Speakers: Charles Hill and Tyler Clark
Topics: See the Apple: Teaching Creative Writing and Poetry Appreciation for Korean Elementary School Children (Hill); iPad assisted education (Clark)
Venue: Gyeongin National University of Education – Gyeonggi Campus, Teacher-Education Center Room 101 (see new Directions page with maps).
The Suwon-Gyeonggi chapter is experiencing a fall renaissance after a quiet spring.
The chapter has changed venues, moving from the Gyeonggi-do Office of Education in Suwon to Gyeongin National University of Education’s Gyeonggi Campus in Anyang. To go along with this move, the chapter looks forward to having a lively workshop to usher in the fall. Two presenters (whose bios and abstracts are found below) will assist with this new start.
Following the presentations, at noon everyone is invited to have lunch together at the nearby scenic Anyang Art Park. If you are interested in attending the lunch portion of the gathering, kindly let the chapter president know (sparkyclarky@gmail.com) so that we have a rough idea of the number of seats to reserve. We are hoping to see many familiar as well as many new faces this fall!
Abstracts
See the Apple: Teaching Creative Writing and Poetry Appreciation for Korean Elementary School Children (Hill)
Poetry, at first glance, may seem laborious and thusly undesirable as a subject to offer for elementary-aged children, but the brevity and intensity of this concise art form makes it attractive in this age of 'sound bites'. The questions about self and identity that arise from within as a result of the careful study of poetry, make it both necessary and rewarding for students on the threshold of adolescence. The intrinsic value of poetry goes beyond just the very real study of syntax, grammar, and diction; it is psychological, it is a study meant to root out the very nature of the individual. Poetry is cognitive learning, it is personal expression. Poetry is an exercise in fantastical language competency. In this lecture, Charles will talk about the benefits of teaching poetry and creative writing, how a similar program can be run at your school, and activities that can embolden even a reluctant learner to write. In addition, he will show some real results from past program participants.
iPad assisted education (Clark)
Technology should be empowering, both allowing teachers to do things in innovative ways that gather students' interest and build their comprehension, as well as saving time on the preparation stage. This presentation aims to demonstrate how an iPad can be integrated into the EFL classroom. It will cover topics such as digitized lesson plans, student record keeping, useful apps for teaching reading, writing, and phonics, digital storybooks, flash cards, audio and video playback tools, presentation tools, and the basics of how to hook an iPad up to a school's A/V equipment. Teachers will gain a fuller understanding of how to use the digitized learning tools that have recently become widespread.
Bioographical notes
Charles Terence Christopher Hill
Charles Hill began his teaching career in 2004 whilst back in his native Canada as a volunteer educational assistant at a Catholic school. During his time there, he was tasked with tutoring children with learning and development disabilities. After completing a teaching term at Ridley College, a private boarding preparatory in St. Catharines, Ontario, he moved to Korea in 2005 where he has been teaching a wide variety of young and adult learners. Charles has taught mainly at the elementary level, though he has also led classes and programs for young adults and adult professionals through Gyeongin National University of Education - Incheon, and for the Gyeonggi Office of Education. In addition to teaching remedial English classes, Charles teaches a number of alternative and advanced programs at a magnet school in Anyang, South Korea. With a degree in Political Science, many of his seminars focus on world history, multiculturalism, and politics. As a writer, Charles also enjoys teaching his learners the appreciation and majesty of poetry and creative writing. Since first being published in 1994, his poetry, non-fiction articles, and photography can be found in fine, and not-so-fine, publications around the world. For more information about Charles, including his declaration of academic standards for students, look to www.charlesteacherisawesome.com
Tyler Clark
Tyler Clark has spent the past eight years teaching English to a wide variety of learners in South Korea. He is currently a lecturer at Gyeongin National University of Education's Anyang campus, a position he has held since 2009 and that primarily sees him instructing university sophomores in conversational English skills. In addition to this, he has spent the past two years working with teacher trainees in the Intensive English Teacher Training Program at Gyeongin. Since 2010, he has also been involved with Gyeongin's Dream Tree Program (꿈나무안심학교). In this after-school program, he works with groups of first, second, and third grade elementary school students who are just beginning their English journey. Additional past teaching experiences have included lifelong education programs for community members, and three years of educating the children of Pori Elementary School in Siheung, an experience which grounded him for the adventures to come. In his private life, Tyler enjoys all things technology related, plays the guitar (poorly!), does a spot of photography, and revels in the joys of creating and savoring a good cup of coffee.
