Survival Korean 101: Hagwon Edition

Yes, I'm an ESL teacher and yes I'm only supposed to speak to my kids in English.  But let's face it, sometimes English doesn't get you anywhere.  Most of my children are 5-7 years old and have had no prior exposure to English.  In a lot of my lessons, I am able to use only English and association to effectively teach them.  But when it comes to discipline, reprimands, and explaining directions, sometimes English will only get you a blank look.  And even if you yourself don't use these Korean phrases, you may hear your Korean co-workers use them.  Not only that, but the children can't express themselves in English.  So what language does a 6 year old resort to when he wants to tell you something?  Korean.   I thought it might be helpful to new teachers starting out in Korea to share the Korean I've picked up that has been extremely useful while teaching.

As a note...many of these phrases are in the informal language.  As a teacher talking to children, you don't have to worry about being overly formal.  If you're going to use them with adults in a non-teaching setting, I'd recommend changing them to the formal language first.

Basics

안녕하세요 (anyeonghaseyo) - hello

안녕 (anyeong) - hi

안녕하십니까 (anyeong hashimnikka) - A more polite way of saying hello.  Often used between co-workers and definitely to your superiors.

안녕히 가세요 (anyeonghee kaseyo) - goodbye

수고하셨습니다 (suguashyasumnida) - can be used in various contexts.  At the end of the day, co-workers often say it as a form of goodbye.  It means essentially, "good work, rest well".




Classroom Control

하지마 (hajima) - It literally translates to "don't do it".    Can be used in the classroom to say "stop it" or "don't do that".

앉아 (anja) - sit down

조용히해 (choyeongi hae) - be quiet

이야기하지마 (iyagi hajima) - don't talk, no talking

저기에 놓어세요 (chogi-eh noheoseyo) - put it over there

일어나 (ileona) - get up/stand up

여기 와 (yeogi wa) - come here

나와 (na wa) - get out...very useful for children who like to play under the tables.

만지지마 (manjijima) - don't touch (it)

들어세요 (deuleoseyo) - listen

앞에 보세요  (ap-pey poseyo) - face front



Giving Directions

찾아 (chaja) - look for/find it...for giving directions on a word search

잘라 (challa) - cut it

*Don't get chaja and challa mixed up.  I'm sure my kids still think I'm crazy from when I gave them a word search and told them to cut it up.  I couldn't figure out whey they kept cutting up their papers and I kept running around saying "no, NO, CHALLAYO!" Upon which they understandably kept cutting their papers to bits.

붙여 (putchyeo) - stick it/glue it...for stickers or pasting

스세요 (suseyo) - write please

적어 (cheogeo) - write  (I've found this word to be more common in my experience)

읽으세요 (ilgeuseyo) - read please

따라하세요 (darahaseyo) - literally translates to "repeat please".  Used to mean "repeat after me".

다시 하세요 (tashi haseyo) - do it again

따라오세요 (dara oseyo) - follow me please

색칠 하세요 (saekchil haseyo) - color it



From the Kids

어떻게 헤요? (Eodeoke heyo?) - How do I do it?

무슨 말이에요? (museun malieyo?) - What do you mean?/What does that mean?

못해요 (moteyo) - I can't do it.

할 수 있어요 (hal su isseoyo) - I can do it.

할게요 (halkeyo) - I'll do it.

모르겠어요 (moleugeseoyo) - I don't know/I don't understand.

몰라요 (mollayo) - I don't know

알아요 (alayo) - I know

알겠어요 (algeseoyo) - translates to "I know".  Used in the context of "I got it/I understand".

다 했어요 (ta haesseoyo) - I did it all/I'm done.

해주세요 (hae chuseyo) - Do it for me please.

싫어요 (shileoyo) - literally translates to "I hate it".  Kids respond with this if they don't want to do something you tell them.

쉬 마려워요 (shwi maleoweoyo) - I've been assured that this is the proper spelling by my Korean co-worker but google translate still doesn't seem to like it.  I think it literally means something along the lines of "I have to pee".  The kids use it to ask if they can use the restroom.

아파요 (apayo) - it hurts

해요? (heyo) - literally translates to "Do I do it?"  In context, it's used to ask if they can start working on an assignment that has been passed out and/or if they should do it now.



Useful Vocabulary

수업 (su-eop) - class

수업 시간 (su-eop shigan) - class time

영어 수업 (yeongeo su-eop) - English class

선생님 (seonsaengnim) - teacher

영어 선생님 (yeongeo seongsaengnim) - English teacher

샘 (sem) - short form meaning teacher, often used between co-teachers to address each other

교실 (kyoshil) - classroom

책상 (chaeksang) - desk

책 (chaek) - book

연필 (yeonpil) - pencil

연필 깎기 (yeonpil kakki) - pencil sharpener

ballpen - this is how they refer to pens

namepen - permanent marker

signpen- coloring markers

색연필 (saekyeonpil) - colored pencil

사무실 (samushil) - office

풀 (pul) - glue

가위 (kawi) - scissors

지우개 (chiugae) - eraser

스티커 (sutika) - sticker



These are words and phrases that I use every single day working in Korea and knowing them upon starting would have made my job much easier.  It is my hope that this brief language guide will help new teachers settle more smoothly into their new jobs.  Happy language learning!

