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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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driftingfocus

Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA
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Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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EzeWong wrote: |
A lot of Korea's education system resmbles Japans (although I don't which came first Japan or Korea) but if Korea is copying Japan we can observre the similarities. |
Japan's system is actually based off an old Prussian system.
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Last edited by driftingfocus on Fri Oct 31, 2008 11:13 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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driftingfocus

Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA
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Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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newinseoul wrote: |
There is no such thing as 'special needs' classes in Korea. |
That's untrue. Yes, they are uncommon, but they do exist. One of the schools I teach at is in a village of about 200 people, and yet there is a special needs class and a special needs teacher. But, one of the other schools that I teach at that is in a town of 20,000, that has almost 500 students, has no such program.
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ESL Milk "Everyday
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:15 am Post subject: |
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The problem is that the stigma against having special needs is so great that just being put into that group would probably ruin a child's entire future.
The difference between here and the west is that weakness is not tolerated here. Whether it's losing your cool, having a disability, not being able to do what everyone else can or is doing... what have you. The weak are simply not fit to hold any position in society, and so they get pushed out of the way, or patronized, or scorned, or just ignored, depending on the situation.
Though it has the appearance of a prosperous and democratic nation, Korea is still barely a generation removed from a full-on military dictatorship... while it might have been a US-supported dictatorship, ideologically it was probably the complete opposite of what we grew up with, and in many ways we would probably think it was fascist.
And wherever you have fascism, you have that classic military-style narcissism: an obnoxious combination of blind nationalism, righteousness and intolerance of the weak (eg: women, minorities, the disabled).
I don't really click with that line of thinking, but I can't say for certain that it it's inferior to what I believe. On the other hand, I have zero connection with this country and its society, so it's not my place to say anything about it. On the other hand, if this kind of thing went down back home, I would probably be absolutely terrified. |
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expat2001

Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:49 am Post subject: |
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EzeWong wrote: |
call_the_shots wrote: |
Korea tries to do everything like Japan. They want to look like Japan, they want to be like Japan... But they hate Japan. |
I believe they use Japan as a paradigm of how to shape their education system and economy. Despite Japans tiny size, realtively low resources, and small workforce, they are still one of the highest grossing GDP countries. Korea's hoping to achieve similar sucess.
A lot of Korea's education system resmbles Japans (although I don't which came first Japan or Korea) but if Korea is copying Japan we can observre the similarities.
However, I believe the stark difference like Jadarite mentioned.
Koreans are accurate and intelligent. However, they lack the creativity and odd ingenuity of the Japanese... which makes Japan unique in a global market.
Anyways, Poor kid. I do think the education system here is overbearing. But I think we all know, it's the system COMBINED with parenting that leads to these problems. Personally, I beleive if either parenting is superb or schooling is superb we wouldn't have sucides. It's failure on both sides do we hear about cases like this. |
"Koreans are accurate and intelligent"???? How did you come to this conclusion?
If they are so smart , then why do they have so much trouble learing English?
The average Thai has a sixth grade education ; or less , yet can communicate in English and various other languages.
In Montreal ,Canada , the average person and speak two languages , English and French .However , there is a small yet visable minority of Montrealers who can speak three to four languages.
The only reason Koreans appear to be so smart is cause of their high math scores. But you have to keep in mind ,that they do study longer then we do.
As for being accurate , I really don't see it. What I see , is Koreans making the same mistakes again and again.(Just look at the ESL industry ) |
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The_Source

Joined: 09 Oct 2008
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 4:53 am Post subject: |
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expat2001 wrote: |
"Koreans are accurate and intelligent"???? How did you come to this conclusion?
If they are so smart , then why do they have so much trouble learing English? |
There's no correlation between intelligence and knowledge of languages. If there were, most Americans would be multi-lingual.
expat2001 wrote: |
The average Thai has a sixth grade education ; or less , yet can communicate in English and various other languages. |
In rural Philippines, people speak 3 languages: English, Tagalog, and their local dialect. It's not because they're smart. It's because they're exposed to three languages in their daily lives.
expat2001 wrote: |
In Montreal ,Canada , the average person and speak two languages , English and French .
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Does that make them smarter than people from Vancouver who only speak English? |
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Tobias

