Well, there are horror stories about cultural misunderstandings. For instance, the teaching style that might work well in Western countries could be completely misinterpreted in Korea. Teachers might be too direct or casual in their teaching approach according to the local standards, and this can lead to conflicts with students or parents. Also, some teachers have horror stories about the long working hours. They might be expected to work extra hours without proper compensation, like staying late to help students with exams or prepare teaching materials.
They often have a quick build - up of suspense. For example, in many stories, the author will introduce a strange or menacing element right at the start to hook the reader.
One common 'Korea ESL horror story' is about contracts. Teachers might sign a contract without fully understanding it, only to find out later that they are overworked and underpaid. For example, they could be promised a certain number of teaching hours and salary, but end up being forced to teach extra classes without extra pay.
Firstly, do thorough research on the school before signing a contract. Check online reviews and talk to former teachers if possible. For example, on ESL teaching forums, there are often threads about different schools in Korea. Secondly, make sure the contract is very clear about salary, working hours, and living arrangements. If it's not, ask for clarifications. Thirdly, try to learn about the local culture and teaching norms as much as possible before starting to teach. This can prevent a lot of cultural misunderstandings.
One common theme is miscommunication. For example, the teacher may use a term or concept that is easily misunderstood by students due to cultural or language differences.
Well, there was this time a teacher had to teach a large class of ESL students. The classroom was very noisy and the students were not interested in the textbook materials at all. The teacher tried different methods but couldn't engage them, and it was really frustrating.
Sure. 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe is a great one. It's about a man who is haunted by the vulture - like eye of an old man he lives with and his descent into madness as he plots to kill the old man. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' where a family gets a magical paw that grants wishes but with terrifying consequences.
Sure. There are cases where ESL teachers were not given proper support in the classroom. For example, they were given large class sizes with students of widely varying English levels, but no teaching aids or assistant teachers. It made it extremely difficult to teach effectively.
It depends. If the 100 stories have a wide range of difficulty levels, then it could be somewhat suitable for different ESL levels. However, if they are all at a similar level, it won't be ideal for all. For example, if most of the stories are intermediate - level, beginners will struggle and advanced learners won't find it challenging enough.
They may be organized chronologically in some cases. For instance, if the stories are about historical events or personal development over time, a chronological order would make sense. This helps readers follow the sequence of events clearly and understand how the story unfolds step by step.