▲ Kim Jang-soo, the CEO of GnB English Education Co.,Ltd. He has brought a new paradigm to English education for non-native speakers.

Studying English can be a lot easier if you change the study method!
There is a famous story about a Korean man who got in a car accident in the U.S. A police officer came to him and asked, “How are you?” The man, who was seriously injured, gave a reply he had learned in his English class. “Fine, thank you, and you?” This episode highlights the absurdity of English education in Korea. Memorizing expressions, sentences, or conversations while ignoring their contexts is one of the least effective methods of studying English.
English fever in Korea is known throughout the world. Korean people invest as much money as they can in their children’s English education and their own. About 14~15 trillion won is spent each year in the private English education market. Despite all of the time and money spent every year, English learners maintain low levels of English language skills and become stressed out as a result. What is the reason for this?
“Speaking practice is the key,” says Kim Jang-soo. He believes that speaking is the most important skill for developing one’s ability to communicate in English. If you can speak well, you can better understand other English speakers because speaking and listening go hand in hand. Kim believes that the most effective way to improve English education is to shift the focus from the passive approach of studying English based on reading and listening to a more active approach that emphasizes speaking and writing. “Most importantly, we have to create a practical study methodology based on our own language environment.”
 

▲ Kim Jang-soo’s TV lecture, “Change the study method!,” broadcasted in 10 regions around the country in 2008He says that we have to shift the focus from the passive approach of studying English based on reading and listening to a more active approach that emphasizes speaking and writing. “The most important thing is a ‘practical study methodology based on our own language environment.’”

GnB English Study Method using ‘Thought Units’ and ‘Connective Questions”
GnB focuses on developing English speaking skills. “Speak first and listening, reading and writing will follow. If you can say a sentence in English, then you can understand it when it is spoken by native speakers or written in texts. You will also be able to write it yourself more quickly.”
Following Kim’s idea, GnB has developed a unique English study method using ‘Thought Units’ and ‘Connective Questions.’ GnB’s method helps students improve their English speaking abilities by mastering sentence word order and structure. Most sentences in English consists of 2~5 [Thought Units]. Take a look at this sentence for example: “I went to Incheon airport to see my American friend.” This sentence can be divided into 4 parts: “I went / to Incheon airport / to see / my American friend.//” When students study listening, speaking, reading or writing, these [Thought Units] can be combined to make complete sentences. This helps students acquire an understanding of English sentence structure.
‘Connective Questions’ are also included between two [Thought Units]. Here is an example: “I went [where?] / to Incheon airport…” The ‘Connective Question’ in the middle of this sentence helps the student anticipate what will come next in the sentence. This technique promotes rapid improvement in the student’s listening and reading comprehension. GnB’s English study method is now patented in Korea and a worldwide patent is pending.
GnB has also invested 17 billion won to develop its unique English study software by combining the [Thought Unit] study method with cutting-edge information technology and English voice recognition systems. With GnB English Software, students can learn sentences and expressions with movies using the [Thought Unit] method and practice speaking and listening in the ‘Role Play’ mode which simulates real conversations with characters from the movies.
GnB English Software has received the National Software Award from the prime minister of Korea. Kim Jang-soo personally gave a demonstration of the software to then-President Ro Moo-hyun. GnB English Software is recognized as one of the best and the most practical English study tools for non-native students.

▲ New Intellectual Award in 2008, hosted by the Korean New Intellectuals’ Association and Maeil Business Newspaper

Leading English education in 21st century with diverse content
GnB’s English education is divided into 5 stages. The Basic stage is for children of age 5~7; the 1st~3rd stages are for elementary school students, and the final stage is for middle school students. Each stage is made up of several levels. Kim says, “If you complete all five stages, you will be on your way to mastering the English language.”
GnB has a strict system for recruiting and training English teachers. In many English schools, native speakers often teach classes without training, but GnB’s teachers must undergo thorough training not only as English teachers but also as teachers who meet high ethical standards. The current recruiting project invites retired public school teachers who, according to Kim, “are good teachers with lots of experience.”
GnB has also released an English study program for adults, called ‘GnB Talk Sense’. This is a 1 year program consisting of 4 parts: Everyday English (4 months), Business English (4 months), Drama (4 months) and Screen English (supplement for higher level students). This program also includes the GnB English Software with the Role Play mode which provides students with the experience of being immersed in an English speaking environment.
GnB is also developing English educational entertainment content. GnB has recently begun production of a TV series for children titled “Merry Mother Goose.” The series is almost complete and has been drawing attention from both domestic and foreign broadcasters.

▲ Aiming to educate the next generation of global leaders, GnB made a contract with the administration of the Mountainview school district in Canada. Students who graduate from the GnB Continental College will be able to enter renowned universities in Canada and the United States including McGill University and Toronto University.

