티스토리 툴바

Daum
Tistory
로그인

Lee Pushes for English Education Plan

ibt 토플 2008/02/18 12:26
Lee Pushes for English Education Plan

By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

President-elect Lee Myung-bak said he would stand firm on overhauling English education, although there is some criticism of the plan.

Lee also said he would assess Cabinet members and Cheong Wa Dae secretaries every six months.

At a two-day workshop of his aides in Seoul Saturday, Lee stressed that a short-sighted, vested interest-oriented view should not hold back the long-term national goal of English-friendly Korea.

He made the remark as criticism mounts over his overzealous plan for the wider use of English, which he believes is key to sharpening competitiveness of Korea and Koreans.

Lee said that government officials sometimes need to be tough to push through their ideas if needed.

Prime Minister-nominee Han Seung-soo and presidential transition team members participated in the workshop, which ended Sunday.

They discussed the directions and strategies of the new government.

The participants shared the need to upgrade Korea-China relations, saying that too much emphasis on Korea-U.S. alliance has given the impression of alienating Beijing, according to Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman for the transition committee.

He said the new administration will spend 10 percent of the saved budget to revive the domestic economy, and get tough on corruption and focus on attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, the spokesman said.

President-elect Lee said, ``It happens (in public affairs) that the people do not support a particular policy especially when issues are complex. Yet, government officials should not be discouraged by that.''

``Criticism or different views should not hold back the new government initiative to implement a critical policy,'' he said.

The President-elect said a policy or national strategy, which will lead the nation to a better future, might not be popular among the public at the moment.

``However, the government should go ahead anyway as long as it is thought to be the right thing to do,'' he stressed.

As for his plan to monitor government offices, he said the appraisal could be made once or twice a year.

Lee stressed government officials need to be self-motivated and be prepared to take responsibility for what they have done.

``Cabinet ministers tend to stick to their turf, while tending not to share information with people outside their division. In a digital era, information sharing among government is a must do,'' he said.

Along with putting the monitoring system in place, the new President asked government employees to work on action plans having the detailed roadmap and directions.

Lee, however, refrained from attacking the pro-government United New Democratic Party (UNDP) for its foot dragging on his government downsizing plan.

The transition team's plan said the current 18 government ministries will be downsized to 13 once it gets the approval from the National Assembly.

Pro-government party leader Sohn Hak-kyu made clear his opposition to the proposed plan, saying he would save the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries along with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

The transition team's proposal said these two ministries would be abolished.

As the UNDP has not shown any sign of supporting the reorganization plan, the new government may inaugurate without Cabinet ministers.

Lee said complaining is not an answer.

``Frustration would not make a difference. Our Grand National Party (GNP) needs to manage the situation wisely because the people know what is happening and will cast their ballot for the party they think right,'' he said.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr

Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다

Lee Pushes for English Education Plan

ibt 토플 2008/02/18 12:26
Lee Pushes for English Education Plan

By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

President-elect Lee Myung-bak said he would stand firm on overhauling English education, although there is some criticism of the plan.

Lee also said he would assess Cabinet members and Cheong Wa Dae secretaries every six months.

At a two-day workshop of his aides in Seoul Saturday, Lee stressed that a short-sighted, vested interest-oriented view should not hold back the long-term national goal of English-friendly Korea.

He made the remark as criticism mounts over his overzealous plan for the wider use of English, which he believes is key to sharpening competitiveness of Korea and Koreans.

Lee said that government officials sometimes need to be tough to push through their ideas if needed.

Prime Minister-nominee Han Seung-soo and presidential transition team members participated in the workshop, which ended Sunday.

They discussed the directions and strategies of the new government.

The participants shared the need to upgrade Korea-China relations, saying that too much emphasis on Korea-U.S. alliance has given the impression of alienating Beijing, according to Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman for the transition committee.

He said the new administration will spend 10 percent of the saved budget to revive the domestic economy, and get tough on corruption and focus on attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, the spokesman said.

President-elect Lee said, ``It happens (in public affairs) that the people do not support a particular policy especially when issues are complex. Yet, government officials should not be discouraged by that.''

