Stories from Teacher Nguyen Krisztina
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작성일 2026-08-21
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Stories from Teacher Nguyen Krisztina
Q. Please tell us why you chose the class topic “Multimodal-Based Development of Intercultural Communicative Competence,” and why you think the lesson received the top award.
A. I chose this topic because I believe it is very important to cultivate intercultural communicative competence in Korean language classes. Language is always used within a cultural context. Even if learners know vocabulary and grammar, they may struggle to communicate in real life if they do not understand the situations, relationships, and attitudes in which those expressions are used. Korean, in particular, includes many elements deeply connected to cultural background, such as honorifics, forms of address, indirect expressions, and relationship-centered ways of speaking. For that reason, I felt that learners needed to understand not only linguistic forms but also the cultural meanings they carry.
Intercultural communicative competence also helps learners understand Korean culture with a more open attitude while reflecting on their own culture. I believed this process need not be reserved for intermediate or advanced learners, but could begin naturally at the beginner level. However, because beginner learners still find it difficult to express deeper thoughts in Korean, I felt that local teachers who understand learners’ first languages and cultural backgrounds had an essential role to play.
I put this idea into practice through a multimodal approach. By using photos, videos, shared experiences, comparative questions, communication outside the classroom, and face-to-face activities, even beginners can engage with Korean culture more comfortably by connecting it to their own experiences.
I think the class was well received because it demonstrated the possibility of developing intercultural communicative competence even in beginner-level classes by actively using learners’ languages, cultures, and experiences as classroom resources.
Intercultural communicative competence also helps learners understand Korean culture with a more open attitude while reflecting on their own culture. I believed this process need not be reserved for intermediate or advanced learners, but could begin naturally at the beginner level. However, because beginner learners still find it difficult to express deeper thoughts in Korean, I felt that local teachers who understand learners’ first languages and cultural backgrounds had an essential role to play.
I put this idea into practice through a multimodal approach. By using photos, videos, shared experiences, comparative questions, communication outside the classroom, and face-to-face activities, even beginners can engage with Korean culture more comfortably by connecting it to their own experiences.
I think the class was well received because it demonstrated the possibility of developing intercultural communicative competence even in beginner-level classes by actively using learners’ languages, cultures, and experiences as classroom resources.
Beginner-level learners who completed
the Sejong Korean 1A course together
the Sejong Korean 1A course together
Learners participating in a cultural quiz activity
with Teacher Nguyen Krisztina
with Teacher Nguyen Krisztina
Q. At the beginner level, limited language proficiency can make it difficult for learners to understand cultural differences and express their own thoughts. Please explain, using actual classroom examples, how a multimodal approach helped address these limitations.
A. The most noticeable change in class was learners’ willingness to participate. At first, students were cautious about speaking in Korean. However, when photos, videos, drama scenes, and comparative questions were presented together, they responded much more actively. For example, when dealing with Korean greetings, food culture, and expressions for making requests and refusals, I would ask, “How is this done in Hungary?” or “Have you had a similar experience?” Students then naturally began to recall and share their own experiences.
One especially memorable learner was a 77-year-old woman. Since she did not speak English, she chose a beginner class conducted in Hungarian, and she had a strong interest in Korean dramas, history, and translating song lyrics. Whenever a topic related to Korean culture came up in class, she actively shared scenes she had seen in dramas or content she had read in books, and she continued discussing Korean culture even after class.
Through this experience, I realized that a multimodal approach can go beyond using supplementary materials to support understanding. It can become a pathway that brings learners’ experiences and interests into the classroom. When students began connecting Korean culture to their own lives and discussing it, I saw firsthand that intercultural communicative competence can be developed even in beginner-level classes.
One especially memorable learner was a 77-year-old woman. Since she did not speak English, she chose a beginner class conducted in Hungarian, and she had a strong interest in Korean dramas, history, and translating song lyrics. Whenever a topic related to Korean culture came up in class, she actively shared scenes she had seen in dramas or content she had read in books, and she continued discussing Korean culture even after class.
Through this experience, I realized that a multimodal approach can go beyond using supplementary materials to support understanding. It can become a pathway that brings learners’ experiences and interests into the classroom. When students began connecting Korean culture to their own lives and discussing it, I saw firsthand that intercultural communicative competence can be developed even in beginner-level classes.
Learners experiencing hansik through activities outside the classroom
Q. As a local teacher in Hungary, what do you consider most important when teaching Korean to learners from the same cultural background?
A. As a local teacher in Hungary, what I consider most important is helping learners see Korean as less unfamiliar and intimidating. Korean and Hungarian differ greatly in structure and expression, so students sometimes wonder, “Why do we have to say it this way?” I believe such questions are a very natural and important starting point.
In class, I sometimes explain by comparing Korean with Hungarian so that students can understand more easily. Comparing elements such as particles and word order with Hungarian can make them easier to understand, but they do not always correspond one-to-one, so I try to present many examples and situations together. In particular, for content where relationships and situations matter, I think it is more important to understand the real communicative context than rely on translation alone.
Another thing I consider important is helping students develop the confidence to think, “I can do this, too.” Korean may feel difficult, but I believe the process of trying to speak even short expressions, asking questions, and finding meaning in oneʼs own way is more important than producing perfect sentences.
In class, I sometimes explain by comparing Korean with Hungarian so that students can understand more easily. Comparing elements such as particles and word order with Hungarian can make them easier to understand, but they do not always correspond one-to-one, so I try to present many examples and situations together. In particular, for content where relationships and situations matter, I think it is more important to understand the real communicative context than rely on translation alone.
Another thing I consider important is helping students develop the confidence to think, “I can do this, too.” Korean may feel difficult, but I believe the process of trying to speak even short expressions, asking questions, and finding meaning in oneʼs own way is more important than producing perfect sentences.
