A recent survey has revealed that South Korean mothers send their kids to English classes before the children turn five years old on average.

A company that runs a chain of English language academies across the country, conducted a survey with the participation of 466 members of an on-line mothers’ community, and the replies showed that children started learning English at an average age of 4.8.
The results also showed that 5.8 percent of the mothers even started teaching English to their infants when they were still in the womb.

When participants were asked whether they believed the chosen age was appropriate, 68.5 percent said ‘yes’, while 28.1 percent replied that it was too early.
Age 8 was suggested as the most appropriate age for starting English study, with 21.7 percent of respondents in agreement making it the most popular age choice.

The survey also asked the mothers for the reasons behind the timing. Of the participants, 44.4 percent said they themselves thought it was about the right time, while 39.9 percent said it was because preschools offered after-school classes.
Finally, 21.7 percent admitted they were pushed into enrolling their kids when they saw other mothers beginning English education for their children.

Commentary by WooKun Hur, Head of Education Services

A head-start for English at an early age has been set as the first step to be in the top-rank among peer group.
The learning objective at this stage is more for practical with good sense of humanity with lots of readings. This, however, changes dramatically into the 'Test-rep' when children turns to the G3 (age10) and onward. And spent most time and money to memorise vocabularies and grammars at after-school programs for better scores in various tests.
Because of this trend, the level of English curriculum in public school always stay behind from student's, while the actual language proficiency for speaking and writing is still very low in many students in Korea.
A well organised ELT program, or pathway programs that combined with good language learnings, should get more attention from the upper age group and their parents who have been discouraged by their poor language skills after long years of investment for English programs.