Literacy Culture and Language Education

When culture travels, it doesn’t stay intact. It stretches, refracts, gets borrowed, repurposed, and sometimes misunderstood. Think of Chinese food tasting different in every country, or a diaspora accent preserving tones from dialects long faded in the homeland. This is cultural diffusion, transculturation, and glocalization in action. But what about Hallyu — the Korean Wave — as it crests outward? We’re now seeing wimples (잔물결) — the smaller ripples that follow from the larger wave. These wimples aren’t the first crash of K-pop on global shores. They’re the lingering movements: adaptations, hybridizations, and even appropriations of Korean cultural motifs by non-Korean creators, nations, and companies. Consider: K-Pop Demon Hunters , an animated fantasy film made outside Korea but playing with K-pop tropes. Minari , a Korean-American story deeply about U.S. soil, yet inextricably bound to Korean memory. Pachinko (the series), dramatizing Korean-Japanese histories throug...

From Classroom to Career: Practice-Based Learning in Welfare Administration This five-part series explores innovative, research-informed approaches to preparing undergraduate welfare administration majors for real-world professional practice. Across peer review exercises, team simulations, inquiry projects, and reflective skill mapping, students develop the competencies, confidence, and professional identity essential for their future careers. Each installment examines a key facet of experiential learning: cultivating evaluative and communication skills, forming effective teams, conducting qualitative inquiry in local communities, strategically aligning certifications with soft skills, and integrating overarching pedagogical principles such as care, translanguaging, and identity formation. Grounded in educational research, organizational theory, and critical sociocultural perspectives, the series demonstrates how thoughtfully designed classroom experiences can bridge academic learning ...

As I reflect on the first weeks of my sophomore orientation course, several overarching themes emerge, connecting activities like peer video reviews, inquiry projects, and company simulations. These themes illuminate how students are growing as learners and as future professionals , while also revealing the ways I design learning with intentionality. Pedagogy of Care: Balancing Fairness and Encouragement In large classes, managing participation is a constant challenge. Some students submit all assignments; others do not. Designing tasks so that homework completion matters, but students are not entirely excluded for missing work, enacts a structural and situated pedagogy of care (Lisak, 2017; Stein, 2007; Campano, Ghiso, & Welch, 2016). Care here is not merely interpersonal—it is enacted through course design that recognizes students’ lived realities, disciplinary needs, and emotional burdens. Observing how students respond—supporting peers, adjusting their pace, and helping one ...

In professional programs like social welfare and administration, students often focus on passing exams or earning required certifications. These official credentials are essential, but they are not the whole story. Increasingly, employers value graduates who can also demonstrate soft skills such as empathy, teamwork, and intercultural communication. In higher education, this means that mapping certifications alongside soft skills should not only be a career-planning exercise but also a teaching and learning practice embedded in the classroom. From Career Planning to Classroom Value How does “certification + soft skills mapping” translate into classroom practice? Through ESP, EMI, and CLIL approaches , students are not only learning course content but also practicing how to apply it in real professional situations: ESP (English for Specific Purposes): Students practice vocabulary and communication strategies that connect directly to the welfare and administrative workplace. Expla...

Most students are used to assignments that have clear instructions, right answers, and fixed outcomes. But real-world welfare administration doesn’t work that way. It involves questions without easy answers, systems that don’t always function as designed, and communities with diverse needs. That’s where inquiry projects come in. Why Inquiry-Based Learning Matters Inquiry-based learning shifts the focus from memorizing information to investigating questions . Justice et al. (2007) show that when students design their own inquiries, they gain deeper critical thinking skills and a stronger sense of ownership in learning. Instead of passively absorbing content, they learn how to ask, observe, and reflect — the same habits needed in professional practice. Teacher research and practitioner inquiry also highlight how inquiry is a stance, not just a classroom activity. Cochran-Smith & Lytle (2009) emphasize that inquiry reshapes how we see knowledge: as something built through question...

