James

Your friendly ESL Ambassador warmly welcomes you to the English language, world, culture, friends and travels!

Specializing in good ESL-First-Impressions! 

Saturday, 11 April 2015 14:38

Bondaygee ESL at Korean Public Schools

Well many people have asked "Can you use 'The Bondaygee ESL System' at Korean public schools?  And I must to tell you emphatically that Korean public schools are the most awesome place for using the 'Bondaygee ESL System'!

Guess what? I actually video recorded and documented much of my experiences in Korea.  However the best ESL Case Study I have ever documented was the time I was at Kwangnam Elementary 2007 School in Seoul 광남초등학교.  So let me tell it to you now, since I have finally found much of the old video footage that I created at that time.  Gather and listen to an amazing ESL story.

The Amazing Kwangnam ESL Story

So the year was 2007 and we had just moved from Cheongju to Seoul and I was looking for a new job.  I got an offer from a public Elementary School, but wasn't sure if I would like it or not.  These were big classes with about 40 students.  The idea was to teach ESL with their native Korean teacher there for support.  Huge classes and shared leadership, I wasn't sure, but said, "Ok let's give it a try."

I walked in there with my guitar for the initial classroom introductions, but just before introducing myself as "James Purdie," I thought, why not try my funny Korean nickname, "James Bondaygee"?  After all, I already made a 'Bondaygee Song' and movie, so it would be easy to support my funny persona with these "creative credentials" to students and maybe get a few laughs out of it at the same time. 

So I went for it.  "Hi there everybody.  It's nice to meet you.  My name is James Bondaygee, but you can call me Mr. Bondaygee." 

The students' reaction was instant laughter and disbelief as they stared at me.  I knew I was getting a response and rapport,  so I said "Yeah, you wanna hear the "Bondaygee Song?"  So I pulled out my guitar and sang my little tune, "Bondaygee  Bondaygee!"  I guess at this point I kind of realized the power of my art and creativity in general. Although I always considered it a silly little song, the reaction by the students said something far deeper in their eyes.  They weren't just looking at me as teacher, but as some kind of ESL Superhero who had come to liberate their minds and revolutionize the whole ESL World!  If you're a person who grew up watching Bugs Bunny at all, this is the exact moment in which Bugs says..."Meehhh What's up Doc?" and everybody goes nuts with a happy hysteria.  I actually showed several episodes of Bugs Bunny that year.  We laughed hysterically ourselves.  That's the best kind of laughter.

Anyways, for the teaching, naturally I was supposed to follow the Korean Text book and create a lesson plan everyday.  However, after a few months, I thought to myself, maybe my students might enjoy some of my own educational music videos as a supplemental bonus.  After all, I had made so many already including the "Very Good Words Series" and many more basic ones.  What's funny about it all is, I was actually pretty intimidated at the idea of teaching such a huge group of students and Korean teachers too, but I observed something awesome:  larger groups had more "good energy."  In every single class, there were several "superstar" students that would shine and transmit like a spiritual energy to me and it would bounce back and forth like the way a laser works (that's how lasers work by the way.  Light bounces around in a little chamber getting stronger and stronger until it pops out the tiny hole as a powerful, concentrated light beam).

So as I started teaching my own educational videos along with the regular curriculum, I was happy to see that students were quite entertained and "into it".  I share some basic videos like my "Action Easy Verb Video," and then next I tried my "Very Good Words Series".  The response was far better than I expected. "Wow!" I thought, "We've got some real potential here!  These kids are thirsty for this kind of learning-musical ESL lessons."  I proceeded to test the Very Good Words again with the other classes.  I should state clearly that I had ten identical Grade 3 Korean Classes with 40 students in each and a respective, Korean teacher.  Interestingly each Korean teacher had their own unique style and atmosphere.  Sometimes this really promoted the spirit of learning, which I could always feel.  I became so close to some of the Korean teachers, with whom I often shared 'knowing smiles' of a mysterious, spiritual connection.

