1. Korean Culture By Dawn M Donahue EDU215Teaching English Language LearnersDr. Laura Taddei

2. Korean Geography Korea is a small peninsula on the far East side of Asia. It is between China and Japan. At the End of World War II in 1948, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel. This resulted in North Korea and South Korea. South Korea's population size is about twice as large as North Korea's population size.

3. Korean Language The Korean language is shared between both North and South Korea and is part of the Altaic language family. 65 million people speak the Language, with 45 million speaking it in South Korea. The language is considered one of the best and most well planned languages in history. Hangul is the Korean name of the language. The alphabet was created by King Sejong in 1446. The alphabet is extremely easy to learn, which gives Korea one of the highest literacy rates in the World. Many Koreans also study English. It is taught from very early on in school.

4. Korean Religion Buddhism Buddhism is one of the older religions in South Korea. It's influence in society has declined recently, but there are still many Korean's that practice Buddhism. Christianity Christianity has become more and more popular in recent years in South Korea. Catholics spread very quickly, but were persecuted by the King who perceived it as a threat. Some of the world's largest churches will be found in Korea.

5. Korean Education Korean society places great importance on obtaining a solid education, and as such everyone strives to be as educated as possible. For the school system, it consists of 6 years primary school, 3 in middle school and high school, and 4 years at a college. In 1996 only about five percent of Korea's high schools were coeducational. The primary curriculum consists of nine principal subjects: moral education, Korean language, social studies, mathematics, science, physical education, music, fine arts, and practical arts. In Korea, students work like crazy in high school trying to get into a college. Colleges are much more difficult to get into (And one other reason for this is they aren't quite as abundant as they are in the US). Education in the English language has become quite common in Korea in recent years. English-language instruction now begins in the third grade, so that children can start learning English in a relaxed atmosphere through conversational exchange, rather than through rote learning of grammatical rules as is still the practice in many middle and high schools. The aims of education at the high school level are stated as "to foster each student's personality and ability needed to preserve and strengthen the backbone of the nation; to develop students' knowledge and skills to prepare them for jobs needed in society; to promote each student's autonomy, emotional development, and critical thinking abilities to be brought to bear in and out of school; and to improve physical strength and foster a sound mind."

6. The school calendar has two semesters, the first extending from March through July and the second from September through February. There are summer and winter breaks, but 10 optional half days at the beginning and end of each break¾which are attended by practically all students¾reduce each of these biennial vacations to the remaining 10 days. A typical day finds high schoolers studying before school begins at about 8:00 A.M. Classes run for 50 minutes each, with a morning break and a 50-minute lunch period. The afternoon session resumes at about 1:00 P.M., and classes continue until about 4:00 or 4:30, followed by the cleaning of the classroom. Students may then take a short dinner break at home, or they may eat at school. Teachers typically move from room to room, while students stay in one place. Students return to the school library to study or attend private schools or tutoring sessions until between 10:00 P.M. and midnight. They return home where they may have a snack, listen to music, or watch television before going to bed. Elementary and middle school students have similar but somewhat less rigorous days with shorter hours and more recreational activities. Attendance requirements call for a minimum of 220 days at all three levels. The curriculum is prescribed by law, as are the criteria for the development of textbooks and instructional materials. There have been periodic curriculum revisions, most recently in March 2000, and the trend is definitely toward decentralization in determining, diversifying, and implementing the curriculum. The well-educated person¾according to the curriculum and perhaps shedding further light on what is valued in Korean society¾is healthy, independent, creative, and moral.

7. Some Korean Fun Facts There is a FANTASTIC Korean Buffet in Elkins Park, PA right on Old York Road that is part of a Korean Shopping Mall, called H-Mart. You MUST try it! In Korean culture, on your first birthday, the child is dressed in a dol-bok. They are given money, thread, a pencil, scissors, and a knife. The item that attracts the child enough to pick it up is said to predict the child’s future. This celebration is call the Toljabee. My favorite Korean food is Kimbap. Guy, Dylan, and Lisa 재미있는 사실 7320 Old York Road, More Shopping Center LP, Elkins Park, PA 19126 (215) 782-1801