"It Wasn't That They Couldn't Study, They Just Didn't Know Korean"...70-Day Korean Language Classroom for Students with Migrant Backgrounds

Inside Pureun Kkumdongsan School in Ansan
Intensive Korean Lessons for Students with Migrant Backgrounds
"As Their Korean Improves, Interest Grows in Other Subjects Too...
Quick Language Acquisition Helps Close Academic Gaps"

"What is this?"

When the teacher held up a picture of a spoon, children of various nationalities answered in unison, "Sujeo." Looking at a picture of a hat, they had to choose between "moja" and "moja" for the correct word. This was a session where children from Russia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and other countries learned Korean through images and sounds, making the unfamiliar language more approachable.

On the 9th of last month, migrant-background students from Russia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and other countries are learning Korean at Pureun Kkum Dongsan School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.

Minyoung, age 10, whom we met on September 9 at Pureun Kkumdongsan School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, was among them. Having come from Malaysia in December last year, she has been in Korea for just over nine months. Thanks to intensive Korean language education at Pureun Kkumdongsan School this year, her ability to speak has improved significantly. Although she can now use polite speech, albeit awkwardly, it is still challenging for her to keep up with the regular classes. Still, she has found something she wants to do in the future. When asked about her dream, she said, "Police officer," explaining, "Because I want to catch bad people."

According to the Ministry of Education on October 1, Pureun Kkumdongsan School is running a "regional hub Korean preparatory course" as part of the "Educational Support Plan for Students with Migrant Backgrounds" announced by the Ministry in 2023 and 2025. This approach involves providing intensive Korean language instruction outside of regular school, for three months to one year, to students who lack Korean proficiency, before returning them to their main schools. However, since there is not yet a sufficient clear legal framework, the provincial education office is currently adapting the existing "alternative education commission institution" system to fit local circumstances. In Ansan, Pureun Kkumdongsan School is fulfilling that role. Classes completed here and attendance are fully recognized by the students’ original schools.

The class size is capped at 10 students per room. For 70 days, students focus intensively on Korean from 8:50 a.m. to 11:50 a.m., and then take math and science classes in the afternoon. Rather than simply following the regular curriculum, the aim is to teach them key concepts for school life in Korean, enabling practical understanding needed for class participation.

The classroom activities go beyond rote memorization of vocabulary. After lessons, phrases like "Let’s tidy up the desks," "Put your notebook in the locker," and "Where do I put the pencil?" are exchanged. In addition to learning Korean, the students also pick up the rules and routines of the classroom culture.

On the 9th of last month, migrant background students from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Malaysia were learning Korean at Pureun Kkum Dongsan School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.

Kim Sunsook, a teacher who has been working here for three years, said, "The most memorable thing is when a student who couldn't say a single word at first is able to slowly express what they want after just 60 to 70 days." To better communicate with her students, she began learning Russian herself this April. Kim encourages the children by saying, "I can't speak Russian either! I'm trying too. You should try as well."

The purpose of intensive Korean education is not just to improve speaking ability. Without language skills, students in the classroom may not understand the teacher’s explanations and don’t even get the chance to demonstrate their academic abilities. Nah Hyunjoo, director of student support at the Ministry of Education, explained, "While there might be some interruptions in subject learning during their time here, sitting through classes without understanding any Korean is even more detrimental. The goal is to quickly acquire language skills so that students can fill academic gaps once they return to their schools."

The impact is even visible at the students' original schools. At Seokho Elementary School in Ansan, where nearly 40% of students are from migrant backgrounds, those who underwent the intensive program showed clear improvement in classroom engagement. Nam Yurim, a teacher at Seokho Elementary, said, "Those who return from Pureun Kkumdongsan can understand and act on basic instructions needed for school life. During lessons, they start recognizing key words and gradually gain confidence by inferring classroom activities."

If a student’s basic Korean proficiency is lacking, it can place a burden on classmates. The teacher explained, "In pairs or group activities, other children end up having to explain everything, so at times they hesitate to work together. The student from a migrant background becomes more passive, and the others also find it hard to concentrate on their own work." For this reason, basic Korean language education is necessary not just for students from migrant backgrounds, but for their classmates as well. Conversely, those who grow confident in Korean are often the first to approach others, asking, "Can I join you?"

Academic changes are also evident. Last year, a fifth-grade girl who came from Russia scored just 17.5 out of 100 in reading, writing, speaking, and listening when first assessed. After completing the program, she scored a perfect 100 in all four areas. As her Korean improved, she developed an interest in math, and after returning to her original school, even stated her dream of becoming a judge. Vice Principal Kim Hyunjoo of Pureun Kkumdongsan School said, "It wasn't that she was incapable or uninterested in learning—once she learned the language, she could ask questions and start pursuing topics that interested her."

According to Vice Principal Kim, Korean language education goes beyond pure language acquisition and is also training for adaptation to life in Korea. "Since language reflects a country's culture and history, we teach not only polite forms of speech, communication skills, and classroom rules, but also include activities like Taekwondo and history field trips. The ultimate goal is to help students grow into democratic citizens through Korean language education," she said.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.