- 호찌민시와 붕따우 소재 고등학교 학생들의 인지 경험을 중심으로 -
26)
쩐티투르엉
*․안경환
**목 차
1. Development of Korean language teaching in Vietnamese high schools is a sustainable breakthrough for the promotion of Korean language and culture in Vietnam
2. Advantages and challenges in introducing Korean language in Vietnamese high schools
3. Suggested solutions to foster the development of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools
<국문초록>
지난 4반세기 동안 한국과 베트남 관계는 괄목할 만한 성과를 달성하였다. 특 히, 두 나라간의 포괄적인 협력관계가 구축되었다는 점에서 상당한 결과를 달성하 였다고 판단한다. 한국과 베트남 관계를 발전시키기 위해서 많은 노력을 하고 있 음에도 불구하고 아직도 하루빨리 해결하여야만 하는 문제들이 남아있다. 그것은 바로 한국과 베트남간의 사회문화 교류, 경제협력관계의 발전 속도에 발맞추기 위 해서는 베트남에서의 한국어 구사자의 부족을 해결하는 것이 급선무이다.
한국과 베트남의 지속적인 관계발전을 위해서는 베트남에서의 한국어의 보급 과 한국문화의 전파를 위한 획기적이고도 전략적인 해결 방법이 무엇보다도 필요 하다. 한국어 학습자의 급속한 증가, 한국어와 한국문화의 접근성 확대, 한국어 학습의 질적인 향상을 위한 충분한 시간과 학습 환경 조성을 위한 획기적인 방안
* 국립호찌민인문사회과학대학교
** 조선대학교
가운데 하나는 베트남 고등학교에 한국어 교육을 도입하고 교육의 체계화를 도모 하는 것이다.
2016년 2월에 베트남 고등학교에서 한국어 시범교육에 대한 베트남 교육훈련 부와 주 베트남 한국대사관이 체결한 합의서는 매우 타당한 것이며, 이는 베트남 에서의 한국학과 한국어 확대 발전에 큰 비전을 가져다 줄 것이기 때문이다. 그럼 에도 불구하고, 발전에 전환점을 이루고, 획기적인 방안으로 적절한 발전 방향으 로 실현해나가기 위해서는 이러한 시도와 장점에 대해서 한국과 베트남 모두 명확 하게 파악하고 있어야 한다. 2012년부터 2015년까지 국립호찌민인문사회과학대 학교 한국학센터와 호찌민시의 한국어교육원이 협력하여 호찌민시 소재 쩐다이응 이어고등학교와 마리꾸리고등학교에서 한국어 시범교육을 시행하였고, 고등학교 에서 시행한 한국어 교육을 바탕으로 한국어에 대한 고등학교 학생들의 반응을 조 사하였다. 본 논문은 베트남 고등학교에서의 한국어 교육의 시도와 이에 대한 장 점을 분석하여 바람직한 방향을 설정하고, 이를 실현하는데 있어서 도움을 주고자 하는 데 목적이 있다.
주제어 : 베트남 고등학교의 한국어교육, 호찌민시 세종학당, 한국과 베트남 관계, 베트남 의 한류, 세종재단
1. Development of Korean language teaching in Vietnamese high schools is a sustainable break through for the promotion of Korean language and culture in Vietnam
Korean - Vietnam relations is currently on the threshold of a quarter century of development. The achievement of this relation over the past 24 years in socio-economic, cultural and educational aspects has created specific impression on the rapid, comprehensive and profound relation
between Vietnam and Korea. The positive side in terms of the degree and pace of this development has been recognized and assessed in many reviews, and it is truly a proud attainment of both parties.
Notwithstanding, such a very fast development in mutual relation, sometimes goes beyond proper preparation and has created quite a few shortcomings and obstacls that jeopardize the cooperation quality for both parties. One of those improper preparations that has not kept pace with this development is the lack of Korean speaking resource to serve economic investment cooperation; it is the lack of language and cultural preparation for married couples in the context of Korean Vietnamese marriage explosion with significant implications for the multicultural society in Korea and for cross generations of the multicultural family.
In the past year, it is obvious that this cooperation development has also promoted in Vietnam the formation and development of a Korean studies training system in many universities, a system of Sejong Centres and Centres for Korean language to respond to the demand for Korean language learning of Vietnamese society. Many attempts made by both countries, Korea in particular have been recorded, with programs and funding for the provision of native teachers, textbooks, tapes and online Korean language learning. Moreover, Hallyu has also introduced into Vietnam and rapidly reached its maturity and substantially contributed to the spread of Korean culture in Vietnam. Nonetheless, in reality, those efforts have not yet created sufficient Korean speaking human resources to timely meet the needs of comprehensive development of Korea - Vietnam relation for the time being, not mentioning the development of this relation in the future.