GnB Schools expand and leap into the global era
GnB has undergone much development over the past eight years. The GnB English education system has undoubtedly had a positive impact. Kim Jang-soo believes that an education company aiming for steady progress must accomplish a number of tasks: (1) provide quality management based on risk assessment and a thorough control system; (2) consistently develop English study books and materials; (3) research and develop an effective English study program; (4) and provide reasonable investment. Most importantly, Kim emphasizes global management as he offers experienced English education programs and software in both domestic and foreign markets including China, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
GnB has also built the ‘GnB Continental College’, a 200 acre campus in Canada. Aiming to educate the next generation of global leaders, Kim says that ”the college is in an environment that is friendly towards education. It is located in Manitoba State, Canada, under the administration of the Mountainview school division. The college is a public school that teaches Canadian students and Korean students who are studying in special supplementary courses. Students who graduate from the ‘GnB Continental College’ will be able to enter renowned universities in Canada and the United States, including McGill University and Toronto University.”  Kim adds, “If Korea can raise competitive global leaders among its students, then it can become a stronger competitor in the global market.”
Kim has many tasks ahead of him in the near future, but he won’t stick to short-term benefits. He plans to remake the company’s image and use a more aggressive management strategy to achieve greater success. He will increase the size of the company by developing new English study books and materials, developing online English franchise schools combined with offline GnB schools, and expanding GnB branches overseas. Furthermore, he is also planning a large scale expansion of new schools in Korea to create new jobs in the current economic crisis. Kim dreams of using the profits made by his company to provide free English education to children in poor educational environmental. Among the 4 million elementary school students in Korea, 500,000 children are not receiving quality English education due to economic and geographic limitations.

▲ Kim Jang-soo and Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the UN. Ban invited the winners of Prestigious Korean Awards to the UN Head Office in New York in May, 2007.

A true education company based on transparent and collaborative management
Since its launch in 2000, GnB has risen to success as a top English education company in Korea as a result of Kim’s management policies. His policies include satisfying customer’s needs and developing the best English education programs, making practical and reasonable investments based on utility, recruiting effectively and building a good education infrastructure, distinguishing GnB from its competitors, and, most importantly, maintaining a transparent and collaborative management policy. Kim believes that an education company’s success depends on how it manages the relationship between its customers, its staff members and the CEO. Above all, Kim emphasizes the importance of management principles and the competitiveness of its staff members. He stresses that realistic management strategies must adapt and change according to a company’s growth and development. Kim tries to solve both big and small problems by having conversations with staff members.
GnB has achieved rapid success through practical English education methods based on the language learning environment in Korea. GnB English program is the top in its field and GnB English Education Co., Ltd. is a true model for education companies in Korea.

Interview with Kim Jang-soo, CEO of GnB English Education Co., Ltd.                           A smart, strategic CEO in the English education business in Korea Kim is recognized as a strategic CEO who analyzes the structure of the English education business and its organizations, from the CEO to the teachers in the schools, and diagnosis the problems in order to come up with solutions. In 2007, he received an award from the education business section of the 6th Prestigious Korean Awards hosted by the Korean Journalists’ Association. He also won the New Intellectual Award in 2008. Kim is always doing his best to improve himself, believing that a business which does not develop will be left behind. ■ English education policy, especially English immersion education, has become a hot potato since the start of the Lee Myung-bak administration. What do you think about this? The administration’s idea of English immersion education is not appropriate for our environment. I doubt that teaching subjects like math or science in English will be possible in public schools, when the subjects themselves are difficult for children to learn even in Korean. Of course, English immersion education is necessary for students to develop English communication abilities. According to some linguists, the subject specific vocabulary that students learn in school makes up 70% of the words that they will use on a daily basis. We should approach English immersion education with the goal of developing English communication abilities, not acquiring knowledge in a particular subject. For now, we should introduce English immersion programs in the English classes, not the math and science classes. If the program is applied well, the next generation will be able to acquire English naturally in their daily lives and parents won’t have to spend a lot of money on private English education. Another important aspect of effective English immersion education is teaching content that students have already learned in Korean. ■ Is there any other comment you would like to give to your GnB family? There is an allegory I often share with GnB staff members. It is called “The Story of the Square and the Circle.” Everybody starts with a square, which represents their personality and their unique qualities. But the square has edges that are so sharp that other people try to avoid them. So people who want to interact well with others have to soften these edges. Whether the square turns into a hexagon or an octagon depends on the person, but the circle is the best shape. However, the best circle still has the original square inside. When adjusting yourself to other people, you can lose your own special qualities. It is essential to keep your original qualities in the circle. Keeping the square is like holding onto your dream. And reading broadly is the best way to keep the square in the circle.