New Government's Policy on English Education
Class 10. Number 104. Lee Byeong-ho
I didn't think about this topic seriously, but it is connected directly to me because I am an English teacher. So I decided to express my opinion..
At first the new government declared it will begin the English Immersion Program, in which schools will teach English, science, Korean language, history, and other subjects in English in a few years. But it met with serious opposition from many non-government-organizations, experts, students and people. Then the government modified its first plan. They declared the English Immersion Program will be adapted only to English. I think, however, they will try to expand the plan to other subjects like science, history, social studies, and so on if the program turns out to be successful.
Why is the government going to start the plan? Of course, it's obvious. Having an excellent command of English will guarantee Koreans to be more competitive. We can not seclude ourselves from the world in this global age. Korea does not have abundant resources like oil, minerals, wood, and scarce materials. We have to export the products and services which have comparative advantage and import those which don't have comparative advantage. Besides, we have to get a lot of information and knowledges which were, actually, written in mostly English and communicate with foreigners who can speak English, who are mostly highly educated ones. So I am not going to reject the proposition that English is important for Korea's international competitiveness. But I think achieving this goal should be dealt with differently.
Should all Koreans be fluent in English like English native speakers? Is English much more important than other subjects? I don't think so. I think some reasonable numbers of Korean people should be fluent in English. And, of course, they should be experts in their own special areas as well as in English. So schools should teach students not only English but also many other subjects. But the more schools emphasizes English, the more it will encroach into other subjects and then make those subjects less important in many aspects.
I am teaching English in a Middle School and I want to be a good, skillful, and competitive English teacher. The new government's English Immersion program is a kind of challenge for me. I have to be fluent in English and have many methods to guide the students to learn English. I have to cope with this matter. Can I prove successful? Anyway, I have to try hard.
