Column
Teaching Korean Culture in Thai universities
Teaching Korean to Thai learners is vital as a foreign language. So it is not only about teaching language skills or conversations but also about teaching learners to understand the culture, traditions, and practices of the Korean people, which will lead learners to a greater understanding of the language. Therefore, this article aims to study the current state of teaching Korean culture courses in Thai universities. The problems and obstacles in teaching will be reviewed, and solutions to issues to develop and enhance the teaching and learning of Korean culture subjects to be more effective.
At present, there are over 40 universities that teach the Korean language in Thailand. 133 secondary schools in Thailand under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) offer Korean as a foreign language. Over 40,000 high school students study Korean in Thailand, representing a quarter of the international students studying Korean worldwide. However, in learning a foreign language, students need to learn and understand the culture of the native speaker at the same time, not just knowing the language for communication. Because language is the foundation of culture, and culture is the meaning of language. Therefore, Korean culture subjects are included in the Korean language program in all higher education courses.
As a teacher of Korean culture to Thai students for a long time, the author has realized the importance of teaching Korean culture, so this article intended to study Korean culture teaching and learning conditions, problems, and obstacles in teaching and learning. The data from this study were from curriculums survey and interviews with teachers of Korean culture courses from 14 Thai universities across the country that offer Korean language, Korean studies as a major. The data were studied, analyzed, and proposed solutions to enhance the teaching and learning of Korean culture in Thai universities to be more effective.
However, in fact, only one cultural subject will be taught, the study found that the most taught subject in Thailand is the "Korean Social and Culture Course," followed by "Korean Culture Course." Some subjects, such as East Asian Language and Culture, are taught by Thai extracurriculars because there are no expert teachers who can teach in the Korean language program. Moreover, the "Cross-Cultural Experience course" is a subject included in the program, so learners who have returned from Korea for a short-term exchange can compare and transfer credits. At present, there is no actual teaching.
According to the study, various topics of cultural subjects taught to Thai undergraduate students can be grouped into five categories as follows:
1) Culture in everyday life, the course content including dress, food, recreation, Etc.
2) Spiritual culture such as values, religions and beliefs, popular familyism, language culture, proverbs, polite words, Etc.
3) Language culture including Korean characters, polite words, idioms, proverbs, literature, Etc.
4) Popular culture such as music, dance, art, movies, Etc.
5) Systemic culture such as social, political, governance and administrative systems, economic systems, Etc.
The topics taught the most were culture in everyday life, while popular culture and systemic culture ranked second, and spiritual culture ranked third.
In terms of teaching staff, the study found that Thai teachers were the most instructors in this subject in teaching cultural subjects. However, some courses have both Thai and Korean teachers. Many universities (Burapha University, Chiang Mai University, Prince of Songkla University, and Chulalongkorn University) have partnerships with Korean universities. So, they offer collaborative cultural teaching through online platforms, with the principal teachers being Korean professors affiliated with Korean universities. In addition, Thai teachers of other related courses are also present as teachers in Korean language courses are not proficient, such as in East Asian courses.
The study found that Korean culture was designated as one of the most compulsory majors, followed by free and selective majors. Most of the learners are first-year students, so teaching must consider understanding the contents of the learners who do not have many language skills. Teaching is mainly done in Thai language with teaching documents in Korean. The second most learners are those who are third-year and fourth-year students. Therefore, the Korean language is used in teaching, but vocabulary must not be too difficult. In terms of documents and teaching materials, the study found that documents, books, or textbooks used in the teaching of cultural subjects are classified into two types: documents, books, or textbooks that teachers have developed and compiled by themselves, both in Korean and in Thai language or teachers take content or information from websites, Etc. Another type is documents, books, or textbooks produced and published in Korea. Such as Sejong Korean Culture 1-2(세종한국문화1-2), Business Korean(비지니스한국어), Understanding Korean Society for Social Integration Program(사회통합 프로그램을 위한 한국 사회 이해(KIIP)), Reading Korean culture for foreigners(외국인을 위한 한국 문화 읽기), Korean Language in Culture (문화 속 한국어), Etc.
Most instructors used teaching materials such as PowerPoint and video clips equally. Various types of social media are also used to make the class more exciting and stimulate learners' learning.
