일본에서의 한국어교육의 현황과 과제

Abstract

Since the year 2000, the Korean language has risen rapidly in Japan as a foreign language. Accordingly, there are now many more learners of varying levels and with varying needs and objectives, which has naturally led to the emergence of issues concerning Korean language education. In this paper, I will discuss head on the problems in Korean language education, and I set out on this discussion with the understanding that the time has come to remedy these problems. Specifically, focusing on the examples in Tohoku University, I highlight the present issues and introduce examples that show how these problems are being addressed. The central themes discussed are “the characteristics of the Korean language as a second language,” “the problematic nature of the term chōsen-go,” “the present situation of Korean language education at Tohoku University,” and “the shift from intercultural understanding to intercultural experience.” With regards to “the characteristics of the Korean language as a second language,” I discuss the fact that while the officially stated aim of foreign language education is to nurture globally-oriented human resources, with only two lessons a week, the aim is unattainable. In “the problematic nature of the term chōsen-go,” I argue that the term is increasingly losing its status as an academic term, and that its discriminatory nuance presents another limitation. In “the present situation of Korean language education at Tohoku University,” I discuss the limitations of having twice-weekly beginner level classes and one-weekly intermediate level classes, and I highlight the problem of poor motivation among learners and the issues concerning the learning environment for Korean language. I also discuss strategies to resolve these issues. In “the shift from intercultural understanding to intercultural experience,” I introduce specific examples to show how Tohoku University’s SIJAK (a Japan-Korea exchange circle), Korean Native Support (a study group), and SAP (a Korean experience program) are working together to inspire motivation among learners and raise interest in Korean culture.