OMNES : The Journal of multicultural society

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OMNES: The Journal of Multicultural Society - Vol. 9 , No. 2

[ Article ]
OMNES: The Journal of Multicultural Society - Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 78-99
ISSN: 2093-5498 (Print)
Print publication date 31 Jul 2019
Received 14 Nov 2018 Revised 09 May 2019 Accepted 11 Jun 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14431/omnes.2019.07.9.2.78

A Critical Multicultural Approach to Korean English Education for Socially Just Diversity
Myunghee Kim
Soonchunhyang University, South Korea


Abstract

This paper is an attempt to theorize a conceptual framework for Korean English education in response to the contextual need that South Koreans are facing in the age of neoliberal globalization. As an impact of globalization, the influx of foreign people and cultures has made South Korea a growing multicultural society. However, Korea’s response to globalization does not reflect the multicultural aspect of its local context, considering the nationality and ethnicity of foreign residents in South Korea. By critically examining multicultural practices in Korean society portrayed in the media and in English pedagogy, which emphasizes linguistic competence and Western superiority in the name of achieving global leadership, this paper provides a critical multicultural insight that can help reshape educational goals for Korean English education. This paper highlights the importance of raising a socially just global consciousness for Koreans by incorporating critical multiculturalism into English education. Practical pedagogical implications for English teachers will also be drawn.


Keywords: critical multiculturalism, diversity, social justice, English education, South Korea

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Biographical Note

Myunghee Kim received her Ph.D. in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education from McGill University. She is currently a research professor at the Center for Teaching and Learning, Soonchunhyang University. Her research interests include media and technology use in education, critical language teaching, and cultural studies in English education. E-mail: mhkim914@gmail.com