이 글은 학교교육 내부의 문제를 넘어서 사회적 논쟁의 대상이 되고 있는 한자교육의 성격 및 목표와 관련한 문제들을 포괄적으로 검토하고, 체계적이고 효율적인 한자교육을 위한 방안을 이론적 배경과 아울러 살펴본 것이다. 전근대 시기 의심 없는 지위를 누리던 한자는 해방 이후 심각한 변화를 겪게 되었다. 팽배한 민족주의에 의해 일제의 잔재로 낙인찍히고 제한적인 수준의 언어교육을 통해 충직한 ‘국민’을 육성하고자 했던 국가주의에 의해 또다시 낡은 유물로 취급되었다. 이는 어문정책에도 고스란히 반영되어 한자교육의 필요와 효용에 대한 논란을 낳았으며, 사교육을 통한 한자능력의 습득을 부채질하였다. 초등학교 한자교육에 있어서 언어교육의 일환으로 보는 입장과 한문교육의 기초단계로 보는 입장이 병존하고 있는 것도 따지고 보면 이러한 교과 외적 상황에 대한 대응방식의 차이로 볼 수 있다. 한편 3차 교육과정부터 2009 개정 교육과정까지 한자교육 방면의 변화는 다음 네 가지로 요약된다. 첫째, 학습 내용을 제시하는 방식의 차이는 있지만 학습 내용 자체에는 큰 변화가 없었다. 둘째, 한때 쓰기 교육을 중시했으나 어문정책 및 언어 환경의 변화로 인해 최근에는 크게 강조하지 않고 있다. 셋째, 기능적 지식의 습득으로부터 점차 인성의 함양, 가치관의 형성 등 정의적 영역을 강조하는 추세다. 넷째, 학습 내용이 점차 명료화･구체화되며 교과목표와 복합적･중층적인 관련을 맺고 있다.한자교육 이론 방면에 있어서는 여러 가지 과제가 산적해 있다. 일단 한자와 한문의 학습상관성에 대해 분명히 정리할 필요가 있다. 또한 인문교양 교육으로서의 특징과 도구적 언어교육으로서의 특징에 대한 심도 깊은 논의도 요구된다. 이밖에도 한자교육을 위한 한자목록을 한문교육용 기초한자 1,800자 범위 안에 한정하여야 하는지, 한자의 짜임(六書)과 部首 교육을 지금처럼 유지하는 것이 합당한지에 대해서도 다시 생각해볼 여지가 있다.

汉字教育不仅仅是学校教育内部的问题,已经成为社会争论的重要话题，本文将全面的对汉字教育的特点和目标等相关问题进行讨论,同时对汉字教育的解决方案在一定的理论背景下进行体系性和有效性的探讨. 在近代前期,汉字牢固的地位在解放后发生了深刻的变化.由于膨胀的民族主义,汉字被认为日本帝国主义的残余,以及通过限制性的教育来培养忠实的‘国民’的国家主义等这些原因，汉字再一次成为了旧事物.这些在语文政策中都全面的反映出来了,大家对汉字教育的必要性和重要性等问题争论不一,也助长了通过课外渠道学习汉语的风气.目前有把汉字教育作为小学语言教育的重要环节的立场和作为汉文教育的基础阶段的两种立场.究其原因主要是社会上存在的民族主义和国家主义.从第三次教育课程设置到2009年的课程改革，汉字教育的变化可以概述为以下四方面.第一,汉文知识的授课方式虽然不同,但学习内容没有什么大的变化.第二,随着语文政策和语言环境的变化，昔日重视的写作教育也不再过多强调.第三,从技能型学习逐渐转变到人性涵养和价值观形成等人情味浓厚的领域的培养.第四,学习内容逐渐明了化,具体化,教学目标也越来越多样化,客观化. 关于汉字教育理论的课题非常多,首先有必要对汉字和汉文的学习上的相关性进行探讨.并且人文教养的教育特性和语言教育的实用性进行深入的研究.此外,根据汉字教育的大纲来看,汉文教育要求的基础汉字在1800以内,但是现在关于六书和部首的教育的合理性有必要深进行入探究.

This study takes an overall look at these issues in connection with features and goals of Chinese character education that are currently bringing about social controversies as they are no longer regarded as some problem at school only. During the overall investigation, the study discusses plans as well as theoretical backgrounds in order to realize both systematic and efficient Chinese character education. Before the modern times, no one ever doubted about the significance of Chinese character but, after the liberation, it was put into such a harsh situation. The flood of nationalism, which had aimed to nurture the ‘people’ to be loyal and patriotic through some limited-level language education, drove Chinese character into being considered not only as a vestige of Japanese imperialism but also as an outdated, insignificant relic. That was literally applied to a language policy and caused controversies over the necessity and benefits of Chinese character education. The policy eventually ended up encouraging learners to acquire Chinese characters through private education. As a matter fact, while some regard Chinese character education at elementary school as part of language education, others consider the education as an entry level of Chinese classics education, and it led the study to understand that there has been every different way to cope with these circumstances that are actually not related to the subject itself. Meanwhile, the study learned that there are basically four great changes in the field of Chinese character education from the third curriculum to the ‘2009 revised curriculum, and the changes have been summarized as follows. First of all, there might be a few differences in how they would present what is to be learned and yet, what is to be learned itself would be quite similar all the time. Second, at some point in time, writing education was once emphasized, but recently, because of the changes in the language policy and the language environment, the weight has been reduced. Third, in the past, Chinese character education focused more on the acquisition of functional knowledge but now, it is more likely to underline these affective categories such as growing right personality, forming reasonable values and others. Fourth, what is to be learned has been clarified and materialized, and that has brought about complex‧multi-level relations with objectives of the subject. There are multiple problems that we should deal with in relation to the theories on Chinese character education. To begin with, it is definitely necessary to establish the clearest understanding on the educational correlation between Chinese characters and Chinese classics. Add to that, profound discussions over features as liberal humanities education and other features as instrumental language education are demanded. Other than what has been mentioned so far, the study also suggests that we go over, once again, if, in terms of this list of Chinese characters for Chinese character education, we should never exceed these 1,800 basic Chinese characters or if it is still considered reasonable for us to keep going with our current methods to teach how shapes of Chinese characters have been created as well as what radicals of certain Chinese characters are.

Ⅰ. 교육환경의 변화와 한자·한문교육－머리말을 대신하여
 Ⅱ. 교과편제, 한자교육을 규정하는 또다른 힘
 Ⅲ. 민족･국가･자본, 한자교육에 덧씌워진 불온한 시선들
 Ⅳ. 순응 또는 대응, 한문과 교육과정에서 한자교육의 변화
 Ⅴ. 한자교육 이론, 그 내적 성찰과 외적 탐구
 Ⅵ. 나가는 말

• 김우정(단국대학교 한문교육과 부교수) | Kim, Woo-jeong