The document discusses culture and learner autonomy from the perspective of a Maori woman teaching English in South Korea. It explores how Korean culture, which values hierarchy and collectivism, can both help and hinder the development of learner autonomy. While students are resistant to new learning strategies, communal activities and accountability to peers can motivate homework completion within Korean cultural norms. The teacher focuses on equipping students with lifelong skills, adapting strategies to the local context, and disregarding systemic barriers in order to help students learn beyond the classroom.

1. Culture and Learner Autonomy From the land of the long white cloud to the land of the Morning Calm

2. The story so far….. ‘ learner autonomy’ is described as “the ability to take charge of one’s own learning” Holec (1981:3 in Palfreyman 2003:1) 2002: A not so young bilingual Maori wahine, exhausted from pushing the proverbial uphill for thirteen years in the N.Z Public service policy arena, sets off in her Air New Zealand waka to the neon lights of English teaching in South Korea. 2009: After seven English Language Acadamies, extensive travel throughout Asia and varying degrees of teaching English to Koreans of all age groups, she decides to undertake formal study in Second Language Teaching. The not so young Maori wahine wants to understand the knot in the pit of her puku (stomach) when her Korean co-workers and students treat her like a Pakeha (Westerner), when she comes from what she surely considers to be the best tribe in the world. 2010: The not so young Maori wahine moves to Jeju Island (not too dissimilar to her homeland of New Zealand – well - in landscape at least). She embarks upon her journey of taking charge of her own learning as well as that of her students in an English language academy catering for students aged 5-16 years old and the odd university student.

3. Culture and Autonomy Palfreyman comments that autonomy is generally viewed as individualistic, intrinsically motivated but that the concept of autonomy itself may be ethnocentric and culturally inappropriate to non-western cultures. Korean culture is essentially a hierarchical collective where respect is considered paramount as one ages - whether that respect is earned or not. My students are often surprised when I explain that some Maori customs are similar to Korean customs particularly when it comes to tangohia hu (taking off shoes), sleeping marae style (on the floor) and the communal sharing of kai (food). Students are slightly amused at the cultural similarities but still consider me “an outsider” and thus resist attempts at learning beyond memorization, grammar rules and perfect test scores.

4. A learning culture? The traditionally minded South Korean university student believes he should get high scores while simultaneously believing he is on a four year holiday after working hard to enter university. The student focuses on memorization rather than understanding the material and applying new knowledge to real problems. The student expects the professor to feed him all that he needs to pass the exam comfortably. The student is rarely held accountable for poor performance while at the same time being able to pass judgement on his professor. Teaching students a range of learner strategies and essential skills and thus taking those skills beyond the classroom is more challenging than teaching the expected basic grammar and vocabulary in a cultural environment where a “perfect score” is the measurement of success at an English language school so the student can get into a “prestigious” university. ( Kennedy, G 2010) AND YET:

5. Independence from a teacher is often taken as an observable sign of autonomy, but, the value of interdependence: the ability of learners to work together for mutual benefit, and to take shared responsibility for their learning and collaboration has come to be seen in a more positive light. (Palfreyman 2003:4) South Korean students display a high degree of individual competitiveness in the classroom, often pouting and performing when they lose and sometimes hitting each other for losing the game. To harness this somewhat ironic display of behavior given the communal cultural base. I introduced a homework star system for my younger classes in an effort to get them to take responsibility for their own learning. All students in the class must complete their homework, if they do the class gets a star sticker on the homework tracker chart. Once the class gets ten stickers, its game day. Students who don’t do their homework are berated by their classmates but also encouraged (out of the classroom) to get together before class to get their homework done by classmates.

6. This homework star system works well with the communal Korean cultural view where: the individual is responsible for his/her homework. ( takes charge of own learning and is included in a group reward system if it’s done) accountable to his/her classmates in order to get a star sticker and indirectly learn something - one hopes. (communal inclusivity) students manage themselves to ensure homework is completed before coming into class. (collaborative learner autonomy).

7. Culture or System? Palfreyman (2003:11) comments that memorization (in Chinese culture) should be understood as an effective learning strategy rather than as a sign of unthinking repetition. Memorization has been the primary learning strategy for South Korean students for a significantly long time. The South Korean education system is often considered antiquated and out of step with the rest of the world regarding learner autonomy. Any attempts by Second Language Teachers to introduce a variety of learning strategies in the classroom is often met with resistance from students and particularly the Korean administration of the English Language Institution. Which poses the question:

8. Is Korean culture a hindrance to learner autonomy? I say it is not. Teaching a variety of learning strategies to equip students with the skills to learn English (or any language for that matter) without detracting from their identity as Korean is an ongoing journey for both the teacher and the student. Knowing how to stand out from the crowd whilst still belonging in the crowd is not a cultural issue per se as it is part of the human condition. Understanding this as teachers, grinning and bearing differences – cultural or systemic is what makes teaching ESL challenging and satisfying. “ different interpretations of autonomy are appropriate in different cultural contexts” (Palfreyman 2003:7)

9. Conclusion Sharing cultural similarities does not guarantee learners will accept new learning strategies to apply newfound knowledge to real learning beyond the classroom – but it helps. Learner autonomy is not necessarily individual and intrinsic and can be developed collaboratively while maintaining student identity. Learning strategies can be adapted to work alongside and within the cultural framework of the learner. The systemic “antiquated” education system of South Korea is too vast an issue for this teacher who prefers to focus on the kids and operate with the philosopy of “It is better to ask for forgiveness than permission” and “You kids better listen up”. AND SO:

10. The not so young Maori wahine: continues to think of a myriad of ways, schemes and psychological strategies to get her students to learn not only English but also life skills that won’t get them beaten up after school by their classmates to hold them in good stead for the future. will stay awhile in a country that does not consider individual learner autonomy an asset and that being Korean is the only way to be in the world. Will disregard the knot in her puku by having a big fat feed and carrying on anyway.

11. “ We must be culturally and personally sensitive to students’ values. At the same time it is our responsibility to create opportunities for everyone to encounter new ways of thinking. It might be helpful to discuss the fact the teachers and students are struggling together to become fully human, just as Confucius said it should be” (Oxford et al 2005:263) “ Never forget that you are manuhiri” 1 (Grace Wilkinson, May 2010, phone call home) 1. “manuhiri” – the Maori term for a visitor.

12. Bibliography Kennedy, G (August 30, 2010) Foreign profs face obstacles in Korea retrieved October 5 th , 2010 from http://www.joongangdaily.joins.com Oxford, R. Massey, R. & Anand, S. (2005). Transforming teacher-student relationships: Toward a more welcoming and diverse classroom discourse. In J Frodensen & C. Holten (Eds), The power of context in language teaching and learning (pp.249-266) Heinle:Boston. Palfreyman, D. (2003). Learner autonomy across cultures (pp1-16). Houdmills, Basingstoke, Hamps., UK:Palgrave MacMillan.