On-the-job Training for First Batch of Chinese Guest Teachers in South Korea Ended Successfully

The Confucius Institute at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies organized on-the-job training for Chinese guest teachers in South Korea from June 2 to June 6, 2012 in an effort to improve the teaching skills of Chinese guest teachers in South Korea, help Chinese teachers of Confucius Institutes adapt to local conditions. Over 110 participants from 14 Confucius Institutes and over 50 primary and secondary schools in South Korea partook in the training, making it the largest of its kind in South Korea.

Group Photo of Chinese Guest Teachers in South Korea Joining On-the-job Training

The training was designed to address real issues of teaching Chinese in South Korea, get to know the learning features of South Korean students and enable guest teachers to rapidly adapt to local teaching work. For that end, the Confucius Institute at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies made special arrangements for the training course. On June 2, it organized teaching skills competition for Chinese language teachers in South Korea, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their teaching achievements, share experience and exchange views while letting training experts find issues behind teaching. The Judge panel of the competition includes South Korean professors with years of teaching experience. Students at the site are high school students in South Korea. So this competition is defined by distinct country-specific teaching features. As 8 sets of field teaching were showcased, audience clapped and acclaimed from time to time. Guest teachers not only witnessed excellent teaching, but also echoed each other and caused reflection.

On June 3, the Confucius Institute invited Prof. Maeng Jueok, a senior Chinese expert in South Korea (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies) and Prof. Jung Yoonchul (Pusan University of Foreign Studies) to deliver lectures entitled “Features of Interlanguage of Korean and Chinese” and “Comparison of Korean and Chinese Language and Teaching Chinese to Koreans” respectively. The two experts shared their decades of research results with guest teachers from vocabulary to grammar, and from language to culture. After a series of comparison and analysis, guest teachers were enlightened and understood their issues at class. On June 4, the Confucius Institute arranged China’s senior Chinese language training expert Prof. Su Yingxia from Beijing Language and Culture University to deliver a lecture named “Basic Principles of Chinese Classroom Teaching and Teaching Methods”. On the basis of previous training, the lecturer went one step further to explain how to do classroom teaching well after issues are discovered. Defined by rich and pragmatic content, the lecture was highly instructive for participants. On June 5, the CI scheduled a lecture delivered by Choi Haeyoung, Director of Beijing Chinese Language School of South Korea. With vivid and informative cases, Director Cui enabled Chinese guest teachers to understand the features of South Korean students in learning Chinese and the class taught by South Korean teachers. It’s also a practical lecture.

Prof. Maeng Jueok Delivered a Lecture

Prof. Jung Yoonchul Delivered a Lecture

Prof. Su Yingxia Delivered a Lecture

To enhance communication and exchanges and experience sharing among guest teachers, the organizer designed group discussions. Trainees shared their teaching experience with others at the lively discussion and after that, heads of the six groups recapped on the remarks. As a result, all trainees shared their teaching experience once again. During the proceedings of the training, introduction to special course developed by the Confucius Institute at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and achievements show were provided. The course is called Learning Chinese through Performing Play. Students of the institute (grade 1 and 2 of Sinology Department of the Confucius Institute at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies) performed Episode 5 of New Chunhyang. Their standard pronunciation and skillful expression not only impressed trainers, but also served as a reference for the development of special courses by Confucius Institutes down the line. In order to help trainees better understand the history and culture of South Korea, the organizer also arranged cultural trip to Gyeongbokgung and Ganghwa Island so that trainees can exchange views and enhance friendships amid light-hearted cultural atmosphere.

Head of Each Group Summarizing Teaching Difficulties

Students of the Confucius Institute at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Performing Episode 5 of New Chunhyang

As part of the efforts to understand the learning demands and difficulties of Chinese guest teachers in South Korea, questionnaires were handed out twice during the training to sum up issues in training for further improvement

After the training, guest teachers indicated that the training is very necessary as it is practice-oriented and well-targeted from which they benefited them a lot. Leaders and teachers of the Supervisory Team of Hanban spoke highly of the training and hoped that the Confucius Institute can act upon local conditions, summarize training experience according to feedbacks of trainees so as to offer better training to guest teachers, thereby contributing to the research and studies on country-specific teaching methodology.