``Criticism or different views should not hold back the new government initiative to implement a critical policy,'' he said.

The President-elect said a policy or national strategy, which will lead the nation to a better future, might not be popular among the public at the moment.

``However, the government should go ahead anyway as long as it is thought to be the right thing to do,'' he stressed.

As for his plan to monitor government offices, he said the appraisal could be made once or twice a year.

Lee stressed government officials need to be self-motivated and be prepared to take responsibility for what they have done.

``Cabinet ministers tend to stick to their turf, while tending not to share information with people outside their division. In a digital era, information sharing among government is a must do,'' he said.

Along with putting the monitoring system in place, the new President asked government employees to work on action plans having the detailed roadmap and directions.

Lee, however, refrained from attacking the pro-government United New Democratic Party (UNDP) for its foot dragging on his government downsizing plan.

The transition team's plan said the current 18 government ministries will be downsized to 13 once it gets the approval from the National Assembly.

Pro-government party leader Sohn Hak-kyu made clear his opposition to the proposed plan, saying he would save the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries along with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

The transition team's proposal said these two ministries would be abolished.

As the UNDP has not shown any sign of supporting the reorganization plan, the new government may inaugurate without Cabinet ministers.

Lee said complaining is not an answer.

``Frustration would not make a difference. Our Grand National Party (GNP) needs to manage the situation wisely because the people know what is happening and will cast their ballot for the party they think right,'' he said.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr

Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다

Natural Beauty Plastic Surgery Clinic?

ibt 토플 2008/02/15 17:56
‘Natural Beauty’ Plastic Surgery Clinic?



Taken at a bus stop in the coastal city of Busan, this particular clinic promises a ``fix’’ like all the many others found in major cities do. However, this one has a rather odd name for itself and its irony of cannot be overlooked. Given that the trusty hands of the surgeons involved can most likely re-model the looks of its loyal clients to ``appear’’ natural, going ``under the knife’’ is, in fact, just about as unnatural as things go.

/ Photo Courtesy of Dan Curley


연안도시 부산의 한 버스정류장에서 찍은건데..이 특별한 클리닉은 약속하네 주요도시에서
발견되는 다른 모든 사람들이 하는 것처럼 고쳐 준다고 .근데 이건 차라리 이상한 이름이야
이것의 아이러니는 간과할 수가 없어.성형외과 의사들의 믿음직한 손이 그들의 충직한 손님들을
자연스럽게 보이게 리모델 할 것을 고려하면, 성형외과에 가는게 사실 자연스런일은 아닌데 말야.

...코리아 타임즈 콩글리쉬 란에서


이봐 댄,
저건 그냥 광고일 뿐이잖아.그럼 성형외과에서 자연스럽게 해준다 하지
부자연스럽게 해준다 하니?
저기 어디 콩글리쉬가 있냐?
이봐, 니가 할 일은 콩글리쉬를 지적하는 거라구
콩글리쉬나 지적해


Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다

Koreans Lack Confidence in English Communication

ibt 토플 2008/02/14 00:01
Koreans Lack Confidence in English Communication



The following is the fifth in a series of articles highlighting alternative ideas on the Lee Myung-bak administration’s plan to strengthen English education. ― ED.

By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter

Learning English must be rewarding in many ways. But many Koreans are frustrated when they see the apparent difference between real communication with foreigners and what they were taught during school.

In classes, most Korean students write down what the teacher says and answer questions in an exercise book containing written English questions.

After school, they typically go to private institutions to upgrade their English scores for the college entrance exam. Most high school students focus only on learning easy technical skills.

``If we compare English education in Korea with that of Singapore, we can clearly see the problems,'' said Chae Eun-young, a Korean tour conductor and housewife residing in Singapore for about three years.

She said Singapore emphasizes fluent English communication because it is an international city. ``For example, in a typical large elementary school, more than 30 languages are spoken ― but the official language is English.''

Therefore, most students become bilingual naturally in the course of their daily schoolwork, Chae said.

