn to speak English as a result of English grammar lessons and writing. ( same with L. Lundquist)

Although, I’m not yet perfect…no one, however, is perfect. Native speakers make mistakes too; some even all the time. That is why I’m not focusing on the negative but rather on communication. My first goal in teaching is not for them to speak “perfectly”, the goal is to communicate ideas, information, and feelings in aclear and understandable way. Then, accuracy will automatically improve later over time of practice and studying.

Maestra Viajes