I grew up in a household where we spoke primarily Korean. My parents are from Korea and their primary language is Korean so they greatly emphasized learning the language and culture early on. For them, it wasn’t just about communication; it was also about keeping our cultural roots alive and helping us navigate our identity as Korean-Americans.
Much of the early learning happened at home when we were younger. My mother took it upon herself to teach us the alphabet, numbers, words, phrases, etc. She also made sure Korean was naturally integrated into our daily lives. For instance, she would frequently ask us for the time, dates, places, words, etc in Korean during conversations. If we were speaking in English, my mother would often follow up by asking, “What is that in Korean?” or “How would you say that in Korean?” She’d patiently correct us if we made mistakes, repeating phrases until we got it right.
My church community also played a really big role in learning more about Korean culture. As a congregation, we often celebrated Korean holidays such as 설날 (Lunar New Year) and 추석 (Chuseok) with traditional food, games, etc.
In addition to learning at home and Church, my parents also enrolled my brother and me in a Korean school held at a local Church near our home where other second-generation kids would also come to learn Korean and connect with Korean culture. There was also an activity time where we could choose different cultural activities to participate in. For example, they offered 부채춤(a traditional Korean fan dance), calligraphy, dumpling-making classes and more.
While I attended Korean school as a child, I don’t think I took much from the experience. I was there more out of obligation than genuine interest, and at the time, it felt like something I was forced to do rather than something I chose for myself. Also, I found it hard to participate in a classroom and found the tests and essays stressful. It wasn’t until middle school when I became more interested in Korean culture, music, and variety shows, that I took the prerogative to learn more. I think that this learning style was the most effective; I picked up common phrases, words, cultural nuances, etc. in an entertaining way. This approach to learning was far more effective for me because I think I am a visual and hands-on learner. I don’t really like to sit in a classroom but value actually participating in cultural experiences. For instance, I like cooking traditional dishes, watching a historical Kdrama, etc. over learning in the classroom.
With all that in mind, I however recognize that entertainment-based learning has its limits. I think I would benefit from reading more books and academic journals to learn more formal or academic language. This would ultimately help me elevate my Korean language skills to the next level. I also lack the skills to eloquently express myself in writing in Korean. I can write simple sentences but I don’t really have the training to write more nuanced pieces.
Much of the early learning happened at home when we were younger. My mother took it upon herself to teach us the alphabet, numbers, words, phrases, etc. She also made sure Korean was naturally integrated into our daily lives. For instance, she would frequently ask us for the time, dates, places, words, etc in Korean during conversations. If we were speaking in English, my mother would often follow up by asking, “What is that in Korean?” or “How would you say that in Korean?” She’d patiently correct us if we made mistakes, repeating phrases until we got it right.
My church community also played a really big role in learning more about Korean culture. As a congregation, we often celebrated Korean holidays such as 설날 (Lunar New Year) and 추석 (Chuseok) with traditional food, games, etc.
In addition to learning at home and Church, my parents also enrolled my brother and me in a Korean school held at a local Church near our home where other second-generation kids would also come to learn Korean and connect with Korean culture. There was also an activity time where we could choose different cultural activities to participate in. For example, they offered 부채춤(a traditional Korean fan dance), calligraphy, dumpling-making classes and more.
While I attended Korean school as a child, I don’t think I took much from the experience. I was there more out of obligation than genuine interest, and at the time, it felt like something I was forced to do rather than something I chose for myself. Also, I found it hard to participate in a classroom and found the tests and essays stressful. It wasn’t until middle school when I became more interested in Korean culture, music, and variety shows, that I took the prerogative to learn more. I think that this learning style was the most effective; I picked up common phrases, words, cultural nuances, etc. in an entertaining way. This approach to learning was far more effective for me because I think I am a visual and hands-on learner. I don’t really like to sit in a classroom but value actually participating in cultural experiences. For instance, I like cooking traditional dishes, watching a historical Kdrama, etc. over learning in the classroom.
With all that in mind, I however recognize that entertainment-based learning has its limits. I think I would benefit from reading more books and academic journals to learn more formal or academic language. This would ultimately help me elevate my Korean language skills to the next level. I also lack the skills to eloquently express myself in writing in Korean. I can write simple sentences but I don’t really have the training to write more nuanced pieces.
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