This study aims to derive design principles for a literature curriculum tailored for overseas Korean language learners and to propose practical instructional approaches based on these principles for use in actual teaching environments. In current Kore...
This study aims to derive design principles for a literature curriculum tailored for overseas Korean language learners and to propose practical instructional approaches based on these principles for use in actual teaching environments. In current Korean language education, literature instruction has often focused primarily on content comprehension or the transmission of cultural information, failing to reflect the essential characteristics of literary texts. This tendency to treat literature similarly to informational non-literary texts has created a gap between theory and practice, making it difficult to establish a clear direction for literature education at the curriculum level. Such limitations can be attributed to the relative lack of research on organically integrating the goals, content, and teaching–learning methods of literature education. Despite the increasing number of Korean language majors overseas and the growing need for literature classes—even in contexts where direct experience with the target culture is limited—clear criteria for curriculum design have remained insufficient.
Previous research on literature in Korean language education has accumulated various achievements, including the educational value of literary texts, case studies, and instructional plans categorized by genre, level, and learner group. While these studies are significant in demonstrating how literary texts contribute to language proficiency and cultural understanding, they lack a comprehensive reference standard for overseas learners, often leaving literature instruction dependent on the individual capabilities of instructors. Accordingly, this study seeks to develop curriculum design principles that maintain the unique educational attributes of literature while remaining applicable to Korean language education. To this end, the literature curriculum was structured in terms of goals, content, and pedagogy, focusing on establishing a staged educational framework based on language proficiency.
This study has three key features. First, it establishes integrative educational goals for language, culture, and literature based on theoretical and empirical evidence. Second, it categorizes these principles into concrete content elements and presents a systematic framework for curriculum content. Third, it pursues a design that reflects the perceptions and needs of both learners and instructors. As theoretical foundations, this study analyzed the Standard Curriculum for the Korean Language—a reference standard for overseas applications—and the OECD Learning Compass 2030. Elements from the content framework of the Standard Curriculum were extracted and applied to the literature curriculum across text, theme, and context dimensions. Furthermore, the competency categories of ‘Knowledge’, ‘Skills’, and ‘Attitudes·Values’ from the OECD Learning Compass 2030 were reconfigured as content categories for the literature curriculum. Through this process, literature education in Korean language learning is conceptualized as fostering not only linguistic proficiency but also reflection based on personal experience, understanding of the target culture, and interaction in cognitive and affective domains, ultimately orienting learners toward participation as members of a community.
Based on theories of literature education and Korean language education, this study highlights the importance of literature education by emphasizing that the intrinsic characteristics of literature facilitate learners’ meaningful comprehension and expression, and that the implicit nature of literary texts holds high pedagogical potential from a pragmatic perspective. To ensure learner-centered education, a needs analysis was conducted among international students majoring in Korean studies overseas. Two rounds of surveys were conducted, with a total of 269 participants from six countries. Learners were grouped according to whether they had prior experience with literature classes, and data were collected on their perceptions, expectations, and perceived learning effects of literature instruction. To secure professional insight, surveys and in-depth interviews were also conducted with a group of literature-specialized instructors with over 10 years of experience in overseas Korean language education. This research centered on establishing a theoretical framework and organizational principles suitable for overseas educational sites by converging the opinions of learners and instructors, rather than on the empirical measurement of instructional outcomes.
Based on this analysis, the design principles for a literature curriculum for overseas Korean learners are presented as follows: First, the goals of the literature curriculum aim for the integrative achievement of language, culture, and literature. Second, the curriculum is composed of four categories: Knowledge, Receptive Skills, Attitudes/Values, and Productive Skills. The 'Knowledge' category encompasses language, culture, and literary knowledge; 'Skills' are divided into receptive and productive functions based on proficiency; and 'Attitudes/Values' are specified as self-reflection and the formation of shared values. Third, based on this content framework, a level-linked instructional plan (beginner, intermediate, advanced) was designed for lyric genres (poetry, essays) and narrative genres (novels, screenplays), using the Standard Curriculum for the Korean Language as a benchmark.
The significance of this study lies in highlighting the importance of literature curriculum design by reviewing research trends and systematizing the elements required for literature education using the Standard Curriculum for the Korean Language and the OECD Learning Compass 2030 as theoretical foundations. Furthermore, by proposing practical instructional approaches for overseas contexts, this study provides opportunities for learners to think in Korean, deepen their emotions, and internalize self-reflection and shared values through literature. Ultimately, this research contributes to establishing the direction and integration of literature instruction within the field of Korean language education.