To ensure the sustainable development of Vietnam - Korea relation, innovative solutions for the dissemination of Korean language and culture in Vietnam are strategically an essential requirement. Finding solutions to meet this need undoubtedly requires numerous creativity and efforts of both countries. Nevertheless, one of the breakthrough solutions which is seen extremely crucial to meet the requirements of increasing in the number of students; of expanding accessibility to Korean language and culture and of having sufficient time and learning environment to ensure the quality of Korean language and culture dissemination is indeed the introduction and development of Korean language in general education system of Vietnam.
․The advantages of introducing Korean language teaching in high schools have been explicitly identified as follows :
General education is the first source of human resource training in Vietnam with millions of students. Once it is officially approved to be taught in schools, Korean language will be legalized in the foreign language programs available for students to choose for the national high school graduation exam. This is the most fundamental development, and the most sustainable basis with the largest scale for Korean language development strategy in Vietnam.
When Vietnamese students have the opportunity to learn Korean language, in the context where 1) the relation between the two countries has been strongly developing; 2) Korea has an advanced education and technology;
3) the cultures of the two countries have many similarities; and 4) Korean land, people and landscape are peaceful and attractive, the creation of a wave of studying in Korea for Vietnamese students is within reach. Back
from their study in Korea, those students will not only become high quality Korean speaking resource served for the development of Korea - Vietnam relation but also a bridge to convey and disseminate Korean culture in Vietnam, providing solid foundation for the Hallyu to be sustainably acculturated in Vietnam.
The timeframe for Korean language learning in general education is fairly long. Secondary school alone lasts six years (from grade 6 to grade 12) students therefore have enough time to learn the language and understand Korean culture in a fundamental way, facilitating Korean language training at university level with advanced level and higher quality (at the moment, since undergraduate students start learning Korean language from zero when they enter university, 4 years of university study cannot help them reach advanced level). Moreover, students who have learnt Korean language in high schools, even if they are not able to continue this study at university level, they are still good human resource for labor recruitment in Korean companies in Vietnam or for labor export to Korea.
In addition, lower secondary and high/upper secondary schools have available school facilities and administrative resources. This helps investment in Korean teaching at secondary and high schools be most economical, quickest and most viable.
In 2/2016 the Korean Embassy has signed with the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam an agreement confirming the official introduction of Korean language teaching in high schools of Vietnam and will first pilot this teaching in a number of selected high schools in Hanoi and HCMC.
Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the agreement with the Ministry
of Education and Training to mainstream this language into high schools of Vietnam although is very important, it is only the initial passport for a long process. The outcomes and expected impacts are much more depending upon how to organize the teaching and learning as well as positive supports to help this direction truly develop. As a result, the analysis of advantages and challenges of the development of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools is extremely essential. It is obvious that Korean language has very lately been entering Vietnamese high schools only in 2/2016 while other foreign languages except for English such as Chinese and Russian, have been long introduced, by decades of the 20 century, or Japanese since 2003 and German since 2007. If meticulous study and smart development strategy to enhance advantages and overcome challenges are not in place although it has been already put into the development route, the destination of Korean language development will still be far away to shape.
2. Advantages and challenges in introducing Korean language in Vietnamese high schools
2.1. Survey data analyses
To be able to consider meticulously the challenges and advantages of foreign language learning practices and the perceptions of Vietnamese students at secondary level, in 5/2016 a survey was conducted with students of 04 high schools (THPT) in Ho Chi Minh City and 01 in Vung Tau city.
<Table 1> Number of questionnaires distributed in surveyed high schools Surveyed high schools Quantity
(questionnaire)
Percentage (%)
Accepted (% )
Accumulated (%)
Valid THPT Vung Tau 169 10.0 10.0 10.0
THPT Marie Curie 564 33.3 33.3 43.3
THPT Nhan Van 390 23.0 23.0 66.4
THPT Ta Quang Buu 289 17.1 17.1 83.5
THPT Su Pham thuc
hanh 280 16.5 16.5 100.0
Total 1692 100.0 100.0
1,692 questionnaires were collected from the survey. Data collected was processed by means of SPSS with the following results :
* Sex : female accounted for 54.7% and male 45.3%.
* Birthplace of respondents: from 46 provinces of Vietnam including Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam, of which 75% are from HCMC and 8.3% from Ba Ria Vung Tau. There are 03 students whose birthplaces are from abroad (01 from Cambodia, 01 from Russia and 01 from Korea).
