EXAMS IN SOUTH KOREA

THE ONE SHOT SOCIETY

Published: The Economist, December 17, 2011; http://www.economist.com

Level of difficulty: ***

BEFORE YOU READ

·         What do you know about the various systems of entering university in countries around the world?

·         What is the system like in your own country?

·         What effects does this system have on students in the short term?

·         Are there any long term effects you can think of or not?

·         What do you expect the system in South Korea to be like? Better? Worse? Or about the same?

QUESTIONS

1.       How does the day the students take the university entrance exam in South Korea compare to the same day in your own country?

2.       How does what the above exam stand for compare to your own country? Use your own words.

3.       Now read paragraphs 3 and 4. What are the three advantages of Korea’s university entrance system?

4.       Read the story of Min-sung. What seems to be unnatural about the life he leads? And what is the irony of it all? Use your own words.

5.       Now read as far as Seoul Children. What surprising and tragic reaction to the system is observed among students?

6.       The irony is that there is a negative correlation between……………………………………………………

7.       It is stated in the text that “Korea’s rigid social model aggravates the nation’s extreme demographic problems”.  What will the ultimate consequence of this upset of balance be?

8.       What radical changes in hiring policy does the president want to implement?

9.       There are two changes that have recently taken place concerning children’s education and upbringing. They are: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

10.   There are two reasons why the tradition of lifetime employment is losing its importance. They are: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

11.   Why do Korean employees wish to go on working for the same companies although they feel they aren’t valued as individuals?

12.   What disadvantages does the Chaebol’s employment policy have for the companies?

13.   Read the stories of Richard Choi and Charles Pyo to the end. Why are these two people’s companies spurned?

14.   Read the conclusion of the text and state clearly what kind of a conclusion it is and why it works for the text?

WRITING TASK: PROBLEM / SOLUTION ESSAY

Write an essay in which you suggest solutions to the twin problems of higher education and employment in Korea using the information in the text and your own opinions. Use the plan below.

In your introduction: Describe the kind of country Korea is and introduce some of the problems that are beginning to emerge. Explain that preventing the situation from getting worse will mean radical changes in two areas: education and employment policies.

In the first developmental paragraph: Address education. Suggest solutions and support your views.

In the second developmental paragraph: Address employment policies. Suggest solutions and support your views.

In the conclusion: Write a summary or restatement.

EXAMS IN SOUTH KOREA: THE ONE SHOT SOCIETY / TEACHER’S NOTES AND KEY

This text is a beautiful analysis of a society of overachievers and the effects of this attitude on individuals and society. I have given it three stars assuming that you have been working on serious comprehension questions as of day one in simpler settings. If this is not the case, however, you may need to tread more carefully. Not all the questions are the same level of difficulty and I have some questions where students will need to use their own words as I believe the latter is the best way to teach the requisite reasoning skills. The text is one the students ought to be able to relate to.

KEY

1.       South Korea goes silent (the shortest and most direct answer)

2.       In South Korea, it is more a matter of life and death.

3.       It is efficient; the exam’s importance prompts students to pay attention in class and their parents to hound them about homework; Korea’s educational results are the envy of the world.

4.       He has no free time; he wants to be an agent for sports stars for which he doesn’t need a degree.

5.       A fifth of Korean middle and high school students said that they felt tempted to commit suicide and in 2009, a tragic 202 did so.

6.       The number of university graduates and the possibility of finding a job.

7.       Korea will age and shrink into global irrelevance.

8.       Make merit count more than academic background; urging Korean firms to recruit people with a wider range of experiences.

9.       Local authorities have been allowed to limit hagwon hours and fees; many young people are beginning to question whether the old rules about how to live one’s life will make them happy.

10.   Cash strapped companies are backing away… ;Many young people don’t want to be chained to the same desk for years.

11.   Because of the difficulty of switching employers.

12.   They fail to get the best out of Korean women; they miss clever people who are not much good at exams and late developers; they shunt older people into retirement when they still have much to offer.

13.   People care too much about other people’s expectations. Incidentally, they are not Samsung won’t do at all. What about all those other globetrotting companies? Samsung is just one example and students should see that.

14.   A summary