Another factor that affects the learning of Thai learners is the direct experience related to Korea. For example, learners who have had experience(s) of traveling on a short trip or taking a language course in Korea will be different from those who have never had any direct experience related to Korea. Learners with Korean experience have a better understanding and immersion in Korean culture than those without experience. Sometimes students lack knowledge of the cultural differences between the two nations. Students may compare or judge things from their point of view and expertise using Thainess as the norm, which can lead to misunderstandings.
As mentioned in the student problems, the author would like to suggest solutions to the issues.
1. Learners must realize the importance of learning culture. Learners should have or clearly define the goals of studying Korean culture to use that goal as a driving force for learning and can check the achievement after the end of the semester.
2. In the classroom, there may be students who are proficient in Korean. Besides, teachers have to take care and pay attention. Learners with fewer language skills need to study harder and focus on improving their language skills by asking for language-learning strategies from better classmates and implementing that strategy or adapting to suit themselves.
3. Instructors encourage students to learn by themselves. At the same time, the university builds cooperation with educational institutions in Korea for exchange. Send students to study for a short time allotment of scholarships support for travel expenses. Organize the course system to facilitate credit transfer to create more learning opportunities for learners.
Korean teachers should look at culture from a foreigner's point of view. Sometimes teachers themselves may think that it is not essential or not necessary to teach that kind of content, but from a foreigner's point of view, these things are required for foreigners to learn.
In Thai universities, there are still problems with Korean language teachers who do not meet the qualifications. Almost all of the teachers who teach Korean have graduated in linguistics. They are not very skilled in teaching methods. They were even more reluctant to teach, especially if it was a Korean culture course. Because 1) it was not the field they directly graduated from, and 2) there is no deep knowledge of Korean culture and had no prior experience in teaching culture. Therefore, teachers who are not qualified might affect the efficiency of knowledge transfer in Korean culture. In addition, most Thai teachers do not have a degree in teaching directly; skills or knowledge transfer techniques may not be very proficient, which is sometimes caused problems in teaching.
As mentioned in the instructor's problems, the author would like to suggest some solutions to the issues as follows.
1. The Korean program should assign qualified or proficient instructors to teach culture to transfer knowledge to learners effectively.
2. As mentioned in the beginning, teaching Korean culture courses by Thai teachers will understand the learning process of Thai learners. Selecting the appropriate lesson content in the context of foreign learners will have a positive effect on the learners. Moreover, the selected contents are suitable for the student's year level.
3. Encourage Thai instructors to increase their knowledge of Korean culture, whether studying, researching, producing textbooks, or producing related academic works.
4. Encourage Thai and Korean instructors to train more technical skills in teaching and knowledge transfer techniques.
5. Instructors must understand the cultural differences of both societies, Thai and Korea. Instructors should not be inclined to present facts and be able to accept cultural differences and teach learners to know, learn and understand the cultural differences of each nation correctly and understandably.
There are many restrictions on the number of books or textbooks related to Korean culture. For example, almost no textbooks or books on Korean culture written in Thai language sell in bookstores. Korean Education Center in Thailand produces Korean culture e-books.
The study found that some universities use Sejong Korean Culture books 1-2 in teaching. The book has simple, uncomplicated content. So, it is suitable only for beginners of the Korean language, such as 1st-year students. But it is not suitable for 3rd or 4th-year students who have more Korean language skills and can read more challenging and complex Korean texts.
Korean culture books published and written in Korean are hard to find and cost expensive. If necessary, it must be ordered or shipped from Korea. When using books from Korea, instructors usually make a photocopy. The black and white images from the photocopies do not stimulate or arouse the learners' interest.
Books or textbooks on Korean culture written in English are expensive too. It is also hard for Thai learners with few English language skills. For these reasons, Thai teachers solve problems by compiling their cultural teaching materials. However, it can fix the problem to some extent. But the criteria for producing teaching documents (textbooks) or selecting books may have weaknesses, namely the experience and abilities of different teachers. In addition, some universities do not check the quality or correctness of teaching documents before using them. This process may affect the student's academic performance.
Another problem or concern is that the learners can gain Korean cultural knowledge by viewing various media or articles online. Online material does not mean those produced are always of high quality and accurate to meet the needs of the learners. Therefore, it is imperative and necessary to accelerate the development of the production of books or textbooks and teaching materials that are standardized, accurate, and created by people with expertise in Korean culture to be used. Suitable teaching materials can genuinely meet the needs of Thai learners.
