Consider other ways of teaching (English as a foreign language)

Published in the Korea Times, July 31, 2013

The negative reactions to English class in Korea documented in "What English means for children," (July 22) are not limited to Korea, They are found everywhere in world where traditional methods are used, methods that are painful and not supported by any research. Educators in Korea might consider trying methods that are not only supported by decades of scientific studies, but are also much more pleasant for both students and teachers. 

Students in beginning level classes that utilize TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) and other comprehension-based methods, and intermediate students in classes that include interesting subject matter and provide an opportunity for students to do self-selected reading in English, develop much better second language proficiency, and, most important, develop a positive attitude toward English language acquisition.

Many of the scholars investigating these more successful approaches are in Asia, including Prof. Kyung-Sook Cho of Busan National University of Education, who has published numerous studies documenting the positive effect of pleasure reading on English language development.

Stephen Krashen

original article: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2013/07/116_139689.html
this letter published at: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2013/08/161_140262.html