* Age of respondents: high school students with year of birth between 1998 and 2000 in which students with YOB of 2000 (grades 10/12) account for 43.3%, of 1999 (grade 11/12) 31.5%, and of 1998 (grade 12/12) 26.2%.
To study foreign language learning current situation, students’ attitude towards the foreign language currently being taught officially in schools in general and their attitude towards Korean language and the introduction of this language into Vietnamese high schools in particular, the questionnaire was designed with 7 questions of 03 major directions :
1. What are the first and second foreign languages chosen by students?
Which one is the most preferred?
2. Like or do not like to learn Korean language, why? Agree or disagree with the introduction of Korean language teaching into Vietnamese high schools? Reasons for agree and disagree?
3. Study plan after graduating from high school, tendency to study abroad in general and to Korea in particular.
The Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam currently agrees for six foreign languages to be officially taught in high schools including Korean language. Nonetheless, as Korean language has been recently approved (only from 2/2016) and is in the pilot phase, Korean language is not included in the main foreign languages chosen by students by the time of the survey. The results of first direction of the survey are shown in Table 2.
<Table 2> Foreign language chosen by students
Number of questionnaires collected %
Main foreign languages English 1584 96.1%
French 64 3.9%
Japanese 0 .0%
Chinese 0 .0%
German 0 .0%
As we can see from the table, English takes the absolute percentage (96.1%), followed by French with 3.9%. As for other foreign languages, although they have been officially included in the foreign language curriculum of high schools for years, they were not selected (0%). The survey results are consistent with the statistics of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam on the registration of foreign language test in the national high
school graduation exam of 2016. Accordingly, of 887,000 candidates, 661,000 have registered English, French 1,040, Chinese 680 while only 75 students have selected German1.
The fact that English accounts for an absolute percentage is not surprising because it tends to be a global language. This language seems to be a monopoly language as a media with a worldwide scale. But the very low percentage of other foreign languages despite being long included in the curriculum at high school level indicates that the introduction of a foreign language to be taught in high schools is not a sufficient condition to ensure the successful development of this language. It is clear that the languages introduced in high schools are facing with the challenge of competing with an unequal rival, that is English. Korean language will not be an exception, even it should also cope with the competition of Japanese and Chinese, the foreign languages that are in demand for high qualified human resources of the labor market in Vietnam and Southeast Asia since Korean language has been lately introduced (2/206).
On the other hand, Korean language is one of the second foreign languages selected by students besides English with the percentage of 8%, which is almost the same with Japanese language, 9,3% even though Korean language has not yet been inserted into the foreign language curriculum of high schools like Japanese at the time of the survey.
<Table 3> Second foreign languages
Count Column (%)
Second foreign language English 312 32.0%
French 166 17.0%
Japanese 91 9.3%
Korean 78 8.0%
Chinese 70 7.2%
German 12 1.2%
Russian 5 .5%
Other 292 30.0%
Total 974 100.0%
The results of the survey interestingly show that Korean language is seen as a preferred second foreign language with a higher percentage than Japanese language (17.7% over 17%).
<Table 4> Preferred second foreign language
Count Column(%) Preferred second foreign language English 895 55.9%
French 122 7.6%
Japanese 273 17.0%
Korean 283 17.7%
Chinese 127 7.9%
German 35 2.2%
Russian 9 .6%
Other 116 7.2%
This can be explained from the results of the second direction of the survey: students’ attitude toward Korean language. The results of this survey direction are shown in table 5.
<Table 5> Attitude toward Korean language Frequency Percent
(%)
Valid Percent (%)
Cumulative Percent (%)
Valid Yes 1021 60.3 62.1 62.1
No 622 36.8 37.9 100.0
Total 1643 97.1 100.0
Missing System 49 2.9
Total 1692 100.0
The percentage of students interested and not interested in learning Korean language in the surveyed high schools is 60.3% and 36.8 respectively.
Compared to results of the survey conducted by Phan Thi Thu Hien in 2012 on 1,114 students from 14 universities in the Central and South Vietnam, the percentage of students interested in learning Korean language is 70.7%, 2.5 times of the no answer. This is the answer of not only students from Korean studies but also of those in many other fields. This indicates that Korean language still has an important place in the interest of Vietnamese youth. It can be seen as a significant advantage for the dissemination of Korean language in Vietnam in general and the introduction of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools in particular with a competitive advantage against other foreign languages besides English.
The results of reasons why Korean language is preferred are shown in table 6.
