Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages
| Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
San, 21-2, Gocheon-dong, Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi Province, Korea | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, Boarding, Foreign Language School |
| Motto | Nurturing Creative Global Leaders Dedicated To Serve All Humankind |
| Established | 2004 |
| Principal | Sungeun Jun |
| Symbols | Zelkova, Phoenix, Camellia |
| Website | gafl.hs.kr [1] |
Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages, or GAFL (경기외국어고등학교, 京畿外國語高等學校) is a foreign language high school located in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. It is equipped with two student dormitories, each for different genders, with its own dormitory inspectors as staff. Students are divided into eight classes per grade by language (English & Japanese, English & Chinese, Japanese, and Chinese) in which they would like to major. It was originally established under the name of Myongji Foreign Language High School on March 2, 2004 by Myongji Foundation. It was run as Myongji Foreign Language High School for 5 years, but due to declining financial situation of Myongji Foundation, the school was taken over by Bong-ahm Institute in 2008. Consequently, Bong-ahm Institute changed the name of the school to the current name of Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages, with changes in various areas, including the principal, school uniform, dormitory inspectors and operation of school cafeteria. Although it kept the original subjects, or "majors", GAFL's international department changed the curriculum of its international curriculum department to International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in 2011, making GAFL the first Korean high school to adopt the program.[1][2] Currently, there are nine years worth of graduates, with alumni spread over diverse universities, including domestically prominent SKY (universities) and various universities abroad.
History
Myongji Foreign Language High School Era
Myongji Foreign Language High School was a dormitory-based foreign language high school that accepted students from all over the country, mainly through its individual and unique admission tests. The students lived in the dormitory, and studied at night under the supervision of the dormitory inspectors, who were outsourced by the school. Remaining at school on weekends and during vacation was optional, but students had to follow a strict timetable that regulated activities most of the time. In the absence of school teachers, the dorm inspectors would take the place of chaperoning the students and their activities. To accommodate the students' needs, there were various facilities such as laundry room, gym, and a 7-Eleven convenience store (which was rumored to be the second highest branch in sales throughout all of South Korea) inside the school. The academic performance of Myongji students steadily improved over time, peaking at the 3rd highest in 2011 College Scholastic Ability Test in all of South Korea.[3]
Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages: former era (until 6th generation)
However, with the conversion of the school into Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages, the school took a drastic turn. In admissions, it could no longer test applying students in maths, and had to take into account their middle school grades to a larger extent due to change of government regulations. The school uniform also changed, from the previous 2 versions (winter and summer) to 3 versions (winter formal and casual, and summer). The school also scouted Hashik Park, a former vice-principal of Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies and Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies to be GAFL's new principal. Under Principal Park's running of the school, GAFL developed various student clubs, including a club pertaining to lacrosse. In terms of dormitory, staffing change was made in dormitory inspectors; the school hired a new group of dormitory inspectors that were regarded as a lot less strict than the group before. Amenities such as towels and laundry service were also made free to the students. However, the 6th generation of students still followed much of the same curriculum and education infrastructure as previous generations of students did.
Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages: latter era (7th generation ~)
From this time period, the school took even more of a drastic turn. It could no longer accept students from provinces other than Gyeonggi due to change in government regulations.[4] However, it was accepted to incorporate the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, one of the first Korean high schools to do so. This entailed a change of system and infrastructure for the students; as opposed to the past, the subjects, or "majors" were now divided into four categories containing local English, international English (IBDP), Chinese and Japanese departments.[5]
| Year | Event(s) |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Sep.23 Myongji Foreign Language High School Established (24 classes) |
| 2004 | Mar.02 Opening and 1st Entrance Ceremony With 327 Students Education Foundation Dr. Hyesik Oh |
| 2005 | Feb.07 2nd Principal Dr.Hyeunok Yu
Mar.02 2nd Entrance Ceremony with 347 students Sep.01 Education Foundation Dr. Yoenggu Yu |
| 2006 | Mar. 02 3rd Entrance Ceremony with 339 students |
| 2007 | Feb.04 1st Graduation 321 students
Mar.02 4th Entrance Ceremony with 344 students |
| 2008 | Feb.13 2nd Graduation 315 students
Mar.02 5th Entrance Ceremony with 347 students Sep.01 Education Foundation Hashik Park |
| 2009 | Feb.14 3rd Graduation 339 students
Mar.02 6th Entrance Ceremony with 343 students |
| 2010 | Feb.11 4th Graduation 350 students
Mar.02 7th Entrance Ceremony with 340 students Dec.30 The first acquisition of qualification to adopt IBDP (International Baccalaureate Diploma Program) |
| 2011 | Feb.10 5th Graduation 347 students
Mar.02 8th Entrance Ceremony with 289 students |
| 2012 | Feb.09 6th Graduation 338 students
Mar.02 9th Entrance Ceremony 270 students |
| 2013 | Feb.02 7th Graduation 337 students
Mar.02 10th Entrance Ceremony 245 students Apr.1st 4th principal Seongeun Jeon |
| 2014 | Feb.13 8th Graduation 291 students
Mar.3rd 11th Entrance Ceremony 265 students |
| 2015 | Feb.12 9th Graduation 270 students
Mar.02 12th Entrance Ceremony 214 students |
Majors
In both Myongji Foreign Language High School and GAFL, students were divided into classes centered around certain "majors", which meant that the classes pertaining to that major would receive more education on that area. Traditionally, there were 2 classes for each major, and these majors acted as major factors in school management and student activities by providing a clear boundary between groups of students.
Myongji Foreign Language High School
In Myongji Foreign Language High School, there were four majors: English (major) and Chinese (minor), English (major) and Japanese (minor), Chinese and Japanese. Each department received differentiated education according to the majors, including conversation and theoretical classes. The number of classes pertaining to the language was designed to escalate as the grades increased; such was the case that 3rd grade students had 5 different subjects pertaining to their major, for instance, English Writing, English Conversation, English Grammar, English Reading and English Listening. As students wishing for acceptance in foreign universities were few in number, they were incorporated into the main system, but could take optional classes and guidance on the side.
Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages
GAFL was approved as World IB School in 2011, and unlike other IB schools in Korea, it is the only IB school where students can graduate with both IB Diploma and a Korean High School Diploma.
With the introduction of IBDP to the school, the major system also changed. The previously few students striving for foreign universities were promoted to a new major (international English), and the students striving for domestic universities were incorporated into local English courses. The IBDP is currently designed to address to the international English portion of the students.
As a Foreign Languages Highschool, IB students in GAFL are required to take 3 language courses within Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature and Group 2: Language acquisition. Thus students drop their Group 6: The Arts course at the end of DP1, and it is not included in final exam as well.
Courses offered:
Group 1: Korean Literature A (SL/HL), English Language and Literature A (HL)
Group 2: English B (HL), Chinese B (SL), Japanese B (SL)
Group 3: History (SL/HL), Economy (SL/HL)
Group 4: Biology (SL/HL), Chemistry (SL/HL)
Group 5: Mathematics Analysis and Approach (SL/HL)
Group 6: Film (SL), Theatre (SL)
References
- ^ "경기외고 국내고교 첫 IBDP 인증". MK News. 2011-01-21. Retrieved 2012-11-22.
- ^ "세계 표준 고교 교육과정(IBDP) 도입하는 경기외고". The JoongAng Daily. 2011-02-09. Retrieved 2012-11-22.
- ^ "외고 한물갔다 ?… 대입선 여전히 최강자". MK News. 2011-04-20. Retrieved 2012-11-22.
- ^ "경기 9개 외고경쟁률 지난해 절반으로 '뚝'". 헤럴드경제. 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2012-11-22.
- ^ Introducing GAFL's Subjects Archived 2013-03-23 at the Wayback Machine, Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages.
- ^ Introducing GAFL History, Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages.