Anyhow, after "testing the waters" and realizing that the potential for great learning and growth was really there, I improvised a large scale system for the entire school grade and went for it, putting my heart and soul into this passionate endeavour.

My Great Educational Experiment

I continued to teach the Korean textbook, but at the start of each class, I started with a Very Good Words Music Video. The school was very supportive.  They allowed me to print giant posters of my "Very Good Words" Word lists.  The posters were great because the students could see them at any time they wanted.  As they got familiar with the words,they would frequently browse, read and try the practice sentences below each word.  Next, we made a personal A4 Sized photo copy of each words list for all of the student in grade 3.  That makes roughly 400 students.  When we gave the word-list handouts, I always read them over one time with the students.  We always practiced the pronunciation one time, asked questions and discussed the students' favorite words. Sometimes I'd ask students to try and make sentence with any of the words.  That can be a fun game too.

So after we went over the list once, we would watch and listen to the Very Good Word Music Videos.  At first, it is best to read the word list while listening to the music video.  This helped the student memorize the words much faster.  In a very short time, students could easily remember every word and no longer needed the word lists.  And then they triumphantly sang out each word as it appeared on the big screen monitor.  The students seemed very empowered by the words and their growing new knowledge.  As we learned each Very Good Word Song (VGW1-VGW8), several students made their own booklet with the words carefully protected inside.  I was touched to see that.

The Next Level: Exponential Learning

Well it seemed like things were going so well, it was like a dream-come-true educational experience.  Could things get any better? The triumphant answer was yes! A few days later it occurred to me, why not make everything into a school wide ESL Competition using all ten grade 3 classes?  This is why it turned out to be such an amazing educational experiment, because we began with ten equal classes of 40 students.

The Korean teachers and I put it to the students: "Let's have a competition to see which class can memorize all the 'Very Good Words' first!"  The students went crazy with this idea and took to the task of memorizing all the words of each VGW Song with such a passion and fervor that we could only sit back in amazement at what we had started.  This was exponential learning.  This was profound.  This was like "spiritual ESL learning"!  Every class after that point forward was like a musical climb up Mount Everest.  I grew to love every single student at that time.  We all had the feeling of transcendence.  I dreamed at that time, I remember, of  being in the classroom and singing John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High Colorado!"

We were on such a roll at this time! To take it to another level again, higher still, we started to play a game of Very Good Words "Class Recitals/학생 발표", where students who claimed to have learned the entire word songs would come up in front of the class and sing out the words, usually very fast and nervous with their friends watching.  And I started to photograph and video tape some of these performances.  I will included below one of the funniest and coolest kids from that school.  He took a ruler and a textbook and taped them together like a guitar and he emulated me in the classroom.  This made me laugh so hard!  Check him out!  What a great student!  I also had this special T-Shirt made by one of my Korean artist friends which I gave to the first students to memorize Very Good Words#1-4.  Many students went right to VGW7.  VGW5 even has a 100 words!  That was a test to see if students could do it.  Yes they could! And so can you. 

By the way, this is how I learned Korean.  First learn all these English/Korean word associations and then a Korean/English sentence for each one.  The word lists themselves were about ten years of teaching and writing down the most commonly used words, words that you kept teaching over and over again to each class.  Or words that you found yourself always using with your friends.

The rest of the story is sweet history in my memory, but I'm sure you can get the picture.  There were several times where I and the Korean teachers had to pinch ourselves and ask if we were really teaching or dreaming?  It was really special and unforgettable.  I hope to hear more from the students in the future, which is why I'm posting this information, this story, pictures and videos.  And if you ever happen to teach at that Kwangnam School in Seoul, ask if they remember the Legend of Bondaygee Teacher? 번데기 선생님.

Here's a video with the Grade 3 Class#9.  I'm doing the song with my guitar, but you can just as easily use the "Youtube" videos with the big screen class monitors!  Take it to the next level yourselves!  Be another superstar teacher or school!

