Learning Korean is a fulfilling adventure. From watching the latest Korean Dramas without subtitles to having doors opened to working in the Korean industry, picking up the language goes beyond the written and spoken forms.
But as with any other language, the key to mastering Korean is in practising it. And what better way to practise it than in a protected classroom setting! Across Korean classes in Singapore, you’ll be welcomed by native Korean teachers who replace the frustration in language barriers with the fun of a new language experience. But exactly how many classes do you need in a week to speed up the learning process, to be almost as fluent as your favourite K-Pop idol?
How many classes do you need in a week?
The number of classes you need in a week is largely dependent on how quickly you wish to pick up the language. Logically speaking, mastering a language in a short amount of time involves giving the language more attention – revisiting grammar, spelling and, of course, practising it with a knowledgeable native speaker regularly.
If you have a deadline, perhaps in mastering Korean before your next job interview, you’d want to allocate more Korean class time in a week. And as you increase your number of Korean-learning hours in a week, this foreign language will roll off your tongue more easily.
How should you schedule your Korean study sessions?
1. Build your foundation in the Korean alphabet
Did you know that the Korean language follows an entirely different alphabet system from English? So even before looking at Korean words, you’ll need to be skilled in the alphabet system or Hangul.
Even though it can be daunting, most beginners like yourself only need about 90 minutes to pick up the twenty-four letters in the Korean alphabet. And you can’t run away from Hangul because everything in the language starts with these alphabets. After picking Hangul, a good rule of thumb is also to revise the alphabet system each day.
2. Progress to short three-minute conversations in Korean
With just two hours of self-study each day, it’s been estimated that you can have seamless short conversations in Korean after three months! But of course, these three months are easily shortened when you have a knowledgeable Korean teacher.
As you shift from the alphabets to basic words in the language, elevate your Korean to the next level by actively speaking to your teacher and classmates in complete sentences. Holding three-minute-long conversations can be challenging at first and you might even run out of new words to say! But don’t worry, the focus is on communicating in Korean for an extended period – a stepping stone to Korean fluency.
3. Begin to initiate longer conversations with others
As long as you follow the previous points diligently, you’re on your way to conversing in fluent Korean within a single year! This is when you inch close to fluency by initiating longer and meaningful conversations – for instance, shift away from simple role-play scenarios and onto more complex exchanges like a job interview simulation.
Explore a range of conversational topics because that’s when you will pick up Korean vocabulary most organically. It can seem like an endless number of words you need to pick up, but you’ll reach fluency in no time by utilising Pareto Principle. This principle recommends against an obsession in memorising every single Korean word, but to channel your energy on the top 20% most used vocabulary for productive language fluency.
Conclusion
On picking up the Korean language, it is best to ask yourself: how quickly do you wish to master the language? Your personal deadline will determine the number of classes and hours to clock through Korean classes in Singapore.
If you’re studying Korean as a part-time student, your best bet is to start with everyday classes that last at least an hour. If you commit to learning Korean full-time, everyday classes of at least four hours are more appropriate. Whether you wish to learn offline or online, in a group or individual setting, have a look at our Korean classes to find the right one for your individual needs!