ARE KOREAN LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS A RACELESS SPACE? : DISCUSSING RACE, IDENTITIES, AND POWER IN KOREAN LANGUAGE EDUCATION
Abstract
The main goals of this paper are to identify race in Korean language classrooms; articulate the connection between Korean language learners’ racial identities and Korean language learning; and discuss implications for Korean language educators. In order to do this, I first examine literature on English language education to glean themes related to race, language, and power. Next, I illustrate how race and Koreanness play a role in Korean education. Then, utilizing themes from the first two sections, I investigate the field of Korean language education in Korea and in the US. The final section presents implications for Korean language education.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Alper, T. (2015, January 16). “Chinese are noisy, Southeast Asians are lazy”? Korean is a country at risk or racism. [“Junggukineun shiggeureopgo, dongnamaineun gaeeureuda”? Hangukeun injongchabyul wuihumgukga]. Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved from https://www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2015/01/18/2015011801062.html
Barkhuizen, G. (2017). Reflections on language teacher identity research. New York: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315643465
Baxley, T. (2021). Social justice parenting: How to raise compassionate, anti-Racist, justice-Minded Kids in an unjust world. New York: Harper Collins.
Blanco, C. (2020, December 15). 2020 Duolingo language report: Global overview. Duolingo. Retrieved from https://blog.duolingo.com/global-language-report-2020/
Bonilla-Medina, S. X. (2018). Racial identity in educational practices in the context of Colombia [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of East London, London, UK.
Bonilla-Medina, S. X., Varela, K. V., & Garcia, K. (2021). Configuration of racial identities of learners of English. PROFILE Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 23(2), 137-150. https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.90374
Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (2019). Less Commonly Taught Languages - Search for Courses. University of Minnesota. Retrieved February 5, 2022, from https://carla.umn.edu/lctl/db/result.php
Chae, S. W. (2021, April 13). N-word...A kindergarten teacher who swore at a colleague from India [Gumdungi XX...In-chulshin dongryo-e ‘injong chabyul yoksul’han yuchiwon gyosa]. Herald. Retrieved from http://news.heraldcorp.com/view.php?ud=20210413000266
Chicago Korean Education Center (2019, March 22). The 1st Midwest Korean Speech Contest. Retrieved from https://www.chicagokec.org/post/korean-speech-contest
Choi, E. (2016). The current status of Korean language education in the United States: Class offerings in K–16 schools and Korean community schools. The Korean Language in America, 20(1), 29-52. https://doi.org/10.5325/korelangamer.20.1.0029
Curtis, A., & Romney, M. (2019). Color, race, and English language teaching: Shades of meaning. New York: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203763971
Gordon, L. (2015, April 1). Korean-language classes are growing in popularity at U.S. colleges. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-korean-language-20150401-story.html
Grant, R. A., & Lee, I. (2006). The ideal English speaker: A juxtaposition of globalization and language policy in South Korea and racialized language attitudes in the United States. In R. Kubota, & A. M. Y. Lin, (Eds.), Race, culture, and identities in second language education: Exploring critically engaged practice (pp. 44-63). New York: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203876657
Helms, J. E. (1993). Black and White racial identity: Theory, research, and practice. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Heo, N., & Kim, D-S. (2021). Am I “Korean”? Effects of social support network and experience of discrimination on national identity and dual identity among children from multicultural families. KJPS, 44(1), 83-108. https://doi.org/10.31693/KJPS.2021.03.44.1.83
Herrera, S., & Morales, A. R. (2009). Colorblind nonaccommodative denial: Implications for teachers’ meaningful perspectives towards theri Mexican-American English learners. In Kubota, R. & Lin, A. M. Y. (Eds.). Race, culture, and identities in second language education: Exploring critically engaged practice (pp. 197-214). New York: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203876657