Click here to see the full Kwangnam ESL Experiment Highlights:

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, 08 March 2014 20:20

ESL Youtube Channels

Youtube Channels:

Bondaygee's English is expanding and growing.  And so now there are two YouTube channels.

 

1. My original channel is here: http://www.youtube.com/user/jamesbondaygee

It has a lot of ESL videos, but it also has many other videos.

2. My new ESL Channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesesl1

This new channel is exclusively for ESL materials and features a lot of new videos already like a Small Talk series and important sentences.  Check it out!

Sunday, 11 August 2013 00:00

Free and Fun Musical ESL for Korea!

영어권에서 주로 사용하는 일상 대화 단어를  배우고 익힐 수 있는 방법은?

리듬이 있는 Very Good Words 시리즈로 쉽고 효과적으로 "2분 내에" 영어 단어 마스터 하기.


Note: If you appreciate my free work here, please support by giving my videos a "thumbs up" and share with your friends and schools. 

Friday, 24 May 2013 00:00

The Tadpole Song

 

Are you looking for a good song to teach at your English Camp?  Look no further.
The perfect song is here with its lyrics for studying:
The Tadpole Song (올챙이송 영어버전)  Here's the story. I was asked at one summer camp at 성북초등학교 to make an English Version of the 올챙이송.  I did it quickly in an hour and it turned out very well.  Here it is:

The Tadpole Song Lyrics

 

Down by a stream
One little tadpole
Swimming swimming swimming along

Out pop the back legs  ('pop' 소리)
Out pop the front ('pop' 소리)

Jumping Jumping!!!
Now he is a frog.

Swimming swimming
Swimming swimming
Swimming swimming
One little tadpole

Out pop the back legs  ('pop' 소리)
Out pop the front ('pop' 소리)

Jumping Jumping!!!
Now he is a frog.


(Special thanks to the original Korean Song Writer)
고마와!! :)

Sunday, 28 April 2013 00:00

VGW1 Movie

Very Good Words#1 Movie: Danny's Secret.

Filmed in Cheongju, South Korea (청주)

 

This is a student movie and it roughly follows the script attached below.  You can download it.  The purpose of this movie was to use all of the words from VGW1 Word List.

Hi there! It's James. I just wanted to say that this little video has all of "Very Good Words#1" in it.

It is the "Very Good Words#1" video. Have fun!!

 

Danny's Secret



A lot of kids cheated on the test. 대다수 학생들이 컨닝을 했다.


"Oh it's not important!" said Danny. Danny was a stupid boy. Actually, he wasn't a stupid boy. He was smart.

", 이건 중요한게 아니야" 데니가 말했다. 데니는 바보같은 소년이었다. 사실, 그는 어리석은 소년은 아니었다. 그는 똑똑했다.

 But he had a problem. He didn't like studying.

그렇지만 그에겐 문제가 있었다. 그는 공부하는걸 싫어했다.

He was a noisy boy and his hobby was playing computer games until late at night!

그는 시끄러운 소년이었고 그의 취미는 밤늦게까지 컴퓨터 게임을 하는 거였다.

Danny hated school. "I don't care," said Danny.

데니는 학교를 싫어했다. " 난 상관안해" 데니가 말했다.

.......................

Danny's mother was really worried. "I wish Danny wanted to study." said his Mother.

데니의 엄마는 아주 걱정이었다. " 데니가 공부를 하고 싶어하면 좋겠어" 그의 엄마가 말했다.

"It's strange that Danny doesn't like studying!

"데니가 공부를 싫어하는게 이상해"

Before Danny was a good student. But he changed..............It was strange.....there was a secret. Danny's secret.

데니는 전에 착한 학생이었다. 그러나 그는 변했다. 그건 이상한 일이었다. ... 거기엔 비밀이 있었다. 데니의 비밀..

.........................................

Talking to his girlfriend, Jenny, outside at the park, " I have a secret" said Danny.

공원에서 여자친구인 제니와 말을 하고 있었다. " 비밀이 있어" 하고 데니가 말했다.

