South Korea’s investment in English language teaching is paying off, says Andrew Farrell. But there’s still a lot left to learn for some...
It is quite possible that, 20 years from now, South Korea might be the most advanced non-native English-speaking country outside of Europe. The time, money and commitment invested in the language – particularly in schools – is astounding.
Students from the age of eight, and sometimes before that, study English virtually every day of the week, including weekends. Public schools offer the language, taught by a native speaker or by a Korean with sufficient skills, a minimum of twice weekly minimum, and then it’s off to private academies in the evenings.
Playgrounds nationwide are deserted in the afternoon and evening – Koreans often say the only chance their children have of making friends is by staying in school, because that’s where all the students are. English, maths, science and music are the staple diet for teenagers here, who often don’t return home until long after the sun has set for the night.
The result of hundreds of hours a year devoted to private and public schools is a young generation who are in some cases as advanced as native speakers. Teachers who have taught in the US and Korea often remark that students here are every bit as proficient in reading and writing as their American counterparts, and are only behind when it comes to speaking.
Twelve months ago I visited an elementary school in Japan, no different on the surface to the one I teach at in Korea. But there was a world of difference between the two groups in terms of language ability. The Japanese children were unable to recognise letters and words – they basically associate sounds with certain pictures, like ‘cat’, ‘car’ and ‘water’. In contrast, my current students are learning how to accomplish regular daily tasks using the present continuous tense. This is part of the school curriculum, and it is easy for them.
Despite this, the role of the native English teacher (NET) will be downgraded in the years to come. After pumping billions of won into their English educational programme, Korea’s Gyeonggi-do province – with a population of 10.5 million – has started tightening its belt. Some 200 NET contracts will not be renewed this year, and no replacements will be found for the departing teachers. That figure will continue to rise over the next decade. The cost of flying over, paying and housing teachers has begun to take its toll on the budget, so Koreans will be asked to fill the void.
Judging by the skills of their students so far, they shouldn’t find that task too difficult. But there is still some room for improvement. One place where students have not developed their special talent for English is in the slogan T-shirts they wear. Imagine seeing a young student walking into school with a T-shirt spelling out some sexual reference or terms we’d class as swear words. Recently, I saw a student with “WANNA… HIT IT?” splashed across her chest. There was also “Excuse me but I’m having a c***y day”. And across from my subway station in Suwon city, a pink T-shirt is for sale with huge white letters declaring: “KILL THE WHITES.”
These shirts often amuse the foreigners, but you’ve got to wonder if the locals have any idea what they’re wearing.
Andrew Farrell works as an English language teacher in Korea.
