| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
flummuxt
Joined: 15 Mar 2007
|
 Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:00 pm Post subject: KTimes: Korea Dreams of Becoming No.1 in English-Speaking |
 |
|
I almost fell off my chair laughing when I saw the Korea Times today.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/01/116_18200.html
The Korea Times got the headline right, this time:
| Quote: |
| Korea Dreams of Becoming No.1 in English-Speaking |
"Dreams" is the operative word.
| Quote: |
| The new government plans to spend approximately 4 trillion won (about $4.2 billion) over the next five years, with the objective of making Korea the best English-speaking country in Asia within a decade, presidential transition team Chairwoman Lee Kyung-sook said Wednesday. |
There are some good ideas here. For example, they plan to put English language books in children's libraries. Who would have thunk it?
But the goal is simply unattainable. Japan has been at this for decades. Then there's the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Thailand, etc. etc. etc. Now let's see, which Asian country has the lowest overall adult English proficiency, and the lowest use of English on public transportation signs, business signs, and other public facilities?
It seems to me a more realistic goal would be to get Korea out of being in or near last place for English proficiency in Asia. That's about where this country is, isn't it?
It takes more than 10 years to transform a country's English proficiency. You don't just wave a magic wand, shower money on the country, and poof! you're an English speaking nation. You start with young kids. They grow up. They become parents. They help their kids to learn English. Some of them become English teachers. Then, then, the next generation can become reasonably fluent.
This process is going to take more like 25 years. Meanwhile, what about the 98 percent of Korean adults who know no English? Korea still won't be anywhere near No. 1.
Meanwhile, Korea is doing its very best to piss off the native English teachers here and around the world with its inane E-2 rigamarole.
And, as usual, some bureaucrat type came up with this plan without consulting others, and just presented it by fiat. The result, according to the article, not everyone is happy with the plan.
Did it ever occur to anyone to maybe consult some of the foreign teachers here for ideas -- on anything? How about proposing a plan or some new regulations, and asking the public and those affected to comment on them before they are written into law? And here's a really novel idea: How about consulting the students to find out what they think could make English education work more effectively?
What compels Korea to constantly come up with absurdly unrealistic ambitions and claims of being "the best in world" or the best in Asia? Saying it is so doesn't make it so, unless you are the captain of the Starship Enterprise.
Dream on, Korea, dream on. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
GoldMember
Joined: 24 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Korean is the bestest most scientific language in the world. Hangul is the greatest ever invention. Why would anyone want to learn an inferior language and alphabet.
Of all the nationalities out there in the world, only Koreans have this attitude.
Of all the nationalities out there, it's Koreans who get the poorest result learning English in comparison to the resources expended.
Maybe, just maybe there could be a correlation. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Snowkr
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thank you, OP... for posting that link.
If anyone else comes across articles like this, please share! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
agentX
Joined: 12 Oct 2007
Location: Jeolla province
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
If you're gonna aim for something, you might as well aim for the stars.
If they're really at the bottom (I thought China and Bhutan were worse) then all they can do is go up. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nomad-ish
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: On the bottom of the food chain
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| agentX wrote: |
If you're gonna aim for something, you might as well aim for the stars.
If they're really at the bottom (I thought China and Bhutan were worse) then all they can do is go up. |
i don't think korea's at the bottom...but i bet pretty close. i think these new reforms will help and English ability will improve, but there's no way they'll beat places like hong kong and japan |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
marlow
Joined: 06 Feb 2005
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| nomad-ish wrote: |
| i don't think korea's at the bottom...but i bet pretty close. i think these new reforms will help and English ability will improve, but there's no way they'll beat places like hong kong and japan |
Well, they have to get past Nepal first. You'd think they'd have gotten it right so far with all the money they put into it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
boyne11
Joined: 08 Jul 2007
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hangul sucks.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Netz
Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Location: a parallel universe where people and places seem to be the exact opposite of "normal"
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I don't whether to laugh or cry.
Ok so......
Quote from article:
"The incoming government also plans to introduce the Teaching English in English (TEE) certificate for qualified teachers."
W T F ?
How about just add HEE (Happy EnglishE)
Then we can call it TEE HEE!
The perfect Korean solution to the problem, yet another meaningless "document" I might as well use to wipe my #$% with.
Seriously Koreans DON'T KNOW QUALITY WHEN IT BITES THEM IN THE %$@!. I have no clue how think they're going to be able to design certifications that will accurately asses something they're incapable of discerning in the first place.
Hey, you think the new E2 regs blow, you ain't seen nothin' yet LOL.
And then this one:
"However, critics question how the next government will finance the 4 trillion won needed for the project."
O M G
Again, they typical Korean strategy of "throwing enough money at something, hoping they'll eventually kill it with currency".
And hey, you really think finding $4 billion will be any trouble for Lee Myung Bak? C'MON PEOPLE, he's a Korean business man, who got elected with a track record of being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The Korean people elected him BECAUSE HE'S GOOD AT PULLING MONEY OUT OF *&#!
Here comes the Year of the RAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
spliff
Joined: 19 Jan 2004
Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 5:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Personally, I don't see the humor in it...some good ideas. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Intrepid
Joined: 13 May 2004
Location: Yongin
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:03 pm Post subject: Japan? |
|
|
| nomad-ish wrote: |
| agentX wrote: |
If you're gonna aim for something, you might as well aim for the stars.
If they're really at the bottom (I thought China and Bhutan were worse) then all they can do is go up. |
i don't think korea's at the bottom...but i bet pretty close. i think these new reforms will help and English ability will improve, but there's no way they'll beat places like hong kong and japan |
Japan? Koreans speak English better than the Japanese do. Not great, but if you're in downtown Seoul you can find someone to give you directions. I had great trouble in Tokyo.
And Korea puts China to shame in this department. Although, the few people who do speak English in China seem to speak very well. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
4 months left
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Korea Trails Nepal in English Proficiency
The performance of Koreans who take the IELTS English proficiency test to prepare for study abroad lags behind that of their counterparts in Japan and Nepal, to say nothing of candidates from Malaysia and Hong Kong.
The average score of the 20 countries that took the IELTS last year was 6.06 out of 9, with Korea ranking a poor 14th with 5.77, according to the British Council, which jointly administered the test. The prize pupil was Germany with 7.23, followed by Malaysia (6.64) and the Philippines (6.54). Hong Kong (6.42), India (6.07), Nepal (5.99) and Japan (5.77) were all ahead of Korea, ranking at fifth, ninth, 10th and 12th respectively. Among East Asian countries, only China was behind Korea. IELTS -- the International English Testing System -- is prepared and administered jointly by the British Council, IDP Education Australia and Cambridge University. Last year, 700,000 people from around 120 nations took the test, among them 10,000 Koreans
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200712/200712050023.html |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
expat2001
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Im surprised it didnt say anything about hiring native speakers with better credentials |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
marlow
Joined: 06 Feb 2005
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| expat2001 wrote: |
| Im surprised it didnt say anything about hiring native speakers with better credentials |
They wouldn't pay them much more than someone without credentials, so it doesn't matter. The jobs where foreigners with Ph.D.'s are paid 5.0M are few and far between. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:48 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Nothing wrong with the ambition, but I can't see them catching up with Singapore, HK, or even Thailand for a while. The former British colonies have all had a head-start on Korea. Singapore has all classes in English from elementary level. Most 6 year olds there have the same level (or higher) of English fluency as Korean high-schoolers.
So, good luck with that. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Strange thing to announce only weeks after bringing in new laws that are forcing out 90% of english teachers from the country. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
