Professor Chae-gwan Jeong Publishes New Book on Early English Education, Why Are Gangnam Mothers Shaken by English?

Professor Chae-gwan Jeong of the Department of English Language and Literature at Incheon National University (President: In-jae Lee) recently published a new book on early English education, Why Are Gangnam Mothers Shaken by English?: Asking Scholars about Desirable Early English Education, through BOOKK. The book consists of 50 chapters across five parts, covering second language acquisition theory, vocabulary learning and learning strategies, reading and literacy development, writing and feedback, and listening, speaking, and interaction.

Recent discussions on early English education have become closely tied to increasingly younger age-based competition. Terms such as the “age-four exam” and “age-seven exam” reflect a reality in which English is consumed first as a matter of selection and speed, rather than children’s development. Rather than adding another prescription to this anxiety, the book asks what criteria parents and teachers should use when making decisions. The author examines early English education based on English education studies, applied linguistics, second language acquisition research, and discussions on children’s English acquisition.

The book distances itself from the competition of “earlier, more, and faster.” It also avoids the assumption that difficult original texts, large numbers of vocabulary words, or long hours at private academies automatically constitute good English education. Instead, it emphasizes experiences in which children encounter English they can understand, enjoy reading and listening, and try speaking and writing even if imperfectly. Developmentally appropriate input, meaningful interaction, proper repetition, emotional stability, and sustainable learning experiences are presented as key conditions for early English education.

Each chapter translates major theories—such as Stephen Krashen’s Input Hypothesis, Michael Long’s Interaction Hypothesis, Merrill Swain’s Output Hypothesis, and Rod Ellis’s Task-Based Language Teaching—into real-life home and classroom contexts. The book discusses, through practical examples, why English books should not become homework, how to understand errors as signs of development, why balance in English learning time matters more than vocabulary tests, and why pronunciation education should prioritize communicative English over native-like pronunciation.

The English needed by future talent cannot be explained simply by moving up levels. When language experiences accumulate through reading knowledge, writing one’s own thoughts, and negotiating meaning with others, English becomes not merely a test subject but a tool for learning. This book seeks to provide parents with criteria that reduce anxiety and offer teachers and pre-service teachers a reference point connecting research and practice. It calmly raises the question of whether discussions on early English education can move away from speed and comparison toward children’s development and sustainable learning.

❍ Book Information

- Title: Why Are Gangnam Mothers Shaken by English?: Asking Scholars about Desirable Early English Education

- Author: Chae-gwan Jeong, Professor of the Department of English Language and Literature, Incheon National University

- Publisher: BOOKK

- Publication Date: May 29, 2026

- Format and Pages: B5 | 229 pages

- Price: KRW 18,200

- ISBN: 9791112198723