[EDLING:1656] Re: Joining Edling

[Francis M Hult]

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Francis


On Thu, Jun 08, 2006 at 09:48:28AM +0300, Bessie Mitsikopoulou wrote:
> Hi could you please remind me how one could join the group and be added to 
> the mailing list?
> Bessie
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Francis M. Hult" <fmhult at dolphin.upenn.edu>
> To: <edling at ccat.sas.upenn.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2006 6:59 AM
> Subject: [EDLING:1651] Korea: Quality of English Teaching Appears to Be 
> Diminishing
> 
> 
> >The Korea Times
> >
> >http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200606/kt2006060717004354050.htm
> >
> >School English Classes
> >Quality of Teaching Appears to Be Diminishing
> >
> >English teaching at primary and secondary schools here appears to be
> >diminishing. According to a recent survey, a growing number of Korean 
> >teachers
> >of English conduct their classes in Korean only, contrary to efforts in
> >creating an environment in which students can be better immersed in 
> >English.
> >The number of teachers presenting English-only classes in elementary, 
> >middle
> >and high schools for an hour each week has declined, according to a 
> >Chonbuk
> >National University research survey.
> >Education authorities have emphasized the importance of teaching practical
> >English that is useful in daily conversation and aimed to enhance 
> >students'
> >interest in English. However, their efforts seem to have brought no 
> >tangible
> >results. The number of teachers using only English in class was 22.3 
> >percent
> >in 2003, but fell to 19.9 in 2004 and 17.6 last year. Meanwhile, the ratio 
> >of
> >those using only Korean in class rose to 12.9 percent last year from 10.7
> >percent in 2004 and 9 percent in 2003.
> >
> >We believe there are many reasons why teachers use more Korean than 
> >English in
> >their classes. Foremost is their lack of ability to speak English 
> >fluently.
> >Attending short-term training programs is the only means of improving
> >teachers' ability to speak English. Last year, 16,330 or 22.2 percent of
> >74,463 Korean English teachers throughout the country took part in
> >Englishrelated job training.
> >
> >However, an increasing number of high school teachers are unwilling to 
> >take
> >part in training programs, saying the programs are not helpful in teaching
> >students preparing for entrance exams. Moreover, we are skeptical about 
> >the
> >effectiveness of the training programs in enhancing their ability to 
> >conduct
> >classes in English. Ten years have passed since English classes were
> >introduced in elementary schools here. However, we don't think the system 
> >has
> >made much of a contribution to raising English speaking ability among 
> >primary
> >school students.
> >
> >The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development revealed its 
> >plan to
> >offer language training for 25,000 middle and high school English teachers
> >over the next five years. But we don't think it will be much help in 
> >enhancing
> >their general capabilities. The ministry should consider offering them
> >overseas training programs for more stable domestic English education. It 
> >is
> >also asked to invite as many native English speakers as possible to have 
> >them
> >teach at schools.
> >
> >Our miserable teaching environments are causing people to send their 
> >children
> >to study overseas. Some 188,000 Korean students went to study abroad in 
> >2004
> >alone, spending about 23 billion won. The infrastructure for English 
> >education
> >should be strengthened at a time when English is positioning itself as the
> >global language.
> >
> >
> >06-07-2006 17:00
> >
> >