Australasian Journal of Early Childhood

Korean children’s cultural adjustment during transition to theearly years of school in AustraliaNgaire MillarUniversity of South AustraliaThis study investigated Korean children’s cultural adjustment during transitionto South Australian junior primary school settings. Using case-study methodologyto provide a sociocultural perspective, data were collected during interviews with asample of South Korean international students aged five to eight years, their mothersand teachers. All participants were asked to identify experiences that facilitated orimpeded the children’s cultural adjustment to school life in Australia. The study foundthat language difficulties were a major concern for these children in adapting to anAustralian education setting. Successful cultural adjustment was found to link topositive interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers and the ability to adapt toAustralian classroom teaching methodology. The study identified cultural adjustmentissues which may also be relevant to other students from a non-English-speakingbackground and for teachers of international students.IntroductionIn recent years globalisation has precipitated thegrowth of an international knowledge economy inwhich acquisition of the English language is consideredto be a significant ‘marketable asset’ (Winkelmann &Winkelmann, 1998, cited in Butcher, 2004, p. 255),particularly in Asian countries. The governments ofmainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan,Vietnam and Korea have education policies whichpromote English language teaching and learning. ManyKorean teachers, however, do not have the proficiencyor confidence to teach in English (Nunan, 2003). Koreanstudents travel to Australia to experience Westernculture and consolidate existing English skills, or beginlearning English, through immersion in an Englishspeakingculture (Kwon, 2000).In Australia, the government has internationalisededucation to increase education market share andstrengthen economic ties with neighbouring countries(Nelson, 2003). Particular emphasis has been placed onrecruitment of students from the Asia–Pacific region,causing a corresponding increase in Asian internationalstudent enrolments (Nelson, 2003). In 2007–2008,international education was rated as Australia’s thirdlargestexport industry ‘contributing $14.2 billion tothe Australian economy’ (SA DECS, 2010). Currently,international students from Reception to Year 7 enrolledin the DECS Primary School Study Abroad Program payup to $9160 for four terms tuition at South Australiangovernment schools (SA DECS, 2010).In this article the term ‘international students’ describesfull-fee-paying foreign students on student visas studyingin Australian schools. The students attend governmentschools in South Australia for a designated period, usuallyone year. After this time students return to their country oforigin, although some families choose to convert their visasand apply for immigration status. While Korean studentswere the second-largest group of international studentsenrolled in South Australian public primary schools by mid-2009 (SA DECS, 2010) little is known about the social andacademic needs of this culturally, and linguistically, uniquestudent population. As the number of Korean studentsnow attending South Australian junior primary schools isincreasing an investigation of the needs and expectationsof these children, and their families is warranted. Thefindings of such a study may provide helpful informationfor Korean families considering enrolling their children inAustralian schools, and inform teachers about the needsof these students and their families.The purpose of this study was to investigate factorsaffecting the cultural adjustment of young Koreanstudents after their relocation from Korean to Australian10A u s t r a l a s i a n J o u r n a l o f E a r l y C h i l d h o o d