Why do we learn English?

By Park Dan-ha

3.7, 150,000, and 15 trillion ― what do these numbers have in common?

The answer: they represent Korea's zeal for English education. Korean students start learning English, on average, when they are 3.7 years old; about 150,000 students go abroad every year to improve their English; and English education expenses amount to 15 trillion won each year.

“English fever” in Korea mainly stems from the belief that pushing children to learn English, especially at an early age, will be a great asset for their future success as national, or maybe even global, leaders.

The problem is that such a deep-rooted belief often ends up as myth. While many Korean students achieve high scores on standardized tests such as TOEFL and TOEIC, many of them complain that they cannot speak a word in front of foreigners.

According to the 2013 English Proficiency Index Survey by the EF Education First, a Swiss-based language learning company, Koreans’ proficiency in English is at a “moderate level,” meaning that it is still relatively low compared with other developed nations.

Many Koreans blame the educational system for their English skills being far from satisfactory. They claim that English education in Korea focuses too much on passive aspects of English, including grammar, reading and listening. Although Koreans’ poor performance in English is attributable in part to the lopsided education system, it does not explain everything.

Instead, the widespread ignorance over the true meaning of learning foreign languages is an even more serious issue. In Korea, it appears that many students consider English as a mere tool for boosting their social status, entering prestigious universities or getting decent jobs, rather than something crucial for communication. Such a wrong-headed approach will have huge implications that could backfire on them.

First of all, a lot of Koreans are so obsessed with test scores that they rarely go further than rote memorization for getting right answers on exams. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Korea’s English education program that focuses on improving grammar, reading and listening comprehension can be a great “input” if learners are aware of the ultimate goal of learning English. They will be able to transform an “input” into “output” so their knowledge becomes useful in using practical English.

In addition, blind devotion to English leads to a misconception about the language. A case in point is that Koreans put an emphasis on speed and pronunciation rather than accent and intonation, which are very important for communication. In an experiment, Koreans and English native speakers were asked to listen to the same speech without knowing anything about the speaker.

When they had a chance to evaluate the speaker’s English proficiency, most Korean subjects answered that he did not seem to be fluent, while native speakers said the speech was elaborate and impressive. It turned out that the speech was presented by Ban Ki-moon, the Korean-born secretary-general of the United Nations.

Another common mistake among English learners in Korea is that they tend to belittle the importance of improving Korean language. To have a good command of English, speakers should first be good with their mother tongue as it provides the basis for analyzing and organizing thoughts. Also, a profound understanding of Korean language helps to grasp the different nature of English.

Koreans should rid themselves of their aimless obsession with English. Before joining the English competition race, one should seriously consider why he or she wants to learn English. If it is not for bolstering interactive communication, it is highly likely that time, money and effort spent on learning English will not pay off as much as expected.

It is true Koreans have an unparalleled passion in learning, something U.S. President Barack Obama recognized when he praised Koreans’ zeal for education. When it comes to English, however, such zeal should be directed in the right way.

The writer is a senior majoring in English Interpretation and Translation at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. Her email address is stylebyrain@hanmail.net.