Citing the cases of her children, Chae said the problems of Korean English education are critical. ``Our classes are too grammar-oriented. Korean English teachers focus on grammar because of their generally poor speaking ability. As a result, English classes in public schools are often boring. Learning is passive, not active.''

Korea also has a low supply of foreign teachers, and they are sometimes of poor quality, she said. ``For example, a foreigner with no teaching experience can easily be hired, even by public schools. Plus, typically large class size makes it difficult for even good foreign teachers to teach effectively.''

Chae stressed that all students face a big burden ― constant studying for exams ― so they think that only test scores are important.

``Because of Korea's weak public education system, some parents invest in education in English-speaking countries rather than spending money on extracurricular study in Korea,'' she said.

Chung Eui-kyoung, a Korean man in his 30s who is working for a foreign company in Seoul after residing in Sydney for seven years, said he believes there are several key solutions for these problems.

``It is important to develop domestic teachers' ability by sending them abroad to study English, and hire competent, experienced foreign teachers, and reduce class size if possible,'' he said.

``I wish the government would invest wisely in public education,'' he said. ``Many critics point out that government spending on education is not efficient or based on serious research.''

He also called for reducing the weight for university entrance examination scores and increasing that of the student's high school record when selecting students for college.

``This could result in more enthusiastic class participation. In-class activities could encourage students to take the initiative in learning, rather than learning only what they need to score well on tests,'' he said.

Saying that effective communication and an active attitude are essential elements of mastering a language, he stressed, ``This should have been our focus in English education.''

Worship of American English

South Koreans are far more familiar with American English than other forms and many of them want to speak and hear only American English.

Some Koreans, though good at American English do not easily comprehend the non-American pronunciation of native speakers from such countries as Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

Furthermore, some Koreans make fun of those with a Singapore or Philippines accent when speaking English.

In Korea where quite a few American English words are used in everyday transactions, foreigners including those who speak English as their mother tongue have to learn U.S.-style speaking.

Foreigners can't ask for a ``takeaway.'' They have to say ``takeout.'' A lift is an elevator, the ``pavement'' is the ``sidewalk,'' and the ``loo'' is the ``restroom.''

``Sometimes in the mornings I like to buy a scone from Starbucks,'' an Englishman who works for a Korean company said. ``For quite a while, I couldn't make the lady behind the counter understand that I wanted to have the scone warmed up.''

He had to use body language as the saleswoman did not understand the British pronunciation of ``hot.''

A Korean told him this: ``You should say haht. That's how we've been taught to pronounce hot.'' The Englishman did so and he hasn't had a problem since.

Erroneous Textbooks

English textbooks authorized by the government contain a large number of errors, despite a growing boom in learning the language in Korea.

Rep. Lee Joo-ho of the Grand National Party (GNP) has released a report on five high school English textbooks showing 30 errors.

``The textbooks contained grammatical errors, wrong vocabulary, improper punctuation marks. Some illustrations also had wrong explanations,'' Lee said.

For example, a textbook published by one of the nation's largest textbook companies, had a sentence: ``The boy, whom was thought to be absent-minded, really had a very active mind.''

The relative pronoun ``whom'' is wrong and should be changed into ``who.''

Another textbook carried a sentence: ``Emoticons is a new word made up of two other words, emotions and icons.'' The plural subject should be changed into ``Emoticon'' to correlate to the singular verb.

The report also said some sentences even in a textbook publication guide by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development contain wrong expressions and spelling mistakes.

A sentence in the guide said: ``I'd glad to meet you, Mr. Kim.'' The sentence should be corrected to ``I'm glad to meet you, Mr. Kim.''

``The contents of high school English textbooks for first graders were developed in 2002, but the errors and mistakes have not been corrected although they have been republished every year since then,'' Lee said.

English teachers agree that the authorities and textbook publishing companies need to pay more attention to errors and proofreading.

``Once textbooks are made, the authorities and companies do not care about them anymore. We need measures to correct the problems after publication,'' said a member of the Korean English Teachers Group, who identified himself as Hong.

But he said many such errors are mistakes made in the course of printing rather than by the authors. He said the errors were not that critical but problems resulted from the curriculum.

