The Korean Americans. Multiethnic Reminder. INSTITUTION National 4-H Council, Chevy Chase, MD
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 371 106 UD 029 959 AUTHOR Chu, Harold TITLE The Korean Americans. Multiethnic Reminder. INSTITUTION National 4-H Council, Chevy Chase, MD. PUB DATE 93 NOTE 47p. PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom Use (055) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Acculturation; Adjustment (to Environment); *Biculturalism; *Cultural Awareness; Cultural Background; Elementary Secondary Education; English; *Immigrants; *Korean Americans; Korean Culture; Limited English Speaking; *Multicultural Education; *Parent Attitudes; Second Language Instruction; Student Attitudes; Values ABSTRACT This overview of Korean Americans and their culture is designed to help administrators, teachers, and other instructional personnel understand general factors about the presence of Korean Americans in the United States and their cultural backgrounds and attitudes toward education. An attempt is made to improve English language instruction by exploring similarities and differences between Korean and English. The five sections discuss (1) Korean history;(2) culture and the acculturation process;(3) education; (4) religion; and (5) the Korean language. Korean parents hold ambivalent and often inconsistent expectations about the cultural choices their children make in finding their places in American life. Biculturalism becomes a useful construct for realizing that children can develop new values and cultura' orientations while still respecting the cultural traits of the Korean family and community. Appendixes contain a map of Korea, a timeline of Korean history, and some information on classroom behavior and relationships. (Contains 21 references.) (SLD) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** MULTIETHNIC REMINDER The KO1-AmE\:ericians .44 A- .r. 3.. aWre0.110114: II I " MIONIFe :110/104111._:_,P -PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS u 8 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Othce 01 Eclucalionar Flossarch and irnmemeni MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED EY ..411111116glia) _A EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) (r) 0 This doCument has been reOrOrkCed as A aliff reterved from ...re person or organitation 100,1 obgrnatrng it El Minor changes have been made to wnprove rproduchun quality Pcvnts 017*0, oprniOns slated ,11 this docu- TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ment do not neceSsarily represent official INEORMATION CENTER ,ERIC1 OERI pOitobon or pobcy MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RELATIONS Dr. Harold Chu, George Mason University 2 TheKOREAN Americans The illustration on the cover of a crouching tiger is from the 1 Choson period. The artist is unknown. Montgomery County Public Schools Department of Human Relations Rockville, Maryland 1993 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. Introduction 1 II. History 2 III. Culture and Acculturation Process 4 A. Korean Patterns 4 B. Confucian Five Moral Codes 5 C. Cross-Cultural Differences Between Americans and Koreans in Nonverbal Behavior 7 1) Expression of Thoughts 8 2) Manners and Courtesies 11 3) Holidays and Special Events 13 IV. Education 15 V. Religion 20 A. Shamanism 20 B. Buddhism 20 C. Confucianism 21 D. Christianity 21 E. Islam 22 VI. The Korean Language 23 A. Historical Facts 23 B. Linguistic Interferences 24 C. Social Factors 27 VII. Summary 31 References 32 Appendix A: Map of Korea 34 Appendix B: Timeline 35 Appendix C: I. Typical Classroom Behaviors 40 II. Key Relation.,hips for Korean-Americans 41 III. Implications Regarding Role Relationships 43 4 INTRODUCTION This ethnicreminderon Korean-Americans is designedfor administrators, teachers, and other instructional personnel. It consists of five sections; history, culture and acculturation p_ocess, education, religion, and the Korean language. The author hopes that readers will find some practical uses for these sections. In terms of this overview of Korean-Americans, it is hoped that readers will (1) develop positive attitudes towards Korean-Americans by understanding general factors related to the group's experience in the United States;(2) develop continuity in -.2he immigrating students' education by realizing various aspects of their socioeducational experiences in Korea; and (3)improve parent and community participation by knowing more about Koreans' attitude toward schooling. In terms of historical and sociocultural factors, the goal is to (1) develop effective curricular and instructional approaches by understanding how education in Korea deals with literacy and language arts; (2) improve English instruction by understanding what contact, if any, students have had with English