Walter's KNUE Intensive English Teacher Training Program Blog

Long time no post

2009-09-09T00:31:00.005+09:00

This is my first post in a really really really long time.

If anyone reading this has something specific that they'd like me to post about, please leave me a message in the comments section.

In the meantime, I'll just post this picture that a friend sent to me. He thinks the person in the picture looks like me. What do you think?

Alphabet Soup

2007-09-09T19:38:00.000+09:00

This weekend I visited Gong-gu (공주) for the first annual UKETA conference. I'm not even sure what UKETA means, but I am sure that it's something about Korean English Teachers' Association. It was sponsored by ETAK and at least I know what that one means... English Teachers Association in Korea.

It was a good conference with lots of different speakers from all over Asia. The keynote speaker was Richard Day from the university of Hawaii. His speech was short (just 45 minutes), but informative.

There was also a speech by Kwon O-ryang (권오량) who is very well-known in English education circles here in Korea. I was happy to hear him echo something I've been saying for a long time. Namely, that Korea is overly dependent on first-language (native) speakers of English.

Fire!

2007-05-20T15:37:00.000+09:00

My cousin is a firefighter at a small airport in Canada (Regina).

This is a picture of a training fire he started the other day.

Fun, fun, fun!
Fire, fire, fire!

My First Book

2007-04-13T05:26:00.000+09:00

After almost 10 years in Korea and countless editing and proofreading jobs, I've finally published a book with my name on it!

Now I just have to wait and see if anyone buys it.

The book is available at major bookstores in Korea, including Korea's largest, Kyobo Books (see more HERE in Korean).

The Best Word Attack is an English study guide and vocabulary book for Korean middle and high school students who are preparing for the state administered college entrance exam (College Scholastic Ability Test - CSAT).

One of the more interesting features of the book is the chapter that deals with low-frequency occurring words from the CSAT. I actually did data-mining on all the past CSAT tests and focused on the least-occurring words. Needless to say, these words are very obscure and are not well known to middle and high school students. As such, this chapter (and the book in general) provides students with a valuable resource for improving their scores on the CSAT.

And while I am sure that the book is far from perfect, I can say with confidence that it is better than most books out there.

While working on the book, I was utterly amazed at the poor quality of other such books on the market. Without exaggeration, I could find mistakes, errors, and/or typos on nearly every single page.

Together with my co-author and editor, I have worked very hard to make sure that the language used in the book is both natural and correct. And again, while I am sure the book is not perfect, I know that it represents a vast improvement over other such books available in Korea.

I hope, after seeing my book, that you too will agree.

Learn more about The Best Word Attack HERE (in Korean).

Happy reading...

It's a twister, it's a twister...

2007-01-20T23:51:00.000+09:00

I survived my first earthquake today. 4.8 on the Richter scale. Although the quake was about 200kms from where I live, it did shake the place for 1 or 2 seconds.

There was one yesterday in the same place too, but it was only 2.0 (too small to be felt).

According to one site I found, a 5.0 earthquake has about the same force as the nuclear bomb that was detonated on Nagasaki (LINK)

In 2006, Korea had 49 earthquakes, the largest of which was 3.5 on the Richter scale.

Like George & Weezie...

2007-01-11T14:12:00.000+09:00

If the title of this post doesn't make sense to you, CLICK HERE

In any case, Betty and I are happy to say that we are moving on up to a dee-luxe apartment in the sky.

After years of living in school-provided housing, we have finally decided to take the plunge and get our own place. We have signed a 2-year lease on a 1,300 sq. ft. (35 pyeong) 2 bedroom/2 bathroom apartment on the eighth floor of an 18-floor building.

Korea has a very interesting leasing system. When you lease a place you place a sum of money down for a period of time (usually two years). At the end of the lease, that whole sum of money is returned in full to you! Cool!

Now that we have lots of room, we hope that everyone will be able to come for a vist.

Here are some pics of our new place (we move in on Jan 28 if anyone would like to lend us a hand in moving ;-)

See more pics from our new place HERE

2006 Year-end Review

2006-12-29T09:15:00.000+09:00

For everyone who would like a glimpse into what's been going on in our world in 2006, check out our 2006 year-end review:

www.walterforeman.com/2006

Some of the highlights include, James Brown's first (and now only) performance in Korea, the Rolling Stones live in Tokyo, Canada, the US, big screen TVs, PhDs, and more.

If you missed the 2005 edition of the year-end review, it can be viewed here:

www.walterforeman.com/2005

Happy holidays

The Doctor is In...

