Approaching English as a purely technical task, says Jon Huer, columnist for the Korea Times, is what explodes in the face of most Korean learners of English. For students to learn English, according to Huer, they must learn to “think in English.”
Huer believes that at the core of Koreans’ difficulty in learning English is their reluctance to learning about the larger cultural context in which the language resides.
To help Korean learners think in English and become acquainted with American culture requires the use of interesting texts combined with a consistent, integrated approach over the course of the term. Book Punch can serve that purpose for English as a foreign language learners.
Book Punch offers a window on American culture by providing interactive literacy activities about books commonly read by American students. It helps students of different abilities to organize their thoughts and write clear and concise responses to questions about American literature.
By using popular American literature, Book Punch’s activities are based on topics that provide a window on American culture to Korean learners.
English language learners will also appreciate the “technical” aspect of the Book Punch program. Instead of using paper and pencil, responses are written with Book Punch software to help students sustain the flow of their ideas. When writing with Book Punch, students do not have to worry about erasing and starting over.
Book Punch’s individualized tips and feedback provide step-by-step help throughout the writing and thinking processes.
Click here to read Jon Huer’s article
Do you agree with Jon Huer? Do you think English language learners are reluctant to learn about English speaking cultures?