In most classrooms, students work as individuals: completing assignments, submitting papers, or delivering solo presentations. But in the professional world — especially in welfare administration — success rarely happens alone. Teams, not individuals, carry projects forward. This is why designing classroom experiences that simulate real-world teamwork can be so powerful. Why Simulated Teamwork Matters Creating a “company” in the classroom may feel playful, but research shows it’s an effective way to build both skills and confidence. Team-Based Learning (TBL) emphasizes structured group work where students depend on one another to succeed. Michaelsen & Sweet (2008) argue that these experiences deepen learning by fostering accountability and collaboration. Experiential learning theory supports this as well. Kolb (1984) describes learning as a cycle of experience, reflection, conceptualization, and experimentation. When students create a company profile, they aren’t just imagining ...

When students think of peer review , they often picture something that happens only in the classroom: swapping papers, giving comments, or practicing introductions. But the truth is, peer review sits at the heart of professional life as well. Whether in a welfare office, a business setting, or a community program, professionals are constantly asked to listen carefully, evaluate clearly, and give constructive feedback. Why Peer Review Matters in Education and the Workplace Educational psychology research has long shown that peer review develops more than just academic skills. Nicol & Macfarlane‐Dick (2006) highlight its role in formative feedback : helping students not only improve their own work but also learn to notice quality in others’ efforts. Similarly, Topping (2009) argues that peer assessment builds evaluative judgment — the ability to decide what “good” looks like, an essential skill for any professional. In the workplace, these same habits translate directly into tea...

Scaling Humanity: Reflections on Large-Class Pedagogy and Multimodal Learning Description Teaching large, multilingual classes presents a unique set of challenges: how to balance content, professional preparation, and classroom management while honoring each student’s presence and diverse learning needs. This mini-series documents one instructor’s Week 1 experience in a sophomore course of 62 students, exploring how formative assessments, multimodal engagement, authentic tasks, translanguaging, and digital tools intersect with social justice, equity, and pedagogy of care. Each post combines practical reflections with scholarly connections, offering insights for teachers navigating similar pressures. Titles in the Series Syllabus Quiz as Early Diagnostic: Spotting Risk Before Writing Begins Questions-to-Teacher as Multimodal Engagement: Building Listening and Reading Resources from Student Curiosity Real-Life Community Problem as Homework: Authentic Tasks for Social Justice ...

Managing a class of 62 students presents a paradox: how do you maintain humanity, equity, and connection while also preparing students for professional life and covering content? Week 1 of my sophomore course provided a vivid case study. From the outset, I layered multiple modes of feedback —written, spoken, and audio responses—to ensure that students not only received guidance but could engage with it in ways that suited their learning preferences. At the same time, I emphasized classroom community : eye contact, attentiveness, and respect for peers, particularly given the linguistic diversity in the room. Balancing these human-centered practices with professional preparation —in this case, a welfare job interview simulation—required constant reflection and adjustment. Research Connections Pedagogy of care underscores the importance of attention, empathy, and responsiveness in teaching (Noddings, 2013). Even in massified classrooms, students respond to instructors who actively s...

In Week 1 of my sophomore class, I faced the intersection of multiple pressures: managing a class of 62 students, teaching content in English to multilingual learners, designing my own materials, and integrating technology. Despite my background in educational technology, I approach classroom design in an on-the-job (OTJ) learning style —figuring things out in real time, reflecting, and adjusting. When I asked students to submit homework via Google Forms with audio or video files, I encountered predictable technical problems: some students lacked Google accounts, video files exceeded upload limits, and a few submissions were essentially unusable. These issues revealed digital literacy gaps that persist even among university students (Helsper & Eynon, 2010). But they also highlighted something deeper: the unequal distribution of cognitive and material resources in my classroom. Students who were less confident with English or technology were disproportionately affected, and I was,...