``The authorities changed the previous style of English education, which focused on grammar, to one emphasizing communication. Thus, people did not take grammatical errors seriously in the new textbooks developed in 2002,'' Hong said.

He said the changes have made the aim of the curriculum ambiguous, so it neither concentrates on grammar nor on listening and speaking.

The lawmaker proposed that the nation adopt various learning materials besides textbooks, such as videos with English subtitles.

kys@koreatimes.co.kr

Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다

Suspect Admits Setting Namdaemun on Blaze

ibt 토플 2008/02/12 12:35
Suspect Admits Setting Namdaemun on Blaze

A 70-year-old man has confessed that he set a fire to the country's No. 1 national treasure, police said Tuesday.

Police officers have inquired the suspect, identified by his last name Chae, since late Monday after discovering at his home clothes and a bag similar to those described by witnesses who told police they saw a man appearing to be in his 60s near Namdaemun, the site of the fire, with a backpack and a ladder.

A bottle of paint thinner was also found at the suspect's home, police said.

Police said Chae was apprehended on Ganghwa Island, west of Seoul, on Monday on suspicions of setting a fire that crumbled down Namdaemun (South Gate), a 600-year-old gate in the capital, on Sunday night.

He was confirmed to be the arsonist who set ablaze a part of a former royal palace, Changgyeong, in central Seoul in April 2006 and caused some 4 million won in damage.

Police said that he seemed to commit similar crime again in anger against the alleged wrong handling of the compensation for his land confiscated for housing construction, which he had claimed when arrested for the arson of the Changgyeong Palace in 2006.

A letter taken from Chae Monday has held the content to the effect that he set a fire to attract social attention on unsettled compensation for his land in Ilsan, a new town in northwestern Gyeonggi Province, the police said.

A fire-ravaged Namdaemun shocked South Koreans who saw their cherished historical monument collapse at the onset of the Lunar New Year.

The landmark, officially called Sungnyemun, or "gate of revering decorum," was the southern gate of the walls that surrounding Seoul during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). It had survived a series of tribulations, from Japanese invasions in the 16th century to the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다

Fire Hurts Pride of Koreans

ibt 토플 2008/02/11 20:17
Fire Hurts Pride of Koreans


People look at the fire-damaged Sungnyemun in downtown Seoul, Monday.
/ Yonhap

By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter

Some citizens, filled with sorrow and anger, laid rows of white chrysanthemums in front of the collapsed Namdaemun (South Gate) Monday as they mourned the destruction of Korea's National Treasure No. 1.

From early in the morning, the site of the fire was filled with people visiting one of the most beloved architectural structures in the country. They took photographs as they gathered around guessing the causes of the sudden fire. Some expressed anger toward the government for what they call a manmade disaster.

They said the nation's self-respect also collapsed along with the demolished 610-year-old gate.

Some groups of Japanese and Chinese tourists also took photographs of the wreckage.

Broken pillars, wooden tiles and other material lay among the soot and rubble. Workers were busy trying to install fences around the site.

``I could not believe my ears when I heard the news. It was our pride. How could such a thing happen?'' 25-year-old university student Kim Sun-mi said. ``This is really heart-breaking and I thought I had to come and see,'' she added while clicking away with her camera to get pictures of the tragic site.

``It's really a shame. I have worked in this area for seven years, but never imagined such thing could happen,'' a street vender selling egg buns said.

Various theories were raised as to the fire's cause. ``I bet it's arson,'' Kim Young-chul, who introduced himself as a merchant at nearby Namdaemun Market, said. ``If only there was a surveillance camera to track down who it was!'' he sighed. He also criticized the police for failing to secure evidence at the site.

Internet users expressed their fury toward the government for having failed to manage such valuable national asset. The Web site of the Cultural Heritage Administration was abuzz with criticisms toward the office's staff for having had an alleged laid-back attitude at the beginning of the fire.

It was reported that the administration and fire fighters could not decide on how aggressively they should fight the fire for fear of unnecessarily damaging the highly valued building.