The best way to learn about foreign cultures is that learners should learn from direct experience, and suitable teaching materials will help students achieve their learning objectives faster. However, teaching Korean culture in Thailand still uses a lecture method using teaching materials such as videos, pictures, or power points. Materials that can show Korean culture are still scarce or very limited, for example, in teaching cultural topics. "Korean traditional dress" or Hanbok. Some universities that provide Hanbok allow learners to experience Hanbok by wearing it. It is fun for learners, making them understand how to wear and know every part of Hanbok.
As mentioned about the problems with documents and teaching materials, the author would like to suggest solutions to the issues as follows.
1. Encourage instructors to produce textbooks or produce more academic works on Korean culture. Educational institutes should provide funding or support academic staff for doing scholarly work in other ways. Such as reducing the burden of teaching workload to allow teachers to do more academic work, allowing them to take long-term leave to increase their knowledge and produce teaching materials, Etc.
2. Cooperation between Thai and Korean professors' the collaboration among domestic organizations, and the partnership with foreign organizations (Korea) to jointly produce various kinds of documents or teaching media that are standard, accurate, and appropriate to the context of Thai learners as well as suitable for the learning level of the learners.
Most Korean culture classes are conducted in Thai, but documents are in Korean. Most of the culture classes emphasized lectures by translating the meaning from Korean into Thai. Teaching and learning without student interaction or involvement do not benefit learning much. It bored students, causes them to lose interest in Korean culture and does not contribute to the development of language skills. The suggested solutions are as follows:
1. Instructors ought to create an atmosphere in the classroom for mutual learning. Also, in the lesson design, teachers should design the content of Korean culture subjects from easy to difficult. Choose a vocabulary suitable for the student's level, not too hard and not too easy, or alternative words used for better understanding.
2. Various teaching materials will stimulate learners' interest more than just books or textbooks. Teaching materials can be pictures or simple things to find or make yourself to stimulate students' thinking and imagination. Alternatively, other multimedia materials may stimulate learners' interest, such as using related news or movies to teach. Good teaching and proper methods will help students learn better and succeed faster.
3. Organize learning activities to help students understand the lesson more, Such as role-play activities, Korean cooking class activities, and field trips (if possible) to learn a language, society, and culture in real-life situations.
By learning only language skills, we cannot truly understand the people of their nation because culture is something that reflects the living conditions, customs, traditions, and beliefs of those people. Therefore, including Korean culture courses in the curriculum is essential for teaching the Korean language in higher education. Additional cultural practices should be added and considered appropriate for all four years of study.
Universities should realize that we are not producing not only Korean proficients but also talented graduates who work well with Koreans. Many Koreans live in Thailand, and there are many Korean companies or investments. Educational institutions must be aware of this and provide courses to prepare students for social work or coexistence with Koreans.
For this reason, the Korean language program in each university requires cultural courses that teach about "Korean organization culture" or "Korean work culture" for learners. Learning and understanding the differences in multicultural societies, and this knowledge will be fundamental in preparation and adaptation if working in a Korean organization. University or Korean Program may collaborate with various Korean enterprises or organizations in Thailand, allowing learners to go for internships, practice Korean language skills, and learn about the workplace's authentic work culture.
The study found many problems in teaching Korean culture subjects, such as student problems, teacher problems, documents and teaching materials problems, teaching methods problems, and curricula situations. The issues mentioned above are varied and have many levels. However, problems at the class level are prioritized and solved, such as problems arising from the teachers and learners or teaching methods. Because Korean culture is a specific matter that deals with lifestyles, thoughts, beliefs, religion, values, society, customs, traditions, wisdom, and coexistence in society, therefore, teachers play a significant role in considering, analyzing, and designing subjects and teaching methods. The teaching style of Korean culture in Thailand that is consistent and appropriate to the context of Thai learners will help learners to develop Korean language skills and to help promote cultural understanding for sustainable learning and coexisting in peace.