Hong, S. B., & Oh, J. Y. (2021, April 24). Koreans who shout Ddongnama...double standards in discrimination. [Ddongnama wechineun Hangukindeul… naeronambul injongchabyul]. Money Today. Retrieved from https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2021042213480676122
Hsieh, B., Kim, J., Protzel, N., Caraballo, L., & Martinez, D. C. (2020). Feeling not Asian enough: Issues of heritage language loss, development, and identity. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 63(5), 573–576. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.1030
Jang, Y. H. (2017, October 9). 75% of Korean language learners are of other races [Hangukeo sugangsaeng 75% ga tainjong]. Korea Daily. Retrieved from http://www.koreadaily.com/news/read.asp?art_id=5665192
Jenks, C. J. (2017). Race and ethnicity in English language teaching: Korea in focus. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. http://dx.doi.org/10.21832/9781783098439
Kim, H. A. (2021). The role of Korean immigrant churches in the identity development and heritage language learning among biracial Korean American students. The Korean Language in America, 24(2), 60-84. https://doi.org/10.5325/korelangamer.24.2.0060
Kim, H. A. (2020). Understanding “Koreanness”: Racial stratification and colorism in Korea and implications for Korean multicultural education. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 22(1), 76-97. https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v22i1.1834
Kim, H. A. (2016). Biracial identity development: Narratives of biracial Korean American university students in heritage language classes. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Kim, H. J., & Kim, J. H. (2018, July 30). My homeroom teacher calls my friend “Hey...multicultural!” [“Ya...damunhwa!”...damimssemeun ne chingooreul ireoke bulreoyo”]. Seoul Shinmun. Retrieved from https://www.seoul.co.kr/news/newsView.php?id=20180730013001
Kim, J. W. (2014, November 19). Korean English institute, Black lecturer’s interview gets canceled for ‘race.’ [Hanguk yeongeo hakwon, heukin gangsae ‘injong’ iyuro myunjeob chuiso]. FNN News. Retrieved from https://www.fnnews.com/news/201411191452253041
Kim, R. (2021, February 7). Korean language learning booming on the back of Hallyu: report. The Korea Herald. Retrieved from http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210207000090
Kim, S. H., & Hyun, Y-S. (2018). The interactive effects of K university preliminary teachers’ career decision status on the relations between the experience of multicultural education and the multicultural education competency. Korean Journal of Contemporary Education, 66(4), 981-1014. https://doi.org/10.25152/ser.2018.66.4.981
Kirkpatrick, A., & Liddicoat, A. J. (2019). The Routledge International Handbook of Language Education Policy in Asia. New York: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315666235
Korean Ministry of Education (2017, September 29). Improve Korean language skills with customized Korean language education for damunhwa students [Damunhwa haksaeng matchumhyeong Hangukeo gyoyukeoro uisasotong neungryeok kiwoyo]. Retrieved from https://www.moe.go.kr/boardCnts/view.do?boardID=294&boardSeq=72214&lev=0&m=0204
Kubota, R., & Lin, A. M. Y. (Eds.). (2009). Race, culture, and identities in second language education : exploring critically engaged practice. New York: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203876657
Kwak, Y-S. (2020, September 2). The Hallyu effect: Culture Ministry vows to vitalize Korean language education. The Korea Times. Retrieved from https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2020/09/398_295360.html
Kwon, S. H. (2014). The role and status of the education of Korean language in the multilingual society. Urimal, 39, 5-24. ISSN(Print): 1226-7139.
Lee, C. (2016, April 11). Marriage migrant education which is rampant with racial discrimiantion such as ‘Change your Vietnamese name,’ ‘Islam is dangerous’ [‘Vietnam ireumeun bakkuoya’ ‘Islamgyodoneun wuiheom’ injongchabyul bareon nanmuhan gyeolhon iminja gyoyuk]. The Korea Herald. Retrieved from https://news.naver.com/main/read.naver?oid=044&aid=0000170439
Lee, D. B. (2020). The construction of Korean culture in Korean Language textbooks: Ideologies and textbooks. Washington, DC: Lexington Books.