A netizen who identified herself as Kim Yun-mi, a mother of two, said government officials should take responsibility for the tragedy. ``I could not give any answers to my children as to why the building could not be saved,'' she said.

The administration drew more blame upon itself when it was later revealed that 23-year-old Kim Young-hun had warned the authorities last year of a possible arson attack on Namdaemun also known as Sungnyemun.

Civic groups also expressed regrets. The Young Korean Academy said the fire was a ``manmade disaster.'' ``If there was not enough protection, they should have not opened the gate to the public,'' it said.

bjs@koreatimes.co.kr

Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다

One of Biggest Traditional Fests

ibt 토플 2008/02/06 00:45
Seollal: One of Biggest Traditional Fests


Dressed in hanbok, children bow to their parents and older family members on “seollal” and in return, the elders offer words of a good luck in the coming year and give some money called “sebaetdon.” / Korea Times file photo

By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter

Tens of millions of Koreans brave awful traffic congestion to travel to their hometowns every ``seollal,'' or Lunar New Year Day. Why do they do so?

They are celebrating the Korean custom of greeting the Lunar New Year with their families and relatives.

``Seollal'' is one of the nation's biggest holidays, along with ``chuseok,'' or Korean Thanksgiving Day. This year, ``seollal'' falls on Feb. 7 and the holidays begin on Feb. 6 and will continue through the entire weekend.

The word, ``seol'' originates from ``natseolda,'' which means ``unfamiliar'' to the New Year. So ``seol'' suggests we should be extra careful on the day.

It is not exactly known when ``seollal'' was first celebrated. But the Lunar New Year rituals are estimated to go back to the 6th century when people adopted the lunar calendar, according to the National Folk Museum of Korea.

But ancestors worship rites date back much further. Seollal is a day to pay respect to parents and to deceased ancestors. This form of ritual involves various customs.

On ``seollal,'' Koreans wear hanbok (traditional Korean costume) and have ancestor-memorial services, bow to their elders and give blessings to each other for a happy new year.

Charye: ancestral ritual

In the morning, Koreans perform ``charye,'' or a ceremonial rite honoring deceased ancestors on festive days, serving food and traditional wine at the ancestral grave.

This is the most important part of the day, as Koreans believe that ``seollal'' is a sacred day when ancestors and descendants come together, strengthening spiritual family ties between them.

Women laboriously prepare all festive dishes not only for family and friends, but also as offerings for the ritual.

At the ritual, there is a traditional table order to arrange a variety of dishes. In the back row, drinks and ``tteokguk,'' soup with oval-shaped slices of white rice cake, are placed to the left and right. In the second row from the back, three kinds of hot pot dishes ― meat, vegetable and fish ― are placed. In the middle row of the table are various ``jeon,'' Korean pancakes containing chopped vegetables, and ``jeok,'' grilled meat. The ``jeok'' is placed on the west side. Pieces of fish ``jeon'' are laid in the middle. Vegetable ``jeon'' are to the east. In the second front row, pieces of ``po,'' dried slices of fish, are put on the left with other side dishes in the middle.

``Sujeonggwa,'' a sweet, cinnamon and persimmon drink, is placed to the right. In the front row, fruits are placed by color order: red fruits on the right, white on the left. These fruits include dates, peeled chestnuts, unpeeled pears and persimmons. But the table order can vary depending on family tradition.

Koreans eat ``tteokguk'' after the ritual because according to Korean belief, eating a bowl of ``tteokguk'' is associated with becoming a year older. The dish is made with thin slices of rice-cake rolls, leeks, eggs and strips of meat.

Wearing hanbok

Many Koreans traditionally wear ``hanbok'' or ``seolbim,'' new clothes prepared especially for the day.

The women's hanbok is comprised of a wraparound skirt and a jacket. It is often called ``chima-jeogori,'' ― ``chima'' being the Korean word for skirt and ``jeogori'' the word for jacket.

The men's hanbok consists of a short jacket and pants, called ``baji,'' that are roomy and bound at the ankles.

Both ensembles may be topped by a long coat of a similar cut called ``durumagi.''

