Failing interventions to harness English fever infiltrating early childhood education in South Korea: politics of distraction (original) (raw)
Related papers
2019
English Fever" is an ongoing phenomenon in South Korea that represents the strong obsession for English language proficiency through education. The growing prevalence of a foreign language is surprising considering South Korea's linguistic history. However, the significance of English bolstered by globalization, has undoubtedly permeated into South Korea's government, schools, and public language ideologies (LI) and language policy & planning (LPP). This obsession for English proficiency is contradictory to reports of South Korean English language competency levels. Therefore, it is critical to analyze English language practice in South Korea. Examining South Korean youth who are greatly influenced by these surrounding LI and LPP, this thesis argues that there are limitations to South Korea's "English Fever" or pursuit towards English proficiency. These limitations are found to be the reliance on instrumental motivation, notions of the native speaker, and ...
English Education Policies in South Korea
Language Policy, 2016
In South Korea, the government has actively promoted English proficiency as an indispensable tool in ascertaining competitiveness of individuals and the country. This chapter examines English education in South Korea and its policies as contextualized in its socio-cultural backgrounds. The discussion draws on theoretical insights that view policies as an interactive process among policy documents, the context and the actors in it (Ball, Maguire & Braun, 2012; Menken & Garcia, 2010). First, the background is laid out by illustrating the symbolic and practical meaning of the English language in the Korean context. Following that, the chapter traces the changes in English language teaching (ELT) policies through a historical survey of curricular reforms and also presents the current agenda of ELT policies, within which the communicative approach is strongly recommended, as reflected in the 7 th National Educational Curriculum. In an attempt to investigate ELT practice in context, two case studies, one at the primary level and the other at the secondary level, are presented, particularly to determine the relationship between policy and practice. Both case studies demonstrate that while teachers make efforts to follow the policies, how they actually implement them depends on their unique contexts and individual beliefs. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research and policy making.
Local Research and Glocal Perspectives in English Language Teaching, 2023
In South Korea where English is highly valued for one's academic and career success, the English immersion programmes offered by private English tutoring institutes (English kindergartens) have become a popular alternative to general, Korean-medium kindergartens. In contrast to the highly prescriptive policy governing general kindergartens, the policy for English kindergartens allows for autonomy regarding their curriculum. Several existing studies, however, have pointed out the negative impacts of such free rein on children's balanced development in English kindergartens, due to its strong emphasis on English proficiency development and inadequate teacher qualifications in English kindergartens. This multiple-case study, however, reveals that it is the lack of flexibility which causes these consequences, which in turn is brought by another policy that governs the English kindergartens, i.e. private institute regulations. Guided by policy enactment theory and drawing on 3 main policies with 13 subsidiary policy documents published at the national and institutional levels and the interviews with the directors of three kindergartens, this study documents the practiced curriculum of three English kindergartens, and illustrates how unintended and unpredicted tension between policies inadvertently shapes the curriculum and instruction in play-based English kindergartens. It also shows how the directors navigate through the policy restrictions to realise their educational ideals. The chapter concludes with suggestions for the government on handling the parental aspiration for early English education. Keywords: Education policy, Policy enactment, Early English education, Early childhood curriculum, English kindergarten
Asian Journal of Education and E Learning, 2015
In this paper, I argue that English is an important component of "cultural capital" in contemporary Korean society. Whether for practical reasons or not, English proficiency is something an educated Korean must have. Given the perceived importance of English language in Korea, children's early exposure to English language has become important component of mothers' "family status production" work. [Papanek 1979] This is especially true for middle, and upper middle class families who either need to constantly affirm their class background, or have desire to climb up the social hierarchy. In this paper, I examine the significance of English proficiency in its relationship with the notions of gender, family, and class in the society. As Koreans society becoming one of the major players in the global society, English language proficiency has also become an important component of Koreans' global identities.
Unresolved issues and new challenges in teaching English to young learners: the case of South Korea
Current Issues in Language Planning, 2013
The introduction of languages, especially English, into the primary curriculum around the world has been one of the major language-in-education policy developments in recent years. In countries where English has been compulsory for a number of years, the question arises as to what extent the numerous and welldocumented challenges faced by the initial implementation of early language learning policies have been overcome and whether new challenges have arisen as policies have become consolidated. This article therefore focuses on South Korea, where English has been compulsory in primary school since 1997. The issues raised by the introduction of English into the primary curriculum are reviewed and the current situation in South Korea is investigated. The results of a mixed methods study using survey data from 125 Korean primary school teachers, together with data from a small-scale case study of one teacher are presented. The study shows that, while some of the initial problems caused by the introduction of early language learning appear to have been addressed, other challenges persist. Moreover, the data reveal the emergence of a number of new challenges faced by primary school teachers of English as they seek to implement government policy.
Linguistic Imperialism and the English-learning Boom in Korea
2008
This paper critically reviews the issue of the overheated English-learning boom in Korea, and investigates how such a boom affects public education in Korea and the learning of Korean children. This issue is analyzed with two theoretical frameworks: linguistic imperialism (Phillipson 1992) and social capital theory (Bourdieu 1991). As a case analysis, this paper focuses on the cases of both ‘'the newly arrived’' Korean children at an English-immersion program and ‘'the residing’' Korean children as linguistic minorities in the U.S. These two groups of Korean children gather around weekend Korean schools founded by Korean community churches, and both groups learn their heritage language and revive their heritage identities. It is found that the weekend Korean schools work as language shelters and ethnic strongholds where the Korean children’'s ethnic culture, language, and identity are respected, revived, and maintained. By investigating the issue, this paper high...
Elt in Korea: English as a Compulsory Subject in Elementary School and Its Challenges
2019
As the impact of colonization, the teaching of English in Korea experiences some ups and downs. During Japan colonization, the teaching of English was discouraged, even there was an effort to annihilate English from Korea. After the liberation, the teaching of English was started again for a purpose of maintaining international relationship. To foster people’s capability of English, the Korean government has placed English as a compulsory subject in elementary school starting at Grade 3 to Grade 6 under the Seventh Curriculum Reform in 1997. Such policy leads to some pros and contras among English practitioners. This paper discusses three different opinions from three different writers whose recommendations of such issues are related to each other. First, it presents briefly the writers’ opinions about the policy of implementing English education in elementary schools in Korea. Second, it discusses the writers’ recommendations related to the unsolved issue. Eventually, the conclusio...
What is it like to be a native English speaker teacher (NEST) in Korean schools? Join me on an experiential journey that is best described as “shocking,” “eye-opening,” “disheartening,” and yet “inspiring.” Using research as voice, this book provides readers with phenomenological insight into the lived realities of those who are esteemed as the possessors of a highly-prized language and yet paradoxically devalued in Korean society as raciocultural others. The differential treatment NESTs receive is of such that their experiences should not be taken lightly, trivialized, or dismissed. This book has thus been written to provide a composite description of the phenomenon of student misbehavior in South Korean classrooms from the perspective of NESTs’ lived experience. The knowledge generated from this book may be used to (a) extend critical discourse on student misbehavior, (b) illuminate prevailing societal norms and values that inhibit Korea’s present transition into a multicultural society, and (c) reform a system of education whose recruitment policies contribute to a deprofessionalization of the English language teaching field. By exposing a social ill in such a way that ultimately leads to healing, Unmasked compels us to believe that change is possible.