http://genieso.podomatic.com/entry/2010-05-01T08_15_06-07_00
I have never used curriculum for my class. As I am teaching students English in a small institute, it is not easy for me to conceptualize about curriculum. So I want to make a chance to know about curriculum used in school not institute through this interview.
His name is Kisuck Oh. He is teaching English in middle and high schools for almost 20 years.
Here are questions I asked during interview.
1. Thank you for giving me time for interview. Can you introduce yourself?
2. Since you are working in school I think you are teaching English based on curriculum, am I right it?
3. Who makes and provides curriculum for school teachers?
4. What are the contents of curriculum?
5. Which part do you think is being emphasized in curriculum provided by government?
6. Do you think class based on curriculum is helpful? If not why?
7. Can you modify the curriculum during class?
8. If you can change curriculum how do you want to change curriculum what do you want to be added or cut?
9. Almost all students are studying English focusing on tests in Korea. Do you think current curriculum is learner-centered or test-centered?
10. Personally, I think learner-centered curriculum must be utilized more than now, is it possible now in Korea?
11. Here is my last question. Do you have something to tell about curriculum?
After finishing the interview I talked more about curriculum with him. Before the interview I thought curriculum is not that important to teach because I am teaching English without curriculum for many years. But while I was having the interview I realized what I know is not everything.
As he is teaching middle school students English he is having a class based on curriculum provided by government. Even most school teachers are given curriculum they can modify and adjust it according to level of class and students. He said Korea English Education is in a transitional stage and curriculum also being changed. Current government made curriculum focusing on speaking than other parts. I feel the same as he said because government is emphasizing practical English more than ever. He has a very positive view in using curriculum for his class as curriculum suggests guideline and direction. But he wants government to make curriculum, emphasizing class of field practice. What I really want to know is how much teachers can apply curriculum to class under test-centered circumstance. He said it is not easy to do perfectly as in curriculum but curriculum is being developed to learner-centered. That’s why he mentioned transitional stage. He emphasizes curriculum based class is necessary and believes curriculum will be continuously improved to learner-centered practical one!
The interview was very satisfactory and it gave me a good chance to think about curriculum again^^.
Your interview helped me understand other public school’s English education for middle and high schools. Yes, in Korea, public schools have given curriculum from the government and teachers have to follow the curriculum. However these days, although the change is limited to specific classrooms but teachers can change some parts of the curriculum if teachers believe change is necessary. I had several chances to observe middle and high schools’ English classes last year while I was working for Educational office in Ulsan. I was surprised how much the curriculum has been changed positively, and practically. As you know, when we learned English at school, we just read, translated, learned grammar in KOREAN, we don’t have any chances to speak. However students learn English in English with various activities and get many chances to say their thoughts and opinions during classes nowadays. I can realize from watching classes, Korean English education is on transitional stage as your interviewee, Kisuck Oh mentioned. It looks like English education of Korea is moving to the right direction. Isn’t it good?
ReplyDeleteThank you very mumh your comment. As you are workingin school you have a different experience in using curricuum becuase I haven't taught studnents English based on curriculum. To be honest, I have had class without curriculum just for exam prepararion to make studnets get a good grade even I had a negative opinion about curriculum and thought school curriculum is fixed never changed. But Like Mr.Oh Kisuck you siad school tecahers are given curriculum and can change it according to situation which made studnets learn systematically. I can have a new view about curriculum through the interview and your comment^^. Thank you.
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