Starting with the mindset before becoming a parent of a middle school student

Part 1.
Why should I study Korean in middle school?

1.
The subject that holds back top students at the very gates of medical school

2.
Korean has become the second most important language after math in college entrance exams.
The Importance of Literacy and the Revised 2028 College Scholastic Ability Test

3.
Why You Should Start Studying Korean Seriously in Middle School
· Friends with reading comprehension skills up to 3rd year of middle school vs.
Friends who don't have one
· The polarization of elementary school students' literacy skills in the COVID-19 era.

4.
Cooking is easy when the knife is sharp.
· If your goal is to enter a Korean university, English kindergartens are not recommended.
｜A word from Mr. Kim_I regret sending my child to an English kindergarten.

5.
My child has always been the top student in middle school. Should I send him to a Korean language academy?
Should I study vocabulary separately? If so, when should I start?
· Recommended method for faster vocabulary growth
｜A word from Mr. Kim_This is the best way to quickly memorize vocabulary.
· If you don't have time, reading newspapers and novels is not recommended.
· If you really want to read the newspaper, do it like this

Part 2.
The truth and lies of the Korean language section of the CSAT, as revealed by the teacher himself.

1.
Is reading multiple times always beneficial? NO!

2.
How to Tackle Difficult Non-Fiction Problems
· Look at the problem first and then solve it? Why it absolutely won't work.
· The key points are all between paragraphs 1 and 3.
· Establish proper standards for underlining.
· Find parts where the same thing is expressed differently
· Be sure to take notes on science, technology, engineering, medicine, and economics texts.
· Infer the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary by considering the context.

3.
How can I build non-literary background knowledge?
· Preparing for the law field fingerprint
· Preparing for the economics section
· Prepare for the Philosophy and Humanities section
· Prepare for fingerprints in science and engineering
｜A word from Mr. Kim: Don't try to understand the extremely difficult non-literary text; just say, "I guess so."
4.
How to prepare for the Korean language mock exam
· A classic way to solve Korean mock exams
· Literature: Master the concepts before entering the first year of high school.
· Grammar: Complete reading twice before entering the first year of high school.
｜A word from Mr. Kim_After taking the test, you should develop the habit of analyzing your own weaknesses.

Part 3.
Reading and writing, coaching like this is extremely effective.

1.
In fact, your child may not have hated books at all.
·The secret to Korean language skills is romance novels?
·The countless opportunities that come with reading and writing well
·The writing I read while being dirty becomes mine.

2.
If you're planning to attend a specialized or autonomous high school, a reading list is even more important.
· Thoughts on the changed college entrance exam system
A Word from Mr. Kim: Think Before Sending Your Child to a Science High School or Gifted School
· What kind of students do private high schools across the country select?
· Writing a self-introduction for admission to a specialized high school
｜A word from Mr. Kim_Is my child a child who will adapt well to private high schools and specialized high schools?
· Prepare experiences or activities related to character development
· Recommended activity table for preparing for admission to specialized high schools by grade level

3.
How to organize a reading list
· The secret to creating a high-quality reading list
· Be sure to copy and keep your reading log.
｜A word from Mr. Kim_It is difficult to be fooled by just one reading lecture you heard at the academy!

4.
A writing framework that will enrich your life
· The structure of a light-hearted reading log (reading report)
· The writing structure of a light-hearted essay
· The importance of writing an outline
· Write a lot vs.
Rewrite the same text multiple times

Part 4 Korean Language Academy: When and Which Academy Should I Send My Child to?

1.
If you haven't studied Chinese characters, please start now!

2.
The best time to see results by sending your child to a Korean language academy
· Why does it start in the 6th grade of elementary school?
A Word from Mr. Kim: This is how students in Daechi-dong manage their smartphones.
· If you lack knowledge of Korean history, you can't do literature.
· Reading and writing are only available until the first semester of the first year of middle school.
· The Korean language section of the high school level college entrance exam begins during the summer vacation of the second year of middle school.
｜A word from Mr. Kim_What if I want to raise my grades right now?
· Grammar study starts from 2nd year of middle school
｜A Word from Mr. Kim_What to Keep in Mind When Sending Your Child to an Academy
｜A Word from Mr. Kim_Mr. Kim's PICK Internet Lecture
· Students in Daechi-dong start learning Korean in their third year of middle school?
· What if I send my child to two Korean language academies?
· Korean language proficiency is a must.

