Can you talk about your research interests and background?

I completed my PhD in Linguistics at the University of Kansas in August 2016. My research interests focus primarily on experimental linguistics (bilingualism and second language speech perception and production) and pedagogical approaches to the teaching of foreign languages (teaching strategies and approaches, like translanguaging, the topic I discussed in my presentation at the latest KOTESOL conference). Currently, I work as an assistant professor in the Spanish department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

What are your thoughts on translanguaging? Can you tell us about your presentation?

This is a really difficult question to answer, as there is not even a unique (or definite) definition of the concept. While I do not want to get into the discussion on how much of a social construct it is behind the idea of "translanguaging" (which is important but now exactly how I have studied it until now), I do see it from a psycholinguistics perspective. For me, translanguaging is a pedagogical approach that tries to reinforce the teaching of a second language, through some mechanisms that we know are associated with second language acquisition. For example, we know that in the first stages of acquiring a language, the individual needs to translate certain (if not all) concepts to their native language. Why would we then force them to only use the foreign language in the classroom? What about reinforcing this process of translating by implementing other mechanisms that will help students go through this phase faster and more successfully? For me, "translanguaging" is not only "translating into the native language", but implementing a series of approaches that will help students succeed in the acquisition process while making use of their already acquired knowledge. In my presentation for KOTESOL 2020, I tried to discuss some of the strategies that instructors and students themselves could implement to make this process more successful.

The text above is an excerpt of an interview. Source: Reyes, C. (2020). #KOTESOL2020: An Interview with Maria Teresa Martinez-Garcia. https://koreatesol.org/content/kotesol2020-interview-maria-teresa-martinez-garcia 

A new study shows that more foreigners are coming to live in Korea as the number of Korean citizens decreases. This is helping to prevent a sharp drop in the country's total population, which would have fallen below 50 million last year. The study by Statistics Korea reveals that the number of foreign nationals staying in Korea for three months or longer reached 1.75 million in 2022, a 6.2 percent increase from the previous year.

The increase in foreign nationals comes after a decline due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in 2020 and 2021. On the other hand, the number of Korean nationals has been falling for the second consecutive year. To address the shrinking birth rates and aging society, experts suggest that the country needs more immigrants.

Foreigners made up 3.4 percent of Korea's population in 2022, showing a slight rise from the previous years. Immigrants are considered important assets for the country to manage its demographic changes, according to Nam Jae-ryang, a senior researcher at Korea Labor Institute (KLI).

The study also found that the number of multicultural households has been increasing steadily, reaching 399,396 in 2022, a 25.2 percent increase since 2017. This trend indicates that a greater influx of foreign nationals is associated with the growth of multicultural families in Korea.

Source: Yi Whan-woo, The Korea Times. 2023/07/31

 https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/biz/2023/07/488_355991.html

The recent suicide of an elementary school teacher has brought attention to the struggles faced by teachers in South Korea. Government data revealed that in the past six years, 100 teachers have taken their own lives, raising concerns about the crisis in the education sector.

Most of the teachers who died by suicide were from elementary schools, followed by high school and middle school teachers. The reasons for their suicides included depression, panic disorders, family issues, health problems, and pressure from mandatory military service.

The number of teacher suicides has been increasing over the years, and there are worries that the figure may be higher by the end of this year. The situation is particularly severe in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, which have more schools and students.

The education sector is also facing a shortage of resources to address the mental health crisis among teachers. The demand for psychotherapy centers for teachers has risen sharply, but there are only a limited number of professional counselors available to help them.

In response to the recent tragedy, over 30,000 teachers held a large-scale protest, demanding better working conditions and stronger protections for their rights. They also called for legislative reforms to address issues related to excessive parental complaints and child abuse accusations that can harm innocent teachers.

Source: Lee Hae-rin, The Korea Times. 2023/07/30

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/07/281_356001.html

Human rights activists call for better protection of those born in third countries 

The article discusses the challenges faced by third-country-born children of North Korean defectors in South Korea. These children face unique issues such as language barriers, lack of social inclusion, and financial problems, which make it difficult for them to adjust to life in South Korea. Additionally, these children are not eligible for benefits that North Korean-born defectors receive, including special college admissions and vocational training. Although several bills have been proposed to reform the system, they have been discarded or neglected due to concerns that it may lead to a diplomatic issue with China. However, human rights activists argue that it is a human rights issue that needs to be addressed for the inclusion and empowerment of these children.

Source: Jungho Min, The Korea Times. 2023/07/17  https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/07/281_354972.html 

This study looks at how the stress of parents from multicultural families affects their children's depression. The study found that social inhibition, or the tendency to avoid social situations, partially mediates the relationship between parental stress and children's depression. The study also found that national identity plays a role in how parental stress affects children's social inhibition. Additionally, the study found that positive peer relationships can reduce the impact of social inhibition on depression. The results can help prevent depression in children from multicultural families and provide data for therapeutic intervention.

Source: Korean Youth Research Association, 2021. Feb 28, 2021 28(2):59
https://kiss.kstudy.com/ExternalLink/Ar?key=3934995 

The video is a record of a forum on customized educational support for multicultural students during the COVID-19 era, including remote learning and blended learning. Korean teachers and researchers presented on various strategies and programs, such as a Kakao Channel for parents, EBS education broadcast, and Dubbing School for teachers. Discussions focused on ensuring effective learning outcomes and utilizing breaks in between remote learning sessions for assessment. 

Source: Gyeonggi-do Office of Education (2020)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrHHj9SGZH0

South Korea has become more multicultural due to globalization, resulting in more diverse classrooms. However, the national curriculum guidelines are the same for all students, which makes it difficult for multicultural students to keep up. The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education has designated some schools with a high percentage of multicultural students as multicultural international innovation schools, giving them more autonomy in designing their curricula. This article looks at three elementary schools in Gyeonggi-do that have been designated as multicultural international innovation schools and examines how school reform is taking place in a multicultural society.

Source: Chang, I.S. & Ahn, L.H. (2020)  https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.828 

The study looked at how well immigrant children fit into the educational system of their new country. This is important because it affects not only their future but also the future of society. The study found that immigrant children do better academically in countries that have more equal rights for everyone. It also found that the difference in performance between immigrant and non-immigrant children is smallest in countries that promote cultural rights for different groups. This means that policies that balance diversity and unity and promote equal rights can help immigrant children succeed.

Source: Ham, Song & Yang (2020)
Social Policy & Administration, 54(5) pp. 630-645 https://doi.org/10.1111/spol.12561 

This paper looks at how teachers' experiences with different cultures and their education on multiculturalism affect their attitudes towards diversity. The study examines how pre-service and in-service multicultural education can change teachers' ethnic identification, taking into account their personal backgrounds. The study used a path analysis model to answer these questions and provide a theoretical explanation for the results. The findings can help us understand how education can change teachers' attitudes towards diversity based on their individual circumstances. 

Source: 교육방법연구, 15(1), pp.135-145 Apr, 2003
https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/ci/sereArticleSearch/ciSereArtiView.kci?sereArticleSearchBean.artiId=ART001017132