THE SETTING. A run-down classroom in a run-down school in a Seoul exurb.
THE PLAYERS. A beaten-down teacher and the group of fifth graders he tries to teach.
Curtains up on the classroom. We start in the middle of the lesson, about present continuous verbs.
TEACHER: Alright kids, let's open our books to page 113. Do you see page 113?
(silence)
TEACHER: Page 113? Yes?
(silence)
TEACHER: Okay really guys, page 113.
STUDENTS: (mumble something incoherently in Korean)
TEACHER: Great. Now please read the first sentence aloud. 3...2...1!
STUDENTS: (on cue, as this is the only way to get them to speak) We are going to the jew to see the ryans.
TEACHER: (blanching just a little) Okay...let's try that again. Repeat after me, "zoo".
STUDENTS: Jew.
TEACHER: Zoo.
STUDENTS: Jew.
TEACHER: ZOO.
STUDENTS: JEW.
TEACHER: (with a resigned sigh) Fine. Let's try another one. Repeat after me, "lions".
STUDENTS: Ryans.
TEACHER: (holding the 'l' for exaggeration) Lllllllions
STUDENTS: (mimicking) Rrrrrrryans.
TEACHER: (jumps out the window)
get ovel it. tly again tomollow. learry Noren. glow up. :P
ReplyDeleteWe learned about this problem in accents and dialects class. They have never been exposed to the z sound and so they litterally can't hear it. Keep working on it. I remember when I first started to actually hear sounds I've been hearing all my life but never really hearing. That a-ha moment will come for them too.
ReplyDeleteThere's got to be resources out there to help you introduce these sounds they aren't familiar with. If you don't know where to put your tongue in your mouth you aren't going to be able to mimic it, especially if it sounds the same to your ears.
ReplyDelete