Professional Documents
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LEARNING ENGLISH IN
THE PHILIPPINES
A Thesis Proposal
Presented to the
In Partial Fulfillment
October 2015
CHAPTER 1
The long-standing trend of globalization and international education has prompted a large
number of parents to send their children overseas to study in various foreign universities and
In the United States alone, that number is still growing, as a 7% increase in foreign
enrollees was recorded from 2012 to 2013. Asians constituted more than half of the total number
of international students, or about 400,000, for that given year (USA Today, 2013).
The necessity of mastering the English language, brought about by the phenomenon of
globalization, has also immensely influenced South Korean parents to provide the best education
Consequently, the Philippines has been experiencing an influx of South Korean nationals
studying English in various universities and language centers around the country since the early
compared to first world countries where English is spoken as the first language, and the fact that
English is considered a second language in the country, are some of the reasons why the
Philippines is a popular choice for South Koreans wanting to learn the English language
As previous studies have shown, living and studying as a foreigner in a different country
can become quite challenging, and can pose multiple problems not just for the students
themselves but also for the parents and/or parties concerned. Some of the problems include:
innate differences between the socio-cultural practices and norms of the students and of the host
country; unfamiliarity with the medical system of the host country should medical emergencies
arise; inherent academic and school-related difficulties; and sometimes financial complications
would also ensue (Alden, Ryder, Paulhus, & Dere, 2013; Li, Chen, & Duanmu, 2010; Ruble &
A study conducted almost ten years ago about South Korean students enrolled in one of
the four major universities here in the Philippines shed light on some in-depth difficulties they
faced while studying English in the country, both inside and outside the classroom: One, is
undeniable that some classmates might make mistakes in its use, and even among the teachers,
particularly from content area subjects. This leads to the English language input received by
those being sometimes erroneous. Another is the influence of culture in the Philippine version of
English. It has been infused with so many elements from the Filipino culture that some locally
developed expressions and jargon might not be understandable by Native-English speakers (de
The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experiences of seven (7) young adult
South Korean students, composed of four (4) girls and three (3) boys, currently all enrolled at
Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP), and to have a more genuine perspective of their
impressions and perceptions of their daily interactions with the people, environment and
community in and around AUP. This study will help AUP to further meet the expectations and
needs of the South Korean students in learning English and as clients of the university as a
whole. This research will also add to the body of knowledge, as well as answer the call of
numerous researchers to further explore themes or matters of concern, on South Koreans
studying within the country (Magno, C. 2010; Castro & Roh, 2013; and Lucero-Pascua, M.
2011).
Being a foreign student in an unfamiliar country can pose many challenges, as previous
studies have demonstrated, and for the countless South Koreans learning English in the country,
it can indeed be very challenging. These difficulties have been attributed to many different
Given all the challenges that these foreign students have to face in order to learn English,
the next obvious question to ask would be: are these South Koreans students meeting their goal
of learning the English language in coming over to the Philippines? One way of answering this
question is to have an in-depth look, and to immerse into, their personal experiences.
Research Questions
I order to effectively explore the lived experiences of the South Korean young adult
students currently enrolled at Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP), the following
What are your experiences in the university and how do they impact your English
learning?
What are your experiences outside the university and how do they impact your English
learning?
What experiences do you wish to have that could help you in learning English?
The findings of this research paper will be relevant to, and will greatly benefit the
following:
1. Administrators. This study will help the university administrators in their policy-making
regarding matters concerning South Korean students enrolled in their institution and how
to better assist them by giving administrators a more extensive insight into the lived
2. Teachers. This research paper will serve as guide for the teachers in better understanding
their South Korean students and devising teaching strategies and methods that will help
3. South Korean Young Adults. The students will have relevant information that will help
them learn English better and their interaction with the community and the environment
easier during their remaining years of learning at Adventist University of the Philippines.
Definition of Terms
1. Korean Students. This refers to the seven (7) South Korean young adults currently
Major in English.
2. English. Any variant of the English language that is considered as Standard English in a
LITERATURE REVIEW
The purpose of this chapter is to review literatures that are related to South Koreans
studying English in the Philippines. This chapter is organized into sections: the first section will
tackle studies about South Koreans studying abroad, the second part will discuss about English
in the Philippines, the third section will look at the South Korean students in the Philippines, and
the last section will review and point out research gaps in the literature.
Many studies have shown that frustration with the high-level of pressure in South Korean
higher education systems and dissatisfaction with the overall educational system combined with
factors like excessive competition and expensive tutorial rates have driven Korean higher
education students to study abroad (Park, 2009; KEDI, 2005; as cited by Ghazarian, P. 2014).
speaking countries has been the preferred destination of a large percentage of these students, and
of the many English-speaking countries, the United States has over the years been a prime
recipient of this trend of migrating Korean students as South Koreans account for one-third of all
international students in the country (Lee, Fong, Piper, & Feigon, 2014; Lee, E. 2010; &
Ghazarian, P. 2014).
