ESL (English as a Second Language) Critical Thinking Resources?

[jpj2011]

Hi,

I'm currently teaching English at a public school in South Korea, and I have after-school classes that are more casual than the main ones. My students are middle school age and are OBSESSED with ghosts and scary movies. I've been using this as a springboard to talk about critical thinking, as Koreans can be quite superstitious sometimes (don't even get me started about fan death). I did a lesson on Ouija Boards and I was able to show clips from the Penn and Teller episode.

I was wondering, are there any children's skeptic resources outside of Dan Barker's books? I know he's written a couple but just looking for anything related to it. Junior Skeptic is probably a bit too hard as their English level is low.

[dropzone]

All I can provide is support in your difficult endeavor. Western skepticism grew out of the Age of Reason, and not entirely. Is it true that it took less hold in the East?

[redhotrebel]

There's a magazine "Junior Skeptic" (http://www.skeptic.com/junior_skeptic/). Idk if that helps any.

[JJM 777]

You are employed to teach English. If you try to teach something else too, you might be heading for some trouble.

[Almo]

You are employed to teach English. If you try to teach something else too, you might be heading for some trouble.

JJM speaks truth. Tread lightly.

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

Honestly, after school classes are for special tutoring on a subject that the students need extra help in, not for talking about something totally irrelevant, be it skepticism or anything else.

As someone who once tutored at an after school program for disadvantaged high schoolers and was frustrated by the limited time I had with them, I am wondering why are you wasting valuable time on something unrelated to what you are supposed to be doing.

Especially given that their English is poor, you should use the time to teach them what they are there to actually learn.

If they specifically ask if you believe in ghosts and whatnot, of course you can say no and explain why. Other than that, you have no obligation to tell them anything about skepticism.

[dropzone]

EMM has a point.

[Last of the Fraggles]

Honestly, after school classes are for special tutoring on a subject that the students need extra help in, not for talking about something totally irrelevant, be it skepticism or anything else.

As someone who once tutored at an after school program for disadvantaged high schoolers and was frustrated by the limited time I had with them, I am wondering why are you wasting valuable time on something unrelated to what you are supposed to be doing.

Especially given that their English is poor, you should use the time to teach them what they are there to actually learn.

If they specifically ask if you believe in ghosts and whatnot, of course you can say no and explain why. Other than that, you have no obligation to tell them anything about skepticism.

Yes and no.

Given that you are in a public school in a foreign country then you need to be careful about what you teach particularly if you could be seen as critical of the local culture.

However, we are talking about after school ESL classes here and its entirely appropriate to have discussions on whatever topic interests the kids.

Provided he is just getting the kids talking and not trying to indoctrinate them he'll be fine.

[redhotrebel]

I'm confused, when did teaching logic and critical thinking become so taboo? I understand staying on topic of the curriculum, but if there is no predesignated curriculum, isn't that the perfect opportunity to introduce people to a world outside of mysticism that they may not get elsewhere? I agree that tact should be used because he can run the risk of alienating students. But I'm hearing words like "indoctrinate" and "irrelevant", when did being rational become "irrelevant" in teaching? When did teaching people to live in reality become "indoctrination"?

[Last of the Fraggles]

I'm confused, when did teaching logic and critical thinking become so taboo? I understand staying on topic of the curriculum, but if there is no predesignated curriculum, isn't that the perfect opportunity to introduce people to a world outside of mysticism that they may not get elsewhere? I agree that tact should be used because he can run the risk of alienating students. But I'm hearing words like "indoctrinate" and "irrelevant", when did being rational become "irrelevant" in teaching? When did teaching people to live in reality become "indoctrination"?

The only mention of indoctrinate was in the reference to it being alright as long as he is not doing it.

The simple fact is that the OP is in a sensitive position in a foreign country where people are often suspicious of the foreign teachers and what they are doing with their kids.

In that situation its easy to find yourself in trouble over something that on the face of it might be quite innocent.

[SomeGuy]

I have to second the sentiments that you should be careful to seperate personal agenda's from the topic you teach.

I'm a science teacher myself on a public school teaching mostly atheistic kids and I'm careful not to bring up stuff like that too often myself. If only for the simple reason that noone is going to be swayed if they feel challenged or attacked.

Doesn't mean I don't get to have my laughs every once in a while, I often tell my students that before Newton's law of gravity people though that angels were behind the earth pushing it forward and how that notion is obviously preposterous...

... I let it sink in...

and than continue with: "obviously those angels are on the outside of the elipse pushing towards the sun"

I like that one.. since it puts people on the wrong leg, giving them the idea that the idea of angels is preposterous when really it's the idea of a force in the direction of the trajectory instead of perpendicular to it, that's the preposterous idea.

(This is beside the point of my actually believing that the idea of angels is ridiculous of itself)

[JoeTheJuggler]

There is a huge overlap between English--composition especially--and critical thinking skills.

[jpj2011]

Yeah I was mainly just trying to get them talking. Definitely don't want to push any beliefs on them.

I did a lesson on palm reading last week and they really liked that. I had them read their own palms and record the results using questions (What job will you have, will you be rich etc), and then I had other students' read their palms and to see if the results were different. They were quite amused as they were completely different!

I'd like to find something online like Scooby Doo with Korean subtitles or something like that. They're convinced of the fan death thing so was thinking of performing a test to show whether or not it's actually true.

[Luciana]

As a Brazilian, I studied English as a second language, of course.

Textbooks for ESL are full of woo. Normally, the very first lessons involve a chapter on astrological signs - they're good to train adjectives and the present tense. Thus, "I'm a Capricorn. I'm responsible, hard-working, serious and focused." Right.

More advanced texts often involve subject that elicit interest. That means lots of nonsense about Egyptian pyramids, ghosts, UFOs and lots of "Snopes" hoaxes, along with various factoids on pretty much all subjects under the earth.

And those were always taught me as the whole truth, nothing but the truth. They were written, man, taugh by a teacher, they had to be right!

Thankfully, I could see past it.

jpf2011 - you're dealing with the mind of youngsters. By all means, tell them that what passes as fact in textbook could very well be wrong. Tell your students that the texts are learning aids, but not facts, they're simply not at all that serious. Mention that some people have different opinions. Tread lightly, but don't deny those children an exposure to critical thinking.

[jpj2011]

They had some incorrect information in the textbooks as well. One of the exercises had Canada listed as the largest country. It made for an awkward moment between my co-teacher and I (we both knew it was Russia).

There was a lesson in the book about ET life and the planets and I had a ball with that one. It had the face on Mars as evidence suggesting life and I showed them pics of the original Mars trip and the recent Surveyor missions with better res. It made for a great a-ha moment for them. I also showed them how to fake UFO photos using string and Photoshop.

I think you're right about the astrology stuff. There was another textbook I saw that had that in it. The publishers probably think it's the easy way as everyone knows astrology and it's helpful for teaching descriptive words. That's how I felt when I taught the ET lesson.