Osan City Cultivates Specialized English Education Model Schools

Osan City announced on the 15th that it held a 'U.S. Military Officers English Conversation Orientation' on the 14th at the City Hall Mulhyanggi Room to foster English education model schools.

This orientation, as part of the 'Innovation Education District' project, was organized to introduce the 2012 project following the inaugural English conversation program launched last year jointly with the U.S. 7th Air Force, which was evaluated as a successful innovation education model. The event served as the first meeting between U.S. military personnel and school teachers for this year's program explanation.

Approximately 20 participants attended the orientation, including the Osan City Office Education Cooperation Division Chief, Vice Speaker of Osan City Council, one Public Affairs Officer from the U.S. 7th Air Force, eight native English-speaking volunteers, and six school teachers (from Osan Won Il Middle School, Maehol Elementary School, and Gasu Elementary School). The event included a 2012 project briefing and program introduction (30 sessions).

Following the completion of last year's U.S. military personnel English conversation program, a satisfaction survey showed 93% of participants expressed willingness to participate again. Students, reluctant to see the program end, even wrote Christmas cards in English to the soldiers and sent them by mail.

Rather than conventional classroom instruction, students receive lessons through engaging methods such as shopping simulations, games, cooking, Halloween candy events, and visits to U.S. military bases, fostering familiarity with native speakers and improving students' English expression abilities.

The 2012 English conversation program is planned to run from March 21 through December 5, with six U.S. military personnel stationed at each school (two per school) every Wednesday from 3 p.m. for two hours. Each school will operate 30 sessions with two classes per school (10-15 students per class).