Busan Office of Education Enhances Students' Communication and English Utilization Skills

Announcement of the 2024 Academic Year Basic Plan for Revitalizing English Education

Focus on Enhancing Communication Skills and Cultivating Global Talent

Busan Metropolitan Office of Education (Superintendent Ha Yun-su) will announce the "2024 Academic Year Basic Plan for Revitalizing English Education" on the 15th to enhance students' English communication skills.

This plan aims to cultivate global talents by strengthening English (foreign language) communication competencies.

Busan Office of Education established this plan focusing on ▲ operating the "Busan Speaking English 1.1.1." program ▲ enhancing communication-centered English proficiency ▲ revitalizing international exchanges to connect with the world ▲ supporting practical foreign language education for vulnerable groups.

First, they will operate the "Busan Speaking English 1.1.1." program, a Busan-style English content. This program helps students speak for one minute daily through daily English listening and speaking one sentence a day.

The Office of Education will run the "Busan Speaking English 1.1.1." website to increase satisfaction with public education through English speaking implementation and reduce parents' private education expenses. They will also distribute textbooks for elementary and middle school students.

Additionally, various festivals such as the visiting "Busan Speaking English 1.1.1. Hanmadang" will be organized.

To develop students' communication-centered English proficiency, the "1.1.1. Online English Program" will be operated. Approximately 800 students annually will be matched 1:1:1 with native English teachers and Korean supervising teachers for customized guidance. Real-time interactive conversation classes and feedback will enable comprehensive learning support.

A "1.1.1. Online English Teacher Support Group," consisting of 20 elementary, middle, and high school teachers, will also be operated to manage student satisfaction and class quality.

Furthermore, native English assistant teachers will be assigned to expand opportunities for foreign language use and improve communication skills. They will be deployed especially in schools in the Western Busan and old downtown areas and those with a high proportion of low-income students, which is expected to help reduce educational disparities.

Programs such as international exchanges and festivals have also been prepared to cultivate students' international sensibility and global citizenship qualities.

For 70 elementary, middle, and high schools, various forms of international exchanges including invitations, visits, online meetings, and curriculum-linked activities will be supported to enhance students' global competencies. Funding will be provided on a sliding scale from 1 million to 10 million KRW per school.

Based on the globally increasing demand for Korean language education, the "From Busan to the World! Hangeul Festival" will also be operated to activate international exchanges. In the second half of this year, about 300 participants from 30 domestic and 30 overseas schools will engage in cultural and language exchanges among participating countries.

Based on the basic plan, Busan Office of Education will hold a workshop on the 15th at 1 p.m. in the main auditorium of the Busan Education Information Center for about 550 English teachers from elementary, middle, and high schools to support the establishment of basic English education plans at schools.

The workshop will include an introduction to the "2024 Basic Plan for Revitalizing English Education" and a keynote lecture titled "Let's Speak English Like This!" by Lee Bo-young, former deputy director of the Graduate School of Foreign Language Education at Ewha Womans University.

Hwang Ji-young, Director of the Digital Future Education Division at the Busan Office of Education, said, "This basic plan will greatly help in revitalizing English education by strengthening students' English communication skills and enhancing English teachers' professionalism. We will continue to spare no support for revitalizing English education in the field."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.