"What is it? What is it? said Jenny. "뭔데" "뭔데" 제니가 물었다.

"I can't talk..I feel gross" said Danny. "말할 수가 없어... 기분이 아주 더러워" 데니가 말했다.

"Yes You can," said Jenny. "말 할 수 있어" 제니가 말했다.

"I can't !" "못해"

"Yes you can......what is your secret?" "할 수 있어... 네 비밀이 뭔데"?

"Ok...Ok Ok OK OK OK......." said Danny. " 알았어...... " 데니가 말했다.

"Yes?" said Jenny."그래". 제니가 말했다.

"My father died two years ago!!" 아빠가2년전에 돌아가셨어"

Jenny was very surprised and Danny looked very sad and depressed.

제니는 아주 놀라워 했고 데니는 매우 슬프고 우울해 보였다.

"Now do you understand?" said Danny. "Do you got it?" " 이제 알겠어? " 데니가 말했다.

"Yes I understand....I'm sorry," said Jenny. "그래, 이해해.. 유감이야"

A little bit later Jenny said, "How do you feel, Danny?" 잠시 후에 제니가 말했다. "

"기분이 어때, 데니?"

"It's interesting....I feel ok now" he said. "재미있다..... 지금은 기분이 괜찮아" 그가 말했다.

"Maybe you just needed to talk," said Jenny. "아마도 너한텐 단지 말을 할 필요가 있었던거 같다." 제니가 말했다.

"I think you're right, thanks," said Danny. "Hey Jenny, can you guess my favorite color?"

"네가 맞는거 같아," 데니가 말했다. " 제니야, 내가 좋아하는 색이 뭔지 맞춰봐?"

"Hmm..I bet you like the color Green" said Jenny. '... 내 생각엔 네가 녹색을 좋아할거 같아. " 제니가 말했다.

"No." "아니"

"Hmm..maybe you like red?"

.... 그러면 아마도 빨강색 좋아하니?" famous

"No I don't!" "아니야"

"Ok..I don't know," said Jenny '"그래, 잘 모르겠다." 제니가 말했다.

"My favorite color is blue...because I like the sky. It's beautiful."

"내가 좋아하는 색은 파랑색이야.. 왜냐하면 난 하늘을 좋아하거든, 아름답잖아"

At 3 O' clock, Danny said, "Let's go home.....I feel tired."

3시에 데니가 말했다. " 집에 가자.... 피곤해"

At home Danny was busy studying English. His Mother looked at Danny. "I don't believe it....Danny..is studying. He is not the same boy. He is a different boy. He really changed!"

집에와서 데니는 영어공부하느라 바빴다. 어머니가 데니를 바라보았다. " 믿을수가 없어.. 데니가 공부를 하고 있네. 전하고 같지 않구나. 다른 사람이 됐네. 아주 변했어"

"Do you like studying?" said his Mother. "공부하기 좋니?" 어머니가 물으셨다.


"Of course," said Danny, "I want to be a famous English Teacher!

"물론이지요." 데니가 말했다. " 유명한 영어 선생님이 되고 싶어요"


Danny's Mother was so happy. She cooked a delicious dinner! "I have a very smart boy!" said Danny's Mother.

데니의 어머니는 아주 행복했다. 그녀는 맛있는 저녁을 요리했다. "난 아주 똑똑한 아이를 가졌구나" 데니의 어머니가 말했다.

 

 

 

Sunday, 28 April 2013 00:00

Funny Stuff

Teaching with Humor

I must say that humor is one of the best ways to keep students interested.  Being too serious can quickly destroy students' interest in anything.  Be careful and don't spoil the beautiful, natural interest that already exists.  Instead, try being funny.  Humor is a beautiful art!  And you can preserve your students' good memories and positive feelings about ESL or any subject. Cool

"The Bondaygee Song" is full of humor and highlights from the Bondaygee Movie.

                    The Bondaygee Song

 

My favorite thing in the world to eat, (bondaygee)

Is the sweet, little bondaygee treat. (bondaygee) 

I'd like to eat it everyday if I could.  (bondaygee)

But my mother doesn't think that I should.

