As more emphasis is laid on English and the position of English more heightens entering the age of internationalization and globalization, accordingly there is increased interest in English education, and as recently policies of implementing English i...
As more emphasis is laid on English and the position of English more heightens entering the age of internationalization and globalization, accordingly there is increased interest in English education, and as recently policies of implementing English immersion education programs have been announced, it has become the actual state that interest in public English education is increasing more than any other time. Keeping pace with this increasing interest, teacher quality required for implementing English immersion education programs has become a rising subject of discussion, and voices for teacher cultivation and re-education are being heard everywhere.
In order for public English-language education to be reinforced, first of all teacher professionalism should be enhanced, and in order to examine the professionalism, it is necessary to take a look at curricula in institutions for cultivating English teachers, and of those curricula, it is needed to consider curricula in graduate schools of education and also strategies employed in each graduate school of education for reinforcing public English education.
Accordingly, this study examined the curriculum in each educational institution for teacher education, and conducted investigation and analysis through literature review and questionnaire surveys on the subjects and contents of articles, and ultimately laid its purpose on finding out strategies for qualitative improvement in curricular in graduate schools of education in the future. The following conclusions were reached through this study.
First, as a result of examining differences in perceptions of graduate schools of education, there are differences in which functions should be carried out by graduate schools of education, according to occupations, teaching systems in schools, the presence and absence of a teacher license, with statistically significant differences (p<.001).
Specifically in the case of actual teachers, the response of continuing education and re-education for enhancing teacher quality was 65.3% showing the relatively higher rate than in other occupations, and instructors indicated the specialization of educational functions for various education consumers as a needed function as 55.6%.
There are different opinions on functions which should be carried out by graduate schools of education according to the study subjects. In addition, persons with a teacher license indicated continuing education and re-education as a function for enhancing the quality of current teachers as 62.8%, and persons without a teacher license indicated educating teachers as educational institutions as a function for cultivating teachers as 42.1%.
Second, as a result of taking a look at satisfaction with the curriculum for English education, as subjects considered as possibly (certainly) being a help in actual educational settings, in the case of schools implementing teacher cultivation programs and persons with a teacher license, the area of English skills was mostly considered as helpful, while in the case of persons without a teacher license and schools implementing continuing education programs, the area of English education was mostly considered as helpful.
On the other hand, as subjects possibly (certainly) not being a help, the area of English-American literature was mostly indicated, showing the result similar to the finding by Jeong Gyeong-ah (1995).
Accordingly, we could understand that it is necessary to deal with English-American literature in a practical way and then link it to actual educational settings.
In addition, it is one of desirable methods to deal with subjects of English subject education and English skills and also those should be linked to curricular for middle and high schools.
Third, as a result of examining teaching methods for English education in graduate schools of education, the most generally employed teaching methods was lecturing (59.4%), while not showing big differences according to respondents' general characteristics. As the generally used teaching means, blackboards were indicated mostly (52.6%). The response of the blackboard showed more in the case of providing teacher cultivation programs rather than in the case of providing teacher continuing education programs, and in the case of the latter rather than the former, the use of other means was indicated more. In schools cultivating teachers, effective lecturing was practiced in order to help acquire a teacher license, while in schools giving re-education for such as teachers, other teaching methods rather than lecturing were more practiced.
However, various methods fit to the research areas of professors and characteristics of subjects should be applied to class activities and various teaching methods should be sought, so that student-lead class activities could be designed and carried flexibly.
Fourth, as a result of examining the development of English education, as what is needed to be improved most within the English curriculum, it is indicated by majority of respondents irrespective of groups that the development of the improved systematic English curriculum by study areas is required most. As what is needed for the development of English education, the development of English education programs was indicated, and what should be given priority for the development of English education is also to develop English education programs. Beside existing subjects, one should develop other application subjects required in actual educational settings, open related courses, and thereby reinforce teacher professionalism for vitalizing public English education.
The quality of education depends on the quality of teachers, and good education presupposes the existence of quality teachers. Especially, in the education of foreign language such as English, the quality of teachers would be important more than anything. In light of this, Educating teacher can be said to be an important task in the development of education. In order for these teachers to improve professionalism, educational efforts should be given to the system of teacher education and the process of teacher cultivation in graduate schools of education, and also in order for English teacher education in these schools to be fit to English education according to policies of reinforcing public education, continuous efforts and countermeasures should be made.