The hanbok has beautiful colors and is elegantly shaped, making it popular among foreigners. Good places to buy a hanbok are Gwangjang Market, Namdaemun Market, Doosan Tower and other large fashion malls in Dongdaemun area, the fashion town.

The prices of hanbok vary depending on designs and materials.

Sebae: New Year's Bow

The new year's bow, called ``sebae,'' is also important. ``Sebae'' is performed by kneeling down and bowing politely to the elderly among family and relatives.

Dressed in hanbok, one bows and then offers New Year's greetings to grandparents, parents and older family members. In return, the elders bestow food and drink, giving some money called ``sebaetdon'' and well wishes.

These include ``Have a happy and healthy New Year,'' or ``Make a lot of money and become wealthy.''

This is called ``deokdam,'' which means wishes for good health and success in the coming year, such as ``Saehae bok mani badeuseyo'' (I hope you have much good fortune in the New Year).

Lucky Ladles: Bokjori

Among other folk customs practiced on this day, hanging or holding bamboo-woven ladles, called ``bokjori,'' in houses is regarded as one of the most widely-known customs on the Lunar New Year's Day.

Bamboo-woven ladles have traditionally been used for washing and handling rice and other grains. But their association with rice, which is believed to be a bountiful harvest, and good fortune, has made these ladles a symbol of good luck for the Lunar New Year.

This practice is associated with the belief that buying ``bokjori'' early at dawn, especially far in advance of others, will bring happiness and good fortune to their homes.

So Koreans used to hang ``bokjori'' up in their houses from Lunar New Year's Eve until Lunar New Year's Day, hoping to ward off bad luck in the transition from one year to the next. Generally, you will find a pair of ``bokjori'' in every Korean kitchen or hung in a corner of a room.

They are sometimes adorned with colored threads and can also contain money or toffees as a sign of good luck.

chungay@koreatimes.co.kr

Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다

Secrets of European English Teaching Method

ibt 토플 2008/02/04 19:55
Secrets of European English Teaching Method



By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter

President-elect Lee Myung-bak's transition team has announced a series of measures to improve the nation's English ability such as getting teachers to teach English in English not in Korean in primary schools and above.

The rationale behind the whole package of English education lies in Koreans' poor performance in English even though they spend a huge amount of money on learning the language.



For example, South Korea stood at the 107th out of 143 non-English native countries in terms of the average Internet-based TOEFL score from September 2005 to December 2006, according to the test administrator ETS. The average score of Korean examinees was 72 out of 120.

Here are similar features of English education in countries that belong to the top 10 in the ranking excluding Singapore as the Asian country has adopted English as an official language.

Teaching English in English

Most northern European countries teach English in English from the first class, or introduce it in a gradual way.

Klaus Herzog, counselor in charge of science, culture and education at the German Embassy, said that he had his first English class at the age of 10 in the 1960s and the teacher just began teaching English in English without saying a single German word.

Of course, teachers used German to explain the grammar but the use of German was exceptional, Herzog said. Classes taught in English are an established teaching method in Germany and now students at have their first English class at the age of eight.

``Korea seems to put strong emphasis on visual comprehension and not so much on comprehension by listening,'' Herzog said. ``Meanwhile, in Europe, listening comprehension is important. For example, I took a listening test for high school graduation in which I summarized what I heard in English.''

He further said that people learn English just as a baby learns their mother tongue by listening to his or her mother speak.

Martin Hauge Torbergsen, first secretary of the Norwegian Embassy, echoed Herzog's view but said that students learn English gradually in English. By the time students enter high school, they will attend English classes all taught in English, he added.

Torbergsen said that English tests consist of written and oral examinations. In fact, English tests in Korea are mainly written examination of reading comprehension, grammar and spelling.

Meanwhile, Riku Warjovaara, first secretary of the Finnish Embassy, stressed that though English is taught in English, other subjects such as Finnish and history are not.

His point reflected that the transition team dropped its original plan to teach all subjects in English.

Qualified English Teachers

The second and probably the most important feature is that countries, whose TOEFL scores are quite high, are all proud of qualified teachers with a masters degree in English or experiences of studying in English-speaking countries.

