English Interview - The Mentalist: Tim Kang

He is the most smart and fascinating Korean actor.
I love Tim Kang, especially when he acts Kimball Cho on Mentalist.

Storytelling script

1. Your childhood/your family/ your hometown

My name was named by my paternal grandfather. It means the core of beauty. I am not quite sure that this name suits me, but I will try to become one that deserves the name. I must work both on inner beauty and outer beauty.

My childhood is precious. Since I lived in Gwacheon city, Gyeonggi Province from when I was 3 years old, all of my childhood memory is in the city. Gwacheon has three mountains and lots of trees. The environment was remarkable for kids to do outdoor activities.

My family members are mom, dad and older brother. I rely mostly on my mom in consulting issues or having a chat. Mom and I can share many things as women in shopping and doing household chores. Also mom is the one who is always in my side to protect me and understand my stance.

Dad is the one who provides offers and comes up with ideas. He gives me news articles, books to read and offers me to discuss the issues with him. My older brother is always my best friend when we have some topic to talk about in common. We exchange jokes and ordinary chat but he is not always so friendly.

2. Your personality ( eg. from MBTI)

My MBTI test told me many things about my personality and I mostly agree. It said that I am passionate and active, with abundant imagination. I am also creative and good at socializing, especially talented with advertising, writing, consulting and educating. I also cannot stand the repetitive daily life and lose energy when trapped in that boring routine. I get impressed easily and cry a lot. My face shows my emotion thoroughly and I love to meet new people. It also commented me that I have a natural talent in making people happy. I do not deeply believe in this test but this is very pleasing.

3. Your learning style/how you have studied English

I mostly studied English through listening pop songs and watching Disney movies. Listen and repeat is the keyword in my learning of English. Memorizing what the actors said and mimicking them was very helpful. I watched from animations to amazing movies such as the Dead Poet’s Society. Even though I could not understand the stories as a whole, I enjoyed watching them and it turns out that it was the most effective way to learn English.

4. Your vision/What makes you choose Eng. Edu. at CAU?

My vision in this department at CAU is to be educated to become the standard English instructor. I want to be the role model of Korean students, and for that, I need to work more on my personality, delivery in English and knowledge. English education was not my final goal when I was drawing my own dream blue print. I dreamed of working at international organizations such as the United Nations. However, among other majors, I thought English education was the best choice. It is partially about the division of international studies that I used to learn, and the professional English knowledge would be helpful in setting my career.

The Importance of Pronunciation of an English Instructor

   In the past, when teaching English, the English pronunciation of an instructor was not taken into account. Particularly in Korea, English education was focused on teaching grammar and training problem solving skills to prepare exams. However, the globalization changed the importance of English from reading comprehension skills to speaking and writing skills. The businessmen and women need English speaking skills in order to prepare negotiations, presentation and etc. Likewise, students and people serving in other career need english speaking skills as well. In learning English, speaking became important. From this perspective, the English teachers' pronunciation is more sigficant than ever.
   To begin with, English teachers' pronunciation when teaching English is very important. Also, some students believe that English teachers should pronounce like a English native speaker. This belief is quite true. The communication skill is being emphasized more and so is English to maximize the effect of delivery. In order to teach English speaking skills, as many nations emphasize, the pronunciation of teachers is critical. I personally think that Korea's English teachers' pronunciation is not good enough to satisfy the students and meet the needs of globalized society. I would work hard and continuously practice my English pronunciation in order to meet this demand and become a standard English teacher.
  

Dance

My friends and I rented a mirror room for our dance practice. We met at 2 at 이수역. 민견 was the first one to arrive and we drank coffee while waiting for 지원 and 혜민. We walked to the place where we rented with a bottle of water. It was cold and dusty, but we just ignored the spooky atmosphere for its cheap rent. We turned on the Boom Boom Pow music and practiced the dance. 연규 showed up a couple of hours later. We divided the dance parts and continuously practiced. I started to sweat when we danced for two hours in a row. My friends commented me that I was a powerful dancer. 혜민 was a hard working dancer who kept practicing, and 지원 was a natural born dancer who had groove in her moves. 민견 was quite shy but hard working as well. 연규 was sort of shy too even though she was not in aware of that fact. However, our teamwork was great. We gave ourselves a gift; chicken!

Elizabeth Taylor

Journal : My Type - ESFJ - in Learning

What type of learner are you? Tell us about the results of three different tests. Are these results surprising or confirming you? What did you learn about this activity?

