Fourteen English teachers from South Korea spent January at UD in a professional development program with the English Language Institute. In addition to improving their language skills, they shared lessons in their education system and culture.

Building cultural bridges through education

Article by Kaitlyn Diehl Photos by Kaitlyn Diehl and courtesy of Monica Farling and Ana Kim March 12, 2025

English Language Institute partnership brings Korean teachers to campus for immersive professional development

The University of Delaware’s English Language Institute (ELI) may primarily be known for its outstanding English as a second language program, but its professional development and training opportunities for teachers from the U.S. and abroad also make an impact. Just ask the 14 English teachers from South Korea who spent January on campus, learning new skills and sharing their practices with teachers at schools across New Castle County.

The teachers came to the ELI through the highly competitive Fulbright Korea program, which seeks to enhance participants’ teaching skills while promoting cross-cultural understanding. Upon returning to their home country, the teachers will use their UD experience to create lessons that improve their students' English proficiency and knowledge of English-speaking cultures. In exchange, students and teachers at UD and in the local community were introduced to Korean culture and teaching methodologies.

Rena Kim, a Fulbright participant who teaches 13- to 15-year-olds in South Korea, was excited to bring new life to her classroom.

The teachers work on an interactive language activity together during their professional development workshop mini-conference, a showcase of lessons they put on at the end of their program.

“This is the ninth year of my teaching experience, and I needed some fresh motivation and a new perspective to spark excitement,” she said. “I wanted to challenge myself and grow, both as an educator and as a language learner.”

Hayoung Woo, an elementary school teacher in her fifth year of teaching, wanted to incorporate a cultural perspective into her English lessons.

“As an English teacher, I had never been to the U.S., which always felt like a missing piece in my teaching journey,” she said. “The idea of immersing myself in an English-speaking environment for a month, experiencing the language and culture firsthand, and bringing those insights back to my classroom deeply resonated with me.”

A new partnership

This is the second year of the ELI partnership with Fulbright Korea, and UD is the only university in the country welcoming their students right now, according to Ana Kim, the ELI’s international project manager for South Korea. As a former member of the Fulbright National Screening Committee, she was instrumental in creating the collaboration and selecting this year’s participants who were chosen from a pool of 150 applicants.

“The selection process is rigorous, ensuring that candidates are not only academically and professionally accomplished but also, in their entirety, well-suited to serve as cultural ambassadors,” Kim said. “It's a very unique program for us, and we are very honored to have this opportunity.”

Classes, cultural exchange and more

The 14 Korean teachers were busy during their month on campus, taking intensive courses and workshops as well as observing and teaching in local classrooms. The group visited cultural sites in Washington, D.C., as part of Academic Development Specialist Monica Farling’s U.S. History, Culture and Education seminar. Assistant Professor Phil Rice explored new ways for the teachers to make their classes interactive and engaging in his English as a Foreign Language Methods course.

The teachers applied their newfound understanding of pedagogy and learned firsthand about U.S. classroom culture through visits to William Penn High School and Wilmington Christian School, as well as UD’s own The College School.

Hyangmi Kwon, Hayoung Woo, Monica Farling, Chaeyun Kim and Jiwon Kim enjoy a beautiful but cold visit to iconic sites in Washington, D.C.

“I found that American teachers put so much effort into their classes for the students’ growth and happiness. They respect students’ individual characteristics and work hard to engage them by providing timely help and feedback,” said Jiwon Kim, a Fulbright scholar and fifth grade English teacher. “For me, the idea of offering students a wide range of choices was so fascinating.”

Woo made a similar observation.

“At William Penn High School, I was particularly impressed by how education was tailored to students’ career paths, in contrast to the Korean system, which is more focused on college entrance exams,” she said.

Woo was “pleasantly surprised to see that many students were well aware of Korea’s geographical location and showed great interest in Korean culture, especially K-pop.”

“This experience gave me a sense of pride in my home country,” she said. “Witnessing the global impact of Korean cultural content firsthand reinforced my belief that Korea is truly a powerhouse in the world of culture and entertainment.”

Andrea Glowatz, director of The College School, was delighted to see her students engaging in the cultural exchange.

“These guest educators brought vibrant lessons on Korean culture to each of our classrooms, sharing topics that ranged from food and games to language and traditions,” she said. “While the specific subjects varied, the excitement across all classes was a common thread.”

(Left to right) Rena Kim, Hyangmi Kwon, and Jiwon Kim teach a lesson on Korean culture to a class at The College School on UD’s campus.

Both sets of teachers found common ground on cross-cultural teaching methodologies and challenges, including social-emotional issues and texting conflicts.

“One of the most profound takeaways from this exchange was the shared realization that while cultural differences exist, many of the challenges and triumphs in education transcend borders,” Glowatz said.

A lasting impact

The Fulbright program not only transformed the Korean teachers but also those in the ELI who worked with them.

Rice was inspired by their pursuit of growth in their careers.

“Some of them were risk-takers, not knowing whether they would be selected for the program or not, but trying anyway,” he said. “This reinvigorated my motivation to ‘shoot for the stars’ in my own career and take risks, understanding that we miss 100% of the shots we don't take.”

“We can learn with each other and learn from each other,” Farling said. “Some challenges are not particular to one country or one culture; we're more alike than we are different, and realizing that we share some of the same challenges can make you feel a little less alone.”

Ana Kim echoed the same sentiment.

“Education does not have a border, and there is so much for us to learn from each other,” she said.