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Education

Education - Invest Korea

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Getting into a Foreign School<br />

- A copy of your child’s passport<br />

- Standardized test scores<br />

- Medical form from a recent check-up<br />

Depending on the school and class,<br />

you may also need samples of your<br />

child’s written work, recent mathematics<br />

tests, and other documents. Be sure<br />

to check which documents are required<br />

by the school you’d like your child to<br />

attend before applying — either call up<br />

the school or visit their homepage (if<br />

available). If you’re in Korea, visit the<br />

school’s admission office for more<br />

information. You should also bring<br />

many of these documents with you to<br />

Korea, as getting them sent here can be<br />

a time-consuming process.<br />

Many foreign schools also require an<br />

interview and a placement test, especially<br />

an IPT oral English proficiency<br />

exam (see next page). After your child’s<br />

application is reviewed, it usually takes<br />

about a week for schools to notify parents<br />

with their entry decisions.<br />

Ballard & Tighe of the United States<br />

and given since 1979, is a test designed<br />

to assess and categorize a student’s proficiency<br />

in the English language. Its ultimate<br />

goal is to help schools identify<br />

those students with limited English proficiency<br />

so that they might receive special<br />

instruction with the goal of joining<br />

a mainstream class when language proficiency<br />

is eventually achieved.<br />

The test is divided into five testing<br />

levels. Level 1 is appropriate for prekindergarten<br />

and kindergarten students.<br />

Level 2 is for students grades 1-2<br />

(according to the US system). Level 3 is<br />

for grades 3-5. Level 4 is for grades 6-8<br />

and Level 5 for grades 9-12.<br />

TIP BOX<br />

classroom environment.<br />

For more information on the examination,<br />

see the homepage of Ballard &<br />

Tighe (www.ballard-tighe.com).<br />

Most schools also have a placement<br />

test. Placement tests differ from school to<br />

school. In the case of Korea International<br />

School, for instance, reading and writing<br />

tests are mandatory for all grades beyond<br />

first. Math tests are given according to<br />

grade level, and additional tests may be<br />

given at the discretion of the Office of<br />

Admissions.<br />

IDEA Language Proficiency<br />

Tests (IPT) and Placement Tests<br />

If your child is planning to attend a<br />

foreign school where the language of<br />

instruction is English, he or she may<br />

have to take the IDEA Language<br />

Proficiency Tests, or IPT.<br />

The IPT, designed by the company<br />

For most of those levels, four tests are<br />

available — reading, writing, listening<br />

and speaking. Each section of the<br />

examination tests the student’s ability<br />

to function in an English-speaking<br />

Alternative Options - Korean Schools and Homeschooling<br />

The majority of foreigners residing in<br />

Korea choose to send their children to<br />

international or foreign school, where<br />

their children receive Western (usually<br />

US)-style education with other foreign<br />

children. This is not a cheap option.<br />

At a cost of between US$12,000-<br />

20,000, this is prohibitively expensive<br />

for couples who do not enjoy the<br />

proverbial “expat” package. In fact,<br />

one of the most common complaints<br />

raised by foreigners, is the lack of<br />

affordable educational options.<br />

A much cheaper alternative, of<br />

8 Guide to Living in Korea<br />

<strong>Education</strong> 9

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