Korean Fields — Overview
Author: 106501054 Dino 謝銘鴻
I am a NCCU student and now studying Introduction to Language Learning. In this semester, my group and I are going to learn Korean, aiming to be able to have basic conversation with native speakers in the end of this semester. Details and processes of my learning will be recorded in this website, Korean Fields. Welcome!
After this semester, I have acquired not only basic Korean oral skills, but also fundamental knowledge about teaching language. I believe that these practical skills will definitely lend a hand to my future career and make me become a better language learner / teacher. There are some common topics shared by both processes of learning and teaching Korean, which I have found worth further discussing:
Top-down Learning
Among Asian (at least Taiwanese), most the language teaching methods are dominated by button-up learning. Teachers get used to teaching vocabulary and syntax before the general meaning of a passage, and students cannot be more familiar with the process of learning details of language prior to having general understanding of a paragraph. Most of my classmates and I have undergone this learning process throughout our school time, from primary school to high school.
Nonetheless, after this semester, I have noticed that top-down learning could be very effective, too. During the lecture, I have found out that a student who learns language by button-up method, like me, cannot fully understand the general message of a passage, in spite of being clearly aware of the meaning of each word and the grammar of each sentence. When it comes to general understanding, or general idea, top-down process should serve as a better solution compared to button-up method. Although I still focus on button-up learning method when I learn Korean, and our group still emphasizes on this method when we teach other groups Korean, I know that top-down learning would improve students’ general idea. I would like to add this method into my language-teaching plans in the future. However, it doesn’t mean that I have to wipe out all the button-up ways. In fact, both general ideas and details are crucial in language learning; therefore, the balance of the two ways can achieve the best of the teaching.
Behaviorism??
After this semester, I have a better understanding to behaviorism. When teaching Korean to others groups, behaviorism is the backbone of my teaching methods: I encourage students to repeat the vocabulary for several times, expecting them to memorize what they have just learnt. Although it seems to be an effective way, at least for my students, professor reminds me that this method is an old-school one; the main stream of teaching language has greatly changed. Cognitivism or constructivism have replaced behaviorism.
I have to admit that for me, the best way to learn language is to repeat again and again. But after the whole semester of teaching and learning Korean, I rethink the effectiveness and efficiency of behaviorism. After discussion with my classmates, now I believe that learning should be related to cognitivism and constructivism to some extent since the cognitive senses in brains and the background knowledge of a language / culture are indeed indispensable in learning a new language. Overall, how can a language learner ignore the background culture of a communication system, or their brain that controls learning process of language, when they tries to learn a new language?
Oral Ability
After this semester, I also rethink my oral ability when I teach Korean. Some students have pointed out that my oral ability needs to be improved, which makes me review my language-learning process seriously. After intense examination, I have realized that I should indeed put more emphasize on my speaking ability. When I was in high school, I only focused on reading and writing skills, and ignored speaking and listening. Now, I have changed my idea of language; language is not a subject but a communication system, on which people have to rely to talk and share their thoughts. Therefore, oral ability becomes an indispensable element of the whole process of learning a language. Overall, how can I assert that my Korean is well enough if I cannot even make myself understandable?
Fortunately, I have learnt this now, which will not only improve my language learning skills, but also upgrade my concept of learning English. I realize that there are still much to improve in my English oral ability, though I have learnt it for so many years. The process of rethinking is important for my career, indeed.
Generally speaking, I have learnt so much in this semester, and I have indeed acquired a deeper thoughts about language as a communicative system. I believe that in the future, the skills I have learnt in this lecture will definitely assist me to become a better language teacher / learner. This series of articles will also serve as a record of my learning process, witnessing that I have transformed and became a more advanced language user.