in Korea; and (3) promote native language development by knowing how the native language is reinforced in the home and community. In terms of linguistic characteristics of the Korean language, the aim is to(1) improve English language instruction by understanding some of its similarities and the differences between English and Korean; and (2) create native language development activitiks by knowing more about the linguistic aspects of Korean. Korean-Americans have displayed qualicies of hard work, adaptability,self- confidence, and strong faith in opportunities represented by America. Every group immigrating to the United States has experienced acertain degree of culture shock, adjustment stress, and sociocultural disruption, caused mainly by a distinctive culture and language, limitedEnglish proficiency, and unique physical characteristics. Among Koreans these problems have been most severe for the younger generation, individuals caught in the middle of transition as they exist between the rather different worlds of school and home. One of the most crucial areas challenging educators of newly immigratedKoreans is Chat of biculturality. cause children's thought patterns and values are formed and developed early in life through education and interaction betweenthe school and the home, the role of educators becomes extremely important inthe socialization and acculturation process of children. Biculturality becomes a useful contrast for realizing that children can develop new values and cultural orientation in Americawhile understanding and developing cultural traits represented by the Korean family and community. 1 HISTORY There is evidence that the people of the stone age made their dwellingsalong the Daedong River. A few niles north of Pyongyang remnants of this age, such as axes, knives, hammers, daggers, and arrowheads,weights for fishing nets, etc., were found. The people did not know what these stone artif-:ts were and thought they had dropped from heaven during thunderstorms, and so called themthunder axes, thunder daggers, etc. The Koqum Book thatdescribes ancient Korea reads, "Hwan-in (Tanqun's grandfather) is god, Hwan-Woong (Tanqun's father) is the spirit and Tanqun(the son) is the god-man "Tanqun, a legendary figure, is created as the founder of Korean civilizatior dating back to 2333 B.C. (Ha, 1962). In time, Korea became known as "Chosun-the land of the morning calm." WheZher Tanqun is myth or reality, he emerges from the shadowy prehistoric past in the south of the Ever-White Mountains (Paektu-san) between Koreaand China (Manchuria). Tanqun was the first ruler of Korea with his capital at Pyongyang making this one of 0-1 oldest cities. The first forwal historical records in Korea began with the "Three KingdomsEra." By 668 A.D., after a series of dynastic wars, the Silla Kingdom hadconquered all opponents and for the first time unified the Korean people. The early years of the Silla Dynastic rule are known as "The Golden Age" because of therelatively enlightened creation of remarkable jewelry, pottery, and Buddhist relicsstill seen around the ancient southern capital city,Kyongju. The Silla Dynasty was overturned by Koryo, from which the name "Korea" is derived. During the Koryo Dynasty, between 918 and 1392 A.D., a civil service system wasinstituted and laws were codified. In 1234, long before Gutenberg's invention, a movable metal type began to be used for printing. The Koryo Dynasty was replaced by the Yi Dynasty in 1392. Hangul, the Korean alphabet, was invented in 1443. The Yi Dynasty ended when Korea was annexed by Japan in 1909. Korea was occupied by Japan for 36 years (1909-1945), untilafter World War II, when the United States and Russia agreed on August 14, 1944,that the United States would accept the surrender south of the 38th paralleland Russia, north of that line of the peninsula. In 1948 the United Nations authorized national elections in the southern half of Korea to establish the Republicof Korea and to elect national officials with three branchesof government: executive, legislative, and judiciary.The Republic of Korea is referred to as South Korea. Russia set up a communist regime in the north afterWorld War II. After all American troops had been withdrawn in 1950, North Korealaunched a massive invasion against the relatively undefended Republic of Korea. The United Nations' reaction was swift. Sixteen UN member courtries joined the Korean War for three years until the armistice was negotiated in 1953. Korea is still divided between north and south,and the United States has no diplpmatic relations with North Korea.As a result, all Koreans immigrating since 1945 are from South Korea. 2 Although Korean-Americans are less known than other Asian-American groups,the presence of Korean-American communities inthe five major cities (Los Angeles, New