Slide 1: Education In Korea
Slide 2: Study Abroad
• In 2006, 29,511 children from elementary through high school level left South Korea, nearly double the number in 2004 and almost seven times the figure in 2000. • NY Times June 8, 2008
Slide 3: Study Abroad
• In New Zealand, there were 6,579 South Koreans in the country’s elementary and secondary schools in 2007, accounting for 38 percent of all foreign students. • NY Times June 8, 2008
Slide 4: Study Abroad
• South Koreans now make up the largest group of foreign students in the United States (more than 103,000) • NY Times June 8, 2008
Slide 5: Low Birthrate
• Unhappiness over education’s financial and psychological costs is so widespread that it is often cited as a reason for the Korea’s low birthrate, which, at 1.26 in 2007, was one of the world’s lowest. • NY Times June 8, 2008
Slide 6: Study Abroad
• Wild geese fathers were initially relatively wealthy and tended to send their families to the United States. But in the last few years, more middle-class families have been heading to less expensive destinations like Canada, Australia and New Zealand. • President Lee Myung-bak said he would start to address the problem by hiring 10,000 English teachers. “This is unprecedented,” he said. “Korea is actually the only country in the world undergoing such a phenomenon, which is very unfortunate.” • NY Times June 8, 2008
Slide 7: $$$$$$
• According to the Bank of Korea, Koreans spent $5.1 billion on studying, training, or practicing foreign languages abroad. Korea Times 5-29-2008
Slide 8: $$$$$$$$$
• The Korean private English education market is estimated at as much as 15 trillion won ($15 billion). On top of students, office workers are bent on studying the language. • The leading language institute surveyed 1,837 office workers and more than 40 percent of respondents said they spend over 100,000 won ($100) per month on English education. More than half of those surveyed answered that they are currently studying the language. • Korea Times 5-29-2008
Slide 9: English
• The British Council announced Tuesday that Korea ranked 19th on the general training module of the IELTS among 20 countries ― Korean applicants averaged 5.21 out of a full score of 9. IELTS is short for International English Language Testing System.
• Korea Times June 3, 2008
Slide 10: IELTS Test Scores
Country Singapore Malaysia Brazil China Japan Korea Score 7.01 (2) 6.9 (3) 6.43 (4) 5.77 (13) 5.52 (16) 5.21 (19) South Africa 7.46 (1)
• Korean applicants especially showed weakness in writing and speaking tests, the British Council said. South Africa, which has adopted English as a business language, ranked top with an average score of 7.46. Singapore came next with 7.01, followed by Malaysia with 6.9, and Brazil with 6.43. China ranked 13th with 5.77 and Japan was placed 16th with 5.52. • Korea Times June 3, 2008
Slide 11: Math
Country Avg. Score Chinese Taipei 598 (1) Korea Singapore Hong Kong Japan United States 597 (2) 593 (3) 572 (4) 570 (5) 508 (9) • South Korea ranks second in Math scores according to the Trends in International Math Science Study (TIMSS)
Slide 12: Science
Country Singapore Japan Korea England United States Avg. Score 567 (1) 554 (3) 553 (4) 542(5) 520 (11) • Korea was ranked fourth in Science by TIMSS
Chinese Taipei 561 (2)
Slide 13: • The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology announced that it will spend a total of 19.5 billion won ($15.9 million) next year, up 12.2 billion won from a year earlier, for English education programs at elementary and secondary schools. • Korea Times 10-05-2008
Slide 14: • Meanwhile, more than half of English teachers are opposing the introduction of “Teaching English in English (TEE)’’ teachers, planned by the government for next year. The government plans to recruit 23,000 TEE teachers, who will conduct classes only in English, over the next five years. • Korea Times 10-05-2008
Slide 15: • Pres. Lee Myung Bak and his advisors want to hold a public meeting in order to get a better grasp of the public opinion of education. In particular, he wants to hear opinions about teacher evaluation.
Slide 16: Your Mission
You will be broken up into 4 groups 1. Teachers 2. Parents 3. Students 4. Lee Myung Bak/ advisors Take on your role and come up with positions/stances on the issue of teacher evaluation.
Slide 17: Your Mission Cont’d