3.
This is the kind of Korean language academy that is good.
·Criteria for judging a good Korean language academy
·Which teacher is competent?

4.
If possible, avoid sending your child to these kinds of Korean language academies.
｜A Word from Mr. Kim_Children Who Should and Shouldn't Go to Large-Scale Korean Language Academy

Part 5.
How to choose Korean language workbooks and online lectures

1.
Don't blindly buy the workbooks that others say are good!
· How to determine your child's objective Korean language skills
｜A word from Mr. Kim_The children who were said to have done well in Korean got hit in the back of the head
· Nevertheless, a collection of recommended problem sets for each area
｜A Word from Mr. Kim: Don't Take the Answer Sheets Away from Your Child
· How to use the mock exam question booklet as a daily study material
· Chew through the workbook by organizing incorrect answers

2.
Quality is the most important thing when choosing an online course.
· Everyone's first hit may not be my first hit in life.
· If you choose a lecture, listen like this

Part 6.
Ultimate goal: Raise children who learn on their own.

1.
The Blind Spot of Self-Directed Learning
· Does studying depend on talent or effort?
｜A word from Mr. Kim_Fundamentally, earnestness and lack were the driving force of life.
Even if you're trying to study desperately, you need a plan.

2.
Q&A on Study Plans: What Students Are Most Curious About
· Should I set it by quantity or by time?
· What is the appropriate amount of planning?
· All subjects equally? Or just one subject?
· What should I do when taking online lectures?
· How about rest?
· How do you design your pure study time?
· How do I use the scheduler?

3.
Study methods suitable for each test type
· How should I study to get a high score on the CSAT?
· The winning study method for 5-option multiple-choice questions
· The secret to flawlessly preparing for middle school entrance exams
In conclusion, no matter what anyone says, the test is 'momentum'

_Final Key Summary
_A Review of Mr. Kim's Effective Korean Study Method
_supplement
·Mock exam analysis sheet
·Study Plan Forms 1 and 2

“I didn’t know that Korean had to be taught like this.
“That was really helpful.” “Now I’ve found a good route that makes sense!”
Before you uproot your Korean language, you must read this warning from a Korean language teacher from Daechi-dong.

In the summer of 2024, a single post set the thread abuzz.
The article was titled, 'SKY sending route recommended by private education providers.'
As a professional Korean language instructor in Daechi-dong, when the author published an article outlining his thoughts on the "desirable private education curriculum," 2,000 subscribers followed him that day alone.
In the comments, many parents responded, saying that they realized the importance of Korean and that they had found a proper route for Korean language pre-learning.
This means that middle school students and their parents were thirsty for vivid information and a concrete roadmap related to learning Korean.
Accordingly, the author has published a practical Korean language education book titled “Middle School Korean Language Study Methods that Affect the College Scholastic Ability Test” that outlines how to teach Korean language to children entering middle school.


Students often seek out academies or private tutoring when they feel their Korean language skills are limited in the second year of middle school or right after entering high school, when the Korean language curriculum becomes more difficult.
The author, who has observed these students in the private education field for many years, analyzes that because the current curriculum teaches fewer Chinese characters and reduces the number of school exams, students' basic literacy skills are bound to be significantly weaker than those of their parents' generation.
He also added that students' Korean language skills have been polarized since the COVID-19 pandemic, when social distancing forced them to learn online.

Contrary to the weakening of students' literacy skills, the difficulty of the Korean language subject in the CSAT is gradually increasing.
In addition, the author emphasizes that with the recent announcement of the 2028 college entrance reform plan, the key to successful college entrance will undoubtedly be the Korean language.
Since literacy skills cannot be immediately improved by taking private lessons once or attending an academy for a few months, it is too late to start learning Korean in earnest in high school.
If you start studying Korean from the second year of middle school at the latest, you will be less likely to shed tears of blood over Korean in high school.
The author also says that we should invest more in Korean because learning other important subjects will be easier if we have solid Korean language skills. He recommends strategic Korean language study by detailing how to build a foundation in the mother tongue starting from elementary school and a study system to achieve a high score on the Korean language section of the CSAT.


