[Korean Textbook Reviews] Ewha Korean 6

Here is the long-awaited (?) review of 이화 한국어 6!

Reviewed Ewha Korean 4 textbook and its corresponding workbook some time back and I really liked the series because it’s compact and comprehensive.

Most of what I’ve written for the Ewha Korean 4 review applies here, so please read that first! (I don’t want to repeat the same content)

 

On to the review!

While the SNU books are clearly listening-centric, Ewha books are rather balanced, with a slight focus on grammar.

Each mini chapter opens with around 2 grammar points, with quite clear and detailed explanations and a number of example sentences. On the same page, there is an exercise which usually gives you the front and back clause and you are supposed to join two parts with the grammar point. An example is given but then you are left to your own devices to complete the rest.

They do cover quite a number of advanced TOPIK grammar (the ones that always elude me..), which I like! But for the most comprehensive book on ‘advanced topik grammar’, I have the perfect recommendation….. for another time 😛

 

As a guide, each chapter is divided into the following parts:

준비합시다 (grammar) | 들어 봅시다 | 말해 봅시다 | 읽어 봅시다 | 써 봅시다 | 과제 활동 | 어휘 확장 | 사자성어 

I really like the listening part in that similar to SNU books, the dialogue transcript is given at the back of the book >>> this forces you to listen to the audio instead of relying on the transcript.

The listening practices are of decent length and should provide a challenge to learners.

The reading part is pretty good too, decent length passages with relevant questions.

 

I probably bought this book at a time when I’m kinda ‘past the level’, so it actually seems very easy to me -.-;; I’m not so sure whether I’m a good judge. My judgement is clouded by the fact that I used Yonsei Korean 6 and 읽기 6 when in 2010 (2 years into learning Korean) and to me the 읽기 6 book is the most rewarding / challenging and best-est textbook ever lolol.

BUT

I really like how this book includes a section on set phrases and 4-character idioms! Great exercises too ^^

 

In retrospect, I would think that this book is quite suitable for those who have passed TOPIK 4 or 5. It provides the right type of challenge, while not being too far out of reach. I don’t think book 6 = topik 6

What I love (mostly taken from book 4 review):

• absolutely beautiful cover design and visuals – for the whole book
• lightweight and compact
• good quality paper (pet peeve)
• well organized structure
• suitable for both classroom learning and self learners
• nice, readable font
• exercises that I’ll actually do – I hate stupid exercises that ask me to write like an email to some random weird person about a random situation. Who would do it? -.-
• good number of example sentences

What to improve on:

• make it harder… 😛
• not as grammar intensive as I would like

All in all, highly recommended! ^^

ISBN: 978-89-7300-959-6

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I’m always very very happy when people tell me that they bought so and so book because of my recommendations ^^ Thank you for trusting my reviews, I’ll work harder!! ^^

A lot of people have been asking me the following 3 questions:

I will attempt to answer these questions in separate blog posts.. soon 😛 Perhaps I’ll be more motivated with a comment ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

In any case, I hope the review was helpful!