Teaching Scripts: Using Mnemonics and Authentic Materials

Teaching Scripts: Using Mnemonics and Authentic Materials Lucien Brown Centre of Korean Studies SOAS

Mnemonics • Mnemonics from Greek word “mnemonikos” meaning ‘of memory’ • Mnemonic strategies involve transferring to-be-learned materials into a form that makes them easier to learn/remember • Experimental research shows strong support for the effectiveness of mnemonics

Mnemonics in Language Teaching • Mnemonics most commonly applied in vocabulary learning • KEYWORD METHOD EX: KOR: 피곤하다 p’igon-hata • Mnemonics also popular for Western learners memorizing Chinese characters • Despite effectiveness of mnemonics, few teachers apply them

한글

나, 너

구두

우유

돈, 산

Learner reactions to mnemonics • “To get you over that initial period when it is completely alien, when those characters don’t mean anything at all, I think that’s a great way of getting round that problem.” • “If we had done just that [i.e. not used mnemonics], it would have been too much for me to remember. Compared with when I learned hiragana, it took me three weeks to learn all of the signs … because there was nothing for me to remember these by.” • “When I was reading something on TV, I saw this sound (ㅈ) and for some reason I was- I first said an s and then no that’s- that’s the church sign that’s the ch and so I just said oh yes”

Using Authentic Materials • Problem of decontextualized practice activities in Korean textbooks 꼬리, 까치, 꼬마, 깨요, 토끼, 어깨, 때때로, 뼈, 삐삐, 뽀뽀, 바빠요, 싸다, 써요, 비싸요, 짜요, 찌다, 땅, 땀, 뚱뚱해요, 빵, 빨리, 씹다, 쯤, 찜, 찡해요 위, 뒤, 귀, 과, 추워요, 더러워요, 쉬워요, 뭐해요, 예뻐요, 싸워요, 바꿔요, 따라와요, 어려워요, 뛰어가요, 뚜껑, 씨름, 따르릉, 까만 [From Sogang Korean 1A: 22]

Contextualizing Reading Practice

Contextualizing Reading Practice • Use of loan words 피아노 키스 토마토 핸드폰 • Use of familiar Korean words/names 1. 삼성 UN secretary general 2. 서울 martial art 3. 김치 electronics company 4. 태권도 food item 5. 반기문 South Korean capital

Using authentic materials Street signs How do you say “Starbucks Coffee” in Korean?

Using authentic materials Street signs How do you say “medicine” in Korean?

Using authentic materials Product Packaging How do you say “coca-cola” in Korean?

Using authentic materials Product Packaging How do you say “potato noodle” in Korean?

Using authentic materials Movie Posters What is the name of this Korean movie?

Teaching Scripts: Using Mnemonics and Authentic Materials