| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
|
 Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:14 am Post subject: English banned from essay questions |
 |
|
English banned from admission essay questions
Before the announcement, some of Korea's most esteemed universities were among institutions that had announced they would use English language texts in essay questions.
"We have been focusing on English language education to foster talented students in an era of globalization," said Choi Eun-bong, the dean of admissions at Ewha Womans University. "Despite this, the ministry has said English language texts will not be allowed in essay exams, and we have no clue what to do." Baek Sun-geun, a professor of education at Seoul National University, believed the government was exercising excessive control. "Korea will be the only country where college admissions are controlled by ministry guidelines," he said. "The government must protect the universities' independent rights to select their students."
by Kim Nam-joong, Ser Myo-ja, JoongAng Daily (August 31, 2005)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200508/30/200508302244498409900090409041.html |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Alan_Partridge
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: in the posh part of town
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
| meh..... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 11:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Switching to Konglish, are they? Smart move. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 3:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Colleges Worried About New Guidelines for Essay Tests
Universities will not be allowed to print examples written in English on their essay tests starting from the early admission period this second semester. They are also banned from presenting mathematics and science questions that do not intend to measure logical thinking ability but demand a simple process of drawing a solution. The guidelines prohibit four-types of questions -- multiple-choice questions, questions measuring the ability to memorize knowledge, questions demanding examinees write how to resolve a mathematics or science-related problem, and questions with examples in a foreign language that require translation or explanation.
Chosun Ilbo (August 30, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200508/200508300014.html |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ladyandthetramp
Joined: 21 Nov 2003
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I'd hate to be a genius in this country who couldn't speak English. Do people care how intelligent you are if you can't speak English here? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Paji eh Wong
Joined: 03 Jun 2003
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ladyandthetramp wrote: |
| I'd hate to be a genius in this country who couldn't speak English. Do people care how intelligent you are if you can't speak English here? |
Of course they do. It's not like anyone else speaks English. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 10:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| They're removing the english so kids don't have to study english and pay for expensive prep courses. The solution to a better, richer society is not asking kids to demonstrate elite ability before being allowed into an elite school but saving parents money in the here and now. Hrm. I suppose Korea should also legislate that pi = 3. Easier costs less and that makes voters happy. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ladyandthetramp
Joined: 21 Nov 2003
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 6:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
| mindmetoo wrote: |
| They're removing the english so kids don't have to study english and pay for expensive prep courses. The solution to a better, richer society is not asking kids to demonstrate elite ability before being allowed into an elite school but saving parents money in the here and now. Hrm. I suppose Korea should also legislate that pi = 3. Easier costs less and that makes voters happy. |
Having an English test is fine. It sounds like the essay portion was to be written in English (I could be wrong about that, but it was my impression.) Essays should be a test of critical thinking, not foreign language ability. If they want a second essay on the English part of the test, that's fine. But students with a high critical thinking ability might lose a lot of points if they suddenly have to write it in a foreign language.
Besides, as I said, you can be smart and not speak English. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 4:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ladyandthetramp wrote: |
| mindmetoo wrote: |
| They're removing the english so kids don't have to study english and pay for expensive prep courses. The solution to a better, richer society is not asking kids to demonstrate elite ability before being allowed into an elite school but saving parents money in the here and now. Hrm. I suppose Korea should also legislate that pi = 3. Easier costs less and that makes voters happy. |
Having an English test is fine. It sounds like the essay portion was to be written in English (I could be wrong about that, but it was my impression.) Essays should be a test of critical thinking, not foreign language ability. If they want a second essay on the English part of the test, that's fine. But students with a high critical thinking ability might lose a lot of points if they suddenly have to write it in a foreign language.
Besides, as I said, you can be smart and not speak English. |
And why not kill two birds with one stone? Demonstrate an ability to think critically and write critically in the language of business and science? If you're going to go to an elite school, you'll need to do that. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
