The Jeonju-North Jeolla KOTESOL chapter is looking forward to our first workshop of 2024. We hope you've had a nice winter, and are ready for a new school year. Maybe you're teaching a new grade or at a new school? Come join us to get some fresh ideas!
Presenter: Victor Reeser
Title: Transforming Writing Classes with AI
Abstract: This workshop addresses the challenge of preparing students for modern academic writing while still emphasizing critical thinking and originality. We will explore the integration of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Grammarly, into writing lessons. The first part of the workshop is a discussion of the benefits of using AI. The next part tackles ethical concerns and how to implement AI responsibly not as a replacement but as an additional resource. This includes a discussion on how to prevent students from committing plagiarism. To get the most out of this interactive workshop, attendees are encouraged to bring laptops or other digital devices.
Bio: Victor is a teaching professor for SUNY Korea’s English Language Program and the KOTESOL MCALL SIG Facilitator. Originally from Oregon, USA, he has been living in Asia and working in language education since 2009. He is currently a PhD candidate at Incheon National University studying cognitive linguistics.
Moderator: Sarah Mack
Title: I Wish I Had Known Sooner! Tips from a Veteran in Korea
Abstract: In her presentation, Sarah will share some tips and tricks that she has learned in her years as a high school student, graduate student, company employee, and now business owner in Korea. She will help participants understand how to set themselves up for success immediately upon arrival – whether this means understanding the logistics behind getting an ARC or an F-series visa as quickly as possible, making local friends, learning the language, or knowing how to protect and exercise one's rights during tenant or employment contract disputes. She will let participants know some Korean cultural "do's" and "don't"s that will help them have smoother interactions with locals, and give some tips on how to get relief and feel more at home on the inevitable difficult days that occur when living outside one's home country. Through her presentation and the following discussion, Sarah hopes that she can help those in attendance make the most of their time in Korea and achieve their goals while living in this beautiful country!
Bio: Sarah Mack has lived between Korea and the US since February 2023, when she became an exchange student at Kijun Girls High School. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Northeast Asian Studies from Georgetown University and completing a Fulbright research project on the Korean
diaspora in China, she returned to Korea in 2019 for a master’s in political science at Seoul National University, funded by a Korean Government Scholarship. Sarah loves helping foreigners have great
experiences in Korea and has had opportunities to do so as a director for the US State Department’s NSLI-Y program and as Resident Life Manager for Minerva University’s Seoul campus. Currently, she directs the Seoul SPARKS program, a Korean studies initiative for high school students. Sarah’s passions include improv comedy, musical theater, learning languages, advocating for North Korean human rights, and event planning. She is very excited to make new connections in her Korean “hometown!”