The motivation for most, if not all, of these students studying in the United States is the
promise of future success which can be unlocked by the key called Education offered in the
English-speaking countries like America, reinforced by the belief that the educational system at
The organic act of 1901 started the practice of mandatory usage of the English language
as the official language in teaching for all schools in the Philippines during the American
occupation. Only through policy changes in the succeeding years of the American administration
that it later allowed the local Filipino language to be taught together with the English language.
After the war, when after the American forces withdrew from the country, majority of Filipinos
have still embraced the language and could still speak English, a far cry from the previous 300
years under the Spanish rule when only a select few were able to master and accept the Spanish
Several decades later, the Philippines, now the third biggest English-speaking country in
the world, has become a source of affordable English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction
and teachers, attracting a myriad of foreigners from even as far as South America to come into
the country to learn English either through formal instruction in its many world-class universities
or through ESL centers that has sprouted all over the country (McGeown, K. 2012).
The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry has also gained some traction in the
Philippines over the years crediting to factors like: a lower cost of labor in the country compared
to first world countries like the United States where BPOs have originated, a combination of the
Filipino accent being closer to the accent of the American employer, and the Filipinos knack for
imitating American accent, among others, leading the the Philippines to be declared as the
Among the many foreigners that have travelled to the country to learn English, South
Koreans ranked as the biggest number in the year 2008 according to the Bureau of Immigration.
The Special Study Permits (SSP) issued by the Philippine government to those who wanted to
study for a shorter term of a minimum of three months also helped in bringing more Koreans to
the country. This surge was mainly an effect of the South Korean governments effort to
effectuate its plan for globalization. It also doesnt hurt that the Philippines is conveniently
located just four hours away from South Korea, compared to the other English-speaking
countries like the US, UK and Australia which takes a lot longer to travel to (Hicap, J. 2009).
Moreover, ESL centers spread out around the country and not just in the capital means
that the supply of low-cost English training can easily meet the learning demands of foreigners,
especially South Koreans. ESL centers in Baguio, a city roughly 250 kilometers from Manila,
are also a favorite destination among Koreans mainly because of the citys cold weather year
round and an even lower-than-in-the-metro cost of living. During the academic winter breaks
and summer breaks in South Korea, which fall on June-July and December-January, the ESL
centers in Baguio and all over the Philippines see an abrupt increase in students coming over to
learn English and maximize productivity during their vacation time (Strother, J. 2015).
South Korean students who stay in the country for the long-term and desire to get a
Bachelors degree or a graduate degree also comprise a large chunk of the Korean nationals
staying in the country as over the years many have opted to joined early-education and university
programs in the prominent universities and schools especially in and around Metro Manila
(Magno, C. 2010).
Research Gap
phenomenon of South Koreans studying and living in the country so as to facilitate the
achievement of their goals in learning English. A study done in 2006 about South Korean
students who were at that time enrolled in one of the top four universities in the Philippines
recommended that more similar studies be done regarding the experiences and of South Koreans
in the country and in order to aid them better (de Guzman et al, 2006).
A specific study conducted in a city located to the far north of the Philippines Baguio,
recommended further research on acculturation and its influence in molding the identities of
Magno also suggested that more exploratory studies be done on the experiences of South
Koreans, enrolled at various universities in the Philippines, especially with focus on language
Further research on the attitudes of the South Korean students towards the target
language as whole was also recommended by a particular study that focused on the students
perception of the Philippine version of English and its effects on their learning preferences as a
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The objective of this research paper is to examine the lived experiences of the young
adult South Koreans students enrolled at Adventist University of the Philippines. This research
will take a closer look at their experiences inside and outside of the university, interaction with
the environment and the community, relationship with their peers and their teachers; and their
personal feelings, impressions and attitude towards those experiences. The data collected here
was gathered using the qualitative research approach, specifically the phenomenological model,
as the researcher deemed this design best to answer the research questions.
Qualitative Research
Qualitative research, in its non-structural form, has been in use even before the twentieth
century but was eventually utilized as a method of inquiry at the turn of the twentieth century.
Only in the 1960s did this style of research experience a consistent surge in its popularity,
brought about by the establishment of the variants of the research like grounded theory and
Although there are various definitions of qualitative research that abound, according to
some authors, qualitative research is mainly concerned with the search for answers into questions
regarding social phenomena. Additionally in the health and social context, it becomes
significantly efficient when used to seek peoples view and personal opinions (Hancock et al.
2007).
Creswell & Clark (2011) also defines qualitative research as an investigative research in
which the researchers studies a core theme, questions participants in a broad and general manner,
and gathers written or visual date regarding the participants impressions and perspectives.
used as a vehicle to understand underlying reasons behind peoples opinions, views, and
perspectives; while quantitative research is mainly used to quantify problems through the
Phenomenological Research
their every day life and social action" (Schram, T. 2003 as cited by Merriam, S. 2009).