Joined: 02 Jun 2008
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 7:33 am Post subject: Like has been said... |
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expat2001 wrote: |
.....If they are so smart , then why do they have so much trouble learing English?
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As has been claimed here before, it's all about the learners. It's all about the learners. |
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Xuanzang

Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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I`ve been told that parents dont want their children formally singled out as special, thus no special ed classes for those with mental illnesses or handicaps. I`ve also been told to just focus on the majority and leave those lower kids behind. |
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buymybook
Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Location: Telluride
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 1:25 am Post subject: |
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Xuanzang wrote: |
I`ve been told that parents dont want their children formally singled out as special, thus no special ed classes for those with mental illnesses or handicaps. I`ve also been told to just focus on the majority and leave those lower kids behind. |
Yes, and I had one so-called handi-capped child show much interest in joining one of my past after-school classes. My student count was important at that time, but they wouldn't let her join. She would periodically speak to me whenever she saw me and I asked my co-teacher what she wanted and it was just what I thought. She wanted to learn English but they wouldn't let her. Sad, really sad!  |
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driftingfocus

Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 1:36 am Post subject: |
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buymybook wrote: |
Yes, and I had one so-called handi-capped child show much interest in joining one of my past after-school classes. My student count was important at that time, but they wouldn't let her join. She would periodically speak to me whenever she saw me and I asked my co-teacher what she wanted and it was just what I thought. She wanted to learn English but they wouldn't let her. Sad, really sad!  |
Wow. That *is* sad. |
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little mixed girl
Joined: 11 Jun 2003 Location: shin hyesung's bed~
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 6:40 am Post subject: |
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Whirlwind wrote: |
Japan is infinitely more creative than Korea. Despite similarities in their educational modes, Japan is innovative, whereas Korea copies stuff. Perhaps if Korean parents would stop telling their children that there self worth is solely determined by how much you make and your status, they might live happier lives. Seriously. In Korea, it is basically you are either a doctor or lawyer and if you can't achieve either, well, you might as well put a shotgun to your head or jump into the Han. |
uhm. what?
japan has one of the highest rates of suicide amongst industrialized nations.
just a few weeks ago a woman strangled her son to death in a bathroom and was about to kill herself before changing her mind.
we've had a bunch of copycat killings where someone buys a knife from the 100yen store and walks down a crowded street stabbing people, while saying "i got tired of living in the world".
this past summer, people were killing themselves with chemicals because they supposedly let you die "painlessly, and beautifully".
no regards for the people in the apartments next door who are exposed to the toxins.
most of japan's "innovation" is taking stuff made in the US and making it smaller/better. not so different from what i've seen in korea. |
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NoExplode

Joined: 15 Oct 2008
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 7:01 am Post subject: |
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Murdering children is sad indeed. |
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Bibbitybop

Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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Khyron wrote: |
Bibbitybop wrote: |
One day, Korea may see past multiple choice exams and stop basing success on scores. Until then, expect more suicides and uncreative people.
Japan has 16 Nobel prize winning scientists. Guess how many Korea has. |
Yet... Japan also bases everything on meaningless exam scores to the point that there are suicides over the issue at the end of every term. Where do you think Korea got their system from?
You're point about Japan having 16 Nobel prize winning scientists has nothing to do with this. |
Right about the testing, but you failed to see why Nobel prizes are relevant: The respect and fostering of creative, different ideas. This is from schools to companies to government programs. Smart people in Korea want to be doctors or lawyers, they simply remember things, they get paid well. No one wants to be a scientist in Korea, it doesn't pay as well and creative ideas are never asked for or bred. Those people often move to another country and work in a more-comfortable environment. |
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