A great number of incoming foreigners in Korea lead to an increase number of individuals, who would like to learn Korean as a Second Language (KSL). Among the newcomers, there are children from multicultural families, workers, and immigrants that face...
A great number of incoming foreigners in Korea lead to an increase number of individuals, who would like to learn Korean as a Second Language (KSL). Among the newcomers, there are children from multicultural families, workers, and immigrants that face problems such as communication, the ability to adapt to school, identity confusion, etc. In order to solve these problems, a variety of studies such as training of learning Korean as a Second Language (KSL) for multicultural students, development of teaching materials and curriculum has been researched. However, research of cultural education is not good enough for the students learning KSL to understand the Korean culture, and reduce conflicts that can happen in any circumstances. It is essential for the students to not only have the ability to use the language, but to understand the culture. Thus, it is very crucial for them to acquire and study the cultural education that can help them get settled down, and adapt to the Korean society.
In 2012, Ministry of Education had made a public announcement to Korean as a Second Language (KSL). In 2013, The National Institute of the Korean Language has published 『Standard Korean for Elementary·Secondary students』that is based on the curriculum. Hence, this study has an objectivity in the view of recognizing whether the students can raise their ability to understand culture, through studying and learning cultural contents of『Standard Korean for Elementary·Secondary students』.
First, a figuration of how the main, focal cultural contents for multicultural students from KSL are described in『Standard Korean for Elementary·Secondary students』. There will be an analyzation of the portion of the culture related contents, principles of construction, and achievements levels.
Second, culture items that consist of culture contents of 『Standard Korean for Elementary·Secondary students』, are divided into several specific aspects, such as subjects and culture. The subject of culture is classified into daily and school life. The types of culture items are divided into Achievements, Activities, Information, Tradition, and Modern culture as a reference of the previous culture items classification.
Third, an analyzation of ways to present the cultural items and culture learning activities in aspects of teaching, and studying items and activities is required. In order to present the cultural items, there must be a figuration of why the items are described as, ‘Explanation’ and ‘Activities of task’. Regarding cultural learning, the types will be classified based on the descriptions of cultural learning activities in『Standard Korean for Elementary·Secondary students』.
Concerning the cultural learning activities, they are classified into two groups, activities of just understanding the contents of the lessons, and enlargement to improve their abilities.
For the system of contents, composition of principles, and achievement levels, there are six levels, ‘Awareness of culture → Understanding → Awareness of other culture → Comparison → Doing relativity → Acceptance’. Among the six levels, the first, ‘Awareness of culture’, and second, ‘Understanding’, are described far more than the fifth, ‘Doing relativity’, and the sixth, ‘Acceptance’, in the textbook.
Cultural items for daily and school life relating to the subject are evenly illustrated in the elementary and middle school textbooks. Daily life subject that is likely to happen ‘on the outside of schools’ outnumbers ‘on the inside of schools’. Information culture is not described while achievements and activities culture are described at similar rate.
In the aspect of teaching, the type ‘Enlargement’ can help students understand the contents of the lessons through explanations that are highly rich in the textbook. Regarding the aspect of the culture learning, reading activities are described enough to help the students improve their reading skills.
Based on the results of this study, we can figure out primarily that, 『Standard Korean for Elementary·Secondary students』 is aiming for mutual cultural understanding. Accordingly, it is desirable to involve the respective 6 levels described in the『Standard Korean for Elementary·Secondary students』.
Cultural items that are necessary to the children from multicultural families, foreign workers, and immigrants should be selected. The gestures and expressions that is necessary when living in Korea such as, shaking hands and bowing when greeting each other, should be described. The training of language function that represents the features of culture determined by the level of students is necessary. Ultimately, systemically well-structured cultural training, which considers the emotional aspects of multicultural students, should be proceeding in order to help students that are having difficulties in communication.
Because this study focuses on the cultural contents based on『Standard Korean for Elementary·Secondary students』, there is not enough to cover all of the cultural contents and each of the items. The things that are not covered over this study should be followed up. It will be very beneficial to the multicultural students as a guide, if there are continuous studies to figure out the interests and requirements of the students.
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