Korean language educators’ perceptions on the language of instruction in Korean as a Foreign Language classes in North America

Abstract

This study explores the perceptions of Korean educators in North American universities regarding the language of instruction in Korean classes. Its objectives are to understand how they utilize both Korean and English in their teaching, the disparities between ideal and actual language use, and to provide inspiration to Korean as a Foreign Language (KFL) educators by sharing insights from their peers. A survey was conducted with 33 experienced KFL educators from 21 North American universities to gather data on their language use in the classroom. The survey inquired about their language use in the classroom and their beliefs regarding language use in their classes. The results indicate that while the participants in this study make efforts to incorporate more Korean into their classes, they tend to use more English than they perceive as ideal. The participants suggested various methods to use English and Korean effectively to create a communicative learning environment. Their suggestions highlight the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for students to engage with the language both inside and outside the classroom.

Keywords

• language of instruction
• medium of instruction
• teaching korean as a foreign language
• students’ l1 use in foreign language class
• target language use in foreign language class
• korean language instruction