Learning Korean traditional culture and explaining it to foreigners

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this portfolio is to enhance students’ communicative competence with meaningful and authentic materials by letting students learn Korean traditional culture and explain it to foreigners. Rationale: Nowadays in Korea, we can see various museums and festivals related to Korean traditional culture especially, the characteristics of each region and its historical sites. When we go there, we often see middle school students volunteering, because Korean middle school students are required to volunteer. During the volunteer work, students meet many foreigners as well as Koreans who visit to experience the history and culture at the museums or Festivals. At this time, if volunteering students are trained to introduce cultural assets displayed at the museums or festivals in English, it will be helpful to foreigners unfamiliar with Korean culture. It will be also meaningful to students who are volunteering because they can learn English not as a subject for exam but as a language used in real life and practice it right away.