2006-12-14T16:43:00.000+09:00

Last week I received what is probably the nicest compliment ever given to me.

While having dinner and drinks with a couple of students, one fellow -- who I admire and respect both as a student and a teacher -- referred to my teaching as surgical. Not everyone I know would take that as a compliment, but to me, it was the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my teaching.

So if I teach like a doctor, I figured that I may as well be a doctor. This week I applied for a PhD program in English Education at Korea National University of Education.

Stay tuned for how it turns out...

Why Korea is cool...

2006-12-13T20:32:00.000+09:00

There are many reasons why I think that Korea is cool and why I love living here. Here is one example...

Korea Ranks 2nd in Credit Card Use

When I first came to Korea in 1998, you could count on one hand that number of places that took credit cards. And now, just 8 years later, Korea ranks second in the world in credit card use (I'm actually surprised that it took that long!)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Korea is cool b/c they credit cards use is rampant; I am saying that Korea is cool b/c it can go from zero to world leader in the blink of an eye.

Korea Ranks 2nd in Credit Card Use

Free at last, free at last...

2006-11-25T11:15:00.000+09:00

Well, maybe the comparison to emancipation in the US is a bit extreme, but nevertheless I was happy to receive the following news from the Canada Revenue Agency. My own personal emancipation if you will:

In our opinion, you have not maintained significant residential ties with
Canada. Therefore, we consider you to be a non-resident of Canada as of
March 22, 1998.

What that means in everyday language is that while I am still a citizen of Canada, I am officially and legally no longer considered a resident. Not being a resident of Canada means that I do not have to pay any taxes in Canada. Should I become a resident of Canada again in the future, I would then have to pay taxes, but not on the income I earned from March 22, 1998 when I left Canada!

Interestingly, many people in Canada think that because I married a Korean, that I too am Korean. This is simply not true. To become a citizen of Korea I would have to apply for citizenship and take an extensive citizenship test (including an interview).

Similarly, many people in Korea think that because my wife married a non-Korean, that she is therefore no longer Korean. This also is simply not true. For my wife to become Canadian, she would have to first live in Canada, and second take an extensive citizenship test (including an interview).

Next year I'll be applying for permanent residency status in Korea. This is still different than being a citizen, but is the next best thing. I can come and go as I please without having to worry about visas, re-entry permits, or employer sponsorship. Clear as mud?

For any Canadians living overseas who are interesting in claiming non-residency for tax purposes, check out Canada Revenue Agency's information here:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/it221r3-consolid/it221r3-consolid-e.html

Thank god almighty, free at last.

Very Good News!

2006-11-20T20:32:00.000+09:00

Clapton is scheduled to play in Seoul on January 23, 2007!

Very, very, good news!

See ya there.

Thanks August!

2006-11-04T15:27:00.000+09:00

The other day I did some computer work for a friend of mine at KNUE. As payment, he gave me this lovely box of chocolates.

They are handmade at a place in Cheongju by a fellow who has a chocolatiers license from Switzerland. Check out the website at: http://www.bonjung.com (Korean)

First Kobe now Jay-Z... The World is Coming to Korea

2006-09-13T19:52:00.000+09:00

Jay-Z, widely known as the godfather of hip-hop music, will hold his first live concert in Seoul on Oct. 20.

The American rapper whose real name is Shawn Carter is expected to mesmerize hip hop fans with his lyrics and upbeat rhythms.

The concert, to be held in the Olympic Gymnastics Stadium in Olympic Park in southern Seoul, will also feature world-renowed rappers Memphis Bleek and Green Latern.

Jay-Z’s Seoul concert is part of his world tour, which started in Europe this month. The concert will continue in Africa and Asia, including Korea and Thailand, and Oceania.

Jay-Z has been a number one rapper since his debut in 1996 with his first album ``Reasonable Doubt.’’

Known for his freestyle abilities and blending of street and popular hip hop, he is also one of the founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, a hip-hop record company, which also launched the careers of renowned artists Rihanna and Bobby Valentino.

Recently, he has featured Beyonce’s new songs, ``Deja Vu,’’ and ``Upgrade U’’ in his new release.

He received huge acclaim with his album,``The Blueprint’’ (2001) which was written in only two days.

As of this year, he has released eight albums and won four Grammies, demonstrating both artistry and popularity.