<Table 6> Reasons why Korean language is preferred
Count Column (%) Why Korean language
is preferred (like)
Like Korean movies 515 50.3%
Like Korean music (K.Pop) 427 41.7%
Like Korean food 527 51.5%
Like Korean products (cosmetic,
clothes, smart phone, laptop …) 412 40.3%
Like studying in Korea 182 17.8%
Like working in Korea 43 4.2%
Like traveling to Korea 662 64.7%
Like making friend with Korean 234 22.9%
Like working in Korean companies 154 15.1%
Total 1023 100.0%
This result demonstrates the significant impact of Hallyu on why students are interested in Korean language. The influence of Korean dramas, K-pop music, Korean food, Korean products (clothing, cosmetics, electronics) and travel to Korea expresses by the high impact ratio from above 40% to over 60%. Hallyu has obviously created a much higher advantage for Korea than other countries (except for English-speaking countries) when this language is to be developed in Vietnam.
However, the survey results also show that the percentage of those who are not in favour of Korean language in high schools is not small, 36.8%. The reason why they do not favour the language is indicated in Table 7.
<Table 7> Reasons why students do not like Korean language
Count Column (%) Reasons why students
do not like Korean language
Korean language is not a common language
worldwide 237 38.5%
Learning Korean language is difficult 194 31.5%
Less information on Korean language learning 125 20.3%
Busy with learning other foreign languages 221 35.9%
Other reasons 214 34.8%
Total 615 100.0%
Among the reasons why Korean language is not a foreign language of favourite, the reason that Korean language is not a common language worldwide accounts for 38.5% and the reason that respondents are busy learning other foreign languages accounts for 35.9%. There is an implication of comparing Korean language with English as Korean language cannot obviously be in the position of a common language worldwide as English and since respondents are busy learning English (see the percentage of choosing primary foreign language) they cannot pay due attention to Korean language. This is a common challenge for all foreign languages
other than English when undertaking foreign language programs in high schools of Vietnam, not only for Korean language. But the percentage of 31.5% for the perception of Korean language being more difficult and the percentage of 20.3% for less information on learning Korean suggest that lack of information on Korean language of high school students is significant. The basis for this conclusion is that for Vietnamese people, Korean language is not actually a difficult language but rather advantageous.
Vietnamese and Korean languages share up to 60% of the Chinese origin and Hangul is the characters that have superiority in the fact that it is
easier to learn than Japanese and Chinese languages. 31.5% of respondents rates Korean language difficult because they do not have any information on Korean language thus emotionally giving their idea. This is evidently the consequence reflecting the sluggishness of Korea and Vietnam in introducing Korean language teaching in high schools of Vietnam. As a result, information on Korean language is only available in Korean language teaching within universities or language centers. The lack of information on Korean language in foreign language communication in Vietnam is one of the major flaws of the development strategy of Korean language in Vietnam so far and needs to be positively overcome for ensuring the success of introducing Korean language in Vietnamese high schools.
This perception on Korean language leads to students’ attitude toward the language with an equal percentage of agreeing and disagreeing to the question whether Korean language shall be introduced in high schools (50.7% and 47.3% respectively).
As for the answer that Korean language shall be introduced in high schools the reason that this will create foreign language learning opportunity for students (54.1%) is higher than the reason that Korean language is helpful for future study and works of student (30.7%). As for the answer that Korean language shall not necessarily be introduced in high schools, the main reasons are 1) this language is difficult to learn (28.7%) and 2) it creates an overload for students’ foreign language learning (75.5%).
The third survey direction looks at students’ plan after graduation in order to explore the trend of studying in Korea. This is seen as a favorable factor supporting Korean language to be accepted in high schools. Survey results indicate that 63.3% of respondents prefer to study in local universities
and 22.8% plan to study abroad. Nonetheless, study in the US still accounts for 48.8% while in Europe 13.4%, Australia 14.2%, Japan 8.3% and Korea 5.1%.
This proves that the trend of study in Korea is still weak. This also is consistent with findings on the lack of information and student’s attitude towards Korean language mentioned above. Study in Korea explicitly plays the role as the output that strongly boosts the success of the introduction of Korean language into high schools in Vietnam because it is a two-way co-relation: developing Korean language learning will promote study in Korea but good support for study in Korea will in turn create strong motivation to learn Korean language in high schools.
The analysis of the survey data in a number of high schools mentioned above provides an insight into the challenges faced for successfully introducing Korean language into Vietnamese high schools. Only when successfully developed, will the introduction of Korean language into high schools become a groundbreaking solution to mitigate the language barrier and better support the strong and comprehensive development of Korea - Vietnam relations in the present and future.