Introduction
Korean is one of the most popular foreign languages among Thai learners. Korean language education in Thailand first took place at a university in 1986, offering Korean language courses to undergraduate students as a free elective course. Due to economic reasons, Korean companies began to do business in Thailand. Therefore, there is a need for personnel who can communicate in Korean to work in the company. In the beginning, teaching the Korean language had the main objective of producing graduates to pursue careers in companies, factories, or working mainly in tourism. Until the beginning of the Korean Wave in the 1990s, the demand for learning Korean increased. The popularity of the Korean language has resulted in the expansion of Korean language education in Thailand at both tertiary and secondary educational levels.At present, there are over 40 universities that teach the Korean language in Thailand. 133 secondary schools in Thailand under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) offer Korean as a foreign language. Over 40,000 high school students study Korean in Thailand, representing a quarter of the international students studying Korean worldwide. However, in learning a foreign language, students need to learn and understand the culture of the native speaker at the same time, not just knowing the language for communication. Because language is the foundation of culture, and culture is the meaning of language. Therefore, Korean culture subjects are included in the Korean language program in all higher education courses.
As a teacher of Korean culture to Thai students for a long time, the author has realized the importance of teaching Korean culture, so this article intended to study Korean culture teaching and learning conditions, problems, and obstacles in teaching and learning. The data from this study were from curriculums survey and interviews with teachers of Korean culture courses from 14 Thai universities across the country that offer Korean language, Korean studies as a major. The data were studied, analyzed, and proposed solutions to enhance the teaching and learning of Korean culture in Thai universities to be more effective.
Teaching Korean Culture in Thai Universities
The university aims to produce Korean language graduates with excellence in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills to be able to communicate in Korean and use them in various professional practices throughout the Korean language. Furthermore, to prepare for further higher education; therefore, the courses at all Thai universities that offer Korean language courses mainly focus on communication skills. As a result, most of the courses included in the curriculum are linguistic, focusing primarily on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. All university courses divide courses into compulsory majors, elective majors, and free electives. The study found that all universities in Thailand offering Korean language majors have cultural courses in their programs. Some places have only one course, but some have as many as six courses. Details of Korean culture courses in various universities as the following table;| No. | Name of University | Name of Major | Korean Culture Courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince of Songkla University Pattani Campus | Korean Language | - Korean Culture - Korean Society and Culture - Korean Language and Culture |
| 2 | Burapha University | Korean Language | - Korean Culture - Cross-Cultural Experience |
| 3 | Silparkorn University | Korean Language | - Selected Texts on Korean Culture - Korean Language and Culture Studies in Foreign Context |
| 4 | Mahasarakham University | Korean Language | - Korean Culture - Korean Society and Culture - Korean Language and Culture - Korean Language, Society and Culture - East Asian Language and Culture - Cross-Cultural Experience |
| 5 | SrinakarinWirot University | Korean Language | - Korean Culture |
| 6 | Chiang Mai Rajabhat University | Korean Language | - Korean Society and Culture |
| 7 | Naresuan University | Korean Language | - Korean Society and Culture |
| 8 | Prince of Songkla University Phuket | Korean Language | - Korean Culture |
| 9 | University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce | Korean Language | - Korean Culture - Korean Business Culture - Cross-Cultural Communication in Korean - Cross-Cultural Experience |
| 10 | Uttaradit Rajabhat University | Korean Language Education | - Korean Society and Culture |
| 11 | Chulalongkorn University | Korean Language | - Korean Culture - Korean Business Culture |
| 12 | Chiangrai Rajabhat University | Korean Language | - Korean Society and Culture |
| 13 | Rangsit University | - Korean Culture - Korean Culture in Practice - Korean Language and Food Culture - Korean Language and Culture through Dramas and Films |
|
| 14 | Khonkaen University | Korean Language | - Korean Society and Culture - East Asian Language and Culture |
However, in fact, only one cultural subject will be taught, the study found that the most taught subject in Thailand is the "Korean Social and Culture Course," followed by "Korean Culture Course." Some subjects, such as East Asian Language and Culture, are taught by Thai extracurriculars because there are no expert teachers who can teach in the Korean language program. Moreover, the "Cross-Cultural Experience course" is a subject included in the program, so learners who have returned from Korea for a short-term exchange can compare and transfer credits. At present, there is no actual teaching.
According to the study, various topics of cultural subjects taught to Thai undergraduate students can be grouped into five categories as follows:
1) Culture in everyday life, the course content including dress, food, recreation, Etc.
2) Spiritual culture such as values, religions and beliefs, popular familyism, language culture, proverbs, polite words, Etc.
3) Language culture including Korean characters, polite words, idioms, proverbs, literature, Etc.