So I sing, "Bondaygee Bondaygee"

Students echo: "Bondaygee!"

Teacher: Bondaygee Bondaygee

Students: Bondaygee!

I went to the market for something to eat.  (bondaygee)

There was a strange smell in the air.  (bondaygee)

Bought a cup and I started to eat.  (bondaygee)

The strange, little bondyagee treat!

So I sing, "Bondaygee Bondaygee"

Students echo: "Bondaygee!"

Teacher: Bondaygee Bondaygee

Students: Bondaygee!

 

 The Bondaygee Movie  (It's where I got my  nickname)

Monday, 22 April 2013 21:31

VGW5 Sentences

Very Good Words#5 Study Sentences


1. Life is precious.
2. You are my treasure.
3. A hand is a part of your body. 손은 네 몸의 일부분이야.
   Can I have a piece of pizza please? 피자 한조각 주시겠어요?
4. Quickly hide, the Aliens are coming!! 빨리 숨어. 외계인이 오고있어.
5.  Please forgive me. I made a mistake.  나좀 용서해줘. 실수를 한거야.
6. Please don't tease Kevin!! 케빈좀 놀리지 말아라.
7. Please control your crazy dog!! 네 미친 개 좀 어떻게 해봐.
8. Damn....I lost my wallet. 맙소사. 지갑을 잃어버렸잖아.
9. Bald men are very common in the english world. 영어세계에서 대머리는 흔해.
10. People don't notice bald men in the english world. 영어 세계에서 사람들은 대머리를 알아채지 못해.
11. Please don't steal my stuff. 내물건 훔쳐가지마 제발.
     I don't like kids who steal. 훔치는 애들은 싫어.
12. I like swimming especially when the weather is hot! 난 특히날씨가 더울때 수영하는거 좋아해.
13. I work from 6:00 am until 8:00 pm every day, except Sunday. 일요일은 빼고 매일 아침 여섯시부터 오후 8시까지 일해.
14. Please concentrate instead of fooling around in class.교실에서 장난하지말고 집중해.
15. I'm proud of all my students. 난 나의 모든 학생들이 자랑스러워.
16. That joke was totally hilarious!  저 농담은 진짜로 웃겨.
17. I'm always dissapointed when you don't try hard. 네가 열심히 안할때마다 난 항상 실망해.
18. That guy is a real idiot! 저 남자는 진짜 바보야.
19. Why are you so cruel to me? 왜 나한테 잔인하게 굴어?
20. Our school is the coolest compared to other schools! 우리 학교는 다른학교에 비해 제일 멋져.
21. Can you go and get me a coffee? 가서 커피좀 갖다줄래요?
22. Will you let me go to your party? 네 파티에 가게 해줄거지?
23. Wow...my teacher is really pissed off. Be careful!!! 와우.. 선생님 진짜 열받으셨어. 조심해.
24. Wait a minute! 잠깐만
25. The expression, "pissed off" is a little bit dirty. 열받다' 는 표현은 좀 나빠요!!
26. Keep studying David, we're not finished yet!! 계속 공부해, 데이빗, 우리 아직 안끝났어.
27. Oh my god! My classroom is so messy.  I got to organize it. 오.세상에. 교실이 너무 더러워. 정리해야되요.
28. Do you like hunting bears? 곰사냥 좋아해?
29. That dummy totally failed the test!!! 저 바보는 시험을 완전히 망쳤어.
30. That test was a real piece of cake!! 시험은 정말  식은죽 먹기였어.
31. Run as fast as you can to the hospital now!! 할수있는한 빨리 병원으로 가 지금.
32. Cindy's not here today.  That's really unusual! 신디는 오늘 여기 안왔네. 정말 드문 일이야.
33. Sarcasm is like teasing because they both hurt people. 비꼬는건 놀리는거와 같아. 왜냐하면 둘다 사람들 마음을 아프게 하니까
34. I'm next!! Oh..my god..I'm so nervous! 난 다음번인데. 오오.. 긴장된다.
35. Ok..do you got all of your stuff ready for going to Canada?캐나다 갈때 가져갈 네 물건들 모두 챙겼니?
36. Don't talk to that guy....he is totally nutz!! 저사람한테 말걸지마. 완전히 미쳤어.
37. I feel really pissed off when you ignore me in the classroom!! 교실에서 네들이 날 무시할때면 정말 열이 받아.
38. Are you still studying english at home? 집에서 여전히 영어공부 하고있니?
39. What do you expect to learn if you never concentrate? 집중을 안하면서 뭘 배울거라 기대하니?
40. Ironically, the people you love, often hurt you the most!! 말이 안돼지만 네가 사랑하는 사람들이 자주 널 제일 아프게해.
41. Wow..what a coincidence!! What are you doing here? (hint: you're really surprised to meet your friend in the same place!)와우,, 정말 우연이다. 여기서 뭐해?(한 장소에서 친구를 우연히 만났을때)
42. Can you just stop arguing for one minute? 잠시라도 다투는걸 멈출수있겠니?
43. I told you to not speak Korean in the class!! 수업시간에 한국말 하지 말라고 했잖아.
44. Working is an important part of your life? 일은 네 인생에서 중요한 부분이야.
45. Some of you kids are too mischieveous.너희들 중 몇명은 너무 장난이 심해.
46. That car is moving as fast as an airplane!! 저차는 비행기만큼이나 빠르다.
47. Oh my God! The door just closed by itself!! How mysterious!세상에나. 저 문이 그냥 저절로 닫혔어. 진짜 이상하다.
48. I try to be fair with all of my students at school. 학교 학생들 모두에게 공정하게 대하려고 해.
49. I'm as poor as a begger!! Wait a minute!! I am a begger!
난 거지나 마찬가지야.. 잠깐만. 난 거지구나.
50. Both of you hurry up and finish your writing!! 너희 둘다 쓰기 서둘러서 마쳐.
51. I play the flute and I also play the recorder. 난 플룻하고 피리도 연주해.
52. I can't live with or without you!!! 너없이도 살수없고 네가 있어도 살수없어.
53. Oh..I'm sorry..I misunderstood you!!! 미안해. 오해했어.
54. I don't like boring situations!! 지루한 상황이 싫어.
55. Is the boy's name Pat?
Hmm.....something like that.
저 소년 이름이 패트야?
음... 그런거 같아.