2.2. Challenges in introducing Korean language to high schools of Vietnam
2.2.1. The first challenge is the delay of introducing Korean language in high school curriculum of Vietnam. This makes the perception on the need to learn Korean language, or learning motivation, one of the most important factors for the development of Korean language in high schools becomes difficult to shape and faces competition from other foreign
languages. The direction of Korean language development in high schools is the basic and ground direction with tremendous benefits for Korean speaking human resources to respond to vital needs of economic investment, social exchanges, labor export, and so on. As analyzed, over the past two decades, this issue has not been properly conceived. Both South Korea and Vietnam have been very slow in mainstreaming Korean language into high schools in Vietnam. Until 2/2016 Korean Embassy recently signed memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam on this policy. In the meantime, Japan has been introducing Japanese language in Vietnamese high schools since 2003 and from 4/2016 Japanese language has been officially inserted into primary curriculum of Vietnam. Even German was also put in since 2007.
Since Japanese language has been penetrating into Vietnamese high schools early in 2003 although the percentage of students choosing Japanese language as primary foreign language for final testing is not high the number of candidates registering for the Japanese language proficiency test is much higher than that of the Korean language proficiency test.
Statistic data from the Centre for Foreign language of the University of Social Sciences - VNU - HCMC displays that the number of candidates registering Japanese language proficiency test in 2014, 2015 and the first round of 2016 are 18,000, 20,400 and 15,380 respectively while the registered number of candidates for the Korean Language Proficiency test in HCMC has never exceeded 5,000 students / year.
As a consequence, Korean companies in Vietnam, and even in Korea have difficulty in communicating with Vietnamese workers than Japanese companies because Japanese language has been better universalized in the
Vietnamese workforce who used to be high school students. Since 2014, Japanese language has been officially incorporated into the curriculum from grade 3 of primary level of the Vietnam national education system2. Thus the distance and degree of development of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools will face huge challenge unless breaking solutions are to be quickly found.
The lack of information on Korean language in high schools has made the competitive advantage of Korean language (easier to learn than Japanese language) has not been exploited. In practice, as students have already had experienced with square block letters (Japanese, Chinese) they assume that Korean language (also square block letters) will also be difficult. This is obviously a wrong perception because Hangul is superior to Japanese and Chinese language in the fact that it is much easier to learn. This psychological fear of difficulty makes students’ reception of the information on introducing Korean language in high schools very reluctant even refusal with the fear of being overloaded or they just agree that Korean language could be an optional opportunity without a welcoming attitude to Korean language. This is a big challenge for the initial time necessary for Korean language to take roots in high schools. If no breakthrough supportive solutions are in place, the weakness of the latecomer will impede significantly the development progress of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools.
2.2.2. The second challenge, which is more important and difficult to cope with, is the provision of teachers and textbooks for Korean language teaching in Vietnamese high schools.
Due to the weak perception of the strategic importance of the preparation of Korean speaking human resources to serve the rapid, comprehensive and deep Vietnam - Korea relation, both countries have not adequately promoted Korean language teaching and learning in Vietnam. Therefore, not only is the introduction of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools too slow, but a strategic vision for Korean language teacher training is still in short.
In the effort to train Korean speaking resources, teacher training is an important and strategic issue. Without have sufficient number of qualified teachers the expansion of scale of Korean language teaching and the improvement of Korean language teaching quality cannot be resolved. Due to the lack of a strategic vision on this issue, Korean studies in Vietnam even it has been opened fairly early in Vietnamese universities has not aimed at training Korean language teachers. In Vietnam Korean language teacher training has been recently opened for Vietnamese people. Even in primary academic institutions with more than 20 years of development such as University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University - Hanoi, University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University - HCMC only 1-2 Korean language lecturers have doctoral degree. The total number of doctors in Korean Studies of Vietnam is only around 10 people. This number will obviously be higher in the next five years but the development of Korea-Vietnam relation in the next five years will surely require a higher number of experts in Korean studies and language. More important than the issue of doctoral degree is that students graduating from Korean Studies have not been professionally prepared for teaching the language and do not have any recognized
qualification to teach Korean language. The number of Vietnamese teachers currently teaching Korean language in Universities and in Language Centers and having teaching qualifications that meet Korean standards are very humble. This makes the quality of teaching and learning Korean language in Vietnam difficult to control.
Until now native teachers (Korean teachers) teaching Korean language in universities or Sejong Centers in Vietnam mainly rely on the support of KOICA. Consequently, the quantity and quality of Korean teachers are not stable. Korea and Vietnam have not yet established full-range cooperation in this matter to have effective coordination and dispatching policy of native teachers to teach Korean language in Vietnam with a proper plan and assured quality.
