A Critical Multicultural Approach to Korean English Education for Socially Just Diversity

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to theorize a conceptual framework for Korean English education in response to the contextual need that South Koreans are facing in the age of neoliberal globalization. As an impact of globalization, the influx of foreign people and cultures has made South Korea a growing multicultural society. However, Korea’s response to globalization does not reflect the multicultural aspect of its local context, considering the nationality and ethnicity of foreign residents in South Korea. By critically examining multicultural practices in Korean society portrayed in the media and in English pedagogy, which emphasizes linguistic competence and Western superiority in the name of achieving global leadership, this paper provides a critical multicultural insight that can help reshape educational goals for Korean English education. This paper highlights the importance of raising a socially just global consciousness for Koreans by incorporating critical multiculturalism into English education. Practical pedagogical implications for English teachers will also be drawn.