This article is very intriguing to me, because before I read this article, I did not think about sexual identities in language learning and teaching. This article reminded me of one Korean entertainer who is gay. He was a very famous entertainer in Korea. One day he confessed that he is gay. Because of his confession, I had to leave TV programs. People had very negative attitudes toward him. I could not see him on TV for a long time. Later, I read a story about him in the magazine. He was banned from showing on TV. He had a lot of difficulty in leading his life because of money and prejudice from people. He ran his restaurant in spite of his hard situation. His sincerity made people accept him as a nice man. Now I think that how brave he was and how many difficulties he faced. The Korean society has very negative attitudes toward lesbian and gay. These attitudes must have had impact on his identity negatively. He had to hide his identity for a long time.
I have learned that language have influences on identities. Sexual identities are one part of identities. According to this article, it is difficult to separate sexual identity from other acts of identity because identities are not just multiple but mutually inflecting (p. 376). Therefore, we need to take into consideration sexual identities in language learning and teaching.
While I am reading this article, I thought about the notion of power. Students who are fluent in English have a power over students who are not. Native speakers have a power over non-native speakers. Likewise, heterosexism has a power over lesbian and gay. This power relationship has negative effects on identities, excluding people with less power from opportunities for formation of positive identities.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Dear Dave
I am a graduate student. I am enjoying reading your job advertisements. However, as a graduate school, I want to talk about your job advertisements.
I came from Korea. I worked at the middle school as an English teacher. I have some experience working with native English teachers. Most native English teachers did not know their working environments exactly before they came to Korea. Their information was usually focused on sightseeing. They did not know students’ levels, school systems, the needs from students, etc. When they came to Korea, they were so excited. However, as time went by, they realized that they came to Korea with too high expectation. They had lot of difficulty in teaching students. They tended to be frustrated too easily. Therefore, I think your job advertisements need to provide the exact information, I mean, advantages and disadvantages in teaching Korea.
I know that many Korean people welcome only native speakers, especially Americans. Because of this tendency, there are many unqualified native speakers. We do not usually take into consideration their qualification as an English teacher if she or he came from America and has American accent, not British accent. However, accent does not solve the problems he or she will face with in teaching. They need to develop various teaching skills. If you provide the video where a native speaker or a non-native speaker is teaching English, we can evaluate him or her in many different aspects.
Lastly, if you provide the cultural materials for teachers who will work in Korea, he or she will adjust in their working place better. If there is misunderstanding between students and a teacher, it is difficult to teach effectively.
If you give more exact information about teaching and provide more opportunities to many people who have interest in teaching area without restricting any chance according to their race, accent, and nation, the qualification of teaching English will be improved a lot.
I came from Korea. I worked at the middle school as an English teacher. I have some experience working with native English teachers. Most native English teachers did not know their working environments exactly before they came to Korea. Their information was usually focused on sightseeing. They did not know students’ levels, school systems, the needs from students, etc. When they came to Korea, they were so excited. However, as time went by, they realized that they came to Korea with too high expectation. They had lot of difficulty in teaching students. They tended to be frustrated too easily. Therefore, I think your job advertisements need to provide the exact information, I mean, advantages and disadvantages in teaching Korea.
I know that many Korean people welcome only native speakers, especially Americans. Because of this tendency, there are many unqualified native speakers. We do not usually take into consideration their qualification as an English teacher if she or he came from America and has American accent, not British accent. However, accent does not solve the problems he or she will face with in teaching. They need to develop various teaching skills. If you provide the video where a native speaker or a non-native speaker is teaching English, we can evaluate him or her in many different aspects.
Lastly, if you provide the cultural materials for teachers who will work in Korea, he or she will adjust in their working place better. If there is misunderstanding between students and a teacher, it is difficult to teach effectively.
If you give more exact information about teaching and provide more opportunities to many people who have interest in teaching area without restricting any chance according to their race, accent, and nation, the qualification of teaching English will be improved a lot.
Friday, November 6, 2009
How to empower non-native English teachers and their students in Korea
In Korea, most English teachers are losing their pride and confidence in teaching English because of high expectation of society. I want to talk want some ways to empower them, including students.
First, as a non-native English teacher, most Korean English do not have any confidence in their language abilities. They want to improve their English abilities. However, they do not enough time to spend improving English abilities. Most teachers are supposed to teach about 20 hours a week. Usually they are homeroom teachers. They should take care of their class students. In Korea, homeroom teachers have a lot of responsibilities from morning to evening, sometimes at night. Therefore, they do not have enough time to improve their expertise. In my opinion, if Korean English teachers have less amount of teaching time, they will make efforts to improve their English abilities and to prepare their lessons. If they have confidence in their lessons, they will teach better and they will be motivated. Also, if some special English programs for improving English abilities and professionalism are provided for them, they will be more encouraged to be a good teacher.
