Seven Koreans decided to participate in the StarTalk program, starting for the first time in the Seattle area, to become Korean Language teachers in US public schools.
The StarTalk program started in 1996 by the US Department of Defense and Foreign Language Center of University of Maryland. It was created to foster foreign language teachers and increase the number of foreign language students. Chinese, Arabic, and Russian programs have been implemented for some time, and now the Korean program starts this year in two places in Seattle.
Most of the education fee of 4,355 dollars is supported by the Department of Defense, and the applicants pay 445 dollars for the three weeks of education.
After completing the program, applicants will receive a certificate of education by completing the program, then after passing the WEST-B and WEST-E, ACTFL, etc., one can obtain a Korean teacher’s license in the US. The US Department of Defense supports applicants financially even after their completion of the three week program, until they obtain the license.
Betty Lau, a Washington State teacher, received a grant from the Department of Defense and had four Koreans, including two teachers, Eun Joo Kim and Eun Jung Lee from the United Bellevue Korean School, participate in the three week StarTalk program from June 19th to July 10th.
The University of Washington also procured a grant from the Department of Defense, and proceeded with the StarTalk Program from September 8th to the 24th. In the UW program, there were three applicants, Julie Kang and Young Ok Choi from the United Seattle Korean School, and Lili Jung from Bellingham. UW applicants can even earn five UW education course credits.
A Doctor of Education, Julie Kang, who is currently the principal at the United Seattle Korean School, said that she could have the qualification to be a teacher with thirteen 5 hour days of education. She also recommended Koreans to prepare and take part in next year’s program.
Speaking about the Seattle StarTalk program, Central Washington University Political Professor Bang Soon Yoon and director of the Korean women’s association 설자워닉, emphasized that in order for the program to successfully educate and foster Korean teachers, we need to pay attention and participate ourselves.
