Teaching Scripts: Using Mnemonics and

Authentic Materials

Lucien BrownCentre 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 suppor

t for the effectiveness of mnemonics

Mnemonics in Language Teaching Mnemonics most commonly applied in voca

bulary 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

ㅎ

ㅁ

ㄴ

ㄱ

ㄹ

ㅅ

ㄷ

ㅂ

ㅈ

ㅇ

ㄱ

ㅋ

ㄷ

ㅌ

ㅂ

ㅍ

ㅈ

ㅊ

ㅏ

ㅓ

ㅗ

ㅜ

ㅡ

ㅣ

ㅐ

ㅏ

ㅑ

ㅓ

ㅕ

ㅗ

ㅛ

ㅜ

ㅠ

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 soun

d ( 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 activitie

s 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

바지 배

다리 구두

개 모자

차 포도

Contextualizing Reading Practice Use of loan words

피아노 키스토마토 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?

Using authentic materials

Movie Posters

What is the Korean name of the movie?

Using authentic materials

Menus

How much are spicy chicken feet ( 매운닭발 )?

Using authentic materials

Departure Boards

What time is the flight to Los Angeles

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Front Page

Two schools have been closed due to swine

flu in which area?

a) New Malden

b) Kingston

c) Surbiton

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Front Page

Two schools have been closed due to swine

flu in which area?

a) New Malden

b) Kingston 킹스톤c) Surbiton

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Front Page

What is the telephone number of the 송가네supermarket?

a) 020-8949-7977

b) 07720-433-536

c) 020-8942-8471

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Front Page

What is the telephone number of the 송가네supermarket?

a) 020-8949-7730

b) 07720-433-536

c) 020-8942-8471

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Page 2

How much is the two day trip to Amsterdam

through HIS?

a) 99 pounds

b) 128 pounds

c) 196 pounds

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Page 2

How much is the two day trip to Amsterdam

through HIS?

a) 99 pounds

b) 128 pounds

c) 196 pounds

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Page 4

What Korean saying is used to describe

Ryan Air?

a) Mouth ( 입 ) is bigger than face ( 얼굴 )

b) Hand ( 손 ) is bigger than arm ( 팔 )

c) Belly button ( 배꼽 ) is bigger than stomach ( 배 )

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Page 4

What Korean saying is used to describe

Ryan Air?

a) Mouth ( 입 ) is bigger than face ( 얼굴 )

b) Hand ( 손 ) is bigger than arm ( 팔 )

c) Belly button ( 배꼽 ) is bigger than stomach ( 배 )

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Pages 8/9: 영국 뉴스 (UK news)

How many times does the word for UK

appear in the headlines?

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Pages 8/9: 영국 뉴스 (UK news)

How many times does the word for UK

appear in the headlines?

5

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Whole paper

Find the cookery section.

How do you say cooking in Korean?

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

Whole paper

Find the cookery section.

How do you say cooking in Korean?

요리

Using authentic materials

Newspaper Searches

요리 Section

Find the recipe for 미역 두부키쉬(seaweed and tofu quiche)

How much seaweed and how much tofu do

you need?

Using authentic materialsNewspaper Searches

요리 Section

Find the recipe for 미역 두부키쉬(seaweed and tofu quiche)

How much seaweed and how much tofu do

you need?

300g

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