Shonii

Shonii Tutor Interview

Q. Hi, Shonii! Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. May we ask you to briefly introduce yourself?

A. Hello, everyone! I'm Shonii, a Korean tutor, and I'm delighted to introduce myself through this interview. My passion for diverse countries and cultures drives my interest in learning foreign languages and exploring various parts of the world. Having many hobbies and interests, I can have conversations with my students on a wide range of topics while teaching them the Korean language.

Q. Please tell us more about your hometown and the area where you currently reside.

A. I was born and raised in Daegu but currently reside in Seoul. I would like to introduce my home-town, Daegu. The city doesn't have many famous attractions unlike other cities in Korea. You would probably be unfamiliar with the name, but Daegu has its unique charm. If you like musical, I recommend to visit the city during the annual musical festival. Not only can you watch world's famous musicals, but you can also watch creative performances that makes the city more vibrant. Daegu tends to get quite hot in the summer due to its basin location, earning the nickname 'Dae-frica.' The city has auto sprinklers which spray water during hot and humid afternoon. Lastly, Daegu is famous for delicious foods! You can experience unique dishes such as meat intestines, sushi, broiled beef, dumplings, etc. I particularly recommend exploring the 'Gyodong' area, where you'll find restaurants, cafes, and stores with fascinating interiors.

Q. What motivated you to become a tutor on Cafetalk?

A. When I was a senior in high school, I met friends who study Korean literature in universities. Listening to their intrguing stories, I started to thinking about teaching Korean in foreign countries. Despite my major being unrelated, I volunteered teaching Korean to my international friends and students from overseas. I was invited to a group run by a Cafetalk tutor, and it inspired me to become a Korean tutor myself. I have been teaching Korean on Cafetalk for three months now. What makes this platform special is it's unique features of allowing me to connect with students from various parts of the world without any limitations regarding time and location.

Q. What are you usually up to when you're not teaching on Cafetalk? What are your hobbies and interests?

A. I like to experience different content, such as movies, dramas, and series. I get inspired when I spend time with these kinds of content. As I work at home, I spend a lot of time at home. I try to cook foods on SNS, I write and share some of the pictures I have taken on my blog, and I make metal crafts. I used to be a florist, and I sometimes visit my friend's shop and make products as a hobby. I recently started a volunteer, meeting kids in an orphanage. Although it is only a short time, I am looking forward to that day because it gives me a lot of energy. I have many hobbies and spend a lot of my time on them.
I would like to share my hobbies with you if I have a chance later.

Q. A lot of students are probably curious about the atmosphere in your lessons. What can a student imagine a lesson with you to be like? What’s your teaching style?

A. I ensure that my students feel comfortable and relaxed during our lessons, which is why I invest considerable time in lesson preparation. I assess specific skills they need to strengthen and give constructive feedback. When we cover difficult expressions or words, I provide additional resources to support their further study.
I try to make my lessons fun as possible. As I have learned languages, I realized it is difficult to continue learning it if there's pressure. Wouldn't it be better to have fun while developing your language skills?

Q. Which lessons would you recommend to your students?

A. I recommend the ⌜Picture Description⌟ lesson for learners seeking a stress-free lesson. Students describe pictures in Korean, enabling them to develop various situational expressions. Lesson covers a comprehensive skills: listening, speaking, and writing, you will be able to use these skills everyday life.

For students who want to learn Korean culture in depth, I recommend ⌜Learning Korean through News⌟. As I majored in journalism in university and did an internship as a journalist, we can read news and understand the text in-depth and complex perspective. While this lesson is more challenging, it attracts students looking to advance their skills.

The choice of lesson depends on your goals and proficiency level. If you're unsure which lesson suits you, we can discuss it further in my consultation session.

Q. Finally, would you like to leave a message for your current and future students?

A. My lesson starts evening until midnight. I respect my students staying up late to study. I appreciate my students who trust me as a tutor and study with me. I am looking forward meeting those of you in my lessons!

I share Korean language and culture on Cafetalk while broadening my perspective by learning countries of my students. Although student and I meet to study language, I appreciate that we can udnerstna our culture and views from each other.

I will make sure to provide valueble lessons to my studnets. I will be looking forward to meeting you. I hope you be happy and healthy!

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Shonii

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