Disciplines
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Early Childhood Education | Education | Educational Methods | Language and Literacy Education
Abstract (300 words maximum)
In 2006, the South Korean government set forth a policy supporting Korean education for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) children, indicating they were incapable of learning “proper” Korean under foreign parents (Hong, 244). Considering how such children continue to be deprived of the right to acquire mother tongue in the South Korea, there have been recent efforts to develop bilingual coaching programs. In the long run, examining how it can be practically implemented and sustained as a helpful program can contribute to CLD children’s bilingual and bicultural development. The current study aims to explore perspectives and experiences of bilingual coaches who work at a local Health Family Support Centers in Seoul, South Korea. Data for this study was collected through close interviews ranging from 70 to 120-minutes with three bilingual coaches, who were originally from China, Japan, and Vietnam, respectively. The personal experiences of the interviewees were analyzed through their own narrative, and it was indicated that all three coaches emphasized the immigrant mothers’ dedication to bilingual education to encourage bilingualism in their families. Bilingual coaches would also share of their own experiences as immigrants in South Korea when coaching CLD families. While they found the work rewarding, they also pointed out the challenges they faced, which included lack of expertise in early childhood education and the need to coach families a language in which they lacked proficiency. This research can be prospective for future developing policies, programs, and practices for CLD families and children beyond the South Korean context.
Keyword : bilingual, multicultural, language coach, CLD, mother tongue, policies, childhood education, linguistics
Academic department under which the project should be listed
BCOE - Inclusive Education
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Jayoung Choi
Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Early Childhood Education Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons
Promoting bilingualism and biculturalism in culturally and linguistically diverse families in South Korea
In 2006, the South Korean government set forth a policy supporting Korean education for culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) children, indicating they were incapable of learning “proper” Korean under foreign parents (Hong, 244). Considering how such children continue to be deprived of the right to acquire mother tongue in the South Korea, there have been recent efforts to develop bilingual coaching programs. In the long run, examining how it can be practically implemented and sustained as a helpful program can contribute to CLD children’s bilingual and bicultural development. The current study aims to explore perspectives and experiences of bilingual coaches who work at a local Health Family Support Centers in Seoul, South Korea. Data for this study was collected through close interviews ranging from 70 to 120-minutes with three bilingual coaches, who were originally from China, Japan, and Vietnam, respectively. The personal experiences of the interviewees were analyzed through their own narrative, and it was indicated that all three coaches emphasized the immigrant mothers’ dedication to bilingual education to encourage bilingualism in their families. Bilingual coaches would also share of their own experiences as immigrants in South Korea when coaching CLD families. While they found the work rewarding, they also pointed out the challenges they faced, which included lack of expertise in early childhood education and the need to coach families a language in which they lacked proficiency. This research can be prospective for future developing policies, programs, and practices for CLD families and children beyond the South Korean context.
Keyword : bilingual, multicultural, language coach, CLD, mother tongue, policies, childhood education, linguistics