Further, Holloway and Wheeler (2002) argue that the subjective exploration methodology
is established in the nineteenth century reasoning, especially in the work of Dilthey, Husserl, and
Heidegger who concentrated on the ontological inquiries relating to significance and lived
encounters.
which are vigorously established in reasoning. The impact of logic in subjective exploration is
particularly concerned with the accompanying ways to deal with the research process: (a)
ontologicalwhat sort of being is the person and what is the way of reality? (b)
epistemologicalwhat is the relationship between the inquirer and the known? (c)
methodologicalhow would we know the world or information information of it? (Burrell &
Morgan 1979; Denzin & Lincoln, 2000; Guba, 1990; Hesse-Biber & Leavy, 2011; Hughes &
Also, Bateson (as cited by Denzin & Lincoln, 2000) presents, "The specialist is bound
respect to extreme truth or lieturn out to be somewhat self-accepting". In that capacity, in this
study, the ontological perspectives were restricted to the theistic worldview orientation and
beliefs about the individual as made by God. Also, the nature of the truth was guided by the
theistic orientation, that genuine the truth is grounded in an affirmation of how God uncovers
himself to the individual. The epistemological concerns were limited to a limited extent by the
analyst being an instrument in the information accumulation and investigation procedures, and
the situating and reflexivity explanation laying out his/her inclinations. Finally, the
methodological aspects were constrained by the perceived realities of the members' encounters,
Research Setting
Adventist University of the Philippines, located in the Province of Cavite, in the southern
part of Luzon island, operates under the jurisdiction of the Southern-Asia Pacific Division of the
Seventh-day Day Church. The Seventh-day Adventist Church headquartered in Maryland, USA;
runs one of the largest educational networks in the world. According to the Department of
the universities in Manila area where most foreigners prefer to enroll. Incidentally, South
Koreans top the list of foreigners who are studying in the country as of 2014. Data for the last
three years show that in 2013, 2,655 Koreans were issued Student Visas or SSP, while in 2012,
(Creswell, 2005; Hesse-Biber & Leavy, 2011; Patten, 2007; Patton, 1990).
The type of purposive sampling used is usually based on the research question, as well as
the resources available to the researcher. As such, individuals that the researcher believes are
key informants in terms of social dynamics, leadership positions, job responsibilities, and so on
are able to answer the research question good sources of information and selected as participants
A criterion was set in order to select students who would form the sample of the study.
The participant must be (a) a bona fide student of Adventist University of the Philippines for the
school-year 2015-2016, (b) a South Korean national, and (c) enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts
Major in English program. Since the researcher works full-time as a stay-in tutor in one of the
houses outside AUP which houses students who are all studying in AUP, the researcher saw it
best to recruit all seven (7) of the students he tutors and lives with in that particular house, made
easy by the fact that all of those students meet the criteria for sampling.
Data Collection
In qualitative research, data generally refer to words (spoken or written) or various types
of visual images, including stills, videos, pictures, graphics (Lichtman, M. 2013); and form of
narrative (text) scripts, commonly gathered from interviews, survey questions, journals, recorded
This varied and flexible approach to data collection, however, requires a few steps such
as setting the boundaries for the study, collecting information through unstructured or semi-
structured observations and interviews, documents and visual materials, as well as establishing
the protocol for recording information (Creswell, J. 2014). In addition, qualitative researchers
Interviews. Some authors suggest that interviews are most common for data collection in
the phenomenological approach as they also refer to this interview process as in-depth interviews
(Lichtman, M. 2013). Thus, conducting long in-depth interviews will be my main method for
data collection. This will allow me to develop a spontaneous conversation within the specified
subject area.
Documents. Documents would be an essential part of the data collection in this study.
Documents such as their personal journals, diaries, copies of their test and exam papers that will
be given back to them by their respective teachers, copies of their grade slips obtained with their
consent.
Field notes/researchers journal. Notably, field notes are also referred to in the
Field notes will allow me to record observations of the behavior and activities of the
Bogdan and Biklen (1982) provide an elaborate definition of the data analysis process in
qualitative research to include: a process of systematically searching and arranging the interview
transcripts, field notes and other materials that you accumulate to increase your own
understanding of them and enable you to present what you have discovered to others. Analysis
involves working with data, organizing it, breaking it into manageable units, synthesizing it,
searching for patterns, discovering what is important and what is to be learned and deciding what
As such, the purpose of data analysis in qualitative research is to (a) organize, provide
structure to, and elicit meaning from research data, (b) move from raw interviews to evidence-
based interpretations; (c) uncover the themes, patterns, concepts, insights, and understandings;
and (d) develop themes by making textural descriptions that focus on what the participants
experienced in addition to structural descriptions that focus on the how of the experience, and
then combining the two to communicate the same essence of the participants experiences
(Creswell, J. 2013)
Notably, the inductive analysis approach (Lichtman, M. 2013) seemed appropriate for
this study since qualitative data analysis often follows a general inductive approach (as opposed
to a hypothetical-deductive one) in the sense that explicit theories are not imposed on the data in
a test of a specific hypothesis. Rather, the data are allowed to speak for themselves by the
emergence of conceptual categories and descriptive themes. These themes are usually embedded
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