4) Popular culture such as music, dance, art, movies, Etc.
5) Systemic culture such as social, political, governance and administrative systems, economic systems, Etc.
The topics taught the most were culture in everyday life, while popular culture and systemic culture ranked second, and spiritual culture ranked third.
In terms of teaching staff, the study found that Thai teachers were the most instructors in this subject in teaching cultural subjects. However, some courses have both Thai and Korean teachers. Many universities (Burapha University, Chiang Mai University, Prince of Songkla University, and Chulalongkorn University) have partnerships with Korean universities. So, they offer collaborative cultural teaching through online platforms, with the principal teachers being Korean professors affiliated with Korean universities. In addition, Thai teachers of other related courses are also present as teachers in Korean language courses are not proficient, such as in East Asian courses.
The study found that Korean culture was designated as one of the most compulsory majors, followed by free and selective majors. Most of the learners are first-year students, so teaching must consider understanding the contents of the learners who do not have many language skills. Teaching is mainly done in Thai language with teaching documents in Korean. The second most learners are those who are third-year and fourth-year students. Therefore, the Korean language is used in teaching, but vocabulary must not be too difficult. In terms of documents and teaching materials, the study found that documents, books, or textbooks used in the teaching of cultural subjects are classified into two types: documents, books, or textbooks that teachers have developed and compiled by themselves, both in Korean and in Thai language or teachers take content or information from websites, Etc. Another type is documents, books, or textbooks produced and published in Korea. Such as Sejong Korean Culture 1-2(세종한국문화1-2), Business Korean(비지니스한국어), Understanding Korean Society for Social Integration Program(사회통합 프로그램을 위한 한국 사회 이해(KIIP)), Reading Korean culture for foreigners(외국인을 위한 한국 문화 읽기), Korean Language in Culture (문화 속 한국어), Etc.
Most instructors used teaching materials such as PowerPoint and video clips equally. Various types of social media are also used to make the class more exciting and stimulate learners' learning.
Problems, Obstacles, and Solutions
The study found that the problems in teaching Korean culture subjects in Thai universities include learner problems, instructor problems, documents and teaching materials problems, Teaching method problems, and curriculum problems. The details are as follows:Learner Problems
At present, in teaching in higher education, learners are those who graduated from Mathayom 6 or equivalent. Higher education learners do not have equal knowledge of the Korean language, and some learners have no prior knowledge of the Korean language at any level. While some learners have some basic understanding of the Korean language and culture, there is still a problem of unequal levels of knowledge in teaching. As a result, learners cannot understand the content of cultural lessons in Korean or lectures by Korean teachers, and it is difficult for teachers to prepare lessons.Another factor that affects the learning of Thai learners is the direct experience related to Korea. For example, learners who have had experience(s) of traveling on a short trip or taking a language course in Korea will be different from those who have never had any direct experience related to Korea. Learners with Korean experience have a better understanding and immersion in Korean culture than those without experience. Sometimes students lack knowledge of the cultural differences between the two nations. Students may compare or judge things from their point of view and expertise using Thainess as the norm, which can lead to misunderstandings.
As mentioned in the student problems, the author would like to suggest solutions to the issues.
1. Learners must realize the importance of learning culture. Learners should have or clearly define the goals of studying Korean culture to use that goal as a driving force for learning and can check the achievement after the end of the semester.
2. In the classroom, there may be students who are proficient in Korean. Besides, teachers have to take care and pay attention. Learners with fewer language skills need to study harder and focus on improving their language skills by asking for language-learning strategies from better classmates and implementing that strategy or adapting to suit themselves.
3. Instructors encourage students to learn by themselves. At the same time, the university builds cooperation with educational institutions in Korea for exchange. Send students to study for a short time allotment of scholarships support for travel expenses. Organize the course system to facilitate credit transfer to create more learning opportunities for learners.
Instructor Problems
Instructors play an essential role in teaching and affect learners' learning potential. Teaching Korean culture at the university level with both Thai and Korean teachers has advantages and disadvantages. Thai teachers will understand Thai learners' learning process and select the culture class contents by looking at the culture from the perspective of foreigners, affecting the selection of content in teaching suitable for Thai learners. Nevertheless, the problem with Thai teachers is their deep understanding of Korean culture, which is not understood as well as native Korean teachers.Korean teachers should look at culture from a foreigner's point of view. Sometimes teachers themselves may think that it is not essential or not necessary to teach that kind of content, but from a foreigner's point of view, these things are required for foreigners to learn.
