“아이폰과 구글 크롬을 쓸 수 없는 나라” 라는 제목의 기사가 나왔다.

국제화의 가장 큰 장애을 가져다주는 국수주의에 대한 피해를 IT라는 키워드를 가지고 설명한 기사이다.
나는 플랫폼을 만들어내는 것이 가장 큰 이익을 가져다 줄 수 있다고 생각한다. 하지만 모든 것에 자기만의 플랫폼을 가지고 있다면 국제화를 통한 기술의 증대와 이익의 창출에는 부정적인 영향을 미칠 수 밖에 없을 것이다. 뿐만 아니라 세계로 나가지 못하고 우리 나라 안에서만 큰 목소리를 내고 있는 한국의 현실에 대한 반성이 있어야 한다. 플랫폼을 만들어내는 것은 중요하다. 하지만 세계를 대상으로 힘을 낼 수 있는 플랫폼을 만들어내는 것이 더 중요하며, 이는 기술력만이 아닌 세계를 이해하는 센스가 필요한 것이다.

“강한 적이 강한 군대를 만든다”라는 말이 가슴 깊이 남는다.

류근철 박사의 기부에 관한 이야기가 동아일보에 실렸다.

감동적이지만 자식에 관해서는 다소 마음 아프기도 한 이야기였다.

In my online class at IU, I was asked to write my experience based on the reading about history of language teaching.

      My first foreign language was English in my first year middle school. I began to learn English from scratch. The method used by my English teacher was Grammar-Translation method. Although the textbook itself consisted of reading, listening, grammar, and conversation, her teaching strategy was mainly learning grammar and memorizing vocabulary. From time to time, she brought her cassette player and played some conversations so that we can experience how native speakers of English speak to each other. I had ambivalence about this method. At first, I liked her class because her methods satisfied my desire for knowledge. Just like Latin, learning new knowledge (about a language) and being able to read what I was unable to before developed my intellectual ability. However, it was not until I met another English teacher that I came to realize that her method was not very effective. I did not know how to speak English!

       My second English teacher was a fluent speaker of English. I think his method was close to the Reformers. He learned his English when he was working as augmentation troop to U.S. Army. I was fascinated by his native-like pronunciation. He taught me how to speak English. He taught songs, told stories, and showed video to help us learn English. However, he spoke Korean when explaining grammar and vocabularies. I loved his class because he incited my curiosity about American English and its culture as well. His instruction was effective in that he taught English using various kinds of means to help students learn English. He also enabled his students speak English.

       Later in my English journey, I experienced Total Immersion method. After I came to Texas, I was lucky enough to meet a volunteer ESL tutor. She and I met twice a week. During the two hour tutoring, we spoke in only English. After a few meetings, she figured out that I needed help with spoken English and writing skills. I also added that I wanted to learn American culture. At that time, it was very difficult for me to speak only English for two hours. As time went on, I began to learn how to express myself in American way. Often she invited me to her residence and taught how to cook American dishes. Every session, we had different topic for the day. After we agreed to adopt each other as grandmother and grandson, we lived together at her place. Not only did we live together, our life was somewhat educational. In everyday situation, she taught me various aspects of English. I think her English instruction was effective in two ways. First, it was total immersion. This is most effective way of learning a language, if the situation permits. Second, it was effective because she taught me that a language and a culture where the language is spoken is inseparable. In other words, she taught me that learning a language is deeply related to understanding the culture where the language is spoken.

       I remember tutoring a high school student in Korea. Being born in the U.S., he had U.S. citizenship and his parents wanted him to go to the U.S. and study. He had good knowledge of English grammar but his speaking and reading ability was not as good. I was asked to both teach him and encourage him to study abroad. He said he did not want to because he was afraid he might not do well in the U.S due to English. After I talked to him, I figured out that he liked music. Therefore I chose a Jazz CD that contained a booklet on Jazz history to use for my tutoring. Instead of teaching English only, I decided to teach him English and Jazz. I let him to read, translate, and analyze grammatically every sentence of the booklet, playing the music before or after the reading. When analyzing grammar, I always asked him “based on your knowledge of grammar, explain how you understand this sentence.” He later confessed that he knew English grammar as mere knowledge that he had to memorize but my instruction enlivened his grammar. I also taught him to accentuate words and intonate sentences. I personally evaluate my tutoring somewhat effective in that it helped him to understand English grammar better and make his English sound better. Guess what? After four months’ tutoring, he decided to go to the U.S. He is now a pre-med student at UCLA.

       All in all, after reading Richards & Rogers, I felt relived after I learned that there is no perfect methods for everyone. The best method may be that I do my best to understand the students’ linguistic needs, discover what should be done, and instruct them in the best way I can find.