Suwon-Gyeonggi KOTESOL October Workshop
Date: Saturday, 10/31
Time: 10am~12pm
Venue: Teacher Training Center (교사교육센터), Rm. 101, Gyeongin National University of Education, Anyang/Gyeonggi Campus (Directions)
Topics: Motivated Learners: A Focus on the Teacher; A Critique of the Spread of English
Details: The Suwon-Gyeonggi KOTESOL chapter’s October workshop features two speakers, George Whitehead presenting “Motivated Learners: A Focus on the Teacher” and Ji Hyeonju presenting “A Critique of the Spread of English”.
As always, attendance is free and refreshments will be provided.
Questions or comments may be directed to the Suwon-Gyeonggi KOTESOL chapter president Tyler Clark at sparkyclarky@gmail.com.
Abstracts:
Presentation 1: “Motivated Learners: A Focus on the Teacher”
A common difficulty that teachers often face on a daily basis is dealing with learners who lack motivation; students that just don’t want to be there and have no interest in learning whatsoever. These students often do not see the point or purpose of learning English and therefore often reject it altogether. Various motivational theories have taken aim at the learner (e.g. Self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985), self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1997), L2 motivational self system (Dornyei, 2005)), failing to account for the crucial role that the teacher plays in the entire equation. This workshop aims to discuss some of the key characteristics of a teacher that can either directly promote or destroy student motivation in the classroom. By guiding attendees through a series of reflective thinking activities, they will be able to evaluate their own characteristics, pinpoint possible issues and create an action plan that can contribute towards long-term motivation in their learners.
Presentation 2: “A Critique of the Spread of English”
There is no doubt that English is an international language. However, a few countries still have imperialistic ownership of the English language. As language teachers, we want to be aware of the negative effects of the spread of English and linguistic imperialism so as to reduce the harm these effects may have upon our students and ultimately make for a more effective English education. We are going to take a look at how learning English affects the Korean identity using concepts such as Cultural Capital, English Divide, World Englishes, and ICC (Intercultural Communicative Competence).
Speaker Bios:
George Whitehead is currently a professor in the English language and literature department at the University of Suwon. He has worked in Korea, Canada and Japan as a language instructor, curriculum developer, teacher-trainer, and director of university TESOL programs. Prior to coming to the University of Suwon, he was the head instructor at Gyeonggi-do Institute of Foreign Language Education where he was responsible for running professional development courses for Korean in-service teachers of English. He earned his B.A. in Linguistics and his Certificate for Teaching ESL Linguistics from Simon Fraser University before going on to complete his M.A. TEFL/TESL at the University of Birmingham. His research and teaching practices focus on dealing with the washback effects of high-stakes testing, and developing and implementing practical, contextually-sensitive, high-leverage approaches and techniques for English education in Korea.
Ji Hyeonju completed her master’s degree in English teaching for primary school at Gyeongin National University of Education. She has been a co-writer of English textbooks for grades 5 and 6 of the 7th Korean English curriculum. She has taught at Gyeongin National University of Education and has been teaching English teachers since 2006. She has received four awards from the Gyeonggi Board of Education and an award from EPIK for English teaching.
