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“Skill Up” in Teaching English Using the English Waves Textbook from “Play with English!”

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it has launched the English Teaching Course Using English Waves to expand the reach of its experiential, play-based English education program, which uses the English Waves textbook from the city’s popular “Play with English!” initiative.

The city developed English Waves in March to help young children naturally experience English through play during their critical language development years, as part of its effort to create “a city where parents no longer have to worry about their children’s English education.”

The textbook is currently being used in the “Play with English!” native-speaker English program for preschoolers and is also freely available to all citizens through the “English-Friendly City” website.

Overview of English Waves

• ●Program Content: Development of customized, play- and experience-based English textbooks tailored to children’s ages and proficiency levels.

• ●Implementation: A total of 32 books (16 for preschoolers aged 4–6 and 16 for lower elementary students in grades 1–2) were developed in January 2025 and distributed in March 2025.
  Additionally, e-book digital content is being produced, and another 32 books are planned for development starting in 2025.

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This course aims to equip kindergarten and daycare English teachers, after-school English instructors, volunteer mentors, and parents with effective methods to utilize English Waves not only in the “Play with English!” program but also in other educational settings.
It will be held twice at Busan Global Village, free of charge.

The first session runs on October 30–31, and the second on November 27–28, each in the morning. Participants will receive not only the textbook but also accompanying audio files free of charge, enabling anyone to join and practice professional play- and experience-based teaching techniques that make learning English enjoyable for children in kindergartens, schools, and homes.

Each session accepts 15 participants on a first-come, first-served basis through the Busan Global Village website.

Kim Gui-ok, Director General of the Youth & Industry Bureau, stated,
“Reducing parents’ burden and expanding access to English education are key to transforming Busan into a global hub city that communicates freely with the world.
By ensuring that high-quality English learning materials are available throughout Busan, we aim to foster an environment where children can grow up without concerns about English education. We invite many citizens to participate in this program.”

Meanwhile, to encourage greater parental involvement in early childhood English education, the city has been hosting the Parent Special Lecture on English Education for My Child every last Saturday of the month from August through November, inviting renowned English education experts and popular EBS lecturers.

On Saturday, October 25 at 2 p.m., EBS lecturer and popular SNS influencer Seong Gi-hong, known as “Hyolin Papa” with 350,000 followers, will deliver a lecture titled Finding Balance in Early and Elementary English Education.
Another lecture by EBS lecturer Joo Hye-yeon is scheduled for Saturday, November 29.
For details, visit the Busan Global Village website.