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antgonz
Joined: 30 Nov 2007
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 Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:24 am Post subject: Why are Koreans really learning English? |
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| Is it just a status symbol? Or a way to get into a prestigious University? Or a way to break into business and having a second language known will pay them more money. I can't realistically see anyone learning English in Korea use it once they finish school. A lot of the kids I teach are there because it is obvious their parents force them to be there. Some are extremely bright and are desperate for me to correct everything they do and explain them how to use certain words and structure sentences together. Others though I really don't know. I hate to ask such an obvious question but is English really going to help these kids? |
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Privateer
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:37 am Post subject: |
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| Mostly for reasons other than communication. |
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maingman
Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Location: left Korea
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:35 am Post subject: korreans learning english |
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Privateer wrote :
Mostly for reasons other than communication.
??? what mate  |
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nate1983
Joined: 30 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:40 am Post subject: |
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| Some people just enjoy language study (I definitely count myself among those). English is of course a widely spoken language, and knowing languages will open doors to meeting people from other cultures. Besides the global influence of the US and other anglophone countries, English is a very convenient language as there are no accents, diacritics, or ridiculously hard characters to memorize so it is easy to use English in web URL's for example. I think people who haven't studied languages don't know what they're missing in terms of how it can improve your everyday interactions (I would say non-Korean speaking foreigners in Korea probably included). |
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fakeplastiktree
Joined: 15 Oct 2007
Location: Northeast Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:12 am Post subject: Re: Why are Koreans really learning English? |
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| antgonz wrote: |
| Is it just a status symbol? Or a way to get into a prestigious University? Or a way to break into business and having a second language known will pay them more money. I can't realistically see anyone learning English in Korea use it once they finish school. A lot of the kids I teach are there because it is obvious their parents force them to be there. Some are extremely bright and are desperate for me to correct everything they do and explain them how to use certain words and structure sentences together. Others though I really don't know. I hate to ask such an obvious question but is English really going to help these kids? |
I've wondered this myself. Why is it that Korea, in particular, is so gung-ho about learning English? They seem to pay the most out of all the countries and value learning it VERY highly. I haven't been in Korea for very long but my mom's been here for five years. She has come to the conclusion that Koreans have become obsessed with education because of their history of international vulnerability...that having the Korean population adept with English (and highly educated, in general) will give them an edge in the worldwide ballgame. |
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kabrams
Joined: 15 Mar 2008
Location: your Dad's house
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:45 am Post subject: Re: Why are Koreans really learning English? |
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| fakeplastiktree wrote: |
| antgonz wrote: |
| Is it just a status symbol? Or a way to get into a prestigious University? Or a way to break into business and having a second language known will pay them more money. I can't realistically see anyone learning English in Korea use it once they finish school. A lot of the kids I teach are there because it is obvious their parents force them to be there. Some are extremely bright and are desperate for me to correct everything they do and explain them how to use certain words and structure sentences together. Others though I really don't know. I hate to ask such an obvious question but is English really going to help these kids? |
I've wondered this myself. Why is it that Korea, in particular, is so gung-ho about learning English? They seem to pay the most out of all the countries and value learning it VERY highly. I haven't been in Korea for very long but my mom's been here for five years. She has come to the conclusion that Koreans have become obsessed with education because of their history of international vulnerability...that having the Korean population adept with English (and highly educated, in general) will give them an edge in the worldwide ballgame. |
I don't think Korea is any different than a place like Japan, where English education is also highly valued and paid for. In fact, I say many countries are similar to Korea and Japan in this aspect. |
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pocariboy73
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:20 am Post subject: |
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| because many good jobs nowadays require proof of high test scores (TOEIC, TOEFL, etc). |
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Countrygirl
Joined: 19 Nov 2007
Location: in the classroom
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Basically, if a Korean student doesn't learn English, he/she "has no future". Everyone wants the best for their kids. Learning English makes entrance exam scores higher so they can get into the better schools, opens the door for the better jobs, and even makes traveling easier. And the more fluent your English is, the higher your status amongst your peers. Basically, learning English has little downside when it comes to a child's future. This is why mothers are going back to work at crappy jobs for little pay to send their children to over-priced English hogwans. If their children have a better future, the parents will also have a better future. |
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mnhnhyouh
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: The Middle Kingdom
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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I think those in power see that there will be an international language sooner or later and dont want their country to be left behind. At them moment it seems that it will be English.
A very large number of Europeans learn English at a very high level as well. So good that the services of people like the ESL teachers are not needed.
I would hope that our services will not be needed after a while, but I have no idea how long that will be. Not in my working life, I would bet.
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Hank the Iconoclast
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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| If you ever want to leave Korea or get into a great university, you need to learn English. |
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Tjames426
Joined: 06 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:01 pm Post subject: ... |
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1. Getting a good education is one reason. Like others have said, you need a decent English level to enter a top-notch University.
2. English is necessary for international business. Should be a given. Most of Asia uses English as a trade language for commerce.
3. Having an English education opens opportunities. In the future, the kids can travel easier. Enter relationships with Internationals in different professional fields. It will allow them to enter Prestigious Schools overseas.
4. Of course, the opportunity to escape Korea and immigrate abroad to an English speaking country. After working all your life for a Korean company, you can buy a plot of land and build a nice house with a yard. Not live in a shoebox on the 20th something floor of a colorless noisy concrete rectangle. |
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Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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| pocariboy73 wrote: |
| because many good jobs nowadays require proof of high test scores (TOEIC, TOEFL, etc). |
Those scores are being doubted in Business these days. To many people come out of it with a very high score but zero capability.
The few business men i know, hire Koreans not based on their knowledge, but whether they speak fluent english or not.
Foreign firms are also more relaxed in their work environment, and a lot of Koreans want to go away from Korea. The only way to achieve these goals is to speak proper english. |
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pocariboy73
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Juregen wrote: |
| pocariboy73 wrote: |
| because many good jobs nowadays require proof of high test scores (TOEIC, TOEFL, etc). |
Those scores are being doubted in Business these days. To many people come out of it with a very high score but zero capability.
The few business men i know, hire Koreans not based on their knowledge, but whether they speak fluent english or not.
Foreign firms are also more relaxed in their work environment, and a lot of Koreans want to go away from Korea. The only way to achieve these goals is to speak proper english. |
I agree, the scores don't tell much. But even still, many companies still unfortunately rely upon them, rightly or wrongly. The scores are a "weeding-out" process. |
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the foystein
Joined: 23 Apr 2007
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| The are trying to learn English for the same reason people in other countries are trying to learn - economics. The GDP of English speaking countries is huge as is the purchasing power of consumers in those countries. The Internet also plays a role. I read that 80% of Internet content is in English. |
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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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Since 99% of secondary schools, Universities, Colleges in the world's wealthiest countries DON'T teach Korean, then Korean have to go out and learn English.
The main reason to learn English is for economic reasons. Of course, try explaining to elementary school kids that English will be very important for them to get jobs when they graduate University.
Most people figure out English is VERY important when its too late (going out to job interviews.) |
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