Tickets cost from 50,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1555.

chungay@koreatimes.co.kr 09-13-2006 16:51

For B-Ball Fans in Korea

2006-09-06T22:29:00.000+09:00

NBA star Kobe Bryant will host a "talk show" in Seoul on Friday together with Korean-American heartthrob Daniel Henney.

The 28-year-old LA Lakers guard, who is touring Asia, will arrive in Seoul on Friday morning for a two-day visit. He will host the 15-minute event in Myong-dong, central Seoul, from 8 p.m., where he is expected to talk about his life and career.

Bryant will also speak with a group of Korean fans at a basketball clinic called "10 lessons for a guard," scheduled for 5 p.m. at Chamsil Stadium in southern Seoul.

Bryant last visited Korea in August 1999. He is already NBA great, having become the second person in league history to score at least 80 points in one game. On Jan. 22 he dropped in 81 points in a victory over the Toronto Raptors, making him second only to Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 100 in 1962.

Henney, a model and actor, was a successful basketball player when he attended high school in the United States.

joseph@koreatimes.co.kr
09-05-2006 17:26

Before and After

2006-07-31T09:13:00.000+09:00

Here's a shot of me on the scale as I leave for my holiday in Canada. In case you can't make it out from the pic, it says 80kgs (176lbs)

The last time I was in Canada, I was there for 6 weeks and put on 6kgs. Now I'm no math wiz but that's close to 1kg per week.

This time I am only going for 3 weeks, so with any luck I will come back weighing 83kgs.

And the souvenirs just keep coming...

2006-07-30T15:31:00.000+09:00

Latest additions to the souvenir pile... 5 packs of Korean smokes. These smokes are made by a company called KT&G. It used the be a government-run corporation. Back then it was Korean Tobbaco and Ginseng. It has since been privatized and is now known as, Korea. Tomorrow and Global.

The cost of cigarettes has gone up from less than one dollar (800 won) when i first got here in 1998, to about three dollars (2,500 won) in 2006.

Smoke it up smokers!

More souvenirs...

2006-07-29T21:29:00.000+09:00

If you take a close look at the last two posts, you'll notice that the picture, while looking almost the same, is slightly different.

Today's pic has two more types of Korean alcohol: so-ju and mae-sil-ju

Soju is far and away the most consumed alcohol in Korea. It is cheap, packs a good punch, and is available anywhere and anytime. It comes in everything from these handy little plastic bottles and tetra-paks that you see here, to 4L bottles!

The bottles in this pic cost 800 won (about 90 cents Canadian) and will get you nice and tippsy. Two or three and you'll be well on your way.

The soju is about 20% alcohol and the maesilju is about 14%

Holiday Blogging has begun...

2006-07-28T23:18:00.000+09:00

Just 2 more days 'til I'm leaving on a jet plane.

I'm hoping to blog everyday while on vacation but I am sure that it won't happen so I am starting a couple of days early...

Here are a few of the souvenirs I'm taking back to Canada with me.

I'm bringing back a sample of each type of Korean beer. And yes, I know that Bud is not a Korean beer.

If I'm missing any that are currently available, please let me know.

Pez Theater: Racism Is No Good

2006-07-01T02:52:00.000+09:00


Some people like PEZ maybe a little too much

Interesting little tidbit...

2006-04-07T11:53:00.000+09:00

Did you know that on Wednesday of this week (April 5, 2006) at two minutes and three seconds past 1:00AM the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06? Cool eh?

Apparently this won't happen again for another thousand years or so...

Cheers!

Digital TV

2006-04-04T17:32:00.000+09:00

Today marks my official entry into the digital TV era. I've had a digital TV for about a month now, but today was the first time that I used its built in 250 gigabyte hard drive to record something. Yes, my TV has a 250 gig hard drive; more than 3 times bigger than the hard drive in my computer.

I recorded MBC-ESPN's rebroadcast of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix. I haven't been home to see what it looks like yet (that is assuming that it worked), but it was a breeze to program, so I'm sure everything will have worked fine!

Canada / US Relations

2006-03-29T17:05:00.000+09:00

Here's an interesting story as reported by the CBC...

It appears that US White House press secretary Scott McClellan does not know who is the current prime minister of Canada.

I don't know the current prime minister's name either but it's not my job to know these things, while clearly is should be McClellan's.

See the full article here

Dead on arrival

2006-03-20T09:35:00.000+09:00

Korea's WBC dream is DOA.

You know something's wrong when a 6-1 team (Korea) doesn't make it to the final and a 3-3 team (Japan) does.

