As my cousin is working at Chungdahm Learning Institution in Kangnam, Seoul I visited him for meeting easily. CDI http://cdi.chungdahm.com/chungdahm/ is one of the most renowned and well known private academies in Korea whose targeting studnents’ range is from elementary grade 4th to high school leveled based on placement test. Since he is teaching the same level students as I am it was a good chance to learn many things from him. Especially I wanted to know another management system and curriculum because I am interested in Institution business. During the meeting I felt comfortable to ask about Academy and management because I knew him already.
His mane is Eunseok (Riley) You. He a twenty-four year old Asian-American individual whose the target-teaching level is from elementary school to middle school in Chungdahm Learning Institute for 3 years.
Students must take the same placement level test before starting their lesson. Depending on their performance, they are placed in the appropriate level. They take both a written and verbal exam. Once the results come out, the student is placed in the corresponding classroom. Depending on the student’s level of writing, grammar, and reading skills he/she is placed in a classroom with students who are around the same age and same level.
Most public schools tend to follow a similar educational curriculum from one another but that type of system is very limited in so many aspects. Therefore, he took the time to research a private academy to see how their views differ on education from general public schools. He met with a newly appointed English teacher at Chungdahm Learning Institution.
While most schools focus on grammar and reading abilities, CDI has a different focus in mind, to prepare students in terms of communication abilities for the business oriented future.
The program levels vary from as low as “c” as in “cat” to as high as advanced conversational and debate classes. In order to process and place these students in the correct class, a basic placement exam is issued to every new-comer. Whether the individual is 6 or 16 years old, a TOEFL based placement exam is issued. Depending on the child’s proficiency level, they will score differently, also based on their results; they are placed in the appropriate class.
Most private schools have the teachers issue the level test, then thoroughly review the student, and finally place that individual in the correct level. CDI, however, has a different approach. Rather than having the teachers have the pressure of placing every student in the correct class, a separate Korean/English teacher is placed to form the bridge between student and teacher. The K/E staff places the students in a level suitable for them but the teacher has the authority to either bump them up or down. After a term (3 months) has passed, the student takes a level-up test. This test is to measure the abilities of that student after he/she has studied in that level for the duration. If the student is able to achieve a passing grade, then obviously he/she will move up a level.
I feel he is working at a systematically organized Institution. It seems that CDI focuses on a more direct and strict route. This procedure both has its pros and cons. On the bright side, a student moving from place to place is able to attend a different CDI branch without having to adapt to a new teaching style and curriculum. On the down side however, teachers aren’t able to input their own style and critique to the students. Through this interview I have time to think over my class. Of course, my class can’t be compared to CDI in size or organization. But it will help me plan my future teaching business!
