Education
Education - Invest Korea
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