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[Korean Textbook Reviews] Ewha Workbook 4 이화 한국어

For those who have missed it, I have reviewed the textbook here and I’m really happy that quite a number of people told me that they will be buying or have actually bought the textbook after reading the review!! OMG I’m so happy, knowing that I’ve contributed (a little) to their sales lol 😛 More importantly, thanks for trusting my opinions! So, if you are wondering whether to get the workbook at the same time, here’s my take on it!

As usual, scroll to the bottom for a summary if you are lazy to read through~!

Workbooks. I seem to have an ambivalent relationship with them. I don’t have a Korean workbook (nope, none at all) during 4.5 years of k-studying, so I kind of got used to not having them. Workbooks can be a boon or bane. Boon because you get some structured exercises and bane because you rely too much on textbooks, their formal structure and sentences and over-reliance on the ‘right answer’. Language is not mathematics, there is no one right answer most of the time.

First thing first, yes, the workbook contains answers.

Whoever who created this workbook must be a very structured person (or team). And their brains are in tune with mine. I totally love the straight to the point, clear cut, well structured layout of the workbook and it’s very much in sync with the textbook, testing on its vocabulary, grammar points etc.

Because of that, this workbook is particularly good for people who have trouble remembering vocabulary, since it provides some sort of extra enforcement and revision. I love the fact the question styles are very simple but relevant. We have fill in the blanks for vocabulary but sometimes you are required to conjugate them.

I love how each grammar point has a few exercises dedicated to it. This book is sooo neat 😀 And in a wide variety of formats. One thing I absolutely hate is exercises which attempt to test your grammar knowledge by giving you one half one the sentence and expect you to complete the next half -.- It’s not even a context, but a very half assed kind of phrase and you are left wondering how to complete it. I’m glad Ewha doesn’t do this, but I found it in one of the Japanese textbook that I’m using that I got so pissed I ignored all the exercises (there are no answers too). Maybe my Japanese sucks. D:

Back to the topic. Besides the grammar and vocabulary questions, the textbook seems determined to be all rounded and includes questions / exercises focusing on each of the 4 major skills. I love how the speaking exercise is not some lame crap that tells you things like ‘Form a team and pretend that you are a student while the other person is a new friend. Ask him how his weekend was’. It’s actually a MCQ question asking you to complete a dialogue. Pretty good. The ‘discussion/debate’ question is also not a open-ended question but framed in a reading comprehension, with questions that tests your understanding of the issue.

See, I love this.

I have a lot of issues with workbooks that focuses a lot on those ‘open-ended question’. First off, they are sooooo self study unfriendly and secondly, let’s face it. I don’t think the teachers will have any time / wish to do such exercises in class. All my teachers skip those crap. So what’s the point of having it.

Overall, I’m very happy with the book. If you are looking for a workbook, this is a good one!

p.s. I’ve ordered the Ewha 6 textbook!!!!! Can’t wait for it to arrive and hopefully it will not disappoint. 😛 Will be doing a comparison textbook review with the Yonsei Level 6!! 😛

Good Points

  • well structured, in sync with textbook
  • relevant questions – again, no stupid things like asking me to write an essay or an email. HELLO WHICH SELF LEARNER WOULD DO THAT?!
  • easy to work through
  • interesting exercises
  • well mix of question types (fill in the blanks, MCQs etc)

To be improved

  • not many new vocabulary introduced
  • too in sync with textbook, no extra challenge (very much in comfort zone)

Cost: 14,000won

ISBN: 978-89-7300-943-5

 

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11 Comments

  • Reply
    Jeannie
    14 October, 2012 at 9:01 PM

    I guess I should buy this one as well! It looks helpful for people like me who’s weak in grammar. Thank you Shanna! You seem to like the series a lot!

    • Reply
      hangukdrama
      15 October, 2012 at 11:09 AM

      hehe yes i like it! 😀

  • Reply
    Choronghi
    14 October, 2012 at 10:03 PM

    Hey. Have you ever had to do deal with a question like this

    so, I looked through your blog and I just wanted to tell you that it honestly bothers me when people are “totes in love” with Japan and Korea at the same time, because it completely ignores the relationship between Japan and Korea. While KPOP has gained footing in Japan, the overall sentiment is still one of contempt, and racism is rampant. Also, the sentiment runs deeper than that. Japan has committed horrible atrocities in Korea throughout time, and even made hanguel illegal for a bit.

    I got it on m tumblr and this is how I responded lol
    http://tsukinofune.tumblr.com/post/33564464201/so-i-looked-through-your-blog-and-i-just-wanted-to
    Honestly it could be said Abt anything like Pearl Harbor and America. Japan has pissed off many countries in history. I just Find this persons question to be so dumb. I will write a thorough entry on this on my wordless blog in the near future

    • Reply
      Choronghi
      15 October, 2012 at 2:15 AM

      Oh and I looked it up and Japan did something horrible on Singapore too. They attack/kill everyone no surprise.

      I’m just curious how you deal with it or think about it or categorize it in your brain. Like I said, for me I will write my entry in the near future

    • Reply
      hangukdrama
      15 October, 2012 at 10:54 AM

      hello!! woah I’ve never had to deal with anything like that. o.o To be honest, I have never thought about it at all and to me, both are beautiful countries / languages / cultures that I love and would want to learn more about. My love for languages also has nothing to do with my own identity as a Singaporean and I don’t see / feel any ermm clashes.

  • Reply
    Lucie D
    15 October, 2012 at 5:49 AM

    You make me wonder whether purchasing a textbook would help me make some structured progress in my Korean. After making progress moving on from achieving on average 65% on a beginners TOPIK I’ve moved on to 85%, but can’t seem to progress on from there. *head-desk*
    My language learning is in a slump and the prospect of TOPIK intermediate seem very vague.
    Oh, and I hate those half-sentence exercises. I just stare at them stupidly wondering what they expect me to do. @_@

    • Reply
      hangukdrama
      15 October, 2012 at 10:55 AM

      hehe i think it will help! it forces some structure in your learning journey and i think ewha books are really structured! 😀 The jump in between TOPIK papers are really high~~! I’ve never tried the beginners paper but it took me 2 years to jump from intermediate to advanced -.- and I’m still horrible at it

  • Reply
    Hunmin Jeongeum (훈민정음) – A digitalized version | Hangukdrama and Korean
    15 October, 2012 at 10:32 AM

    […] [Korean Textbook Reviews] Ewha Workbook 4 이화 한국어 Share this!TwitterFacebookTumblr This entry was posted in Korean Content, Korean Culture, Korean learning journey (:, Korean Lessons, korean studying tools and tagged learn korean, self-study korean. Bookmark the permalink. […]

  • Reply
    orbiter
    16 October, 2012 at 10:56 PM

    I’m so ashamed of myself. Here you are reviewing workbooks… and here I am reading your blog in an attempt to escape doing my own Yonsei workbook homework… 반성하고 또 반성하겠습니다…

    • Reply
      hangukdrama
      17 October, 2012 at 11:00 AM

      ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’m happy that you are reading my blog 😀 😀

  • Reply
    talissa
    25 March, 2014 at 10:04 PM

    Hello!
    I like reading your blog!
    I’m trying to find the “cheapest” place to buy my ewha korean books, but everywhere I search it, it comes to be too expensive, i mean, the shipping is way too expensive… Do you know any website where I can get it a little bit cheaper?
    I’m from Brazil : (

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