Advice for teachers -
Korean Second Language

Unit 1 – Area of Study 1: Interpersonal communication

Theme: The individual
Topic: Aspirations, education and careers
Sub topic: Experiences of schooling

Outcome 1

Exchange meaning in a spoken interaction in Korean.

Examples of learning activities

• Read a news article about the school lives of teenagers in Korea; take notes and highlight the differences observed between Australia and Korea. Interview a student who has recently arrived in Australia from Korea. Compare their answers to the news article.
• View a video about secondary school education in Korea. Reflect on how it differs from a school in Victoria.
• Listen to a conversation between a high school student who participates in co-curricular activities and a student who does not. Answer questions about the conversation.
• Write six to eight questions to ask a high school student who has a part-time job. Swap questions with a classmate and answer their questions based on research material.
• Prepare a three-minute speech to give to the class about the Korean education system (actual experience or researched via class materials), noting major similarities and differences between Australia and Korea. Create PowerPoint slides to support the speech.
• Interview another student in the class, using prepared questions. Discuss specific aspects of the school they attended while studying in Korea or one that they have researched. Concentrate on classrooms, subjects studied and school routines.
• Listen to a student from Korea talking about their experience of studying in Australia. Reflect on how this information correlates to other material on the topic by discussing it with a classmate.
• Summarise all the findings discovered on this topic in a graph or Venn diagram.
• Read source material about education from Korea’s Bureau of Statistics. Extract information and make comparisons with information about Australian education sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
• Note vocabulary used in any material viewed, heard or read relating to education. Discuss any words or phrases that are not readily translatable into English.
• Produce an article of 450 cha outlining for an Australian audience some aspects of Korea’s education system.
• Read blogs written by students in Australia and Korea to gain an insight into the personal benefits of participating in co-curricular activities while studying.
• Find a blog on the internet written by someone who has been working part-time. Annotate it to identify key points that represent individual experiences.
• Watch a video or film about the life of a teenager in Korea. Take notes about their life.
• Listen to a recorded discussion about sports in schools. In pairs, make a list of the insights gained by the students. Categorise them as personal, educational, cultural, social, etc.
• In pairs or small groups, discuss the following example topics and create draft plans to produce a piece of writing:
  1. a. Imagine you have been on a school exchange. Write an article about the experience for your school’s website.
  1. b. Imagine you have been on an exchange. Write an email to your teacher about your time on the exchange.
• With the class divided into two groups, debate the topic ‘Studying and working are very worthwhile for high school students’. Both sides must use evidence and examples from the research gathered.

 

Detailed example

An email to your teacher about your time on exchange

1. Create a workbook to record information, notes and bibliographic details gathered throughout the area of study. Develop a glossary of key terms and concepts.
2. View a documentary about Australian students who participated in an exchange to a school in Korea. Take notes under a series of headings, which could include: type of school, subjects studied, impressions, teaching styles.
3. Compare the different experiences of the students in the documentary. How were they similar or different?
4. Conduct research on aspects of the education system in Korea. Include school subjects (elective and compulsory subjects), English language education, co-curricular activities and senior secondary examinations. Construct a table to summarise the information found. Make comparisons to the situation in Victorian schools.
5. Listen to a speech given on the education system in Korea. Note the techniques used in the presentation to convey as much information as possible and how it was made engaging.
6. Listen to a podcast of two students discussing their experiences on exchange.
7. Write an email to your teacher about your time on exchange.

Unit 1 – Area of Study 2: Interpretative communication

Theme: The Korean-speaking communities
Topic: People and places
Sub topic: Famous or significant Korean people - monarchs

Outcome 2

Interpret information from two texts on the same subtopic presented in Korean, and respond in writing in Korean and in English.

