‘Universiade English School’ for residents and students opening March

- complete manual finalized; first courses available, led by Universiade committee, together with local universities,

In order to host a successful 2015 Universiade, local university language departments will start the first Universiade English courses, from March 22nd

Gwangju city held a “Universiade English School Manual Production Final Report” meeting last 18th, in City Hall 3rd Floor conference room, and confirmed details of their educational program for residents and students which will run until 2015, in order to develop English-proficient volunteers.

The Universiade English School is being run especially for Gwangju’s first ever international event to be staged in the city, the 2015 Summer Universiade. It will offer residents, students, university students, tour guides and so on, a multi-level course to improve their ability to communicate in English. The course will develop the international competitiveness of the local area, and will run from 2010 until 2015 and be overseen by the Gwangju Universiade Organization Committee.

There are several different courses on offer; an after-school program for middle-school students, a high-level ‘Global Leaders’ course for middle-school students, and general course for any Gwangju resident.

Accordingly, the Organization Committee is first opening the English school for residents, as well as the ‘Global Leaders’ courses, which will run at local universities, starting from March 22nd

English school for residents will be available at five universities, namely Chosun, Honam, Gwangju, Gwangju Women’s, Gwangju Education. Courses last 14 weeks, and contain a total of 56 hours, with classes twice a week. Anyone who lives in Gwangju and is able to volunteer for the Universiade is eligible to take the course.

Classes are with native speakers under each university’s language centre, focussing on conversation. 360 students will attend each semester (totaling 720 per year) and students can choose the location according to their preference.

The ‘Global Leaders’ course is for middle-school students in grades 2 and 3 students who possess high-level English skills. Courses will be held at Chosun university, Chonnam university and GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science & Technology) and will last 10 weeks covering 40-60 hours, with classes two or three times a week.

300 students will take each semester, so 600 in total. Students will be selected every ten weeks, five times a year. The course involves discussion and debate, reading and writing, junior TEPS etc

Application forms will be available from 22nd Feb until 10th March, from the Gwangju City homepage. Applicants will then an aptitude and level test on the March 13th at either one of Chonnam or Chosun universities. Successful students will be informed on March 16th

The English program for regular middle-school students will be run, and be operated and managed by Gwangju local education office. It will be run in middle schools throughout Gwangju as an after school activity. So far 27 middle schools will start the program this coming March semester.

Every school will have two classes, each of 20 students, and so 1,080 students are expected to take the course each semester (total 2160 students). Schools will select students during March and actual classes will begin in April, with three hours each week, totaling 45 hours. After completing the after-school program, there will be an intensive camp during vacation, totaling 60 hours. The after-school program will also be taught by native speakers.

“The key for preparing for the 2015 Universiade is to train about 20,000 volunteers who can communicate with international visitors,” said Kim Yun-seok, Head of City Economics. “Through the Universiade English School, many students and other residents can have the opportunity to take part in English education.”