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[wylies99]

More English Classes at Primary Schools?
Government�s Move to Expand English Classes Stirs Disputes
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/11/117_34164.html

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

The government plans to expand English class hours at elementary schools from 2010, in a move that has invited criticism from some parent and civic groups who claim the measure will fan private tutoring.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology held a public hearing in Seoul about English class expansion at primary schools Monday. Currently, third and fourth graders have English class for one hour per week and fifth and sixth graders, two hours. The government plans to increase the class by one or two hours per week from as early as 2010.

The plan was part of the Lee Myung-bak administration's policy to boost English education. The ministry said children do not get enough of this due to the small number of classes.

``Because of the poor school lectures, students rely on private education or overseas study. It also results in disparity in English ability between students who attend private institutes and those who do not,'' a ministry official said.

Professor Lee Wan-ki of Seoul National University of Education said that the ministry's survey conducted in June on 1,377 teachers and 1,000 parents showed that 55.2 percent of the teachers and 71 percent of the parents agreed with the expansion of English classes.

The current number of hours is also lower than those in other countries, Lee said. Malaysia offers four to 4.5 hours of English per week; Greece, three hours; India, five hours; and Israel, two to four hours, according to the ministry.

``With more English classes at primary schools, children will be able to understand English lectures at secondary schools more easily, and the positive effect will continue when they advance to university or into society,'' Lee said.

However, some disagree. A member of the Korea Teachers and Education Workers' Union said at the hearing, ``The expansion will give children more stress for study, boost competition and increase private education costs. Education should be mother tongue-oriented until elementary school so that children will keep their cultural identity as Koreans.''

A director at an NGO promoting ``hangeul'' said it was important to enhance children's Korean language communication skill, proposing the government should place a greater emphasis on Korean rather than attempting to expand English classes.

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[wylies99]

[maddog]

[Xuanzang]

I`m glad. I wish I could see my 3rd and 4th graders more often. They seem to be the ones who need more repetition anyway.

[ChopChaeJoe]

[drunkenfud]

[Bigfeet]

Hey anything that creates more work for us can't be bad.

[TheUrbanMyth]

This isn't necessarily going to be more work for us. I get the impression that KOREAN teachers are going to be teaching these classes as nowhere do I see native speakers mentioned