Friday, September 08, 2006

YBM Korean

After 4 years, I'm a student again! I'm taking Korean classes 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, at YBM-Sisa in Jongno. I was all worried when I got placed into Level 4 (after a short interview where the guy asked me easy questions like "Where do you live?" and "How did you get here this morning?") but the class level seems to be about right for me.

The class is heavily Japanese and female, along with one Chinese and one Canadian. I was a bit nervous when I thought I might be the only non-Japanese in class, not because I was afraid of being the odd person out, but because Japanese tend to find Korean a much easier language than most other nationalities do. (Though it works both ways, and I've been told many times that if I get really good at Korean, I'll find Japanese a much easier language to learn.)

The class is a bit on the teacher-centered side (I don't think I'll be learning conversation as efficiently as if I'd enrolled at Seogang or Ewha) but it's conducted entirely in Korean, which is good for me. There is homework, but I am going to try to also do all the grammar exercises in the textbook that the teacher never checks.

The class runs for two months, by the end of which we will have finished the rather dull, picture-free YBM textbook. I'll probably go on to level 5 - if my schedule allows it.

1 comment:

Nerissa said...

I guess they are following the traditional method. Teacher-centered class.Anyway, how much did it cost you to enroll in the class?