Warjovaara said, ``Every English teacher must have masters degree in English. In addition, they must have degree in teaching.

Herzog said that all English teachers are fluent in English without exception.

``Even in the 1960s, teachers in their 30s and 50s were also very fluent and most of them were German,'' Herzog continued. ``A majority of Germans who teach English have studied mainly in the U.K. or other English-speaking countries.''

Torbergsen also said the English teachers in Norway are all fluent with a masters degree in English.

Most Koreans would be quite envious of the diplomats' description of their English teachers in terms of quality because the majority of Korean English teachers are not fluent in English. That's one of the reasons why Korean teachers are strongly opposed to President-elect Lee's drastic plan to get teachers to teach English in English.

Austrian Ambassador to Seoul Wilhelm Donko said, ``Most of our English teachers have either the experience of studying in English-speaking countries or learned English directly from people with such a background.''

Those European diplomats echoed that almost all English teachers are their nationals and people don't think they particularly need foreign English teachers because of the high quality.

However, Korean students prefer to learn from foreign English teachers largely because of their much better pronunciation.

Thanks to the excellent teachers, European students don't have to get private tutoring, which is very rare in Europe but very popular in Korea.

``Private tutoring is very rare and it only happens when a student is really bad at school,'' Herzog said.

So the diplomats said more focus should be given on the training of good teachers.

Torbergsen noted he could understand why Koreans spend lots of money on English when the return on the money spent was not that rewarding.

Exchange Program

An exchange program is also a distinguished feature responsible for better English ability of Europeans.

It is very common for students of secondary schools to study in Britain and other European countries as well as the United States. One of the advantages in the program is that students generally get financial support: for example, they only pay living expenses while tuition is covered by the program organization.

Herzog said, ``Almost all middle and high schools have exchange programs and students who are willing to go on the program can apply.''

Method Matters

Warjovaara said attention to the Finnish teaching method in overall education would be helpful for Korea's education authorities. He stressed that Finnish learn not to pass a test but for life.

``The relations between a teacher and a student is equal and teachers do not just give knowledge. Instead, they discuss issues and teachers encourage students to learn by themselves,'' he said.

In addition to teaching methods, diplomats suggested more balanced English education, particularly on listening and speaking.

``Theory such as grammar is much less important than the ability to use the language,'' Donko said. ``English language education is an important part of the education system from primary school onward.''

yoonwonsup@koreatimes.co.kr

Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다

Korea Dreams of Becoming No.1 English - Speaking

ibt 토플 2008/01/31 11:55
Korea Dreams of Becoming No.1 in English-Speaking



By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

The new government plans to spend approximately 4 trillion won (about $4.2 billion) over the next five years, with the objective of making Korea the best English-speaking country in Asia within a decade, presidential transition team Chairwoman Lee Kyung-sook said Wednesday.

Lee made the remarks at a public hearing on the proposed English education reform plan at the office of the transition team in Seoul Wednesday.

The hearing drew jeers for not inviting experts providing alternative plans to the proposal.

The incoming administration hopes the plan will help parents reduce private English tutoring costs for their children, which amounts to 14 trillion won per year.

Based on the suggestions made during the hearing, the team plans to finalize its plan early next month.

But a group of nine lawmakers of the pro-government United New Democratic Party (UNDP) opposed the plan.

The lawmakers, who are members of the National Assembly's Education Committee, told reporters that the plan would not help reduce household spending on private education as the transition team expects.

They summarized four realities facing schools and teachers, referring to stumbling blocks to the effective implementation of the program.

They said that teachers are not prepared to meet the high standards necessary; there was no consensus-building with stakeholders; the plan would rather deepen the ``education divide''; and parents would be pressed to spend more money on private tutoring.

They urged the transition team to review its plan.

Amid the polarized views, the chairwoman reiterated the need to overhaul English education.

She said the country is facing a ``do or die" situation when it comes to foreign language education.

``We live in an era where people's English skill is a core factor in determining the nation's competitiveness,'' she said.

