Seoul Education Office Implements Tailored Korean Language Classes for Immigrant Students
In public education, proactive efforts are underway to eliminate the "Korean language education gap" for students from immigrant backgrounds.
The Seoul Education Office has launched the "Immediate Support Korean Language Class" for elementary students in areas with low immigrant populations, where it is difficult to establish multicultural special classes or bilingual instructors. This program provides one-on-one customized education with professional instructors visiting schools. Additionally, in collaboration with the National Pension Service, the office has initiated the "Visiting Korean Language Class," matching retired teachers with students who were previously underserved by existing support programs.
Seoul Education Superintendent Jeong Geun-sik stated, "We will utilize the expertise of retired teachers who are familiar with school environments to ensure that all students in need receive timely support."
The Ministry of Education is also focusing on strengthening the infrastructure for public education. To address language barriers for newly arrived and foreign students, it has established a "Regional Korean Language Preliminary Program" in collaboration with local governments and universities, while expanding AI-based personalized learning programs and real-time translation infrastructure.
In particular, to diversify the educational paths for immigrant youth, the ministry is developing and disseminating a "multicultural specialized vocational high school" model where domestic and foreign students learn skills together to grow into highly skilled professionals.
With the number of schools where students from immigrant backgrounds make up over 30% of the total reaching 350 nationwide, and the rapid increase in schools with over 100 multicultural students, relevant agencies, including the government, local education offices, and the National Institute for Lifelong Education, are working on various measures to alleviate curriculum polarization and overcrowding in Korean language classes.
The Seoul Education Office has launched the "Immediate Support Korean Language Class" for elementary students in areas with low immigrant populations, where it is difficult to establish multicultural special classes or bilingual instructors. This program provides one-on-one customized education with professional instructors visiting schools. Additionally, in collaboration with the National Pension Service, the office has initiated the "Visiting Korean Language Class," matching retired teachers with students who were previously underserved by existing support programs.
Seoul Education Superintendent Jeong Geun-sik stated, "We will utilize the expertise of retired teachers who are familiar with school environments to ensure that all students in need receive timely support."
The Ministry of Education is also focusing on strengthening the infrastructure for public education. To address language barriers for newly arrived and foreign students, it has established a "Regional Korean Language Preliminary Program" in collaboration with local governments and universities, while expanding AI-based personalized learning programs and real-time translation infrastructure.
In particular, to diversify the educational paths for immigrant youth, the ministry is developing and disseminating a "multicultural specialized vocational high school" model where domestic and foreign students learn skills together to grow into highly skilled professionals.
With the number of schools where students from immigrant backgrounds make up over 30% of the total reaching 350 nationwide, and the rapid increase in schools with over 100 multicultural students, relevant agencies, including the government, local education offices, and the National Institute for Lifelong Education, are working on various measures to alleviate curriculum polarization and overcrowding in Korean language classes.
Universities Expand Support for Immigrant Background Students
Universities are also stepping up to support students from immigrant backgrounds. College students majoring in early childhood education, child studies, and education are expanding the "University Mentoring Program," which provides basic academic support and emotional and career mentoring in underserved areas and rural communities. They are also offering native language-based mentoring for newly arrived students. Furthermore, teacher training institutions, such as colleges of education, are revising their curricula and expanding field training in schools with high concentrations of multicultural students to enhance pre-service teachers' multicultural acceptance.
Despite these efforts, there are growing calls for more fundamental policy improvements and a shift in paradigm. Critics argue that current policies have been overly focused on "charitable welfare" and "simple adaptation support."
The bilingual abilities and multicultural backgrounds of students from immigrant backgrounds represent significant strengths and national assets in the global era. Therefore, it is essential to move beyond viewing them merely as a vulnerable group and to establish a comprehensive career infrastructure and a system for nurturing local talent that maximizes their potential.
Despite these efforts, there are growing calls for more fundamental policy improvements and a shift in paradigm. Critics argue that current policies have been overly focused on "charitable welfare" and "simple adaptation support."
The bilingual abilities and multicultural backgrounds of students from immigrant backgrounds represent significant strengths and national assets in the global era. Therefore, it is essential to move beyond viewing them merely as a vulnerable group and to establish a comprehensive career infrastructure and a system for nurturing local talent that maximizes their potential.
Former Multicultural Education Association President Calls for Mandatory Multicultural Education for Pre-Service Teachers
Jang In-sil, former president of the Korean Multicultural Education Association and a professor at Kyongin National University of Education, offers practical alternatives regarding the connection between universities and public education and future policy directions. He cites the "Preschool" program, which supports students from immigrant backgrounds during their transition, as an exemplary case of universities collaborating with education offices to fill gaps.
He noted, "As dedicated multicultural schools like Hanuri School have been restructured, newly arrived students enrolled in regular schools often lack appropriate support systems and are at risk of falling into educational gaps." He explained that the "Preschool" program, operated by universities with support from education offices in regions like Incheon and Gyeonggi, plays a vital role in helping elementary and middle school students who have been in Korea for less than two years focus on learning Korean and adapting to school for six months to a year before entering public education.
However, Jang criticized the current support policies for being too focused on newly arrived students who do not speak Korean. He pointed out that about 70% of students born and raised in Korea make up the majority of immigrant background students, emphasizing the need for a "two-track" policy shift.
He also made urgent and fundamental policy suggestions to the Ministry of Education. To resolve multicultural conflicts in schools and create a robust safety net, the acceptance of multiculturalism among teachers is crucial. However, he noted that many pre-service teachers enter the field without any knowledge of multicultural education.
Jang stated, "There are far more students from immigrant backgrounds than those requiring special education in schools, yet special education is a required subject for all pre-service teachers, while multicultural education is not. The Ministry of Education must designate 'multicultural education' as a mandatory subject in the curricula of teacher training institutions. It is the Ministry's most important responsibility to ensure that all pre-service teachers are equipped with systematic multicultural understanding and teaching capabilities before entering the classroom."
He noted, "As dedicated multicultural schools like Hanuri School have been restructured, newly arrived students enrolled in regular schools often lack appropriate support systems and are at risk of falling into educational gaps." He explained that the "Preschool" program, operated by universities with support from education offices in regions like Incheon and Gyeonggi, plays a vital role in helping elementary and middle school students who have been in Korea for less than two years focus on learning Korean and adapting to school for six months to a year before entering public education.
However, Jang criticized the current support policies for being too focused on newly arrived students who do not speak Korean. He pointed out that about 70% of students born and raised in Korea make up the majority of immigrant background students, emphasizing the need for a "two-track" policy shift.
He also made urgent and fundamental policy suggestions to the Ministry of Education. To resolve multicultural conflicts in schools and create a robust safety net, the acceptance of multiculturalism among teachers is crucial. However, he noted that many pre-service teachers enter the field without any knowledge of multicultural education.
Jang stated, "There are far more students from immigrant backgrounds than those requiring special education in schools, yet special education is a required subject for all pre-service teachers, while multicultural education is not. The Ministry of Education must designate 'multicultural education' as a mandatory subject in the curricula of teacher training institutions. It is the Ministry's most important responsibility to ensure that all pre-service teachers are equipped with systematic multicultural understanding and teaching capabilities before entering the classroom."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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