[Eye on English] ‘Interpretation is about more than language’

Interpreters are often just seen as people who have mastered a foreign language. But interpretation goes far beyond the linguistic aspect, calling for an array of attributes including cultural understanding, analytical acumen, technical knowledge and even social skills.Many with English proficiency have dabbled in interpretation, but becoming a full-fledged professional interpreter is a time-consuming, grueling undertaking.“People easily say that you can become an interpreter if you speak a fore

Social AffairsApril 23, 2014

[Eye on English] Complex perceptions of Korean English-speakers

Young professional Jeong So-hee was surprised when a coworker complained about “people who speak English when they are fluent in Korean.” The 26-year-old works at a company where she and her colleagues deal with foreign clients almost on a daily basis. Every employee has considerable knowledge of the English language, although not everyone has studied overseas. “I think it’s rude to speak to your coworkers in Korean when you have a foreign client sitting in front of you, who can’t understand Kor

CultureApril 16, 2014

[Eye on English] Find your goals before studying language

I came to Korea as an adult, speaking mostly in English. Naturally, I am more comfortable speaking English than Korean. Although I still have some challenging moments when reading and writing in Korean, I don’t have any major problems communicating with people while conducting business in Korea. When I come across an email or news article that I don’t understand, I ask my colleagues to read the lines to me out loud. Then, surprisingly, I understand the meaning and the context through their pronu

NationalApril 9, 2014

[Eye on English] Grammar study crucial to good command of English

Teenagers at Korean schools are the best in the world when it comes to solving problems. They also rank high on both math and reading proficiency tests, according to recent study of 44 nations by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.Yet, the nation lags behind many others when it comes to English language skills. Korea is currently ranked 24th among 60 countries where English is not a native language ― behind Asian neighbors Malaysia (11th) and Singapore (12th) and only sli

NationalApril 9, 2014

[Eye on English] How technology changes language education

A group of fifth graders fiddle with their smartphones in the classroom. Instead of telling them to put them away, the teacher approaches with her own smartphone and shares some Internet resources.In another elementary school in Gyeonggi Province, a group of mentally challenged children curiously approach a robot named Engkey, programmed to teach English. As the top part of the robot flips open, a woman’s face appears on the screen and the children are instantly curious about what the “robot tea

NationalApril 2, 2014

[Eye on English] TOEIC adds to stress for young job seekers

Han Yoon-chan is a recent university graduate and job seeker who majored in political science. One of his graduation requirements, which, in his own words, “has nothing to do with his major,” was to get a minimum TOEIC score of 650. The highest possible score is 990. “What if you don’t get that score? You try and try and try again until you get it,” he told The Korea Herald. “It doesn’t matter if your major is English literature or not. I have a friend who is still in school because he hasn’t go

NationalMarch 26, 2014

[Eye on English] English fluency can be boosted by presentation, problem solving skills

There are differences between higher education in America and in Korea. For example, in America everyone is able to go to college, but not everyone graduates. In Korea only the best go to college and everyone graduates. Another difference is the chance for students to choose the major or field they are interested in. In America the first two years of college are a mix of general courses enabling students to experience many different fields of study. Then they can declare their major in their jun

Latest NewsMarch 19, 2014

[Eye on English] Students practice English through debate club

I first joined the International Goodwill Society last year. Founded in 1960 by passionate university students who believed English was the key to global success and “the gateway to friendship,” the IGS is one of the oldest English debate clubs in Korea.Over the past five decades, IGS has held countless meetings to discuss diverse issues, and has been publishing essays in a weekly compilation called the Pigeon.IGS members meet every Tuesday at 7 p.m., alternating venues between the British Embas

Latest NewsMarch 19, 2014

[Eye on English] More Korean universities offer English-only lectures

It would be an understatement to say Korean students are heavily committed to studying English.They spend much more time studying the language than their peers in other OECD nations, and students learn English throughout the 12 years they spend in elementary, middle and high school, not to mention kindergarten.And as English continues to be a priority even after they enter college ― with English considered a prerequisite for landing decent jobs after graduation ― most university students here ta

Latest NewsMarch 19, 2014

[Eye on English] TESOL master’s can help teachers improve while they work

For Barry Welsh, an English teacher from the United Kingdom, getting his TESOL certification at Sookmyung Women’s University was one of the best decisions he’s ever made.“It improved my teaching immensely and I was very, very fortunate to have a trio of incredible teachers who provided a great deal of inspiration and were all just excellent examples of what an excellent teacher could be,” he said.Taking the course led to him continuing his professional development by enrolling in the MA in TESOL

NationalMarch 12, 2014

[Eye on English] English teachers struggle with job insecurity

For Australian teacher Lauren Price, teaching English in Korea was not just about living abroad for a few years. She fell in love with the country after a two-week homestay here as a high school student, and had wanted to be a teacher for as long as she could remember. “Ever since I came back from the trip, I was dying to get back to Korea. There was some pull inside me,” she said. “I had a school in Australia offer me a job in my final semester of study, and while I really liked them and they r

NationalMarch 12, 2014

[Eye on English] 'Crazy English education needs to be reigned in'

Last month, President Park Geun-hye called for fundamental changes of what she called “excessive English education” in Korea. She voiced caution against a social trend that forces students to study the subject regardless of their interest.On the heels of Park’s comments, the government said it would reduce the level of difficulty of the English test in this year’s college entrance exam. The National Assembly recently passed a bill aiming to prevent Korean students from taking school courses beyo

Latest NewsMarch 11, 2014

[Eye on English] Language learning: The earlier the better?

Koreans are starting to learn English at younger and younger ages. After having seen many failures in English education in public schools, many people are seeking ways to learn the language naturally and early on so that it becomes like a mother tongue, rather than studying it consciously as an academic subject. Most of the time, the starting age for English learning is determined by the parents. Many believe that the earlier their children begin to learn the foreign language, the more likely th

NationalFeb. 19, 2014

[Eye on English] Europe’s little country that could

Outside of our country, few know much about Norway, and we are a nation with few inhabitants compared to other nations (barely 5 million). From a Scandinavian perspective we have always been considered the little brother of our neighbor Sweden, with twice as many inhabitants and international dominance with brands such as H&M, Ikea, ABB and Volvo, to name a few. Lacking such clout, Norway has always had to look to the international community to be able to sustain a prosperous economy, but also t

NationalFeb. 19, 2014

[Eye on English] Should English be an official language of Korea?

Korea’s zeal for education is often credited with playing a major role in the growth of its economy.However, there are some serious concerns about its side effects, such as the heavy burden it poses on students and the rising cost of private education.In particular, Koreans are very much into learning and studying English as a foreign language, and this has led to children spending long hours in after-school lessons. The Seoul government has been trying to slam the brakes on this English fever.T

NationalFeb. 12, 2014

[Eye on English] ‘English is already part of everyday life in Korea’

A huge debate was ignited by Bok Geo-il’s proposal to make English an official language in 1998. His proposal to replace Korean with English as an official language was destined to be heavily attacked, especially by the opponents who argued that it would threaten national identity. In addition, another main criticism against the idea is that not everyone should be spending time and energy learning English if their jobs do not require it, since Korea is a monolingual society. It is doubtful wheth

NationalFeb. 12, 2014