   The test result was about my personality, mostly about how my type socialize and behave. The test said that I am emotionally sensitive and good at making friends. This developed socialization is given to more than ten percent of the population so it is helpful in stimulating interaction among the people. Also, it said that my type is highly cooperative and mostly in charge at work or working on a team project.
   From these brief summary of my test result, I think I can assume that my type of learning is mostly through socializing with people and my type - ESFJ - is likely to collect information via outgoing activities. To add my comment, I am not surprised at all. Actually I was nodding through the test result, feeling sympathy. The test result was describing my personality with details and examples. I can explain myself as focused learner when learning new and interesting things, and a debater who likes to discuss the issues and tasks that I face.
   To begin with, I am a learner who shows a long-time concentration when learning something interesting to me. When I was a second grader of middle school, I learned Japanese for a year. Compared to Chinese, which I learned almost 4 years, I had more interest in Japanese and 5 years from then, I still remember what I learned and memorized. I sometimes receive compliments about my Japanses. However, this never happens in case of learning Chinese. It stays rather short in my mind and I get bored when learning the language.
   In addition, I like to have discussion with my classmates about what we learned that day or some topics that we need to come up with ideas. I am not the best debater but since I love to talk about things, this method in learning works for me to better understand and exchange opinions. I can find out the points that I could not see by listening to others. Sharing the perspective and examples is very helpful for my brainstorming and elaborating.

Cold Tuesday

Today was colder than yesterday, but I was happy since I woke up at 9. I mostly wake up at 6.
I took a rather long shower and I had a late breakfast with my brother.
At 12, I arrived at Huksuk station and headed to the library to meet Hyemin.
We were a little hungry so we went to Tomoca and bought bread to eat while reading the handouts of writing class. Tomoca's egg sandwich is amazingly delicious. I was impressed.
The writing class was much better than the previous class because I was more involved. Korean grammar is so tricky to me so I needed a lot of concentration.
After that, I went to take the exercise&health lecture. The lecture was about the beginning of golf, how it developed and how the game works. However, the sport - golf - was difficult for me to understand.
It will get colder later when it is time for me to go home. I am still at computer lab of my department.

Monday midnight

Today was a busy day.
I woke up at 6:19 in the morning, and this early start brought me GOOD morning. English writing and English conversation classes with professor Zsoldos were more focusing and interesting than the previous classes.
However, I suffered in hunger the whole day. I just had bread from Tomoca.
After professor Cha's lecture, I stayed at the computer lab of my department and finished the homeworks for the classes in the morning.
At 4:40, our department gathered and exchanged opinions about the dance performances that we need to divide teams and organize. The performace needs to take place on Saturday evening, and all the freshmen were supposed to be involved. I might be dancing to something stimulus as Black Eyed Peas music.
At 7, I met Max, the one who used to be my essay supervisor last year, and had a decent dinner-chicken-with joy. I haven't seen Max for ages, in fact, I have not seen him for more than 7 months. So we had a pleasant time catching up on each other. He is 4 years older than me, but I have no problem getting along with him. Actually he is one of my best friends. We talked about movies and campus experiences. I wanted to talk more, but I had assignments to do.

One fine day on Sunday afternoon

It rained, but it turned out as a pleasant sunny day.
I had a nap in a cafe, enjoying the sunlight. I thought it was quite funny to put on suncream on such a rainy morning, but it was a fabulous choice. It was a perfect day for a walk.
Today I tried the Burger King discount with my student ID card, and they said YES. Yepeeeee!
So I was able to enjoy Whopper this afternoon.

and~ I finished the biggest obstacle - writing 1 - today!
I am PROUD of myself!

Saturday

I was supposed to meet my old friend at 12, in front of Sinchon station.
I texted her in subway, to clarify where she was. Oh, lord. She told me she just woke up.
She rushed all the way down to Sinchon from Songdo, Incheon, where her dormitory is located.
I waited for her until 3, and I was wearing heels. I could not stand the pain of my feet when it was almost 3.
She told me that she waited for a bus for 40 minutes and she could not take one so took the subway.
How I wished to shout and make her embarrassed, but I had to disguise myself as a generous girl.

She twisted all my plans yesterday, and I really don't want to see her again.
Until the moment we said goodbye, I gave her a big hug and told her that I would text her.
And the next moment, I was complaining all of those what took place in the afternoon to my boyfriend.

Surprising

Today I had dinner twice and it felt quite weird and amazing.
I never realized that I could eat this much. I had Vietnamese noodle and Chinese noodle this evening.
I love noodles so it did not matter, but the important thing is that I think I am getting fat. Oh no...

