A case study of an immersive Korean language program in college dormitories: Focusing on a university residence program called ‘K-house’ in the United States
Acknowledging the limited opportunities faced by learners of Korean in the US, this study investigates the efficacy and challenges of immersive Korean language-focus residential programs in US college dormitories. Through an examination of a Korean language dormitory (called K-house) at a Midwestern university in the US, the current study sheds light on the optimal experiences and effective immersive environments that college langauge dormitory programs in the US can foster for both linguistic and cultural learning of Korean. By delving deeper into the specific programming and experiences of K-house residents, the study demonstrates that K-house facilitates access to Korean language and culture, enhances motivation of Korean language study, and cultivates a sense of belonging to the K-house community among K-house residents. Additionally, the findings of this study provide valuable insights for designing effective Korean language dormitory programs that promote language and cultural immersion in the context of teaching and learning Korean as a foreign language. Furthermore, this study offers suggestions for future research in this area.