Volume 12, Issue 4 THE ENGLISH CONNECTION A Publication of Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Teaching Culture: First Steps By Lee Negin he challenges facing English language teachers in Korea are daunting. We have to teach content, break through so-called T“affective filters,”deal with unrealistic expectations from parents, teachers, and administrators; with classroom management issues, and all of the assorted administrative tasks foisted on us. If that is not enough, recently we have been asked to teach“ culture”along with English. This begs the questions: What is culture, and which aspects should we teach? Most teachers feel unprepared, by education and/or experience to teach culture, and there are several reasons why the integration of culture and language teaching is difficult. This article will attempt to address some of What’s Inside? Continued on page 8. Discovery Materials By Dr. Andrew Finch YL Placement Tests By Jake Kimball 2008 Intern'l Conference Report By Elizabeth-Anne Kim Striving for Imperfection By Dr. Bill Snyder Book Review: Teaching English to Children in Asia By Dr. Kara MacDonald 43rd Annual TESOL Convention and Exhibit Denver, Colorado, USA March 26-28, 2009 Email us at
[email protected] December 2008 To promote scholarship, disseminate information, and facilitate cross-cultural understanding among persons concerned with the teaching and learning of English in Korea. www.kotesol.org The English Connection December 2008 Volume 12, Issue 4 THE ENGLISH CONNECTION A Publication of Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Feature Teaching Culture: First Steps 1 Contents By Lee Negin Columns President’s Message: A Sense of Home 5 By Tory Thorkelson From the Editor’s Desk: Reflective Practice 7 By Kara MacDonald Presidential Memoirs: Recharging the Batteries, 2001-2002 10 By Robert J.