Personally, I blame the man on the left... Kim Byeong Hyeon (김병현). I can't understand why this guy is still playing baseball! His 2005 record in the American majors was 5-12 with a 4.86 ERA (source).

He has the second highest ERA of any of the Korea pitchers at 5.79 (source) and yet he was allowed to pitch at such an important point of such an important game?! I don't get it! Sure he gets a lot of strike outs, but he also gives up A LOT of big hit (and homeruns at that). What baseball fan can forget the 2001 World Series when Kim handed that Yankees a win in much the same way he handed it to Japan yesterday.

For me, Kim's only saving grace was that he came back to bean the next batter after giving up the game-winning homerun to Fukudome. That was truly a baseball classic.

Best Driving in Korea

2006-03-13T22:05:00.000+09:00

Not sure I agree with all of these choices, but here, according to one Korean blogger, are some of the best driving routes in Korea.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

For those of you living in the Cheong-ju area (KNUE IETTP Trainees this means you), here's a course closer to home.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

The picture to the right is of the road from KNUE to Cheong-ju.

Do you have a favorite driving course? Let me know about it in the comments section...

Soul comes to Seoul

2006-01-19T12:49:00.000+09:00

I feel good! Great actually.

The Godfather of Soul is coming to Seoul and we're going to see him. And you better believe it that I'm going to wear THE SHIRT!!!!!!!

James Brown was in Sydney last year, but we were reluctant to see him because of his age and because we thought that he might be touring just to make a few quick bucks. After all was said and not done, we didn't go. Big mistake.

A friend of ours, who is also a musician, saw JB in Sydney and said that it was better than good, it was great! More than 2 hours of sustained funk and soul. Last year James Brown was 70. This year, when he plays in Seoul, he'll be 71. No doubt about it, he ain't gettin' any younger.

The February 24 concert marks the first time Brown has played in Korea. What could be better than Soul Brother Number One himself playing in a city named, at least phonetically, for him? Nothin' if you ask me!

[personal aside: can you tell from the writing style that I have spent the last 3+ hours editing film reviews for the Korean Film Council?]

Mission accomplished?

2005-12-26T19:16:00.000+09:00

Hey y'all,

It's been a long time since I've posted, so I'll try to make up for it by posting something a bit longer than usual.

I was going through some of my old files and documents and I came across my original application essay for my first job in Korea at YBM/ELS Sisa-yong-o-sa I thought I would share it with those of you who might be wondering why I came to Korea. I not too proud of the prose (I think it's a little bloated), but the sentiment stands! I think I've accomplised most if not all of the missions I set out for myself. Read on...

There is a question that has been asked of me a great deal as of late. My friends have asked me; my family has asked me; my employers, past, present, and prospective have asked me: "Why do you want to teach in Korea?" My answer to all of them is the same: opportunity. Teaching in Korea affords me the opportunity to do many things that I have always wanted to do in my lifetime.

At the forefront of my life's ambitions is a desire to see the world. Not just to travel, but to actually see the world as it exists. In doing so, I hope to be more than just a causal observer. I want to experience different cultures, learn new customs, and achieve a greater understanding of the differences and similarities that make us all human. Visiting various countries around the world as a tourist would allow me to achieve some of my objectives, but I believe that it is only by working in a different part of the world that I could truly become immersed in the cultures and customs of that land. Korea, and indeed all of what North Americans call East Asia, fascinates me. By working and living in Korea, I hope to expand my knowledge and awareness of that country and of the world around me.

A second opportunity that arises from teaching in Korea is the opportunity to explore myself and my language. As a student of English I have always been fascinated with the power of words. I have explored that fascination as a novice poet. I hope that by teaching my language to people who are not already fluent in English I can achieve a better understanding of my own language while at the same time receiving exposure to a new language. By living in such a different part of the world than what I am used to, I hope to learn more about who I am. I feel that a person can learn a wealth of information about him or herself simply by changing his or her environment. That is what I hope to achieve by moving to and working in Korea. A change of environment that will allow me to further appreciate my own language and to better understand my own self.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not include employment as one the reasons behind my decision to move to Korea. As a result of the Saskatchewan educational system being inundated with newly graduating teachers each year, the chance of finding employment grows slimmer and slimmer. What employment is available requires me to relocate. So if faced with relocation within my own province or relocation to a different part of the world where I could both teach and learn so much, I choose the latter.

