Strengthening the 'Songpa-gu Native English Classroom' with No Private Education Cost Burden

Advanced Age-Specific Native English Classes and Home-Linked Learning Introduced
Native English Classes Expanded to 90 Daycare Centers and 44 Kindergartens in Songpa-gu, Covering a Total of 134 Institutions

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced that it will further strengthen and implement the "Native English Classes for Daycare Centers and Kindergartens," which it was the first in the nation to operate starting this year.

According to the Ministry of Education's "2024 Survey on Private Education Expenses for Early Childhood," about half (47.6%) of all infants and toddlers receive private education, and English kindergartens, which are English academies for young children taking the so-called "4-year-old exam," cost an average of 1.54 million KRW per month.

In response, the district started the "Native English Classes for Daycare Centers and Kindergartens" in 2023 to alleviate the burden of private English education expenses and provide equal educational opportunities, proactively addressing the demands of residents in the ultra-low birthrate era.

In particular, this year, the "Native English Classes for Daycare Centers and Kindergartens" will introduce a more segmented curriculum and provide advanced education.

The support targets have also been expanded. Last year, support was extended to workplace daycare centers, and from April, the program will operate in a total of 90 daycare centers with 168 classes, including public, private, and workplace daycare centers in the region, as well as 44 public and private kindergartens with 160 classes. This means that all 4- and 5-year-old children in Songpa-gu will attend native English classes.

First, based on the know-how accumulated over the past two years, age-specific customized education will be implemented. Four-year-olds, who are beginning English, will receive beginner-level education focused on play-based phonics and basic vocabulary, while five-year-olds in their second year of classes will focus on enhancing communication skills.

Additionally, the program is designed to make learning English fun through a wider variety of experiential activities than last year, such as role-playing, storytelling cards, creative drawing, and imaginative play.

Customized global literacy education for young children will also be promoted. Various themed activities such as learning about world landmarks, English-speaking countries' traditional fairy tales, and exploring famous global figures will be conducted to allow children to indirectly experience different cultures and naturally acquire English. A monthly Funday will be held to provide opportunities for children to express the English they have learned.

Reflecting parents' requests, home-linked learning will be conducted. Using various learning materials and online educational apps, it will help children learn English together with their parents at home. A parent guide will also be provided for this purpose.

All classes will be conducted by native English-speaking instructors who hold at least a bachelor's degree from English-speaking countries and have extensive experience in junior education. The district plans to ensure thorough instructor management by establishing regional base offices to provide high-quality education.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, "By strengthening native English classes, we will reduce the burden of private education expenses and provide equal English education opportunities to all children." He added, "We will continue to create a flawless English education environment and implement Songpa-gu's unique education policies so that children can grow into talents equipped with global competencies."