Korean teachers arrive for TESOL course

20 Korean High School English teachers have arrived at USQ's Springfield campus to begin a Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) course.

The fifteen female and five male teachers from Kyungsangnam-do Province are the first group from Korea to study the month-long TESOL course at USQ.

'The Faculty of Education was given a request from an organisation in Brisbane and also Director of the USQ Springfield campus Doug Fraser to run a teacher training program for some Korean teachers,' Education senior lecturer and USQ TESOL co-ordinator Dr Ann Dashwood said.

'The idea is to enhance their English teaching skills and to also enhance English as a foreign language in Korea.

'This will be the first time that we have had teachers from Korea here at USQ and they are ready for the four week intensive program.'

As part of the course, the teachers will be taught by USQ staff and will also be given an insight into the Australian education system.

'Dr Kathie Young and Associate Professor Lindsay Parry from the Springfield campus will be overseeing the course,' Dr Dashwood said.

'Every Friday the teachers will be visiting a high school in the Springfield area, which will allow them to get a perspective on Australian education.'

Although organised and run through USQ, Dr Dashwood said that the initiative would not have been possible without the support of the Springfield community.

'Besides the schools allowing the teachers into their classrooms, the teachers will also be homestaying with a number of local Springfield families.

'This will give the teachers the opportunity to mingle within not only the University, but also the community.'

Although this is the first group from Korea to visit USQ, it is hoped that the anticipated success of the initiative will mean the course will be offered permanently at the campus.

'I hope that this will continue at the University,' Dr Dashwood said.

'Already we have another group from Korea who are planning to come later in the year.'

Media Contact: Josh Ada, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 1628