(Abstract)
School education consists of preferred values and culture along with the dominant ideology of the country, and the goals and objectives of the national curriculum should be sufficiently realized through textbooks reflecting the national educational philosophy and the spirit of the times. In particular, in North Korea, the party and state monopolizes the publication and distribution of textbooks, controlling the selection process of knowledge to be published in them. Thus, an analysis of changes in North Korea’s textbooks can judge changes in the society in a more significant way.
Based on this, this paper examined the characteristics of changes and the factors with North Korea’s English Textbooks for the first and second grades of middle school (Those for the first grade in 2007 and the second grade in 2008 in comparison with those for the first and second grades in 2001). The characteristics of changes in North Korea’s English textbooks were as follows:
First, changes in the structure: They changed from a two-dimensional structure of grammar and translation into a three-dimensional and systematic one, and the number of units increased greatly.
Second, changes in the contents and materials: They described contents using various outside materials apart from North Korea-inside information and the limit of materials. In particular, they mentioned contents and materials related to science and diverse cultures around the world and even global common interests such as the increase in world population, food shortages and environmental problems.
Third, other linguistic changes: Apart from textbooks only for grammar of rote memorization, they utilized grammar as a means of improving speaking, listening, writing and reading skills. The number of vocabularies increased noticeably, which were qualitatively concrete and had close relationships with practical life. In addition, they changed the focus of education from the written language to the spoken language, and the teaching method that integrated various games and play activities aroused student’s interest and concern.
Fourth, despite these changes, propaganda of the North Korean regime and the contents of idolization of Il-sung Kim and Jong-il Kim have been reproduced in all the textbooks analyzed. However, compared to raw idolization in the past, the level was lowered, and they were propagandized elaborately without tactlessness or clumsiness.
The characteristics of changes in the North Korea’s English textbooks can be described with the following factors:
First, pursuit of overcoming economic crisis and utilitarianism: Slogans related to ‘practical interests,’ such as pragmatism, strengthening science and technology education and market economic education lead changes in the North Korea’s English textbooks.
Second, diversification of foreign affairs and open-door policy: North Korea came to need the talent that can speak foreign languages proficiently in various fields with the diversification of foreign relations.
Third, globalization and inflow of outside information: The inflow of outside information and cultures including Hallyu is increasing. This shows North Korean people a world totally different from that which their government has taught them. So, the government actively reflects this in English textbooks to cope with these social changes effectively and follow the trend of globalization.
In other words, it was observed that the North Korea’s English textbooks have been altered by its internal and external factors. The changes were made in a direction of strengthening the spoken language-centered, practical education apart from the written language-centered one, and on the other hand, it adopted a dual strategy to prevent its social ideology from loosening by continuing to reproduce materials of ideological education.