Therefore the training of Korean speaking human resources in Vietnam always faces the situation: increasing demand for Korean language learning to be able to work in Korean companies (rate for job recruitment of applicants specialized in Korean language and Korean studies is 100%, their salary is twice higher than those specialized in other foreign languages) while the scope of Korean language and Korean studies training cannot expand due to lack of teachers. Even in formal training institutions, teachers in Korean language and studies are critically in short, thus unable to respond to this high demand. On the other hand, the recruitment of teachers in non-formal training institutions, especially in Evening Language Centres could be casually done which makes the training quality in those centers difficult to ensure.
In such a circumstance, it is apparent that lack of teachers is problematic for the solid and broad development of Korean language learning in high
schools. Only teaching for a few thousand students in universities where Korean studies is available and in a number of Language centres, there has been already a shortage of the number and qualification of teachers, teaching Korean language to thousands of high school students with the requirement of having professional teachers (have standardized Korean language teaching certificate because this is the official curriculum in the education system), will be obviously a great challenge that cannot easily be solved in a short time without the support and determined solutions at the macro and micro level of the two countries.
Together with the teacher challenge is the problem of text book. Korean language training in Vietnam currently depends considerably on textbooks compiled by Korean academic institutes and universities3. To seriously undertake a Korean language training strategy in Vietnam education system that is appropriate to the age and perception of students with lively comparison between Korean - Vietnamese culture, the compilation of a Korean language textbook for Vietnamese high school students is indeed a huge workload that requires dedication and effort of editors of the two countries. It is obvious that teacher training and textbook compilation are the challenges that decision makers for the development of the program to introduce Korean language into high schools of Vietnam must take into serious account.
2.3. Advantages to be taken to overcome challenges Despite huge challenges in incorporating Korean language into high schools of Vietnam there are also advantages that help Korean language to have the competitive advantage with other foreign languages (except
for English) in the curriculum of high schools in Vietnam.
2.3.1. The first advantage is that the popularity of Korean language to high school students even this language has not been inserted into formal education program thanks to Hallyu.
In Vietnam, Hallyu, which has reached its maturity has profound impact on the love on Korean culture and the desire to know Korean language of Vietnamese youth in general and high school students in particular. It can be said that learning Korean language is an exclusive field of the youth as though they cannot afford to buy Korean cosmetics, fashion, phones, computers and automobiles not only do they watch Korean movies and listen to Korean music, but also love to learn Korean language. The number of young people interested in learning Korean language is always higher than that of those who are not interested in this language because they know Korean language is of high demand in Vietnamese society. When the Vietnam - Korea - Vietnam relation keeps growing, learning Korean language will be a useful key to open a new horizon for learning job searching, even to build a long-lasting connection with Korea. This advantage reflects on the fact that the percentage of high school students who select Koran language as second foreign language besides English is approximately equal to that of Japanese language and far exceeds German language although those two languages have been included into high schools before Korean language. This is an favourable starting point that needs to grasp in order to create advantages for Korean language to compete with other foreign languages besides English in high schools of Vietnam.
2.3.2. The second advantage which indirectly impacts on the introduction of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools but rather unique is the active incorporation of Vietnamese language into Korean general education This can be seen as a superior advantage of Korea compared to other countries that are having their languages taught at Vietnamese high schools. The practice in incorporating Vietnamese language into Korean schools will provide good experiences for the introduction of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools. Moreover, Korean students with good proficiency in Vietnamese language create opportunity for the promotion of language and cultural exchanges between Korean and Vietnamese high schools. These schools will be able to establish “sister” relationship for mutual cooperation of teacher exchange, text book compilation and interesting and useful summer language practice program for students of both countries. Furthermore, Korean and Vietnamese cultures have many similarities, the climate, natural products and food of the two countries are in harmony and large Vietnamese and Korean communities living and working in both countries are ready to support cultural exchange and study of high school students of both countries. This is an advantage that other countries do not have in Vietnam.
A good exploitation of those advantages will make the program of bringing Vietnamese language into Korean high schools and vice versa be very practical and feasible.
3. Suggested solutions to foster the development of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools
3.1. First, proper and adequate perception on the importance of incorporating Korean language into high schools at national level needs to be developed. The sluggishness of the two countries in the cooperation for the introduction of Korean language in Vietnamese high schools reflects the inadequate awareness of educational leaders and managers of the two countries. If leaders of the two countries have not yet realized strategic importance and critical need to have breakthrough for the development of this issue, it will be very difficult to overcome the tremendous problems and obstacles analyzed above.