I saw my friends at the English Edu department and one sophomore playing billiard as well after dinner.
It was rather fun just to watch them play. However, the cigarette smoke is still hurting my throat.
That's BADDDDD.... (from the Dead Poet's Society)

I think I really need to control my diet from now on.

My personality

I went through a lot of tests to examine my type. I have done those tests since I was 2nd grader in middle school. This Jung's test described as a generous entertainer, which is ESFJ. I deeply agree with this comment first of all.
Also, it said that I am easily wounded. That is true as well.

Your type is...

http://keirsey.com/4temps/provider.asp

You are:

• distinctively expressed extravert
• slightly expressed sensing personality
• moderately expressed feeling personality
• distinctively expressed judging personality

http://typelogic.com/esfj.html

Passionate and Creative English Teacher

   There are many types of English teachers around the world. In Korea, to be specific, there are also a lot of different English teachers at school or academy and etc. So I have met various types of English instructors. I had them since I was a kindergartener to high school student, but I have only one role model in my whole life. I met him when I was 10, and I learned what an English teacher should have to receive respect from students. To become an idealistic English teacher, I need passion and creativity.
   To begin with, I think an ideal English teacher needs passion. He must not be late for class or cancel the class. Also, the teacher needs to develop himself to be prepared at all times. My role model, Mr. Jang Mok Moon, was always accurate on time. When he caught a flu and had fever, he proceeded the lesson and I thought he was amazing. Without passion, that would not be possible from the first place. Also, he studied English more than 15 years, but he continues to catch up on new American dramas and new expressions. He never got lazy. I have seen many teachers who lacks in professionalism and self development. When I was in high school, some teachers were worse than some students in understandings of English. This is due to laziness or lack of passion. An ideal English teacher needs passion.
   Moreover, an ideal English teacher needs creativity. Since the teaching methods are all similar, students become bored and the efficiency falls. He must come up with unique teaching method to enhance the delivery of speech and draw the students' attention. My role model used to teach me English with Disney animations and American dramas. He emphasized listening and repeating. He also encouraged me when studying grammar and spelling. Grammar turned into an easier field since he did not use the complicated terminology like other English instructors who try look smart. He invented his own words to help memorizing, and even when I got the spelling mistake, he said it was okay because it was written exactly what the word sounded like. An ideal English instructor needs creativity.
   To sum up, a perfect English teacher needs passion and creativity so that he will not be lost on finding appropriate job. Also, the passion and creativity counts a lot to the safe growing procedure of a child.
Passion will shield the laziness and make the teacher prepared and focused. Creativity will differentiate the teacher among the teachers and make him to be deeply participated in a class.

What is ...?

There is no such thing as being equally loved and equally love. There are only two ways when people are in love. To love more or love less. What is to love or like someone? I sometimes get confused. I thought I was doing my best, but maybe I wasn't. I was hurting someone without even noticing. I react sensitively when I feel offended, and I must remember that somebody would feel the same when I misbehave.

The Adjustment Bureau

I watched the Adjustment Bureau this afternoon. Two movies in two days, awesome.
Since I heard that the Adjustment Bureau was the conbination of Inception and the Bourne series, I had high expectation. The Adjustment Bureau was renamed as the Controller in Korea, but I like the both names.
I love Matt Damon and I am always fond of his character. He was good in the Oceans series and also the Bourne series.
The Adjustment Bureau was about the outer controlling force that leads the world to turn as it is planned. The people who are wearing hats can go through secret doors and they are so called as angels. But they are all men so it was weird. Those angels carry a book which shows the map of world plans.
The actress Emily Blunt was starred in the Devil Wears Prada and the Gulliver's Travel. And today I finally found her attractive.
Watching the movie, I thought of the Matrix, but it was a lot easier to understand.
It felt quite short, though.

The Black Swan

I watched the Black Swan yesterday with my friends. I personally watched it with a huge interest, and it was satisfactory. However, I had a slight headache since I needed a great amount of concentration.
This is what I went through watching Inception couple months ago.
Black Swan was an amazing film because it was such a rare genre which is ballet thriller.
From the Phantom of the Opera, I could imagine how hard it is to maintain the honor of primadonna even when I was 11. The Black Swan, however, was even more than that. The swan queen, the equivalent honor of primadonna in an opera in case of the Swan Lake, gave a gigantic pressure to Nina (Natalie Portman).
It was pleasant to spend the afternoon with my friends watching a movie.

2011 March

From now on, this blog will contain articles, the video clips from TED and controversial issues related to English learning. Also, a lot of contents will be closely related to DIS studies.