I view employment in Korea as the single greatest opportunity I have yet encountered. I believe that I posses the talent, ambition, desire, and ability to do what is required of me. I feel that by gaining employment in Korea, both Korean students and I would benefit. I have a wealth of skills and abilities to offer and am looking forward to supplementing my life experiences through employment in Korea.

Varieties of English

2005-12-13T12:59:00.000+09:00

Howdy y'all...

Today's lesson was about a subject that is near and dear to my heart: English. Specifically the different varieties of English around the world.

For those of you who would like to check out the links that I mentioned in class, here they are, just click on the name:

Accent Archive (has nearly 500 samples from different L1 and L2 speakers of English. Lots of L2 speakers of English)

International Dialects of English Archive (nearly 400 different English speakers, mostly L1, but still a lot of L2)

Do you speak American? (A PBS program aired in the US about the influence of American English on global English. Be sure to check out the "Test your vowel power" section! Scary!)

Do you want to speak American? If you do, then this is the sight for you! An excellent site with step by step instructions on how to make the American sounds of English. The site also includes detailed videos showing the mouth movements of L1 speakers of English. Even if you don't want to speak American, the site is worth checking out!

Finally, the book that I mentioned in class (Analyzing English in a Global Context) is available in Korea. I found it by searching Naver.com. It lists for 65,000 KRW but is on sale for 40,000 KRW. That's a pretty good price, as I paid about $60.00 AUD for it. CHECK IT OUT HERE

Lets have some feedback on this one! I'm interested to know what you, as language learners and teachers, think about all of this!

Cheers!

Walter

Snowy Day

2005-12-04T22:30:00.000+09:00

Today was a snowy day in Cheong-ju. The news said that there was about 8 centimeters (3 inches), but it looks like more than that on the ground.

The last time I saw this much snow in Korea was in 2003 when I was working at Daegu University. I've updated my homepage with a few pictures from that time.

CLICK HERE to check 'em out!

Enjoy!

The Beard (sneak preview)

2005-11-30T12:42:00.000+09:00

Many people have been asking me why I haven't shaved this week. Here's the answer, a day early for all you blog watchers.

I grow a beard every December. There are two reasons for this: 1) my birthday is in December (16th to be exact) and 2) December marks the end of one year and beginning of the next. So, as I get older every December, I grow a beard to look even older.

Then, after wearing the beard for a month I become accustomed to seeing my reflection in the mirror with a beard. So when I shave it off at the end of December (just before the new year), I look younger when I look in the mirror. A kind of new and fresh start for the new year.

The picture with this post was taken in December 2003 at Suseong mot (수성못) in Daegu. 2003 was actually the last time that I grew the December beard b/c in 2004 I was living in Australia and decided to grow long hair instead of a beard.

Why Walter Likes Rhetoric

2005-11-24T14:05:00.000+09:00

With the speech evaluations coming up and our recent discussions about rhetoric I thought I'd tell you about my experience running for Mayor of Saskatoon.

It was in 1994 when a combination of my cynicism and big mouth propelled me into Saskatoon's mayoralty race.

Saskatoon was in the midst of a labour dispute. With the exception of essential services like law enforcement and fire suppression, Saskatoon was at a standstill.

One night -- after more than that number of beers -- I was voicing my opinion of how Saskatoon city council, especially the Mayor, had been handling the situation.

The crux of my argument involved the office of Mayor and how any two-bit shoe salesman could do a better job of it. (I bet you didn't know that I used to sell shoes?)

A week or so later, when it was announced that an election had been called to elect a new Mayor, a friend of mine casually asked if, based on my earlier comments, I intended to run. To both our surprise, I said, "Yes".

And so there you have it; the story of how my cynicism and big mouth propelled me into Saskatoon's mayoralty race.

How did I fare in the competition? Well suffice it to say, I did not win. I did, however, meet my objective; I did not finish last. Out of eight candidates I came in sixth, not too far behind the fifth place finisher who had been a councilman for nine years!

I had more votes than I had family and friends. Complete strangers were voting for me, a twenty-three-year-old full-time university student, to run their city.

During the process I received a lot of support from local media. I learned a great deal about democracy, politics, and the democratic process. Most importantly, I raised awareness of issues that were close to my heart. It was the best $100.00 I've ever spent.

The picture attached to this post is the cover of my 'official' election brochure. To see more from this brochure, CLICK HERE, or on the picture above.