“The Korean language must be a sharp sword to cut up difficult knowledge into small pieces.”
How should I study Korean for my school grades and the CSAT?
Everything you need to know about cutting-edge Korean language learning, from smart private tutoring to self-directed learning!

“I’m just going to choose one of five options in my native language anyway, so why should I study separately?” Students and parents who neglect or overlook Korean language learning with this mindset and end up hitting a “Korean language wall” often feel at a loss as to where and how to begin studying.
For those who are unsure whether they should just go to a famous, large academy, read all 100 books recommended by Seoul National University, or solve thousands of mock exam problems, the author provides a step-by-step guide to the learning process and methods for developing actual literacy skills, based on a high score on the CSAT.


The point is to build a solid foundation in the native language through sufficient reading and writing activities starting in the lower grades of elementary school, and then, starting in middle school, to learn the content needed for each grade level by appropriately utilizing private education, while focusing on studying Korean with a focus on achieving high scores on the CSAT.
The author, who emphasizes that children who will ultimately take the CSAT in Korea and go to a Korean university should avoid sending them to an "English kindergarten (English academy for children)" if possible, introduces a method to build a foundation for Korean language skills through reading books and writing diaries in childhood, and to focus on studying Chinese characters to build vocabulary as they enter the upper grades of elementary school, thereby strengthening the foundation of the mother tongue.
After entering middle school, the book explains the learning content and amount required for each grade by dividing it into grammar, literature, and non-literature, and also goes into detail about specific learning methods such as how to find a suitable academy, how to choose reference books, and how to utilize online lectures.


Meanwhile, it also introduces in detail practical study methods that require hands-on practice, such as how to organize incorrect answers after solving a problem and how to read while taking notes on the passage, as well as writing training methods related to college entrance exams, such as essays and reading logs.
Furthermore, if you have become somewhat accustomed to this study method, you can utilize academies or online lectures appropriately, but the basic concept of 'pure study time' is explained so that you can practice 'self-directed learning', and tips for creating a study plan are also explained without fail.


If you have the literacy to read properly, you can develop the thinking ability to properly understand any difficult content, and that thinking ability ultimately becomes the driving force behind self-directed learning.
Ultimately, learning Korean should be viewed as a process that goes beyond simple academic study and creates the driving force for self-directed learning.
To make the process as efficient as possible, "Middle School Korean Language Study Methods that Affect the College Scholastic Ability Test" contains "everything about Korean language learning" currently used in Korea's most competitive educational settings.
If you follow the guidance in this book, even students who can't choose the best private tutoring classes in education-intensive areas like Daechi-dong or Mok-dong will be able to achieve high scores on the CSAT and enter a prestigious university.


Recommendation

My child is a native English speaker, so Korean has always been the most difficult language for him and he lacks confidence in it.
The idioms and proverbs are unfamiliar, but in fact, the Chinese character words themselves are Korean words that must be memorized.
Even though that child had a high level of literacy, he had a very difficult time with both the Korean language test and the college entrance exam.
My long experience of attending classes at large Korean language academies actually became a poison to me, so I only did my homework in a hurry once a week and had given up on self-directed learning.
That child met teacher Kim Min-jeong and experienced many changes.
The first class evaluation test diagnosed my child's current condition as not being a literacy problem, but rather a problem with vocabulary interpretation.
He helped me translate Chinese characters and idioms into English and consistently study basic concepts to reduce errors in interpreting Chinese characters.
It took me nearly six months to grasp the basic concepts, including the middle school basics, but I gradually became less afraid of the Korean language, which had not improved even after three years at a large academy I had previously attended, and I finally achieved the result of perfectly interpreting non-literature texts and logically finding answers.

-Mother of Lee Myeong-myeong, a student entering Minjok History High School in 2024

Through teacher Kim Min-jeong's Korean language class, I was able to learn how to read deeply.
The experience of studying literary works by going beyond simply reading them and grasping their meaning and emotions remains a solid foundation for my reading comprehension skills.
Additionally, the literary concepts, Chinese characters, and problem-solving methods I learned in middle school were of great help even after I entered high school.

-Kim M M, a student entering Yongin Foreign Language High School in 2023