Kansas 2 Korea: Bilingual Education: English in South Korean Schools

Bilingual Education: English in South Korea

Bilingual Education: English Education in Korea

The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is a nation that takes education seriously, they’re not kidding around! South Korea has one of the highest literacy rates in the world at nearly 100% of the population (UNESCO). As an EFL Teacher living in and working in the South Korean public school system, I know firsthand the emphasis placed on English education! My hope is to continue teaching English in South Korea after I have completed the Teach-Now Program, which is why this topic is important to me!

The desire to learn English can be seen everywhere in Korea. During my daily commute to school, I see billboards and signs for learning English everywhere along the street. Most of the signs are for "hagwons," (학원) which are private academies that students attend in the evening after they have finished their regular school day. There are many hagwons, or "cram schools" in my city of Yeosu. In my neighborhood alone, there are 5 English academies within 2 minutes of my door! Most of my students attend these hagwons daily into the late hours of the night. Their goal is to test well in English eventually steering them towards passing the TOEIC exam with a high score.

The other night I was having dinner with my friends at a local restaurant. It's quite common for small restaurants to have a TV on the wall blaring a baseball game or popular drama. Almost every commercial segment had at least one commercial pertaining to learning English! Whether it be an app for English travel phrases or an ad for a private school, the push to learn English here is inescapable! They all promise the same thing, "learn English fast!" Do you want to watch a video on YouTube? You won't be able to watch it without clicking on a "learn English" ad. I think you are able to see my point!

Why the push to learn English?

English, being the most widely used language, is playing an important role in the communication and bonding between people of different native languages. For elementary and secondary school students who have to survive in the future world, the ability to communicate in English is an essential skill that they must learn at school. To contribute to the nation and the society, to show leadership as a cosmopolitan citizen, and to enjoy a wide range of cultural life, the ability to understand and use English is essential. The ability to communicate in English will act as an important bridge connecting different countries, and will be the driving force in developing our country, forming trust among various countries and cultures.

(National Curriculum Information Center, 2007)

Korea has become a key global player. South Korea is ranked 11th in the world in regards to nominal GDP. (World Bank, 2017) It is home to Samsung; one of the largest electronic companies in the world. Korean products can be found everyone on the globe. Because Korean companies are so well known on the international stage, it's inevitable that those companies want to hire bilingual employees.

English education is highly valued and sought after in Korean society. What is the end result of studying hour after hour to learn English? The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) exam. This test assesses a student's level of English language ability. Why is this test so important? Many of the large chaebols require high TOEIC scores to even obtain an interview. What is a chaebol? Chaebols (재벌) are massive conglomerates that dominate the Korean economy like Samsung, LG, CJ, and Hyundai. These highly sought after "salary man" jobs are considered to be very prestigious in Korean society. Many Koreans view them as the companies that changed Korea from a poor agricultural society to one of the richest nations in the world.

What is bilingual education?

Bilingual education involves teaching two languages to students; a primary and secondary language. In my classroom as an EFL Teacher in Korea, the students’ native language is Korean and the secondary language is English. As students progress in age and grade, the amount of English instruction increases. The Korean English Teacher (KET) teaches grammar and the NET teaches speaking and listening. I also have an after school English club that meets three times a week. It is an informal environment with only two rules; speak English and have fun. The time that I spend with students during the week as a NET allows them to be “immersed” in English.

My Thoughts

I am bilingual in English and Spanish. I am also in my third year of learning Korean. My passion is learning other languages. However, there are many times that I am filled with embarrassment because a large percentage of American students only speak English. When I was a university student I had many international friends. Every single one of them was bilingual. Every single one. What did they have in common? They were introduced to bilingual education (English) early on from their elementary years. I did not even start learning Spanish until my seventh grade year of middle school! And at that time, only one year of foreign language was required in my school. My international friends, though very nice, would joke with me about most Americans only being able to speak one language. But, I felt that what they said rang true. Even now, I occasionally meet other Americans that have been here over five years who still cannot read Korean or converse at the most basic level. It blows my mind! I’m not judging them, because we all are busy in lives. But, I try to live by example. I want to be a positive example to my students. They know that I am learning Korean which I feel gives us common ground and makes it easier for them to relate to me.

Where does Korea “get it right?” The Korean Ministry of Education requires English language instruction and classes to be introduced to students’ in Grade 3 of elementary school. The advantages of learning another language in childhood can not be understated! Older viewpoints like “bilingualism confuses children and impairs cognitive abilities” have long been debunked. Many studies have proved otherwise, stating that “bilingualism is a positive force that enhances children’s cognitive and linguistic development.” (Bialystok, 2008).

Korea also “gets it right” by employing Native English Teachers and placing us directly in the schools. I feel that employing NETS (Native English Teachers), like myself, is beneficial. We make a difference! In a society (and school culture) where memorization and testing are the sole norm, we offer a fresh perspective. Though I teach from a textbook, I have the freedom to teach in my own style. My style is being open with students and I encourage them to speak and to let them know it is okay to make mistakes. Awhile back one of my students told me that he is more comfortable talking to me because I take the time to listen to him. He told me that he feels it’s beneficial for him to hear a native English (American) accent because it helps him listen better and it makes him feel “cool” to be able to understand and talk to me. I see my students becoming more confident with their English abilities and it makes me happy! NETS must be doing something “right!”

Where does Korea “get it wrong?” or needs to improve? I feel there needs to be a larger focus on speaking and listening instead of memorizing grammar and vocabulary for a test. Knowing the grammar and vocabulary of a language is important. However, if you cannot converse or ask simple questions in the language that you are learning...why are you learning that language? More freedom needs to be given to students. I’ve had co-teachers that are so strict with students that they won’t speak up in class when I know they know the answer. They fear the consequences from the teacher if they make a mistake. When I am left alone to teach students (which is often), they relax, and feel less pressure. My thought is if they are comfortable and feel less pressure then participation comes naturally.

Though I like that Korean students start learning English in Grade 3 of elementary school, many disagree. Some parents want English education introduced as early as the kindergarten level as to give their kids an advantage in a highly competitive society.

What seems contradictory is that the government is taking steps to reduce what some have dubbed “English fever,” by making it harder for Koreans to access quality English education. This leaves Koreans confused and frustrated, as the root cause is not being addressed: high expectations from employers regarding English ability by requiring high standardized test scores. Perhaps the government should have banned employers from demanding high test scores first, before making access to English education more difficult.

(Diplomat, 2014)

I think the fact that there is an argument of what grade bilingual education should begin in elementary school is a good thing! That indicates to me that people know early introduction of bilingual education is a necessity. Parents are recognizing the positive effects of having a bilingual child in a more globally focused society and world.

References

PrimaryㆍSecondary School(2007.02) Foreign Languages(English) 1. Characters

National Curriculum Information Center NCIC

Retrieved March 2, 2015, from http://ncic.go.kr/english.kri.org.inventoryList.do#

Bialystok, Ellen, PhD. (2008, October) Second-Language Acquisition and Bilingualism at an Early Age and the Impact on Early Cognitive Development

Retrieved March 2, 2017 from http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/second-language/according-experts/second-language-acquisition-and-bilingualism-early-age-and-impact

English Education in Korea: Unrealistic Expectation

Retrieved March 1, 2017 from http://thediplomat.com/2014/10/english-education-in-korea-unrealistic-expectations/

United Nations Development Programme

Table 1: Human Development Index and its components

Retrieved March 2, 2017 from

http://hdr.undp.org/en/composite/HDI