56. This game is kinda fun!
      I sorta like that girl!
이 게임은 재미있는거 같아요.
    나 저 소녀를 좋아하는거 같아.
57. This weather!! Ahhh...I can't handle it!!! 이런날씨는..  
정말 지겨워.
58. Don't bother me! I'm in a bad mood. 신경건드리지마.
  기분 나쁘단 말이야.
59. Which do you prefer cats or dogs? 고양이랑 개중에 어떤걸 더 좋아해?
60. I'm stuck at home today doing homework. 오늘은 숙제하느라 집에 있어야 해.
61. My house is close to the school. 내 집은 학교하고 가까워.
62. I could be a famous movie-star like Harry Potter.
 해리포터처럼 유명한 영화배우가 될수있어.
     I would like to be a Lion.
         사자가 되고 싶어.
I would if I could but I can't so I won't!!!내가 할 수 있으면 할 수있지만 할수가 없어. 그래서 난 안할거야.
63. a) So..are you really sick?
          그러니까... 너 정말 아픈거니?
     b) No...the Doctor says I'm normal. 아니,,의사가 난 정상이래.
     I want to eat a regular size pizza please.보통크기 피자로 먹고 싶어요.
   At the GasStation: Fill me up with Regular please!
 주유소에서: 일반으로 채워주세요.
64. I don't mind if he comes to my party. 그애가 내 파티에 온다해도 괜찮아.
     Do you mind if I smoke?
   담배 피워도 괜찮아요?

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