Lee, S. S., Cho, M. A., & Kim, D. I. (2016, August 16). Why are there no fathers that are househusbands in textbooks? [Gajeong jubu yeokhalhaneun abbaneun wae gyogwaseoe eopnyayo?]. Yonhap News. Retrieved from https://m.post.naver.com/viewer/postView.nhn?volumeNo=4846712&memberNo=5246326&vType=VERTICAL
Liggett, T. (2007). The alchemy of identity: The role of White racial identity in the teaching and pedagogy of new ESOL teachers. In M. Mantero (Ed.), Identity and second language learning : Culture, inquiry, and dialogic activity in educational contexts (pp. 45-70).
Lo, A., & Kim, J. (2011). Manufacturing citizenship: Metapragmatic framings of language competencies in media images of mixed race men in South Korea. Discourse & Society, 22(4), 440-457. https://doi.org/10.1177/0957926510395834
Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (2021). 2021 World Korean Educators Conference [2021 Sege Hangukeo gyoyukjadehwe chamga anne]. Retrieved from https://kr.koreanculture.org/education-literature/2021/6/3/koreaneducators
Motha, S. (2014). Race, empire, and English language teaching : Creating responsible and ethical anti-racist practice. New York: Teachers College Press.
Nam, B. R. (2021, May 4). Mother who discriminated against the multicultural family, is suddenly sorry ‘What’s wrong with the textbook’ [Damunhwa gajeong chabyeolhadeon umma, neodatumneun bansung; gyogwaseoga wae irae’]. Hankook Ilbo. Retrieved from https://www.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/Print/A2021050201050004087
National Human Rights Commision of Korea (2019). National Human Rights Commision of Korea Annual report 2019. https://www.humanrights.go.kr/site/inc/file/fileDownload?fileid=1068428&filename=in_11910172124266200961.pdf
Norton, B. (2013). Identity and language learning: Extending the conversation. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters. http://dx.doi.org/10.21832/9781783090563
Oh, G. (2021, March 4). Vietnam to teach Korean as first foreign language. Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved from https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210304010900325
Oh, S. E. (2019). Understanding the identity formation experiences of students from multicultural families. Anthropology of Education, 29(1), 27-47. http://dx.doi.org/10.17318/jae.2019.22.1.002
Park, Y. G. (2021, August 11). 1 million mon summary court order issued to man who discriminated against a second-generation damunhwa family. [Damunhwa gajeong 2se-ege injong chabyul baleonhan namseongege bulgeum 100 manwon yakshik myeongryeong]. The Kyunghyang Shinmun. Retrieved from https://www.khan.co.kr/national/national-general/; article/202108111922001
Poteau, C. E., & Winkle, C. A. (2021). Advocacy for social and linguistic justice in TESOL: Nurturing inclusivity, equity, and social responsibility in English language teaching. New York: Routledge. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003202356
Rosa, J. (2019). Looking like a language, sounding like a race: Raciolinguistic ideologies and the learning of Latinidad. New York: Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190634728.001.0001
Savillo, L. (2019, November 7). A surge of US College students are learning Korean because of K-Pop. VICE. Retrieved from https://www.vice.com/en/article/bjwkkz/more-american-university-students-us-learning-korean-k-pop
Shin, J. (2016). Hyphenated identities of Korean heritage language learners: Marginalization, colonial discourses and internalized Whiteness. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 15(1), 32–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348458.2016.1113815
Shuck, G. (2006). Racializing the nonnative English speaker. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 5(4), 259–276. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327701jlie0504_1
Tanner, S. J. (2019). Whiteness Is a White problem: Whiteness in English education. English Education, 51(2), 182–199.
Tatum, B. D. (2003). “Why are all the Black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?” : And other conversations about race. New York: Basic Books.
Winant, H. (2000). Race and race theory. Annual Review of Sociology, 26(1), 169–185. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.26.1.169
Yu, J. S. (2021, August 25). Jeonsege Hangukeo gyosa, online-eoro hanjarie [Korean educators worldwide, gather together online]. KTV. Retrieved from https://www.ktv.go.kr/content/view?content_id=631728
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
ISSN 1305-578X (Online)
Copyright © 2005-2022 by Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies