EPIK

Last updated
English Program in Korea
Founded1995
Type Teaching English as a foreign language
Location
Website http://www.epik.go.kr

English Program in Korea (EPIK) is a program to improve the English speaking abilities of students and teachers in South Korea, to foster cultural exchanges, and to reform English teaching methodologies in South Korea. It is affiliated with the Korean Ministry of Education and is operated by the National Institute for International Education. Established in 1995, EPIK encourages cross cultural exchange while promoting the development of English language competence for Korean students. [1]

Contents

The EPIK Program recruits native English speakers from various countries to work as English teachers in Korean elementary, middle, and high schools. EPIK teachers help students improve their English language skills and provide cultural exchange by immersing them in an English-speaking environment. The program offers year-long contracts, typically starting in February or August, and provides benefits such as housing, competitive salaries, and orientation/training upon arrival. [2]

History

Formally created in 1995 under the name KORETTA, EPIK places native-speaker English teachers in Korean classrooms. Currently, participants live and teach in 16 different Provinces and Metropolitan cities.

Organization

EPIK is overseen by the National Institute for International Education, a division of the South Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. EPIK provides recruitment and Guest English Teacher support from a central office in Seoul. In conjunction with NIIED, Provincial Offices of Education offer assistance with various daily and work related affairs to Guest English Teachers. Participants can seek guidance from representatives at their Provincial Office of Education and from EPIK.

See also

Related Research Articles

Language education – the process and practice of teaching a second or foreign language – is primarily a branch of applied linguistics, but can be an interdisciplinary field. There are four main learning categories for language education: communicative competencies, proficiencies, cross-cultural experiences, and multiple literacies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JET Programme</span>

The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, or JET Programme, is a teaching program sponsored by the Japanese government that brings university graduates to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), Sports Education Advisors (SEAs) or as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) in local governments and boards of education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English as a second or foreign language</span> Use of English by speakers with different native languages

English as a second or foreign language is the use of English by speakers with different native languages, often with students whose native language is not English and are learning to speak and write English, commonly among students Language education for people learning English may be known as English as a foreign language (EFL), English as a second language (ESL), English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), English as an additional language (EAL), or English as a New Language (ENL), which refers to the practice of studying English in a country where it is not the dominant language. These programs, especially ESL, are usually an academic subject, course, or program designed to teach English to students who are not yet proficient in the language. While some people only refer to learning in an English-speaking country, learning this language can also entail learning in a non-English speaking or non-native nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xi'an International Studies University</span> Provincial public university in Xian, Shaanxi, China

Xi'an International Studies University is a provincial public linguistics university located in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. The university is affiliated with and funded by the Province of Shaanxi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fujian Normal University</span> University in China

Fujian Normal University is a public university in Fuzhou, China. FNU has been hailed as the Fujian province's "Cradle of teachers."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimei University</span> University in Xiamen, China

Jimei University (JMU), colloquially known as "Jídà", is a public university in Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic of China.It offers doctorate degree programs. It is authorized to enroll postgraduate candidates exempt from admission exam and enrolls students from all over the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hankuk University of Foreign Studies</span> Private university in South Korea

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies is a private research university based in Seoul, in South Korea. HUFS consistently ranks as one of the best universities in South Korea. The university currently teaches 45 foreign languages. In addition, it contains studies in humanities, law, social sciences, business, medical science, natural sciences, and engineering.

English villages are language education institutions which aim to create a language immersion environment for students of English in their own country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seoul Women's University</span> University in South Korea

Seoul Women's University (SWU) is a private university in Nowon District, Seoul, South Korea. The university comprises five colleges and is a doctorate degree-granting institution.

A language school is a school where one studies a foreign language. Classes at a language school are usually geared towards, for example, communicative competence in a foreign language. Language learning in such schools typically supplements formal education or existing knowledge of a foreign language.

International education refers to a dynamic concept that involves a journey or movement of people, minds, or ideas across political and cultural frontiers. It is facilitated by the globalization phenomenon, which increasingly erases the constraints of geography on economic, social, and cultural arrangements. The concept involves a broad range of learning, for example, formal education and informal learning. It could also involve a reorientation of academic outlook such as the pursuit of "worldmindedness" as a goal so that a school or its academic focus is considered international. For example, the National Association of State Universities prescribes the adoption of "proper education" that reflects the full range of international, social, political, cultural, and economic dialogue. International educators are responsible for "designing, managing, and facilitating programs and activities that help participants to appropriately, effectively, and ethically engage in interactions with culturally diverse people and ideas."

An international school is an institution that promotes education in an international environment or framework. Although there is no uniform definition or criteria, international schools are usually characterized by a multinational student body and staff, multilingual instruction, curricula oriented towards global perspectives and subjects, and the promotion of concepts such as world citizenship, pluralism, and intercultural understanding. Many international schools adopt a curriculum from programs and organizations such as International Baccalaureate, Edexcel, Cambridge Assessment International Education, International Primary Curriculum, or Advanced Placement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akita International University</span>

Akita International University, or AIU, is a public university located in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Established in 2004 and modeled on American liberal arts colleges, AIU is one of the few universities in Japan offering all of its courses in English. It has currently 201 international partner institutions in 51 different countries and regions.

Mute English is a term coined in the People's Republic of China to describe a phenomenon where people cannot speak English well and have a poor listening comprehension as a second language, typically through the traditional method of English language teaching where English is only taught as a subject. The phrase is a calque of the Chinese phrase "哑巴英语". The phenomenon is sometimes referred to as Dumb English.

Tandem language learning is an approach to language acquisition that involves reciprocal language exchange between tandem partners. In this method, each learner ideally serves as a native speaker of the language the other person intends to learn. Tandem language learning deviates from traditional pedagogical practices by eliminating the teacher-student model. Numerous language schools worldwide, including those affiliated with TANDEM International, as well as several universities, incorporate this approach into their language programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English Opens Doors</span>

The English Opens Doors Program is an initiative of the Chilean Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) to apply technical expertise and improve English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching, making it more accessible to Chilean people. The English Opens Doors program was launched in 2003 and has been constantly supported since the first government of President Michelle Bachelet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heilongjiang University</span> National University in Harbin, China

The Heilongjiang University is a provincial public university in the Harbin, Heilongjiang, China. The university is affiliated with the Province of Heilongjiang. It is co-sponsored by the Province of Heilongjiang, the Ministry of Education, and SASTIND.

The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations is the largest and most traditional professional organization and teachers' union in South Korea, with more than 120,000 members. It means 30% of the Korean educators are KFTA's members. The KFTA member is composed of school teachers, college professors, and perspective teachers.
The organization was first launched in 1947 as the Chosun Education Association one year before the establishment of the Korean government. Ever since then, the organization's main objectives are to accomplish quality public education and teacher's professionalism.

Virtual exchange is an instructional approach or practice for language learning. It broadly refers to the "notion of 'connecting' language learners in pedagogically structured interaction and collaboration" through computer-mediated communication for the purpose of improving their language skills, intercultural communicative competence, and digital literacies. Although it proliferated with the advance of the internet and web 2.0 technologies in the 1990s, its roots can be traced to learning networks pioneered by Célestin Freinet in 1920s and, according to Dooly, even earlier in Jardine's work with collaborative writing at the University of Glasgow at the end of the 17th to the early 18th century.

Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), Teaching English as a second language (TESL) or Teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) are terms that refer to teaching English to students whose first language is not English.

References

  1. "EPIK Rationale". Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  2. Smith, Jessie. "What is the EPIK Program for Teaching English in South Korea?". International TEFL Academy. Retrieved 18 December 2023.

Further reading