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Failing Interventions to Harness English Fever Infiltrating Early Childhood Education in South Korea: Politics of Distraction

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Title: Failing Interventions to Harness English Fever Infiltrating Early Childhood Education in South Korea: Politics of Distraction
Language: English
Authors: Jee-Hee Kim, Tae-Hee Choi (ORCID 0000-0001-8840-4082)
Source: Current Issues in Language Planning. 2025 26(3):419-437.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Intervention, Early Childhood Education, English (Second Language), Immersion Programs, Second Language Learning, Ethics, Educational Policy, Attention Control, Holistic Approach, Child Development, Well Being, Language Teachers, Second Language Instruction, Early Childhood Teachers, Teacher Attitudes
Geographic Terms: South Korea
DOI: 10.1080/14664208.2024.2368371
ISSN: 1466-4208
1747-7506
Abstract: As English is recognised as an influential language in the globalised world and social and economic capital for individuals, Koreans put tremendous effort and financial resources into learning English, instigating a social malady called 'English fever.' The fever has recently infiltrated early childhood education, leading to the expansion of exorbitant, half-day English immersion programmes for preschoolers, called English-medium kindergartens (EKs). Despite the recent policies to minimise the influence of English in Early Childhood English education and enhance students' well-being and whole-person development, English fever is still prevalent, causing detrimental effects on children. Using the notion of politics of distraction and the ethics in language planning and policy as theoretical and analytical frameworks, this paper examines how and why the education policy fails to address English fever. Drawing on a qualitative case study at three EKs, this study reveals the perceptions, dynamics and processes in early childhood English education that are disregarded and remain invisible in relevant policies. The study sheds light on the harm of distractive policy, asking policy researchers and designers to refocus their effort on what truly matters, through integrating language ethics into policymaking, thus, refocusing on children's holistic development and emotional well-being.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1471940
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Failing Interventions to Harness English Fever Infiltrating Early Childhood Education in South Korea: Politics of Distraction
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jee-Hee+Kim%22">Jee-Hee Kim</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tae-Hee+Choi%22">Tae-Hee Choi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8840-4082">0000-0001-8840-4082</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Current+Issues+in+Language+Planning%22"><i>Current Issues in Language Planning</i></searchLink>. 2025 26(3):419-437.
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  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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  Data: 19
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Immersion+Programs%22">Immersion Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethics%22">Ethics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Policy%22">Educational Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attention+Control%22">Attention Control</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Holistic+Approach%22">Holistic Approach</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Development%22">Child Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Teachers%22">Language Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Instruction%22">Second Language Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Teachers%22">Early Childhood Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+Korea%22">South Korea</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1080/14664208.2024.2368371
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  Data: 1466-4208<br />1747-7506
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: As English is recognised as an influential language in the globalised world and social and economic capital for individuals, Koreans put tremendous effort and financial resources into learning English, instigating a social malady called 'English fever.' The fever has recently infiltrated early childhood education, leading to the expansion of exorbitant, half-day English immersion programmes for preschoolers, called English-medium kindergartens (EKs). Despite the recent policies to minimise the influence of English in Early Childhood English education and enhance students' well-being and whole-person development, English fever is still prevalent, causing detrimental effects on children. Using the notion of politics of distraction and the ethics in language planning and policy as theoretical and analytical frameworks, this paper examines how and why the education policy fails to address English fever. Drawing on a qualitative case study at three EKs, this study reveals the perceptions, dynamics and processes in early childhood English education that are disregarded and remain invisible in relevant policies. The study sheds light on the harm of distractive policy, asking policy researchers and designers to refocus their effort on what truly matters, through integrating language ethics into policymaking, thus, refocusing on children's holistic development and emotional well-being.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1471940
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
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      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Education
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      – SubjectFull: Attention Control
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      – SubjectFull: South Korea
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