Spin Doctoring...Wag the Dog

2005-11-17T21:21:00.000+09:00

The other day in reading class we looked at ways to change the tone of something from negative to positive. For an EXCELLENT (I mean REALLY excellent) example of this, visit the site www.AmericanRhetoric.com (CLICK HERE for direct LINK). The site has two examples of a particular event; one written in a negative tone, the other in a positive tone. Amazing!

A few years ago there was an excellent movie about this (spin doctoring) called "Wag the Dog". The movie starred a couple of well-known American actors, Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro. It's an entertaining movie that will give you great insight into the art of spin doctoring and the power of the media. Check it out some time, if you like language (and media) you'll like the movie

You can get more information (in English) about the movie by visiting the Internet Movie Database (link)

Information in Korean can be found HERE

The Man in Black (Updated Nov 17, 2005)

2005-11-14T20:55:00.000+09:00

I hope that you enjoyed listening to and learning about Johnny Cash in listening class today .

I had wanted to play the video in class too, however, the computer in my classroom was not being cooperative.

If you would like to watch the video for Johnny Cash's rendition of "Hurt", please CLICK HERE. ** UPDATE (If that direct link does not work, CLICK HERE instead) UPDATE **

The video is especially poignant and hauting. Especially the scenes showing his wife.

Check it out and let me know what you think...

Talent in the Global Market (updated)

2005-11-11T23:23:00.000+09:00

Today in Group Discussion, we talked what skills are required to be successful in the global market. I brought in a story from the Korea Herald entitled, "English Fluency not Enough to be Successful at Global Firms". The story featured an interview with Cho Se-mi, author of 세계는 지금 이런 인재를 원한다

If you would like to watch a televised interview (in English) with Cho Se-mi, visit www.Arirang.co.kr (CLICK HERE for direct access. Look for the Nov. 10 episode). You'll need to register with Arirang before you'll be able to use their VOD service. I've made an account that you can use if you don't want to sign up for your own accout.

ID: knuetrainee
PW: walter

If you'd like to read the Herald article, CLICK HERE

Enjoy!

wf

Authentic MS Word listening material

2005-11-07T17:25:00.000+09:00

If anyone is interested, here is the full text from Part 4 of yesterday's activity. If you would like to hear the piece again, CLICK HERE.

If you would like to visit the original source of the material, it's from Microsoft Office Training (http://office.microsoft.com); click on "training".

Microsoft offers free online for most of their office products, not just Word. In addition, the training is offered in several different language; click on "Office Worldwide" to move to a different language.

You can add two types of watermarks to a document: a picture or text. You insert both from the Printed Watermark dialog box (on the Format menu, Background submenu).

For pictures, you can choose from any image on your hard disk or from clip art in the Microsoft Clip Organizer. Once you've selected the image, you can optionally scale it and wash it out so that it's not as visible behind text.

For text, you can select the text you want from the drop-down list or type your own text, and select font, size, and color the same way you do with regular document text. You can also set transparency and diagonal or horizontal layout.

Once it's inserted, you can see your watermark in print layout view (click Print Layout on the View menu), or in the printed document.

My brush with fame

2005-11-03T13:28:00.000+09:00

Here's a shot of me with Korean model, and television and movie star, Lee Sun-jin (이선진).

She's much taller than I, but was nice enough to crouch down while we had our picture taken. I'm also standing a foot or two closer to the camera which helps me look taller.

Sun-jin's film credits include, "Invisible Light" (그집앞), "A Moment to Remember" (내 머리 속의 지우개), and "Love House" (러브하우스).

Currently, she can be seen on SBS's Friday night drama, "Diamonds' Tears" (다이아몬드의 눈물)

My obtainable dreamcar...

2005-11-02T11:57:00.000+09:00

The image on the monitor today was an Acura (Honda) NSX.

It is a hand-made, all aluminum supercar with a top speed of about 280 km/h. The car costs about $100,000 USD.

Compared to the McLaren F1 (read more here) shown in class the other day which costs over $1,000,000 the NSX is a bargin.

Although I am certain that I'll never be able to afford a McLaren F1 in my lifetime, I am certain that someday I'll have an NSX.

Wide Mouth Mason

2005-10-27T13:16:00.000+09:00

The music playing before today's listening class was from a Saskatoon band by the name of "Wide Mouth Mason"; sometimes shortened to WMM.

Some of WMM's career highlights include opening for "The Rolling Stones", touring Europe with rock legends, "AC/DC", and being one of the first Canadian rock and roll bands to tour China.

The band was also in the movie "The Recruit" staring Al Pacino and Collin Farrel. Their part was, what else, playing a band. Two of WMM's songs can be heard in the movie: "Change" and "Reconsider".

