Restructuring EFL curriculum at a science and technology institution

Abstract

The EFL curriculum at KAIST has been under scrutiny since the school adopted an English-class policy in 2007. The undergraduate EFL curriculum consists of only a small number (3 or 4 credits) of courses despite the fact that most students require much more extensive and intensive English training. Recently the EFL program has begun the process of restructuring the curriculum. Its goal is to develop a highly effective, systematic EFL curriculum that meets the world's standards. Included in the process are the following: A. Content analysis - analyses of the syllabi & class materials of the current required/elective EFL courses; B. Statistical analysis - the percentage/number of students who take elective EFL courses, the percentage/number of students who get exempted from taking the required EFL courses, first-year students' scores on a standardized test such as TOEFL; C. Interview & questionnaire survey - in-depth interview and questionnaire surveys of students, English professors, regular professors & administrative faculty & staff; D. Research - EFL curricula and accompanying facilities (software & hardware) in other renowned universities within and outside Korea. Once the analyses and investigations are completed, it is expected that the curriculum will undergo drastic changes such as the transformation into a curriculum that is divided into different levels of English proficiency in different language skills so that it can accommodate better the various needs of students’. This presentation will discuss in detail the changes adopted in the new curriculum and the direction that English language education at KAIST will take.