Jeju Island and Spring in Korea

The spring here in Ulsan really is beautiful.  The temperature has been climbing and we wake up to the bright sunlight every morning.  Cherry trees among other flowering plants are ubiquitous and the air has the light, floral smell of springtime on it.  Mundane moments like walking to and from a bus stop were previously filled with tense, shivering muscles and walking as quickly as I could to the warmth of a building.  Now I look forward to stepping outside and enjoying every moment of this warm weather.

Cherry trees at Ulsan University

Alan's Korean class at Ulsan University

Spring has been a pretty busy season for us so far.  Alan is in his second level of an intensive Korean course he's been taking.  Four hours every day of studying Korean have really improved his language skills and, even if he underestimates how well he is doing, I can see the advancements when he speaks.




Alan has also been doing really well in the lab.  Besides his research, he is the primary author on a review article that was recently submitted for publication.  It was reviewed and the feedback was positive and after some minor revisions, I think it should be well on its way to being published.  I'm really proud of him.

Salamanders can apparently get indigestion.
Air accumulates in their
digestive track and they
float upside down.

At the kindergarten, since it's springtime, they has all sorts of fun things going on for the kids.  All of the classes have a lifecycle experiment going on.  We have salamanders and tadpoles out for the kids to observe.  Though I'm pretty sure I sit there and stare at them more than the children.  The tadpoles are enormous now and the salamanders have started developing legs.  I've definitely considered taking one of them home for a pet.

Josh and some of the girls.

The kids also get to take regular field trips out to a forest.  The first time, they learned about different plant species and Josh especially was really excited about it.  After being shown a particular species, he'd run around looking for it with squeals (squeaks?) of victory after every success.  This week, I basically just got to run around and have fun with the kids in the woods.  Definitely appreciating having recess back in my life.

Ballet leotard

Besides work, I signed up for a ballet class a few weeks ago.  Classes are twice a week in the evening conducted entirely in Korean and I'm thoroughly enamored with it.  Being back in a dance environment has made me realize how much I missed it.  And learning something entirely new in a foreign language is quite an experience.  Even more than the every day experience of working in and living around a foreign language, it forces you out of your comfort zone.  And being a completely different context than a school setting, I can pick up new vocabulary that I hadn't previously encountered.  I plan to keep the lessons up for the next four months and appreciate the increased flexibility and body control I'm gaining.  Then when we go back to the states, Alan and I could potentially get back into ballroom again.  Or even some other form of dance.  

Recently, Alan and I took a trip to Jeju Island.  Alan was required to attend and present at the conference there for all the Fulbright scholars and, as his wife, I was able to tag along.  

The view from our hotel room.

We had to get up around 4:30am to catch the bus to the airport on Saturday morning and it was still early morning when we got to the island.  Our first stop was Loveland and it was a pretty amusing experience.  (Make sure you're not at work if you're going to google it.)

We made our way over to the hotel where the conference was held afterwards.  Kal Hotel in Seogwipo.  The place was beautiful.  

The hairs are still in the skin

The Fulbright had dinner for everyone at a hairy back pig bbq restaurant.  And dinner consisted of exactly what you think.  The food was really good.  I even tried some roasted kimchi and enjoyed it.  I just made sure to cut off the skin layer before consuming any of the meat.  I wasn't really feeling a hairball in my stomach.  

VIP room.  

Playing old school Phoenix

Bucket Bell Contest

That evening was the unofficial Fulbright prom held at Monkey Beach bar.  So schwanky.  We had two VIP rooms equipped with karaoke upstairs and the downstairs had an arcade, game room, stage, dance area, and a water slide.  They also had a contest going on for the ladies.  There was a platform with poles spanning its length and a bell at the top of each.  If you could climb up and ring the bell, you won a free bucket of alcohol.  We didn't have to pay a penny the entire evening.  XD

Jusangjeolli volcanic rocks

Sunrise Peak 

Sunday at Jeju was pretty awesome.  We had a full day tour to a few scenic sites around the island.  I wasn't supposed to be able to go, but someone gave up their spot on the tour and said I could have it.  It was a really good day full of good conversation that I feel we both enjoyed.  

Seongeup Folk Village

Cheonjiyeon Waterfall

Seopjikoji

Sometimes it's hard to believe that we only have four months left in Korea.  As excruciatingly slow as it has sometimes felt, this year has flown by.  We have so many plans for what we're doing next but for now everything is just a waiting game.  And so we might as well enjoy what's left of our time here.  We've made some good friends and we're looking forward to more experiences yet to come.  When it comes time, it might turn out that I'm not even ready to leave.  Here's to a great summer with great people.