How much have you ACTUALLY learnt from KC101?

kyuree · Postby **kyuree** » March 5th, 2009 9:26 am

Alexis wrote:matthew254: I'm not sure... LOL. I've just seen people around here talking about the Sogang text books, and I wasn't sure what they were talking about!!

This is the full link:

http://wiki.galbijim.com/List_of_Korean ... D.EC.96.B4

In other threads the language courses of the big universities in Seoul were discussed, one could sum it up as saying that Sogang university focuses more on speaking and Yonsei more on grammar.
In the Korean embassy in Berlin where I take classes atm they use the Sogang books (I also saw the first two in a library here in Berlin), they, too, focus on speaking, have a CD and a work book and are also suitable for self-study.
I can recommend them!
In Korea I bought a grammar book from Yonsei university, I use it as a reference. When I don't know a grammatical structure I can look it up in the index easily.
I intended to buy Sogang 3B in Seoul but never found them lying around (and I never asked....) and eventually I forgot to ask for them before I went back to Germany. When you order them here online you have to pay about 50€ (workbook, textbook, CD, shipping)
:roll:

whereas I think one book is 15000 Won in Korea (so maybe 12€ the set?!! depending on the exchange rate...).

Similar to KoreanClass101, the Sogang series uses short dialogues to introduce grammatical structures. At the end of each dialogue there are other word sets with which you can practice this grammatical structure. There are also cultural tips, listening comprehension, reading comprehension, reading texts, texts on culture, exercises for speaking together in class, ... the work book has different kind of exercises on the grammar and also highlights the irregular verbs, writing exercises, speaking exercises...

I'm guessing
1A, 1B: newbie
2A, 2B: beginner
3A, 3B: intermediate
If you can afford them, get them!! :wink:

Alexis · Postby **Alexis** » March 5th, 2009 1:15 pm

kyuree wrote:If you can afford them, get them!!

Ohh OK... so you don't actually have to GO to Sogang to use them? I thought they accompanied studying Korean at the university? *Confused*

Sadly, I have no extra cash these days, but maybe one day... they sound good...

javiskefka · Postby **javiskefka** » March 5th, 2009 4:53 pm

Alexis wrote:
kyuree wrote:If you can afford them, get them!!

Ohh OK... so you don't actually have to GO to Sogang to use them? I thought they accompanied studying Korean at the university? *Confused*

Sadly, I have no extra cash these days, but maybe one day... they sound good...

They do, but the school won't hesitate to sell its books to anyone who wants to buy them

. They are also available through retailers.

shanshanchua · Postby **shanshanchua** » March 6th, 2009 8:59 am

If you click on this link and scroll down a little, you will see a link that says "textbook", where you can see some sample pages of a sogang textbook (book 4A).

http://klec.sogang.ac.kr/

I know that Hanbooks sells them, and it's probably cheapest to buy from them if you are in the USA/Canada, but there's another online store in Korea that sells them (and the website's in English)- http://www.seoulselection.com
In fact, I just went to their website and found that Sogang has just published a new series of those text/workbooks (2009). Just do a search for "Sogang" and they will come up. Not sure what's the difference though.

kyuree · Postby **kyuree** » March 6th, 2009 2:03 pm

shanshanchua wrote:If you click on this link and scroll down a little, you will see a link that says "textbook", where you can see some sample pages of a sogang textbook (book 4A).

http://klec.sogang.ac.kr/

Books 1A to 3B look totally different.
But good to know that there are more books after 3B afterall (my teacher said there weren't........)

crewpanda22 · Postby **crewpanda22** » March 7th, 2009 4:43 am

I agree with the general consensus that it really depends on each persons own learning style. I personally bought a couple books, but found that they weren't quite efficient for my educational needs, even though they did come with audio cd's. I find that the text books seem to rush the speaking, so it's hard for me to listen. Where as KC101 does a good job of doing the normal speed, slow speed, and normal speed for the dialog and vocabulary. That helps me out alot.

But I do like the way KC101 is designed, I especially like the review tracks and video vocab because they help me practice speaking and I can take them anywhere I go in my iPod. I've also made my own flashcards so that I can just take them out when I have a few minutes to spare and review some words.

I am pretty new to studying Korean and have a pretty busy life as a graduate student so there are some weeks when I just can't get to do a lesson. I just recently finished the first beginner season and am almost through the first newbie series. But I'm not quite at the point where I can understand my boyfriend's or his friend's Korean. Their speech is very fast so it is hard to follow, but I can make out some words every now and then. But I am to the point where I can send emails to my boyfriend in Korean. They are short, but everytime I write one I can write more and more sentences and he is impressed, so I feel like I am making progress!

But, unlike some of the other listener's on the site, perhaps I have an advantage of having the resource of my boyfriend and many of his Korean friends to help me out with my vocab and pronunciation... and NYC being so close I can go to K-town for some exposure as well. But overall, I feel like I am getting much better. Hoping by the end of the next beginner's season I'll be able to have a conversation!

P.S. If there are some listener's in the NYC area, perhaps we could meet there and practice some Korean. I don't know how many of you are in this area though...

Alexis · Postby **Alexis** » March 8th, 2009 9:09 am

shanshanchua wrote:If you click on this link and scroll down a little, you will see a link that says "textbook", where you can see some sample pages of a sogang textbook (book 4A).

http://klec.sogang.ac.kr/

I know that Hanbooks sells them, and it's probably cheapest to buy from them if you are in the USA/Canada, but there's another online store in Korea that sells them (and the website's in English)- http://www.seoulselection.com
In fact, I just went to their website and found that Sogang has just published a new series of those text/workbooks (2009). Just do a search for "Sogang" and they will come up. Not sure what's the difference though.