Obviously
formualting a development strategy with concrete implementation plans and providing strong and comprehensive support are crucial elements for the breakthrough development of bringing Korean language into Vietnamese high schools.
At the present time when the pace of development of the world situation and global competition do not allow a slow and stagnant development, and the need to clear the language barrier to ensure the development of cooperation between the two countries is very vital, only breakthrough development (rather than the normal progressive) will adequately and timely responds to this demand. However, breakthrough development needs to have strong instruction and support of the education management systems of the two countries. This is a prerequisite for the development of Korean language into high schools in Vietnam.
3.2. A big challenge not only for Korean language but also for other foreign languages when entering Vietnamese high schools is the fierce and unequal competition of English.
In the context of English superior position worldwide, a competitive strategy against English should not be taken but it would be better to have a development strategy of Korean language in partnership with English
. Forcing students to abandon English to learn Korean is impossible, but it can be more convincing if Korean language is offered as a foreign language additionally to English.As Korean language has the advantage of high social demand because with Korean language proficiency, it will be easier to find job in Vietnam, and with the Hallyu influence, students are already sympathetic to Korean culture and if there is enough information to prove that Korean language is easier for Vietnamese people to learn than Chinese, Japanese, Russian, German, the recommendation of keeping English as primary foreign language and taking Korean language as optional is very feasible. That is the advice that students and parents are most likely to accept.
To support this advice Korean Universities or scholarship provision policy of Korean government should focus on encouraging students already having English proficiency to gain different levels of Korean Topik. The fear of learning Korean language will make learning English negligible is the common feeling psychology that impedes students to choose studying in Korea. If Korean universities still have English learning programs for students coming from Vietnam (learn English through Korean) or other Korean-based majors still have English learning hours in their curricula,
more parents and students will choose Korean language in foreign language programs of high schools and study in Korea because they are not afraid of losing English - the foreign language they have been learning from their childhood in Vietnam. This means learning Korean language and study in Korea is an additional gain, not a lost.
3.3. As analyzed, significant challenges for the rapid development of Korean language in high schools are teacher training and relevant textbook compilation. To resolve this problem multiple levels of implementation should be taken as follows:
* At national level, a roadmap for teacher training and basic Korean language textbook compilation from Vietnamese universities of Foreign Language Teachers with strong and positive training cooperation from Korea shall be made.
* At provincial level, high schools should encourage sister cooperation for the exchange of Vietnamese and Korean language teachers involved in the introduction of Vietnamese language into Korean high school program and vice versa.
* Training results of Korean studies in universities of Vietnam should be taken advantage for the co-organization of Korean teaching methodology training courses in Vietnam. Korean professional agencies will manage the program curriculum and textbooks, teachers will be dispatched from Korea to Vietnam to open short-term training courses with final exams and certificate granting in order to immediately have a necessary number of Korean language teachers with adequate qualification for Vietnamese
high schools while waiting for professional teachers to be produced from the formal training system of pedagogical universities.
Many initiatives to tackle difficulties and promote successful development of the Korean language in high schools of Vietnam will obviously be made as long as social perception of this issue is to be brought up to the proper stage of its requirement. That is what we believe in and are eager to contribute our small part to this development.
Notes
1. Phan Thi Thu Hien, The reception and influence of Korean culture wave among the youth in Vietnam today (through student survey), Proceedings of the International Conference “The comparative studies for the East Asian culture: popular culture and the youth”, University of Social Sciences and Humanities - VNU - HCMC 12/23/2013, page 50; National high school exam in 2016; Tuoi Tre newspaper dated 06.28.2016, page 13.
2. Since 2003 a pilot project to teach Japanese language in high schools of Vietnam has been implemented at 19 lower secondary schools, 12 upper secondary schools (or high schools) in five cities: Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang, HCMC and Binh Dinh with more than 25,000 enrolled students. After 10 years (2003-2013), Japanese language has been accepted in high schools of Vietnam to become one of 5 official foreign languages and considered as either first or second foreign language in the general education program in Vietnam. From the concern with the connection possibility of leaning Japanese language from lower secondary (grades 6 to 9) to high school (grades 10 to 12) parents gain confidence and assurance in allowing their
children to enroll to learn Japanese from grade 6. Special training for excellent students in learning Japanese is taken into account by Vietnamese education departments. Vietnam is currently preparing conditions for Japanese speaking excellent student competition at national and Southeast Asia level. Starting in 2013 Japanese teaching project becomes a component of the project “Foreign language teaching and learning in national education system of Vietnam from 2008 to 2020” (Vietnam News Agency - Information on the wrap-up conference for Japanese language teaching pilot project in Vietnam period 2003 - 2013).
