UNIVERSITY PARK – A conversation with a mayor, a visit to Niagara Falls and a meeting with representatives from the Korean Ministry of Education; this is just an example of the schedule a group of international students will keep during their time at Penn State’s University Park campus.
Since 2004, Penn State’s Intensive English Communication Program has conducted a monthlong summer training program for middle and high school Korean teachers of English. This year, 42 teachers from many parts of South Korea are participating.
“The IECP was selected as a training site because of the practical expertise of its faculty and because of its experience working with other international groups,” said Ann Frentzen, director of IECP.
The IECP training is the capstone experience of six months of instruction sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Education and conducted by the Korea National University of Education. During the first five months in South Korea, teachers are given sabbatical from their regular work and take classes to improve their English language skills and to become grounded in language teaching theory and methodology.
Their education is continued at Penn State, where they focus on English language refinement and practical applications to the classroom. It involves two courses, “Pedagogical Applications in Teaching English as a Foreign Language” and “Culture as content in Language Learning.” Each course meets for two hours each day during the week.
“The coursework is challenging, but the teachers are well prepared for the last phase of their training,” added Frentzen. “They especially appreciate that the instructional approaches they experience as students here are ones they can then take back to Korea for use in their own classrooms.”
Local field trips, concerts and informal discussion groups round out their weekday schedule. For example, on Aug. 1 the students had the opportunity to meet with Bill Welch, mayor of State College, where they discussed how a local government functions. They also are scheduled to attend functions with Penn State faculty and staff and members of the community.
On the weekends, overnight field trips are planned, including trips to Niagara Falls and New York City. They also will participate in a weekend homestay with the congregation of the Lauvers Mennonite Church in McAllisterville.
“We have been told by many of past program participants that the homestay is one of the most memorable parts of the program,” said Frentzen. “Not only do the teachers experience wonderful American hospitality but they also have the opportunity to share their own Korean culture with the participating families.”
In addition to taking classes like typical Penn State students, Frentzen says the Korean teacher delegation also live like Penn State students. “They stay in on-campus graduate apartments and participate in an on-campus meal plan. They are also able to utilize Penn State libraries, athletic facilities and computer labs.”
The program concludes Aug. 17 with a picnic and certificate presentation ceremony at the University Park campus. Attending the event will be a dean of Education from the Korea National University of Education.