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Len8 · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Location: Kyungju

09-09-2008 17:42
English-Only Classrooms to Increase

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Primary and secondary schools nationwide will have roughly 2,700 English-only classrooms under a policy to strengthen public English language education.

More than 400 English classrooms will be set up at elementary schools this year, according to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Tuesday.

The classrooms will allow children to study English speaking and listening or read English books during or after their regular classes. Five elementary schools operated pilot English-only classrooms last year, and the Lee Myung-bak administration aims to expand such English-only classrooms to all schools by 2011. Due to the lack of budget, the ministry expects to initially build about 440 classrooms this year.

For middle and high schools, the government plans to establish some 2,300 classrooms for English education this year, with the aim to make all 5,200 middle and high schools have at least one classroom each in the near future.

``We'll develop a manual for the design of the classrooms through discussions with teachers who have operated similar classes before, so that the rooms can be used for various programs, including small-group discussions or plays in which all students participate,'' a ministry official said.

``We'll collect good examples of English classroom operation and encourage other schools to adopt the models, so that more students can learn English through more enjoyable programs,'' he said.

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Reader's Comments

cruisemonkey · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:26 pm Post subject:

That sounds great and I'd love to have an English classroom at my school. However, all the rooms are currently being used. How do they propose to get around that dilemma?

sojourner1 · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:32 pm Post subject:

Yes, you're right in that all the rooms are in use. I also see that the rooms are too small in many town or city schools, but are adequate size in small country schools. In my main school, I can't circulate around the classroom and I'm not obese as it's a cramped mass of 30 to 35 students who just constantly talk and act claustrophobic.

Why not just incorporate the English zone into their homeroom that we already teach in? This could be done with an investment in English books, materials, and curriculum. An actual English education program. This would also standardize English education. While each teacher teaches differently, the material or content is much the same across the board. I see a severe lack of professional support and standards. I don't believe Korea is getting their money and time worth out of it.

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

I'm lucky enough to have an English-Only Zone at my school. However, the rest of the staff like to pretend it doesn't exist. While every other classroom gets "cleaned" by the students every day, my classroom goes uncleaned, until eventually the trash gets so bad that one of my coteachers asks some of his students to come by and give it a good once-over (still neglecting to mop or sweep).

Also, this past summer every classroom in the whole school got a new chalkboard. I have been on my coworkers to get me a new board for the better part of a year, and guess which room was the only one not to get a new board? By the way, the board in my room is literally falling off the wall.

So yes, I have a room, but that's all. I realize that I should take the initiative to clean it and replace the old, smelly, graffiti-ridden desks, but honestly I'm just not that motivated.

In short, if a school is provided with an English classroom, it should be treated with the same respect as any other classroom, maybe even more. Just having a designated place to stick the foreigner isn't going to cut it.

wsiggins · Joined: 08 Jun 2008 Location: Chuncheon, Gangwon do

I was told that my school will be getting an English Only room, however I've yet to see the room in the school. I don't really mind as it would probably be helpful in the long run.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

And does anyone believe for a minute that a single one of these classrooms is ever going to be 'English-only'? You could fill it up with only Korean English teachers and that wouldn't happen.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:11 pm Post subject:

Otherside · Joined: 06 Sep 2007

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

They should forget about the "English only" and focus on The classroom where the audio visual aids actually work room.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

Yes, I teach in an "English Only Zone," and Jesus Christ no, it's not even close to being EOZ. Hell, at the teachers' workshops they can't avoid using Korean. Every school I've taught in has had an English room, with tons of new technology, books, and gadgets.

These gimmicks are annoying. Just sit down, shut up, and study. Adding some multi-million won room won't make a difference, and will just cause people to complain about resources being diverted from other areas. Christ, not everything needs to be fun and fancy.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

SHANE02 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003

We'll develop a manual for the design of the classrooms through discussions with teachers who have operated similar classes before, so that the rooms can be used for various programs, including small-group discussions or plays in which all students participate,'' a ministry official said.

I wonder what language the manual will be in. Are the actually going to ask trained English teachers from foreign countries? That would involve great loss of face. Even Samsung can't bring themselves to correct poor grammar.

Bravo your Life!