Second, we need to provide many different kinds of practical English programs for English teachers. In Korea, we spend a fortune in hiring native English teachers. I know native English teachers are necessary for Korean English education. However, the equal amount of money should be invested for improving Korean English teachers’ qualification. Teachers can be reeducated through various kinds of English programs. For example, if some teachers think they need to improve language abilities, they can take a course appropriate for their needs. If some teachers have difficulty in applying different kinds of methods, they can choose their course suited for them. Not only do they have opportunities to improve language abilities and teaching skills, but they also share their concerns and interests with one another. Sharing common ideas make them feel that they belong to the same community and they will find solutions about problems they are facing more easily.
Third, there should be a community for native English teachers and Korean English teachers. There is a barrier between native English teachers and non-native English teachers because the communication between them is blocked. Korean English teachers think native English teachers do not have any will to learn about Korea, for instance, Korean students, language and culture. However, native English teachers think that Korean English teachers are irresponsible and indifferent to them. Each teacher is complaining about their counterparts because of miscommunication. If there is a community for them, they can share their difficulties and understand each other better. Moreover, if they have a chance to show their classes, they will compensate for their deficiency. I think that we are all English teachers. We do not have to divide native English teachers and non-native English teachers. We need to break this barrier.
Finally, most teachers want to be perfect, but I think it is impossible to be a perfect teacher. Teachers are frustrated because they tend to focus on only negative aspects. Every teacher must have at least one merit in teaching. If they make good use of their good points, not complaining about their disadvantages, they are more likely to be better teachers. Besides, while they are training themselves in many ways, they will be encouraged through their achievements and self-satisfaction.
Like teachers, students tend to focus on only negative aspects. Some students are very good at reading, while others are very good at speaking. Most students have different learning styles like their personality. We teachers need to accept their differences. I do not have to evaluate their differences. If teachers encourage student to develop their good points, they will eventually improve their less developed skills with the help of other developed skills.
In conclusion, I want to put emphasis on differences. Most teachers and students are very different. I am different from native English teachers, so I have different advantages native teachers do not have. If we create a community which accepts all difference, we can understand each other better and make more comfortable and beneficial environment for all the teachers and students.
First, as a non-native English teacher, most Korean English do not have any confidence in their language abilities. They want to improve their English abilities. However, they do not enough time to spend improving English abilities. Most teachers are supposed to teach about 20 hours a week. Usually they are homeroom teachers. They should take care of their class students. In Korea, homeroom teachers have a lot of responsibilities from morning to evening, sometimes at night. Therefore, they do not have enough time to improve their expertise. In my opinion, if Korean English teachers have less amount of teaching time, they will make efforts to improve their English abilities and to prepare their lessons. If they have confidence in their lessons, they will teach better and they will be motivated. Also, if some special English programs for improving English abilities and professionalism are provided for them, they will be more encouraged to be a good teacher.
Second, we need to provide many different kinds of practical English programs for English teachers. In Korea, we spend a fortune in hiring native English teachers. I know native English teachers are necessary for Korean English education. However, the equal amount of money should be invested for improving Korean English teachers’ qualification. Teachers can be reeducated through various kinds of English programs. For example, if some teachers think they need to improve language abilities, they can take a course appropriate for their needs. If some teachers have difficulty in applying different kinds of methods, they can choose their course suited for them. Not only do they have opportunities to improve language abilities and teaching skills, but they also share their concerns and interests with one another. Sharing common ideas make them feel that they belong to the same community and they will find solutions about problems they are facing more easily.
Third, there should be a community for native English teachers and Korean English teachers. There is a barrier between native English teachers and non-native English teachers because the communication between them is blocked. Korean English teachers think native English teachers do not have any will to learn about Korea, for instance, Korean students, language and culture. However, native English teachers think that Korean English teachers are irresponsible and indifferent to them. Each teacher is complaining about their counterparts because of miscommunication. If there is a community for them, they can share their difficulties and understand each other better. Moreover, if they have a chance to show their classes, they will compensate for their deficiency. I think that we are all English teachers. We do not have to divide native English teachers and non-native English teachers. We need to break this barrier.
Finally, most teachers want to be perfect, but I think it is impossible to be a perfect teacher. Teachers are frustrated because they tend to focus on only negative aspects. Every teacher must have at least one merit in teaching. If they make good use of their good points, not complaining about their disadvantages, they are more likely to be better teachers. Besides, while they are training themselves in many ways, they will be encouraged through their achievements and self-satisfaction.
Like teachers, students tend to focus on only negative aspects. Some students are very good at reading, while others are very good at speaking. Most students have different learning styles like their personality. We teachers need to accept their differences. I do not have to evaluate their differences. If teachers encourage student to develop their good points, they will eventually improve their less developed skills with the help of other developed skills.
In conclusion, I want to put emphasis on differences. Most teachers and students are very different. I am different from native English teachers, so I have different advantages native teachers do not have. If we create a community which accepts all difference, we can understand each other better and make more comfortable and beneficial environment for all the teachers and students.
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