Essential Classroom Commands/Words for ESL Teachers in Korea

Students are motivated by fun and it is the most important ingredient in a successful class. These expressions will help a new teacher a lot with class control and basic communications. It also shows students that the teacher is trying to learn their language, give and take, mutual respect.

1. An-ju-sayo - Sit down

2. E-d-o-sayo - Come here

3. Ha-jee-ma - Don't do that

4. Chun-chun-ee - Slowly

5. Bally (bally) - Hurry. Faster. Quicker

6. Joe-young-hee - Be quiet. You can also say shushh with finger against the lips or put your fingers in your ears to express Noisy!

7. Joe-shim-hae - Be careful Can be a caution of danger or a warning to behave.

8. Sa-rang-ae - I love you. Little children love to hear this when you say good bye and give them a pat on the back or head at the end of class. Koreans are very tactile and like to be patted or hugged. Older girls have been trained to not accept touching from strange males. You have to use your judgment. Head and back pats are generally fine. Children often adore their teachers. Maybe they are getting more attention in school than at home.

9. Bo-bo-ju-sayo - Give me a kiss. I say this to tease (jang-nan) or for humor (pointing to a boy and girl) but never actually kiss them myself. Not necessary, not appropriate. Children read your eyes and voice, as dogs do, and know if you like/love them. Sometimes I blow a kiss and they think that is wild, sort of a lampoon.

10. Da-ra-wa - Dirty.

Gek-u-tan - Clean. Teachers also have to teach good manners in class and be the peace-keeper. This is essential as kids can be fairly rude or blunt in class and there can be a fair amount of friction between boys and girls. They often will not sit together or hold hands in a game. Work around this. Korean children often draw on their desks. It is best to make them clean up. The teacher shouldn't do it. I commonly ask if they washed their hands after going to the toilet. Generally they do not, so you can check their hands.

11. Hung-keu-reo-jin - Messy. This expression or the one for dirty tells kids to improve their writing. I make them erase their work and repeat till they meet my standards.

12. Cheuu-gae - Eraser. When I see messy written work I often just point to it and say the word for eraser. Kids know that have to do it over.

13. Cho-ta, chew-eye-o - Good or nice. Used to praise good work.

14. Gong-son-han - Polite. Also be used to praise. Mu-ra-han - Rude.

15. Yo-gi - Here. Yo-gi-ta - Right here.

16. Cho-gi - There. Cho-gi-ta - Right there.

17. Chi-gum - Now!

18. Da-ra-ha-sa-yo - Repeat after me.

19. Da-shi - Again.

20. Kam-sa ham-ni-da - Thank you.

21. Dong-gu-ra-mee - [Make a] circle. Use with body language.

22. Juul - [Make a] line. Use with body language. Use with body language.

23. Ani, anyo or andayo - No

24. Yea and Nay - Yes. Nay means yes in Korea, strange but true. Children know OK, so I use that.

25. Kam-sa-ham-nee-da - Thank you (often contracted to kam-sam-ni-da)

26. Annie-yo or Annie-yo-ha-say-yo - Hello

27. Annie-yo-ga-say-yo - Goodbye (when you leave. Ga means go, very useful). Hello and goodbye can both be contracted to anyong.

These few simple words or commands make teaching in Korea far easier. Use them immediately before or after English. The children respond to the Korean and often ignore English directions even if they know them. Kids sort of have selective hearing.

If you have a terrible noisy and chaotic class just say....Yah! It gets attention immediately and says you mean business, Hey!

If that doesn't work with some, then physically make them get up and stand against the wall for a short time. It is harmless and they understand they have misbehaved.

Copyright 2004 Robin Tim Day