According to the contemplated plan, the new government will outsource 23,000 proficient English-speaking Koreans by 2013, reform the academic curriculum of English classes in schools and build English libraries for children in collaboration with local governments.

The incoming government also plans to introduce the Teaching English in English (TEE) certificate for qualified teachers.

Applicants eligible for the program are those who have completed regular English education courses including the Teaching of English for Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), obtained master's or higher degrees in English-speaking countries, and other fluent English-speaking professionals.

Those selected through the TEE will get six-months of training before being placed in schools.

However, critics question how the next government will finance the 4 trillion won needed for the project.

They also said the massive outsourcing plan could downgrade the quality of public education, after the transition team failed to present details of the recruitment and training programs for the outsourced teachers.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr

Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다

Ballot or Bullet -- Malcolm X

ibt 토플 2008/01/30 12:31

Mr. Moderator, Reverend Cleage, Brother Lomax, brothers and sisters, and friends -- and I see some enemies. In fact, I think we’d be fooling ourselves if we had an audience this large and didn’t realize that there were some enemies present.

This afternoon we want to talk about "The ballot or the bullet." The ballot or the bullet explains itself. But before we get into it, since this is the year of the ballot or the bullet, I would like to clarify some things that refer to me personally -- concerning my own personal position.

I'm still a Muslim. That is, my religion is still Islam. My religion is still Islam. I still credit Mr. Mohammed for what I know and what I am. He's the one who opened my eyes. At present, I'm the Minister of the newly founded Muslim Mosque, Incorporated, which has its offices in the Teresa Hotel, right in the heart of Harlem -- that’s the black belt in New York city. And when we realize that Adam Clayton Powell is a Christian minister, he’s the -- he heads Abyssinian Baptist Church, but at the same time, he’s more famous for his political struggling.

And Dr. King is a Christian Minister, in Atlanta -- from Atlanta Georgia -- or in Atlanta, Georgia, but he’s become more famous for being involved in the civil rights struggle. There’s another in New York, Reverend Galamison -- I don’t know if you’ve heard of him out here -- he’s a Christian Minister from Brooklyn, but has become famous for his fight against a segregated school system in Brooklyn. Reverend Cleage, right here, is a Christian Minister, here in Detroit. He’s the head of the “Freedom Now Party.” All of these are Christian Ministers -- All of these are Christian Ministers, but they don’t come to us as Christian Ministers. They come to us as fighters in some other category.

I’m a Muslim minister. The same as they are Christian Ministers, I’m a Muslim minister. And I don’t believe in fighting today in any one front, but on all fronts. In fact, I’m a "Black Nationalist Freedom Fighter." Islam is my religion, but I believe my religion is my personal business. It governs my personal life, my personal morals. And my religious philosophy is personal between me and the God in whom I believe; just as the religious philosophy of these others is between them and the God in whom they believe.

And this is best this way. Were we to come out here discussing religion, we’d have too many differences from the outstart and we could never get together. So today, though Islam is my religious philosophy, my political, economic, and social philosophy is Black Nationalism. You and I -- As I say, if we bring up religion we’ll have differences; we’ll have arguments; and we’ll never be able to get together. But if we keep our religion at home, keep our religion in the closet, keep our religion between ourselves and our God, but when we come out here, we have a fight that’s common to all of us against a [sic] enemy who is common to all of us.

The political philosophy of Black Nationalism only means that the black man should control the politics and the politicians in his own community. The -- The time -- The time when white people can come in our community and get us to vote for them so that they can be our political leaders and tell us what to do and what not to do is long gone. By the same token, the time when that same white man, knowing that your eyes are too far open, can send another negro into the community and get you and me to support him so he can use him to lead us astray -- those days are long gone too.




http://www.americanrhetoric.com/newtop100speeches.htm

연설 녹음 있음
엄청나게 긴 스크립트인데 일부만 발췌

Speech 좋아하는 미국인들 답게 top 100 speech 모아 놨음
transcribe와 함께 오디오나 동여상 파일 있음
미국 역사 문화를 알 수 있는 영어 공부에 유용한 사이트.

Posted by 도꼬마리
트랙백 0개, 댓글 0개가 달렸습니다