Session Information
Contribution
Description: This paper begins with documentary analysis about how English Kindergarten in South Korea has been created by and for the global economy. At first English Kindergarten was thought as a fad that would disappear in a period. But, actually it turned out to be not just a fad, but an inevitable product by the global economy. National governments have focused on the education as a means of a success in the global economy. Students as human resources are expected to build up global competitiveness by education. And American and British imperialism and expansionism has overqualified English as the colonial global language (Spring, 1998). In Malaysia, public education has adapted English as an instructional language used in everyday classroom. In a similar fashion, in South Korea, national government has promoted English language learning. In addition, we are also indulged in English learning as the fastest way to achieving upward mobility in social class.
Consequently, "Imbued with white love" (Spring, 1998, p. 22) and desire to enter a gate to success in life, Koreans have considered English as one of the most important subjects to learn in one's life. Its importance has been emphasized greatly more and more with time. Now it may be "the" most important in our Korean education. However, this English learning has been expanded to the creation of English kindergarten since people have got to believe due to general belief in sensitive period in language learning it is better for their children to learn another language as early as possible in their life. Thus, some kindergartens have attracted mothers to their way of teaching English, learning English in English and even entire kindergarten life under English immersion. That is, in this English kindergarten, 3- to 5-year-old children are expected to learn everything by English language that is to be used instead of Korean as an instructional language.
Methodology: This paper is to analyze the use of English as an instructional technology of language in kindergarten classroom. This does mean not only an instructional technology but also a powerful technology which transforms knowledge. I will use documentary analysis, observation and interview as methods for this study. By observing what/how children learn knowledge in an English Kindergarten classroom, I will analyze how English language plays a role of technology which privilege certain knowledge and transform other knowledge. Using Foucault (1975), it will be investigated how English technology is used to transform knowledge and reproduce power relations. English immersion could make children eventually self-discipline by being disciplined by Western oriented thoughts and values which are produced by knowledge benefited from this kind of education. Then, it is essential to consider who the cycle of disciplining benefits in the end. Transformed knowledge would be in direct connection with countries with power, so-called 'First World' using English as their mother-tongue. Would becoming a winner in English really lead us to become a winner in global economy? What kind of constraints lie in affordability to keep their children going to the English Kindergarten?
Conclusions: I will cover the following throughout this paper: How human capital theory has resulted in our modification of the kindergarten educational systems; how our desire of global success has been intertwined with our sensitivity in children's education and geared toward creation of English kindergartens; how English as a technology is used to discipline children and transform knowledge; and who has been included and excluded by this privileged education. Moreover, I will delve into the new technology as a teaching method by criticizing the reproduction of power and authority in the classroom of English Kindergarten.
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