Explain the meaning of the proverb ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’ to intermediate learners and enhance understanding through real-life examples.
Encourage discussions on friendship to activate learner interaction and provide cultural background information related to the proverb.
Provide opportunities for learners to use the proverb directly to internalize the learning and provide feedback on the learning process.
Ⅰ Introduction
We encounter various proverbs in numerous cultures and languages. These proverbs convey the richness of language and culture, embodying life's wisdom and values. Among them, "A friend in need is a friend indeed" is one proverb that emphasizes the importance of true friendship during difficult times. Let's examine five ways to teach this proverb to intermediate learners.
"A friend in need is a friend indeed" means that a friend who helps you in times of need is a true friend, emphasizing the preciousness of friendship. I will explain how to teach this proverb to intermediate learners in 5 steps.
Ⅱ Main Body
1. Explain the meaning of the proverb.
Explain that "A friend in need is a friend indeed" means that a friend who helps you when you are in trouble is a true friend.
For example, a friend is not simply someone you spend time with, but someone who helps and supports you, and is with you even in difficult or challenging times. This proverb emphasizes this kind of friendship and shows us how important it is to have good friends in life.
We meet many people in our daily lives, and among them are good friends and bad friends. However, if you have a friend who trusts and helps you in any situation, it is a great fortune and blessing. Therefore, this proverb teaches us the importance of cherishing our friendships and having a helpful attitude toward each other.
2. Provide examples of application in daily life.
For example,
1) When a friend is in trouble,
Consider it your own problem and help actively. For instance, if a friend needs money or is struggling with health issues, you can use your available resources to help. Conversely, you can remind yourself that you can also receive help from friends when you are in trouble.
2) When you are in trouble,
Ask your friends for help. For example, if you suddenly get sick or have an accident, you can contact your friends for help.
3) When cooperating with friends,
You can achieve better results. For example, if you work together on a project, you can complete the task faster and more accurately than if you worked alone.
4) When sharing with friends,
You can have a more enjoyable time. For example, sharing experiences and communicating while doing activities together such as traveling or pursuing hobbies can help each other grow.
These examples make friendships more precious and play an important role in helping each other. These actions also strengthen trust and deepen the bond between people.
3. Guide a discussion on friendship.
For example,
1) Methods for resolving conflicts with friends
Conflicts with friends can often occur. At this time, it is important to respect each other's feelings, express them honestly, and find appropriate ways to resolve the problem.
2) Keeping secrets between friends
Friends often share secrets. However, if secrets are not kept, trust between friends can be broken, so a sense of responsibility for keeping secrets is necessary.
3) Refusing a friend's request
When receiving a request from a friend, you should make a proper judgment considering your own abilities and time. It is also important to consider your friend's feelings and explain the reasons when refusing a request.
4) The value of friendship
In modern society, with the spread of individualism, communication with friends and family has decreased. We can consider what efforts are needed to maintain this.
5) Adjusting the distance with friends
The distance with friends can vary depending on each other's personalities, interests, and environments. Therefore, it is important to adjust the distance appropriately with friends to protect each other's privacy and maintain a comfortable relationship.
4. Introduce cultural customs or traditions related to the proverb.
"A friend in need is a friend indeed" means that a friend who helps you in times of need is a true friend, emphasizing the preciousness of friendship. While the origin and historical tradition of this proverb are not known, it is one of the widely known proverbs, and similar proverbs exist in various cultures around the world.
In English-speaking countries, it has been used for a long time, and similar content appears in Bible verses. For example, 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.'"
Also, this proverb is mentioned in William Shakespeare's play, "The Merchant of Venice." In the play, Antonio, to help his friend Bassanio, pledges a pound of his flesh as collateral to the moneylender Shylock. Later, when Shylock tries to enforce the contract, the judge Portia says, "Take your pound of flesh, but not one drop of blood shall be spilled; for ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed.’"
This proverb is still loved by many people today and is frequently quoted to emphasize the importance of friendship and mutual help.
5. Provide opportunities for practice.
Provide opportunities for students to put "A friend in need is a friend indeed" into practice. For example, actively helping a friend in need at school or having them practice writing using the proverb would be a good method.
Ⅲ Conclusion
While teaching Korean, I sometimes meet beginner learners. I'm relieved that I don't need to systematically explain more advanced concepts to beginners. This is because learners sometimes ask questions during lectures. While working on this assignment, I considered what it's like to teach intermediate learners. I also realized that I need to conduct further research to teach more strategically and analytically in an easy-to-understand manner. I thought that organizing the steps before teaching would be more effective. I will strive to prepare lectures more systematically in the future. Thank you for your hard work in lecturing. Thank you for this semester.
References
Cho, Hyun-yong (2007), A Study on Korean Vocabulary Education, Parkijung; Choi, Gwon-jin (2006), Learning Korean with Proverbs 1, Hankuk Culture Publishing; Park, Young-sun (2004), Theories of Korean as a Foreign Language Education, Wolin; Park, Gap-soo (2013), Korean Language Education and Language and Culture Education, Yeollock