ACC4300-4 CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION

In the first part of classroom management we take a brief look at the differences

between the State school co-teacher classroom management system, and

managing

the ESL classroom in the Korean Hagwon (private school). We will look at the size

Of the empty classroom and its key fixed assets, how the electronic components

operate, and the available resources for use during practical classes. Then we will

Examine how to manage a classroom full of students, and see that sound

management by the ESL teacher minimises any unforeseen problems that might

arise during actual ESL teaching practice.

CO-TEACHER CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IN KOREAN STATE SCHOOL CLASSROOM

Those ESL teachers who contract to Korean State schools, and enter

a co-teacher classroom situation, will find that the state funded

teacher resources available in the State school ESL classroom, e.g.

paper, pencil, games items, computers, projectors, and large HDMI

TV screen facilities, are second to none. Private schools rarely

compete at the same level with these classroom management

tools.

THE PRESENTATION OF ENGLISH THROUGH THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF STATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOLS

The presentation of ESL English through the different levels of E,M, JGS, and

HS state schools is split into a General English section, and a Drama section.

The General English course work is aimed at bringing students to a year

twelve university entrance level. Where the emphasis is on drama the

students the objective is to become adept at devising scripts, creative writing,

acting, them out, and to be able to confidently produce their own competitive

drama pieces. In a class of thirty students, divided into five or six study

groups, the students are given topical subjects to work with. They learn to

discuss the topics within small peer groups, and devise roll play scripting. The

ESL teacher is able to visit each groups and spend S-T time discussing aspects

of their endeavours, giving constructive advice where needed.. Quizzes and

vocabulary tests are also conducted in the drama classes.

STATE SCHOOL CLASSROOM METHODS ARE SUPERVISED THROUGH A “HEAD OF DEPARTMENT” TEACHER AND THE KOREAN CO-TEACHING STAFF

Both of these classroom methods are supervised through a “Head of

Department” teacher and the Korean co-teaching staff. The ESL

teacher attends pre-lesson briefings from the Korean co-teacher and is

given information on the ensuing lesson plan, and how the teacher roles

should unfold for the upcoming lesson. Each lesson starts with the daily

role call, (all Korean names for the children), which is a good time for

the ESL teacher to write up the date, and century, on the white board,

and prepare a weather report column, which is filled in after the

students have decided what the weather looks through the class room

windows. Everyday ESL students are asked what the time is (told from

the classroom clock), and what day of the week it (today) is, what

month it is, the year, and century, after which the lesson plan proceeds.

STATE SCHOOL CLASSROOM METHODS ARE SUPERVISED THROUGH A “HEAD OF DEPARTMENT” TEACHER AND THE KOREAN CO-TEACHING STAFF When the lesson proper beg ins, there needs to be rapport between the co-

teachers, and a sense of passing the teaching lead back and forth between

themselves as the dynamics of the lesson takes place. Text books and large

computer controlled video screens are used, singing and roll play is often

used in classroom activities.

In both the General English and the Drama classes the ESL teacher may be

asked to take the entire lesson, where the Korean co-teacher is not available.

The internalised teacher resources, such as ACC TESOL teacher training in

classroom management provides, becomes invaluable at such times.

Generally, though, state school classroom is for managed by the State

school staff, and is enhanced by the ESL teacher's aptitude to co-teach,

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT OF THE ESL CLASSROOM IN THE KOREAN HAGWON (PRIVATE SCHOOL)

The ESL teacher needs to quickly gather as much information as is

available about the Hagwon's physical ESL classroom environment.

Its size, the student number, the classroom seating arrangement.

Where the lighting switches and the power plugs are, and if there is

an overhead projector, if yes, how does it work. If other electronic

equipment is available how does it work? Are the chalk boards static,

or movable in their frames? Do they move up or down or side to

side? Etc.. Where are any other classroom resources kept? Where are

the keys to the stock cupboard? Having done so make a little

drawing scheme for the front of the “lesson plan” folder. This a hedge

against disorientation of classroom assets for the first week or two.

