▲ Cambridge English / Director Eunheong Yoon

From primary to high school, Korean students learn English for more than 10 years. Many of them, however, find it difficult to actually speak to foreigners in English. It has long been pointed out that the English taught in Korean schools is far removed from the actual use of English. For example, in the case of the SAT (College Scholastic Ability Test), native speakers point out that the English used in the test is very different from the actual language used. This speaks to the importance of down to earth skills and suggests that English education in Korea needs to become more practical.

The curriculum tailored to everyday English will improve your speaking competencies

Founded in 2019, Cambridge English aims to help students reach a level of English proficiency that is equivalent to an English language certificate from a prestigious UK university. The school boasts experience and know-how in knowledge and practical skills in all areas of English starting from the primary school.

The school runs a program for Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment started as UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate), an assessment agency affiliated with the University of Cambridge, a prestigious British university along with Oxford. Subsequently, in 1913, Cambridge Assessment English was founded to provide English language certification tests for non-English speaking countries. The test is taken annually by 550,000 people in more than 130 countries and is recognized by more than 25,000 universities, businesses, and government agencies worldwide. 

Cambridge Assessment is a test that evaluates all areas of English. The curriculum run by Cambridge English, therefore, is based on this Cambridge Assessment. English taught in public education in South Korea tends to be test-driven with limited grammar and reading comprehension. This is not much different when it comes to private education that is dominated by reading American textbooks and novels.

“We use American textbooks for elementary school students in Korea” points out Cambridge English Director Eunheong Yoon, “But we cannot actually develop English skills by focusing only on written English.” 

Fluency in all areas is needed

The way the native thinks and speaks

Cambridge English helps students acquire a variety of English skills appropriate for their age in all areas of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The UPPER CLASS course is particularly noteworthy, as it teaches students about linguistic communication, customs, and even culture to build the skills the native thinks and speaks.

“If you don’t learn advanced English, you often fail in business because you don’t use the language correctly,” says Yoon. “Even if you go abroad to study, you need to use that kind of English to blend in and be recognized. Even in Korea, I think we’re past the stage where we use English just to communicate with foreigners.”

This means that students need to understand how native speakers think when using English and develop the ability to use grammar rules that are different from Korean. For example, in reading comprehension, instead of changing English word order to Korean word order, students should interpret it as is and internalize English word order. 

Yoon says, “Rather than allowing students to interpret smoothly, we encourage students to interpret English word order as it is and to adapt their way of thinking to fit the English word order.”

In the case of vocabulary, students are taught to memorize expressions that native speakers use in specific situations and use nouns and adjectives that fit the context. In the case of listening, students practice to accurately hear various pronunciations and intonations at the speed of native speakers and they learn expressions used in questions and answers according to topics. In the case of writing, students are trained in a variety of formats, from emails to essays. These curricula maximize students’ concentration and participation in class.

Verifying skills with level tests and mock exams

Classes taught by dedicated teachers

Cambridge English organizes classes based on diagnostic assessment scores and levels. The level test is administered by Yoon, to measure exact level of English and to select the most appropriate class for each student. The test identifies the needs of parents and students and analyzes their questioning tendencies and focus followed by the participation and homework monitoring. The school progresses through the textbook at 8-week intervals and then conducts mock tests for each section using the same questions as the Cambridge Assessment. In addition, teachers who studied abroad teach each child according to their areas of strength. Cambridge English is constantly researching and developing new teaching methods to maximize student’s motivation and achievement.