There is a great emphasis from the Korean Government for the students of South Korea to learn English as their second language during compulsory schooling. One of the jobs that is highest in Korea during these times are business men and women, and I feel that being able to communicate with English is an advantage to many business men and women in Korea. With the government pushing its students to take advantage of learning a language that is valued around the world, the government has a couple programs in which support the hiring college students and graduate students to come to South Korea to join these government programs and to teach English to many students in rural and urban areas. The two programs are called TaLK and Epik!
In urban areas many parents may send their children to after school studying schools called hagwons. These are places where students can learn English and be immersed in the English Language in which attending this type of private education is after a long school day and children may not come home until about Midnight, even for older elementary school children.
Our group was able to attend an English class that was taught by a Michigan Alum at a rural elementary school in South Korea. Although this particular school had many children at one point, the school now hosts 36 children on scholarship from the government in grades 1st through 6th. After shadowing our Michigan Alum's English class, which was after a regular school day, our group was able to sit down and ask him questions about his work at the school and his everyday life. It was great to hear how a native English speaker was doing after only being in the country for so long and to hear all of the progress that he has made with himself, and the students that attend the elementary school.
No comments:
Post a Comment