Are all the text books fully in Korean like that?! How are you meant to learn anything?! :shock:

matthew254 · Postby **matthew254** » March 8th, 2009 5:09 pm

Alexis wrote: Are all the text books fully in Korean like that?! How are you meant to learn anything?!

if it's anything like the Ewha books, they are meant to be used in class with a teacher writing down vocab and grammar on a whiteboard (not on your own). Keep in mind, it's immersion though - not exactly how most of us do it in the states and judging by your response, seems that way in Australia, too.

It almost makes me go back to your original topic with the majority of people agreeing that most of us get a lot out of language learning by a combination of input, output, explicit and implicit content.

shanshanchua · Postby **shanshanchua** » March 9th, 2009 8:21 am

Alexis - I don't know if the Sogang 1-3 books are like that..kyuree would be able to tell you.. I had the impression that the earlier books actually teach you stuff in English..

Alexis · Postby **Alexis** » March 9th, 2009 10:17 am

Thanks, guys! I might get them one day, but for now, I'm pretty happy with KC101! ^_^ I still don't think anything can really replace the podcast thing - I really love having something to listen to, instead of just reading out of books!

matthew254: I agree. I think that's what's so great about KC101 - it provides different types of learning.

I think it's really effective. For me, anyway. ^_^

I actually have a little Korean text book. A few years ago, I bought one of those book and cassette sets, but I didn't get through much. I've been wanting to get it out again, but it's right down the bottom of a crate that's... underneath a lot of other crates! T_T Has anyone had much experience with them at all?

kyuree · Postby **kyuree** » March 10th, 2009 2:36 pm

Alexis wrote:
shanshanchua wrote:If you click on this link and scroll down a little, you will see a link that says "textbook", where you can see some sample pages of a sogang textbook (book 4A).

http://klec.sogang.ac.kr/

I know that Hanbooks sells them, and it's probably cheapest to buy from them if you are in the USA/Canada, but there's another online store in Korea that sells them (and the website's in English)- http://www.seoulselection.com
In fact, I just went to their website and found that Sogang has just published a new series of those text/workbooks (2009). Just do a search for "Sogang" and they will come up. Not sure what's the difference though.

Are all the text books fully in Korean like that?! How are you meant to learn anything?!

Sogang books 1A-3B have grammar and culture explanations in English and an index for the vocabulary Korean-English.

The rest are just phrases like "Please choose the correct answer.", "Please fill out the blanks w/ the right form of the verb." etc. I never even read them, one normally knows from looking at the exercise what they want you to do.

kyuree · Postby **kyuree** » March 10th, 2009 2:41 pm

shanshanchua wrote:In fact, I just went to their website and found that Sogang has just published a new series of those text/workbooks (2009). Just do a search for "Sogang" and they will come up. Not sure what's the difference though.

"The Center for Korean Studies" at Sogang University has been changed to "The Korean Language Education Center."
The numbering system of the Sogang Korean Textbook series has been changed to reflect the levels at the Korean Language Education Center (KLEC). This book is used by Level 3 students at KLEC.

The current numbering 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, ... etc. was different before. I think it was 1, 2, 3, ...

hm... So I guess I'm at level 3 then.
Does that mean one course at Sogang = two books?!
wow.

gillesvdp · Postby **gillesvdp** » March 15th, 2009 5:13 pm

kyuree wrote:Does that mean one course at Sogang = two books?!
wow.

I visited Sogang Language Center last January and took a look at their books. THey are using 6 different levels of books, each of them with an A and a B version. So I guess they are using 2 books.

By comparing to 경회 books (which I am using), they also have 2 books per course. Though 1 is about "learning" and the other is about "exercise".
As for voabulary, I have only seen 이화 produce proper vocabulary books.
I think all others just have the words in Korean inside the books, and the student is supposed to make his/her own list by attending the classes.

kyuree · Postby **kyuree** » March 15th, 2009 5:26 pm

gillesvdp wrote:
kyuree wrote:Does that mean one course at Sogang = two books?!
wow.

I visited Sogang Language Center last January and took a look at their books. I am almost sure they had 6 different levels of books, each of them with an A or a B.
So I guess they are using 2 books.

they must be rushing through the books... :shock:

Since you attended Sogang, can you please answer my questions in this thread:

http://www.koreanclass101.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1785

thank you

gillesvdp · Postby **gillesvdp** » March 15th, 2009 5:56 pm

kyuree wrote:
gillesvdp wrote:
kyuree wrote:Does that mean one course at Sogang = two books?!
wow.

I visited Sogang Language Center last January and took a look at their books. I am almost sure they had 6 different levels of books, each of them with an A or a B.
So I guess they are using 2 books.

they must be rushing through the books...

Since you attended Sogang, can you please answer my questions in this thread:

http://www.koreanclass101.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1785

thank you

Actually I did not attend Sogang yet. I just visited there when I was on vacation in Korea last winter. I registered for the programme and I am waiting for their approval.
I should be there starting in September.

But there are many questions in your other post. I will see if I can answer at least one of them. ;-)

KoreanClass101.com

How much have you ACTUALLY learnt from KC101?