In Thai universities, there are still problems with Korean language teachers who do not meet the qualifications. Almost all of the teachers who teach Korean have graduated in linguistics. They are not very skilled in teaching methods. They were even more reluctant to teach, especially if it was a Korean culture course. Because 1) it was not the field they directly graduated from, and 2) there is no deep knowledge of Korean culture and had no prior experience in teaching culture. Therefore, teachers who are not qualified might affect the efficiency of knowledge transfer in Korean culture. In addition, most Thai teachers do not have a degree in teaching directly; skills or knowledge transfer techniques may not be very proficient, which is sometimes caused problems in teaching.
As mentioned in the instructor's problems, the author would like to suggest some solutions to the issues as follows.
1. The Korean program should assign qualified or proficient instructors to teach culture to transfer knowledge to learners effectively.
2. As mentioned in the beginning, teaching Korean culture courses by Thai teachers will understand the learning process of Thai learners. Selecting the appropriate lesson content in the context of foreign learners will have a positive effect on the learners. Moreover, the selected contents are suitable for the student's year level.
3. Encourage Thai instructors to increase their knowledge of Korean culture, whether studying, researching, producing textbooks, or producing related academic works.
4. Encourage Thai and Korean instructors to train more technical skills in teaching and knowledge transfer techniques.
5. Instructors must understand the cultural differences of both societies, Thai and Korea. Instructors should not be inclined to present facts and be able to accept cultural differences and teach learners to know, learn and understand the cultural differences of each nation correctly and understandably.
Documents and Teaching Materials Problems
Teaching at the university level is different from other levels of education. Because the selection of documents, books, or textbooks, including teaching materials, depends on the instructor's consideration and the conditions of the teaching course. In teaching Korean culture courses at some Thai universities, teachers use documents, books, or ready-made textbooks on Korean culture that produce and published in Korea. However, some universities still use documents, books, or textbooks that teachers have themselves.There are many restrictions on the number of books or textbooks related to Korean culture. For example, almost no textbooks or books on Korean culture written in Thai language sell in bookstores. Korean Education Center in Thailand produces Korean culture e-books.
The study found that some universities use Sejong Korean Culture books 1-2 in teaching. The book has simple, uncomplicated content. So, it is suitable only for beginners of the Korean language, such as 1st-year students. But it is not suitable for 3rd or 4th-year students who have more Korean language skills and can read more challenging and complex Korean texts.
Korean culture books published and written in Korean are hard to find and cost expensive. If necessary, it must be ordered or shipped from Korea. When using books from Korea, instructors usually make a photocopy. The black and white images from the photocopies do not stimulate or arouse the learners' interest.
Books or textbooks on Korean culture written in English are expensive too. It is also hard for Thai learners with few English language skills. For these reasons, Thai teachers solve problems by compiling their cultural teaching materials. However, it can fix the problem to some extent. But the criteria for producing teaching documents (textbooks) or selecting books may have weaknesses, namely the experience and abilities of different teachers. In addition, some universities do not check the quality or correctness of teaching documents before using them. This process may affect the student's academic performance.
Another problem or concern is that the learners can gain Korean cultural knowledge by viewing various media or articles online. Online material does not mean those produced are always of high quality and accurate to meet the needs of the learners. Therefore, it is imperative and necessary to accelerate the development of the production of books or textbooks and teaching materials that are standardized, accurate, and created by people with expertise in Korean culture to be used. Suitable teaching materials can genuinely meet the needs of Thai learners.
The best way to learn about foreign cultures is that learners should learn from direct experience, and suitable teaching materials will help students achieve their learning objectives faster. However, teaching Korean culture in Thailand still uses a lecture method using teaching materials such as videos, pictures, or power points. Materials that can show Korean culture are still scarce or very limited, for example, in teaching cultural topics. "Korean traditional dress" or Hanbok. Some universities that provide Hanbok allow learners to experience Hanbok by wearing it. It is fun for learners, making them understand how to wear and know every part of Hanbok.
As mentioned about the problems with documents and teaching materials, the author would like to suggest solutions to the issues as follows.