HAGWON, THE ACTUAL CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ESL TEACHER

In a Hagwon, the actual classroom management is the sole responsibility

of the ESL teacher, there is no actual Korean co-teacher, but there is

always someone to consult if necessary. Here are a few pointers that can

make the ESL teachers classroom management a little smoother.

Hagwon classes, which can start daily at 9 am until 2 pm or 3 pm, but are

more likely to start around 4 pm and run until 9 pm or 10 pm daily, (life

goes on after ten pm in the Karaoke bars, and restaurants) have multiple

student level classrooms ranging from Elementary, Middle, Junior high

school to High school, to adults. Teaching hours in the classroom are 30

hours a week, but expect to put in at least ten more hours in lesson

preparation, planning, and making and writing up student reports.

ESL TEACHERS NEED TO QUICKLY BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE DIFFERENT STUDENT LEVELS THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO TEACH

ESL teachers need to quickly become acquainted with the different student

levels they will be required to teach in the Hagwon environment, and the

aims and objective of the different text books.

Some Hagwon classrooms have no text books and require the ESL teacher's

to draw upon their personal resources and teaching abilities (TESOL teacher

training), e.g. the ESL teacher might run “How to discuss” lessons with

Junior High School or High school students, or pick topics of current National

interest and run Debates classes. Having one or two printable ESL programs

with practice ESL material, and ESL tests on a USB drive that encompass

English for academic purposes material and that cover the combined set of

Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening skills is a useful resource that the

ESL teacher brings to classroom management resources.

ACTUAL ENGLISH GRAMMAR COMPONENT OF THE COURSEWORK IS PROVIDED BY THE HAGWON'S KOREAN TEACHERS

Because the actual English grammar component of the

coursework is provided by the Hagwon's Korean teachers,

Australian ESL teachers should familiarise themselves with

any coursework text book's “end of chapter“ grammar

testing. Not all students fully understand English grammar

tenses and their attributes, so the ESL teacher constantly

redefines the grammar components of each chapter, and

reinforces student's comprehension.

AT EACH LESSON'S OPENING, THE DAY'S DATE, MONTH, AND YEAR, THE TEXT BOOK CHAPTER, AND THE TEXT CHAPTER TOPIC SHOULD BE WRITTEN UP ON THE WHITE BOARD

At each lesson's opening, the day's date, month, and year, the

text book chapter, and the text chapter topic should be written up

on the white board visible to the students entering the classroom

This enables student's to identify the lesson and quickly find the

correct chapter.

Welcoming the students to the classroom, taking the roll call, and

arranging any classroom seating for group oriented lesson work, if

required, any teacher handouts and any pointers from the previous

lesson should be completed before the lesson proper begins.

PART OF THE ESL CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT HINGES ON THE KEEPING OF STUDENT RECORDS

Part of the ESL classroom management hinges on the keeping of

student records. These may be a required on a daily, or weekly

basis. They include attendance records, student performance

records, test records for the four skills reading, writing, listening

and speaking, and practice tests. Not all Hagwons provide forms,

therefore it incumbent on the ESL teacher to provide suitable forms

for each required task.

A good ESL teacher policy is to have a set of pre-written printable

forms saved on a USB or flash drive that can be modified at will.

ESL TEACHER MANAGEMENT OF SUMMER AND WINTER CAMPS

Summer and Winter camps are more fun, they are relatively well paid

short contract assignments for ESL teachers.

The ESL teacher manages a group of students in daily English

classrooms, and many activities that include short roll play theatre,

poster competitions between other student groups, clay and plasticine

modelling competition, Golden Bell knock-out vocabulary competitions

(very popular), wide games, treasure hunts, bowling and pool activities,

and co-teacher meal time supervision. Korean teachers look after the

students dormitory. ESL teachers are expected to contribute and interpret

the camp coordinators programs

Well, that's a little insight to managing the

practical classroom in the Korean ESL

teaching environment. Your TESOL teachers

training course will more fully describe

Classroom Management techniques during

the TESOL coursework