Hi, I’m Taehui Ha, a foreign language teaching assistant for the Korean language at Wesleyan university. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to speak with you today. As an FLTA, my role is essential in helping students learn the Korean language. I support two beginner classes and one intermediate class, which involves assisting with grading and assessments and addressing students’ language questions and challenges. I also organize a weekly TA session for each class and conduct the Korean language table once a week. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Korean language and literature from Korea University.
After completing my undergraduate degree, I pursued my interest in Korean classic culture and literature by enrolling in a master’s degree program for Korean classic literature at the same university. I’m currently completing my master’s degree and writing my graduation thesis. I’ve had the privilege of becoming an FLTA in immersive environments in Korea and at Wesleyan university. Having been born and raised in Korea, I’ve always had a passion for the Korean language and cultural exchange. Besides studying Korean, I’ve also learned Chinese and Japanese in the field, which has given me a broad perspective on language learning and teaching.
I was drawn to Wesleyan for several reasons. I was impressed by Wesleyan’s commitment to providing its students with high-quality language instruction and resources, and I was eager to be a part of that. Wesleyan has diverse language programs, including the Korean language.
As someone passionate about learning other languages and cultures, I was excited about the opportunity to work with other FLTAs from various backgrounds and learn from them while developing my cultural understanding.
When I was in Korea, I enjoyed watching musicals. ‘The Man Who Laughs’ is my favorite musical in Korea and ‘Beetlejuice’ is my favorite musical overall. So when I arrived in the US, I watched ‘Beetlejuice’ on Broadway several times. I also often go to an indoor climbing gym and enjoy climbing. As Wesleyan does not have any nearby climbing gyms, I enjoy cooking Korean food for other FLTAs and introducing Korean classic literature instead. For now, I’m translating Korean classic tales into other languages to spread Korean classic literature more widely. I hope everyone can appreciate how interesting Korean culture and literature are.
Taehui Ha, Korean FLTA, tha01@wesleyan.edu