1. Encourage instructors to produce textbooks or produce more academic works on Korean culture. Educational institutes should provide funding or support academic staff for doing scholarly work in other ways. Such as reducing the burden of teaching workload to allow teachers to do more academic work, allowing them to take long-term leave to increase their knowledge and produce teaching materials, Etc.
2. Cooperation between Thai and Korean professors' the collaboration among domestic organizations, and the partnership with foreign organizations (Korea) to jointly produce various kinds of documents or teaching media that are standard, accurate, and appropriate to the context of Thai learners as well as suitable for the learning level of the learners.
Teaching Method Problems
The study found that most teachers used a lecture method with teaching materials and power points or video clips as necessary. Despite the outbreak of COVID-19, teaching had changed from on-site at the campus to the online platform, but teachers still used the same teaching methods, lectured, and used the same class material as in the on-site classroom.Most Korean culture classes are conducted in Thai, but documents are in Korean. Most of the culture classes emphasized lectures by translating the meaning from Korean into Thai. Teaching and learning without student interaction or involvement do not benefit learning much. It bored students, causes them to lose interest in Korean culture and does not contribute to the development of language skills. The suggested solutions are as follows:
1. Instructors ought to create an atmosphere in the classroom for mutual learning. Also, in the lesson design, teachers should design the content of Korean culture subjects from easy to difficult. Choose a vocabulary suitable for the student's level, not too hard and not too easy, or alternative words used for better understanding.
2. Various teaching materials will stimulate learners' interest more than just books or textbooks. Teaching materials can be pictures or simple things to find or make yourself to stimulate students' thinking and imagination. Alternatively, other multimedia materials may stimulate learners' interest, such as using related news or movies to teach. Good teaching and proper methods will help students learn better and succeed faster.
3. Organize learning activities to help students understand the lesson more, Such as role-play activities, Korean cooking class activities, and field trips (if possible) to learn a language, society, and culture in real-life situations.
Curriculum Problems
Korean language programs at all higher education institutions in Thailand consist of courses on language skills for listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with the primary objective of producing graduates in the labor market who use the Korean language to communicate. Therefore, the courses mainly focused on Korean language skills for communication. Although each class has some subjects related to Korean Studies, such as Korean History, Korean Literature, and Korean Society, the number is very few and minimalBy learning only language skills, we cannot truly understand the people of their nation because culture is something that reflects the living conditions, customs, traditions, and beliefs of those people. Therefore, including Korean culture courses in the curriculum is essential for teaching the Korean language in higher education. Additional cultural practices should be added and considered appropriate for all four years of study.
Universities should realize that we are not producing not only Korean proficients but also talented graduates who work well with Koreans. Many Koreans live in Thailand, and there are many Korean companies or investments. Educational institutions must be aware of this and provide courses to prepare students for social work or coexistence with Koreans.
For this reason, the Korean language program in each university requires cultural courses that teach about "Korean organization culture" or "Korean work culture" for learners. Learning and understanding the differences in multicultural societies, and this knowledge will be fundamental in preparation and adaptation if working in a Korean organization. University or Korean Program may collaborate with various Korean enterprises or organizations in Thailand, allowing learners to go for internships, practice Korean language skills, and learn about the workplace's authentic work culture.
Conclusion
The study of teaching Korean culture subjects in Thai universities shows that although teaching the Korean language in Thailand has been around for a long time, and there is minimal teaching in Korean culture. Although all university courses have cultural courses, only one or two classes are taught. The rest are just the names of the courses in the program. Therefore, all teachers should be aware that in addition to teaching that emphasizes linguistic or linguistic knowledge, an understanding of Korean culture is essential to creation. It helps to promote knowledge of the language to be understood more clearly.The study found many problems in teaching Korean culture subjects, such as student problems, teacher problems, documents and teaching materials problems, teaching methods problems, and curricula situations. The issues mentioned above are varied and have many levels. However, problems at the class level are prioritized and solved, such as problems arising from the teachers and learners or teaching methods. Because Korean culture is a specific matter that deals with lifestyles, thoughts, beliefs, religion, values, society, customs, traditions, wisdom, and coexistence in society, therefore, teachers play a significant role in considering, analyzing, and designing subjects and teaching methods. The teaching style of Korean culture in Thailand that is consistent and appropriate to the context of Thai learners will help learners to develop Korean language skills and to help promote cultural understanding for sustainable learning and coexisting in peace.
