The Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Office of Education operates an International Education Center dedicated to building foreign-language communication skills and a global mindset among high school students across the province.
The center is currently running second-language experience camps in Chinese and Japanese — beyond English — for 74 high school students.
Several local governments in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province have been funding language and cultural study trips for young residents to Europe, North America and Oceania. With students from major cities also traveling to Gangwon for rural study programs, the province's educational environment is drawing comparisons that favor it over metropolitan areas.
Gangwon's model of intensive, small-group support draws particular attention because it is publicly funded, sparing families the cost.
The East Asian language camps were designed as overnight, two-day programs to allow participants to focus on intensive study and hands-on cultural experience.
A Chinese-language camp for 32 students ran July 13 through July 14, and a Japanese-language camp for 42 students is under way Monday through Tuesday this week.
To maximize learning outcomes, the International Education Center organized small groups and tailored the curriculum to expressions and skills students can use immediately in everyday life.
The Chinese-language camp centered on the distinctive characteristics of major Chinese cities, giving students an immersive look at the country's culture and language.
The Japanese-language camp focuses on high-frequency everyday expressions, helping students build basic conversational ability.
Both camps also incorporate food culture experiences and traditional costume try-ons, giving students a deeper understanding of each country's culture beyond the language itself.
Byeon Mi-yeong, director of the International Education Center, said she hoped the camps would spark students' interest in second languages and build their confidence. "We will continue to expand practical foreign-language education and diverse cultural understanding programs so that students across the province can grow into global talent capable of engaging with the world," she said.
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