Dongjak-gu Operates Winter Vacation Native Speaker Career English Camp

Recruitment of Participants from the 24th to December 3rd... Selection of 110 Local Elementary Students... 50% Participation Fee Supported by the District... Level Test for Class Placement and Dedicated Native Instructors Assigned

A scene from the career English camp class held during the winter vacation last January

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Changwoo Lee) is operating the ‘2020 Winter Vacation Native English Speaker Career Camp.’

The native English speaker camp was established to improve skills by providing opportunities for English education using the excellent educational infrastructure of universities and to contribute to reducing parents' private education expenses.

Last year, during the summer and winter vacation periods, the district operated the ‘2019 Native English Speaker Camp’ at Soongsil University, with a total of 273 elementary and middle school students participating, showing a high education satisfaction rate of 86%.

The recruitment target for this English camp is 110 local residents in grades 4 to 6 of elementary school.

Applications can be submitted through the Participation & Communication tab on the district office website from the 24th to December 3rd, and the final selection results will be announced on December 10th after a computerized lottery.

Of the participation fee of 600,000 KRW per person, the district supports 50%, so the self-payment is 300,000 KRW. However, children from socially disadvantaged families, selected within about 10% of the recruitment quota, will have their entire participation fee supported.

On December 13th, the district will conduct an online written and oral level test, then organize classes with about 15 students per group to provide education appropriate to each level.

The education will be conducted from January 4th to 15th next year, five days a week, from 9 a.m., at Soongsil University Lifelong Education Center as a commuting program.

Each subject will have one dedicated native English instructor and one assistant instructor assigned, and the program consists of ▲culture reader to cultivate knowledge about world cultures ▲STEM Activity to develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills ▲circle activities and other programs to enhance self-directed English learning abilities.

Meanwhile, to prevent COVID-19 infection, the district will strictly follow quarantine rules such as social distancing among students, temperature checks, mask-wearing, and provision of hand sanitizers, and plans to switch to a non-face-to-face camp depending on the local COVID-19 spread situation.

For more details, contact the Education Policy Division.

Jongrok Jeong, head of the Education Policy Division, said, “Through the operation of this native English speaker camp, we will provide a systematic and enjoyable English learning opportunity with native instructors during the winter vacation,” and added, “We hope many interested students will participate.”

Meanwhile, until December, as part of the Dongjak Innovation Education District project, the district is conducting the 2020 Anything Project ‘Amugeona Handa’ with four program areas for about 4,000 local youths: ▲Environmental Expedition ▲Mask Exhibition ▲Wise COVID-19 Essay Contest ▲Knitting Hats for Newborns.