다문화교육의 개선방안에 관한 연구

Abstract

A Study on the Measures to Improve Multicultural Education

Lim, Hye Suk. Adviser : Park, Hwie Seo, Ph.D. Major : General Social Science Education Graduate School of Education, Chosun university

Since the 1990s, a dramatic rise in the number of foreign workers and immigrants through marriage has rapidly advanced Korea into a multicultural society, such that she can no longer argue for the principle of exclusive ‘pure-blood’ that is typified by an ethnically homogeneous nation. Thus, the problem of educating children from multicultural homes has surfaced as a social issue. As such, the present study takes into account specialist literature and a variety of statistical data to look at the theoretical background helpful for understanding multicultural homes and education, and analyze the problems in today’s multicultural education. Furthermore, it considers multicultural education policy in different countries around the world and suggests ways to improve multicultural education in order that multicultural homes may settle and integrate into our society as valuable members. The following improvements are suggested with regard to government policy. First, policy must change course, from assimilation to multiculturalism – in other words, from exclusive assimilative education to inclusive multicultural education. Second, multicultural education policy must not concentrate solely on immigrants through marriage, but be propelled in a broad manner, involving foreign workers and their children, North Korean defectors, as well as all members of society. The course of multicultural education policy must be established with a different purpose and direction for each target group. Third, connections must be built between institutions driving multicultural education policy. Fourth, preparation for multicultural education as well as policy that takes into account the particulars of the Korean society are essential. The following improvements are suggested with regard to education at school. First, multicultural-focused education must be faithfully accomplished on-site in schools. Multicultural-focused education enables students to acknowledge the uniqueness of each culture without distinguishing superiority, and to accept it without aversion or prejudice. Second, utilize a mentoring system to help eliminate various difficulties that children from multicultural homes face at school. Third, dedicated teachers should be made available to supplement school study. Fourth, dedicated advisors should be available at schools to counsel children from multicultural homes on the various difficulties they face at school and to help alleviate their problems. Fifth, in order for children from multicultural homes to adjust to school life, teachers should undergo continued training in multicultural education that expands their capacity. Sixth, reinforce after-school programs with close connections between schools the local support centers to supplement the study of children from multicultural homes. Seventh, the scope of the field study on multicultural education must be broadened to allow principals, teachers, parents and other related persons to cooperate in making decisions on multicultural education at school that can solve the problems faced by children from multicultural homes. The following improvements are suggested for home education. First, in order to stabilize the environment in multicultural homes, human rights pertaining to the parents must be guaranteed and employment issues must be resolved through job training. Second, to enable women who have immigrated through marriage, as well as all members of multicultural homes, to feel proud of their native countries, there must be effort on the part of the parents and the entire family to understand multiculturalism. Third, from the point of reinforcing self-identity and nurturing global leaders, it would be ideal to teach children from multicultural homes their parents’ culture and language, enabling them to speak freely in both languages.