Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Omkara]

This major move being made by the gov't to teach all classes in english, is there some model they're basing this on? That is, has some other country done this with success? Or is it entirely novel?

[Juregen]

This is pretty novel.

Private Schools have done it on individual level, but certainly not on a national scale.

Most countries are convinced that their people should at least speak the native tongue, that in itself is already difficult enough to do ....

For some strange reason Koreans have absolutely no clue on how to run a proper Language Acquisition program, and every government throws wild ideas around that simply won't work.

The only way it would work is by continued efforts starting from the age of 10 or so till they graduate from school. Year in year out, 4 hours per week per language. How difficult is that to arrange imho.

You don't need Native speakers to teach a language, what you need are capable teachers, proven capable teachers.

It takes decades to get an acceptable amount. Governments should really start working on the sources of good education, being the teachers. Instead of coming up with yet another great idea.


The effectiveness of any project lies in the EXECUTION of the project.

[mrsquirrel]

Thailand did it for their English Programs.
Small private schools inside government schools

Worked well.,

[Yesterday]

[jeffkim1972]

Singapore.

[hari seldon]

[TheChickenLover]

The reality of these 'Classes' will be very similar in effect as the picture below

[mrsquirrel]

[ms.catbc]

There is French immersion in Canada. Parents can choose to put there kids in the immersion program. Of course, Canada is supposed to be two nations living inside one and French is one of our official languages. That is the big difference.

I did not take any english in school until first grade and even then it was only one hour every other day or something. English was spoken at home though.

I think it is in Denmark where they start introducing english instruction in the fourth grade or something. Half the day is in Danish and the other half is in english.

There are Jewish day schools that are trilingual as well. Hebrew, English and French.

[mrsquirrel]

[Juregen]

Go to Belgium, three native languages French Dutch and German ....

How come a small country can do it? They call it necessity.

It takes decades to build up the qualities required of teachers to be able to instruct children into a language

Start at the source to improve, not just at the end. In the end, FTAs are there to fill up a lack in the beginning, but they should slowly be replaced by Koreans whose abilities are adequate.

[spliff]

[mrsquirrel]

[tomato]

I heard through the grapevine that parents are hopping up and down about English-only classes in Seoul.
They are saying, "How can they understand the teacher if the teacher only speaks English?"

First the teachers, now the parents.
I wonder what the NEXT hurdle will be!

[jvalmer]