Examples of learning activities

• Read a timeline of the history of Korea in order to situate a chosen monarch in the context of time and events.
• Read biographical extracts about the monarch and take notes about the major events of their life.
• Watch a documentary or film about the monarch and their relationship to the historic event(s). List their contribution to changes in Korean society or culture.
• Research information about social reforms that brought about changes in Korean society. Identify a particular aspect for further study; for example, lifestyle, customs, ways of thinking, new technology.
• Give a two-minute speech to the class about the selected monarch.
• Write a 450-cha evaluative report about the monarch and the impact of their influence on Korean society and culture.
• Write notes describing the role of the monarch.
• Read a timeline of the history of Korea in order to situate the monarch in the context of time and events.
• Search for literature, paintings or other artistic products associated with this monarch and the society. Consider whether the artistic product is of the monarch’s time, a later time, or the current time. Compare ideas with other students to increase knowledge on this topic. Write these up as notes.
• View a photo or painting that depicts a portrait of the monarch and analyse it.
• Make a presentation of a selection of paintings from the era and explain details about them.
• Make a virtual visit to museums online and view images related to the monarch and the period of Korean history in which they lived.
• Answer a series of questions about the exhibits seen.
• Write a 450-cha persuasive letter to a friend encouraging them to visit these virtual museums to find art works.
• 
  Use the learning from these activities to devise a role-play between a tour guide and a visitor to a museum exhibition.

 

Detailed example

A role-play of a discussion between a tour guide and a visitor at a museum exhibition.

1. Write a 250-cha description of the monarch.
2. Give a two-minute talk to a small group about the monarch and the artefacts shown in the museum. Include an estimate of their significance to Korea.
3. Review the range of question forms, their particular vocabulary and grammatical features to use in a role-play.
4. Listen to, or watch, examples of people discussing either this topic or a similar one. Note the linguistic and culturally appropriate ways in which the speakers relate to each other.
5. With a classmate, practise using some of their expressions and ways of delivering a message.
6. Write a script to incorporate things learned so far.
7. Add to the script with informative and evaluative ideas about the monarch and the artefacts.
8. Practise the role-play aloud with the classmate in order to hone pronunciation and delivery, and to ensure ideas are conveyed clearly.
9. Perform role-plays to the class.

Unit 1 – Area of Study 3: Presentational communication

Theme: The Korean-speaking communities
Topic: Korean cultural heritage
Sub topic: Film

Outcome 3

Present information, concepts and ideas in writing in Korean on the selected subtopic and for a specific audience and purpose.

Examples of learning activities

• Watch a Korean film, or extracts from one, and take notes under the headings: plot, main characters, actors, soundtrack, special effects, themes or ideas.
• Read film synopses and critiques in Korean, identifying the vocabulary used.
• Identify cultural differences between film critiques in Korea and Australia.
• Search for statistics on Korea’s film industry.
• Read one or two articles on Korea’s films and/or film industry. Answer comprehension questions about them.
• View a video of interviews with Korean actors, directors and producers in order to answer a set of questions.
• Write about a Korean actor, director or the film industry in general in 150 to 250 cha.
• Identify cultural elements from your reading, viewing and listening. Consider the questions: Are there any particular elements that could only come from Korea? How can you tell? What identifies them? Compare these ideas to films produced in Australia.
• Research notable actors or directors in Korea’s film industry, or those who appear in films in other industries. Note their general filmography.
• Listen to directors speaking about their films. Identify their main concerns: artistic, economic, and other aspects.
• Write draft outlines for one of the following topics
  • Journal entry about a film recently seen
  • Imagine a film that you would like to direct. Write the script of a conversation you have with a leading actor that you would like to star in the film
  • Write an informative article about an aspect of Korea’s film industry that interests you.
• Write a letter to a Korean film director about an idea that you have for a film.
• 
  Create a three- to four-minute video with another student based on your favourite film, actor or director from the Korean film industry.
  

 

Detailed example

A three- to four-minute video about a film, actor or director from the Korean film industry

1. View one or more films from Korea.
2. Take notes under headings: plot, main characters, actors, soundtrack, special effects, themes or ideas.
3. In pairs, decide which elements are to be included in the final video. Discuss the outline with the teacher.
4. Plan the structure of the video to be filmed. Write it up as a series of dot points.
5. Research the particular elements to be discussed.
6. Write a script.
7. Draw a storyboard.
8. Film.
9. Edit as necessary.
10. Show video to the class.
11. Receive oral and/or written feedback from the teacher and other students.