To learn more about WMM, visit their official hompage (www.widemouthmason.com). Click on WMM.RADIO to hear streaming audio. For a great example of the singer's range, listen to the songs "Change" or "Ease Your Mind".

Enjoy!

When it rains it pours...

2005-10-25T17:22:00.000+09:00

There was an interesting discussion in listening class today about some expressions related to (or using) weather words. A trainee asked about an expression used to describe when several unfortunate incidents happen back to back... (actually this expression applies not only to bad things, but to good things also)

I mentioned the expression, "It never rains, it pours." Several trainees mentioned the expression, "It never rains without pouring". Still other trainees mentioned the expression, "It never rains, but it pours." So which expression is right?

Well, here's a quick and easy way that you can check which expression is most frequently used; this will, I hope, give you some idea of which expression is best to use.

Visit: www.google.com
Enter your search query between quotation marks. For example, "it never rains, it pours"
Notice the frequency of your search query in google's results.
The expression which has the highest frequency is probably the best one to use.

Try it here! Click on the expressions below to see how often Google finds each expression.

"It never rains, it pours." (about 1,400 results)

"It never rains without pouring". (about 330 results [and the first result is Korean])

"It never rains, but it pours." (about 49,000 results)

"When it rains it pours" (about 265,000 results)

{FYI Google checks about 8,000,000,000 (that's eight billion or 팔십억) pages}

So, based on frequency, "When it rains it pours" would seem to be the best choice; however, all of the expressions seem to carry the same semantic and pragmatic meaning.

So which one is best? That depends... are you a prescriptivist or a descriptivist?

How long does it take to master English?

2005-10-24T19:33:00.001+09:00

Although I've been asked asked the question numerous times, today I had what I think to be my most lucid answer to the question, "How long does it take to master English?"

It takes as long to master English as is it takes to master your first language; a lifetime!

My answer is based on the idea that no one, not even an L1 speaker of a language, ever truly masters a language. Language is constantly evolving and a such, can never truly be mastered.

With study a person's language use can be polished and perfected, but, in my opinion, never mastered.

Inukshuk

2005-10-17T19:25:00.000+09:00

As we talked about briefly in culture class today, here is a picture of an inukshuk (plural inuksuit). If you would like to read more about inuksuit, please CLICK HERE

Here is something that I had inscribed on a retirement gift for a friend and colleague of mine here in Korea:

Canada's aboriginal people (especially Inuit) have used Inukshuks since the beginning of time. An Inukshuk represents the human spirit and is used to guide weary travelers through the vastness of Canada's arctic. Inukshuks are enduring symbols of strength, truth, and vision.

We have chosen this gift for you professor Kim, because we believe that much like the Inukshuk, you represent the human spirit. You and what you have accomplished during your illustrious career epitomize the ideals of strength, truth, and vision. You have been a beacon for people with special needs in Korea, guiding them on their journey and helping them to find their way.

And also like the Inukshuk, what you have done for your country will leave a lasting impression on the landscape for centuries to come.

Please accept this gift as a reminder of not only your retirement, but also of our admiration and respect for you and your remarkable contributions to Special Education in Korea!

Plagiarism

2005-10-06T17:42:00.000+09:00

If some of you would like to know more about plagiarism (what it is and how to prevent it) here are some good links:

1. definition from Answers.com
2. discussion and prevention tips from Purdue University
3. discussion and prevention tips from UC Davis

Sometimes plagiarism is deliberate while sometimes it is accidental. In both cases it is WRONG. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to cite (인용하다) your sources. For excellent and clear examples about how to cite sources, see www.answers.com It provides citations for each of its entries. Try it! Just look for the "Copyrights" information at the bottom of each answers.com page and click on CITE.

If also posted one of my academic papers from the University of Sydney so that you can see an example of citations at work. CLICK HERE to see the paper.

Plagiarism is not only an academic offense, but can, in some instances, lead to criminal charges!

Ask me about my insights into the "conservation of knowledge" versus the "expansion of knowledge" argument sometime... I'd be happy to share my thoughts on the issue with you.

Enjoy your weekend!

McLaren F1

2005-10-04T22:08:00.000+09:00

Here's another shot of my (probably unobtainable) dream car.

Here's also some vital information about the car:

Manufacturer: McLaren
Engine: 6,000cc BMW V12
0-100km: 3.2 seconds
Top speed: 386km/h
Price: 1,000,000 USD
Production: 1994-1998 (107 units, 65 for street use, 42 racing units)

You can find lots more info about this stunning car HERE.

