Korean Job Discussion Forums

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Union fighting English classes for children
The Korean Teachers and Educational Workers Union yesterday urged the Education Ministry to scrap its announced plan to begin teaching English to elementary school children. In a bid to strengthen English education in the public schools, the ministry has ordered the revision of the education curriculum, so students would take English classes upon entering elementary school as 7- or 8-year-olds.
JoongAng Daily (May 18, 2006)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200605/17/200605172217571939900090409041.html

capebretoncanadian · Joined: 20 Feb 2005

Probably a response...I'm assuming...to a perceived loss of jobs for Korean workers....typical from a union.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

It may also be that the plan was to get the regular homeroom teachers to teach this, some of whom don't know Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc., and they really didn't want to do this.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I've seen the textbooks they're going to use. In fact it's my job to take them and design an actual curriculum to supplement the books and teach the students something useful. Any teacher who can't figure out the books is brain-dead. It's basically "Let's role-play" or "Let's play a game" and then you slap in the CD and get the kids to listen.