3. Korean language textbooks in Vietnamese universities are selected from the followings: Korean language synthesis for Vietnamese people (compiled by Korean foundation and published by Darakwon Publisher in 2011); Korean Language, Yonsei University; Korean Language, Kyung Hee University; Korean Language, Korea University; Korean Language, Ihwa University: Korean Language, Sogang University; Testing questions and answer guide for Korean language proficiency test (Topik). Those textbooks are in the form of ready-made to use, thus there are many shortcomings e.g. difference in teaching period and content; cultural characteristics only being able to observe in Korean context (see Korean language teaching in Vietnamese Universities and Colleges: some ideas for assessment and development trend, Nguyen Thi Huong Sen, Korean journal No 1 (7), 2014, p.38.
4. The Sejong centre of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, HCMC, in cooperation with Pusan University organized Korean language teaching method training courses for lecturers of the University in 2012, 2013. 120 participants were granted with Korean
language teaching certificate with Korean standards from those training courses. Those lecturers are now effectively teaching in the Korean language and studies institutions of USSH-VNU-HCMC and other universities having Korean studies of HCMC and neighboring provinces.
References
Proceedings of the International Conference “The comparative studies for the East Asian culture : popular culture and the youth”, University of Social Sciences and Humanities - VNU - HCMC 23/12/2013.
Tuoi Tre newspaper, 06.28.2016, page 13, Information on National High School Exam 2016.
Korean journal No 1 (7), 2014 - Nguyễn Thị Hương Sen, Korean language teaching in Vietnamese Universities and Colleges : some ideas for assessment and development trend.
Vietnam News Agency - Information on the wrap-up conference for Japanense language teaching pilot project in Vietnam period 2003 - 2013.
Abstract
TEACHING KOREAN LANGUAGE IN VIETNAM HIGH SCHOOLS : ADVANTAGES AND CHALLENGES
- FROM STUDENTS’ PRACTICAL PERCEPTION IN SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOLS IN HCMC AND VUNG TAU-
1)Trần Thị Thu Lương*․Ahn, Kyong-hwan**
After nearly a quarter century of development, Korean-Vietnamese relation has achieved impressive outcomes, particularly the fast-reaching comprehensive relationship between the two parties. However to promote Korean-Vietnamese relation to move up to a new stage despite many attempts, there exists a problem that needs to be urgently resolved, this is the shortage of Korean speaking resource in Vietnam in order to meet the development progress and velocity of economic cooperation, socio- cultural exchanges between Korea and Vietnam.
To ensure the sustainable development of Korean-Vietnamese relation, breakthrough solutions for the dissemination of Korean language and culture in Vietnam are strategically and urgently in need. One of breakthrough solutions that meets the demand of rapid increase in learner number; of widening the accessibility to Korean language and culture and of having sufficient time and learning environment to ensure the quality of Korean language and culture dissemination, is the introduction and development of Korean language in high school system of Vietnam.
The agreement recently signed in 2/2016 between MoET and Korean Embassy on Korean language pilot teaching in high schools of Vietnam is a right direction, creating great advantages for the future development of Korean language in particular and of Korean studies in general in Vietnam.
Notwithstanding, in order to make a turning point for this development, * University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, HCMC
** Chosun University
both Korea and Vietnam should clearly be aware of the practical advantages and challenges in the implementation process of this direction to have proper promotional and/or removal/coping solutions. To contribute to this objective, through the cooperation between the Centre for Korean studies, USSH-VNU-HCMC and the Korean Education Institute in HCMC for Korean language pilot teaching at Tran Dai Nghia and Marie Curie high schools from 2012 to 2015 and the results of a social survey on students’
attitude toward Korean language conducted at a number of high schools in HCMC, this article analyses the advantages and challenges of Korean language teaching in high schools of Vietnam and recommends solutions to promote this direction.
Key Words : Korean language in Vietnamese high school, Sejong Center in Ho Chi Minh City, Korean-Vietnamese relationship, Korean Culture in Vietnam, King Sejong Institute Foundation
<필자소개>
이름 : 쩐티투르엉
소속 : 국립호찌민인문사회과학대학교 전자우편 : tttluong@vnuhcm.edu.vn
이름 : 안경환 소속 : 조선대학교
전자우편 : thongnhat@hanmail.net
논문투고일 : 2016년 12월 21일 심사완료일 : 2017년 2월 10일 게재확정일 : 2017년 2월 13일