One of the challenges in large classes (mine has 62 students) is keeping interaction meaningful without losing structure. This week, I leaned into a rotating pair share format, inviting students to move through short, structured conversations with multiple partners. A key feature: I encouraged translingual practice —students could code-switch between Korean and English when needed, as long as they kept moving the dialogue forward. Instead of treating L1 as a “crutch,” we framed it as a resource for deepening meaning and sustaining flow. What happened surprised me: not only did the structured rotations work, but several students self-nominated to present what they had discussed. This ownership signaled that the task had created genuine investment. Research tie: Translanguaging pedagogy (García & Wei, 2014) challenges the “English only” classroom and validates multilingual repertoires as assets. Interaction Hypothesis (Long, 1996) suggests that negotiation of meaning in ...

In a class of 62 students, it’s easy to feel like meaningful dialogue with each individual is impossible. Large-group lectures, limited time, and uneven participation can create real barriers. Yet in my Week 1 “Questions-to-Teacher” activity, I found that scaffolding  different levels of questions  and modeling  multiple feedback channels  transformed a logistical challenge into an opportunity for multimodal engagement. How It Worked in My Class I asked students to submit questions to me in three categories: Small talk  (e.g., hobbies, daily life, cultural curiosities). Class-focused  (e.g., assignment deadlines, grading policies). Ask-Me-Anything (AMA)  (open-ended, anything they wanted to know). Instead of simply replying in one format, I responded  across multiple modes : Written feedback on their submitted questions. Spoken answers during class time. An audio recording of my responses, paired with their original written questions, so they coul...

 Homework often feels disconnected from the realities students will face after graduation. Worksheets, textbook drills, and scripted dialogues rarely capture the complexity of real life. But sometimes, the world outside the classroom gives us the perfect opportunity to bridge that gap. In my sophomore course, I assigned students a homework task based on a real-life situation: a local multicultural family had contacted me with a problem. Instead of abstract practice, students had the chance to engage with an  authentic, community-based issue  in real time. How It Worked in My Class The assignment was simple but powerful: Students were given the family’s situation as the “case.” Their task was to brainstorm  resources and solutions  that could help. The work connected directly to their major (welfare studies) and their future professional roles. What made this homework unique was its immediacy: it wasn’t hypothetical. The problem was unfolding in our own community...

The first week of class often feels like a blur of introductions, schedules, and reminders. To help students settle in, many instructors use a  syllabus quiz  — a quick check that students have read the course outline and understand deadlines. But what if this low-stakes activity could do more than ensure compliance? In my sophomore class this semester, the syllabus quiz revealed something unexpected: it was an  early diagnostic tool  for English mechanics and student readiness. What I Saw in Week 1 With 62 students, I needed a way to quickly gauge who was paying attention, following instructions, and writing with basic accuracy. The quiz did just that. A simple set of questions—mostly about class policies and schedule details—showed me immediately: Who struggled with  capitalization, punctuation, and spelling . Who skimmed or skipped instructions. Who needed closer support early on. In other words, the quiz surfaced  risk patterns  that could otherwis...

  🍁 KoreaMaria Tea Time Soft Launch: Fall 2025 Mini Series 🫖 “Threshold Sessions: A Quiet Professional Development Series for Educators and Wanderers” Fall 2025 – Gatherings for Reflection, Resistance, and Reimagining A gentle 3-part series for educators, artists, thinkers, and wanderers. These sessions blend a personal self-guided “artist date,” a quiet online check-in, and a shared reflection space. No performance. No pressure. Just warm conversation, quiet creativity, and collective care. Who’s Welcome Educators, wanderers, multilingual learners, and thoughtful people curious about teaching, healing, and justice. No homework. No hierarchy. Just curiosity, care, and conversation. 🎴 Format (3 Days Across 3 Weeks) Meet in Person – Artist Date Find the selected readings and reflection prompts below Gwangju Gathering: Saturday, 2–4pm Online Check-In Wednesday, 8–9pm via Google Meet Gentle grounding, shared reflections; casual and cozy, no slides or lectures Reflect Share a reflec...