PEZ PEZ PEZ

2005-09-27T21:33:00.000+09:00

As some of you have noticed, there are more and more small characters appearing infront of the television in our classroom everyday. They are called PEZ candy dispensers. If you'd like to learn more about them, visit their website at

www.pez.com

That company has been making PEZ machines since the late 1950s!!!

CLICK HERE to see a PEZ machine worth more than $450.00 USD!!

Korean Population

2005-09-20T21:49:00.000+09:00

I am always amazed at how many people don't know how many people live in Korea.

As we talked about in culture class today, there are about 48 million people in South Korea. My source is the Korea National Statistical Office (http://www.nso.go.kr/eng/).

Click on the image to the left to see a larger and clearer image.

There is lots of other information on the site.

Check it out...

Happy Chu-seok

2005-09-15T20:52:00.000+09:00

Hello everyone,

Have a safe and happy Chu-seok.

See you again on Tuesday.

2005-09-14T21:40:00.000+09:00

Hello everyone,

This might be a little late, but you know what they say; better late than never.

Here is some more information about this week's movie:

Tom Hanks's wife, Rita Wilson, saw the play and recommended that her husband produce a movie version. In an interview with the German magazine "Cinema", Nia Vardalos mentioned, that she hung up when Hanks called, because she didn't believe it was really him.
Nia Vardalos's real-life husband, Ian Gomez, plays Ian's best friend, Mike.

Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments about the movie in the COMMENTS section.

World's Tallest Free-standing Structure

2005-09-12T19:57:00.000+09:00

Hello everyone...

Lots of things to talk about from today's classes.

From culture class, here's my source for calling the CN Tower the world's tallest free-standing structure. Click on the thumbnail image to see the full-size picture.

The original source of the information was at http://www.skyscraperpage.com/

Check it out and let me know what you think...

PC Language

2005-09-12T08:56:00.000+09:00

Hello everyone! I hope that everyone enjoyed their weekend!

Here is some more information about PC language:

Political correctness is a term generally used to disparage efforts to
raise awareness about and eliminate social and political biases in language and
other forms of representation. The term also appears in the adjectival form
politically correct (often abbreviated PC). While it frequently refers to a
linguistic phenomenon, it is also extended to cover political ideology and
behavior

I took this informaiton from Wikipedia. To read the complete article, CLICK HERE

If you've never heard of Wikipedia, you should check it out. It's a very interesting project. Read more about it HERE (in English) or HERE (in Korean)

Don't forget to leave your comments about PC language by clicking on the COMMENTS link near the end of this message.

Analyze that

2005-09-07T10:30:00.000+09:00

What did everyone think of the movie today? Unfortunately, I didn't have time to watch it, but I've seen it before.

Here's some more information about the movie:

Directed by: Harold Ramis

Writing credits: Kenneth Lonergan & Peter Tolan

Genre: Comedy / Crime

Plot Outline: Mobster Paul Vitti is released into Dr. Ben Sobol's care, where only more chaos ensues.

Cast overview:
Robert De Niro: Paul Vitti
Billy Crystal: Dr. Ben Sobel
Lisa Kudrow : Laura Sobel
Joe Viterelli: Jelly

If you'd like to find out information about movies, the best site I can recommend is the 'Internet Movie Data Base'. www.imdb.com

If you like movies, and you'd like to learn more about your favorite movies, visit www.imdb.com It even has information about lots of Korean movies like: Old Boy, Swiri, JSA and others.

Best of all, the site is free and doesn't require any registration or log-in!

Click the COMMENTS link to leave your comments about this movie, or, if you didn't see the movie, to leave your comments about movies in general...

Enjoy

Welcome to my KNUE Blog

2005-09-04T11:23:00.000+09:00

Hello everyone!

Welcome to KNUE's Intensive English Teacher Training Program!

During the next six months I will be using this Blog, the KNUE pages on my homepage, and my KNUE discussion board to communicate with trainees.

The success of these online class supplements depends on you. Please play an active role in contributing to these online environments by not only visiting often, but also by posting often.

This blog will be used mainly to expand on topics that came up during class, but that we did not have enough time to discuss fully in class. It is very easy to post your comments on this blog, just click on the COMMENTS link at the end of the post.

Why don't you try it now and get started on making your contributions to this blog. Click on the COMMENTS link at the end of this post and leave a short comment introducing yourself.