Korean Stories for Language Learners - by Julie Damron & Eunsun You (Paperback)

About the Book

"Korean Stories for Language Learners introduces 42 traditional Korean folktales with bilingual Korean and English versions, presented on facing pages, together with detailed notes and exercises aimed at beginning learners of the language. The book can be used as a reader in first- and second-year Korean language courses or by anyone who wishes to learn about Korean folktales and traditional Korean culture. This book is designed to help language learners expand their vocabulary and to develop a basic familiarity with Korean culture. The stories gradually increase in length and complexity throughout the book as the reader improves their vocabulary and understanding of the language. After the first few stories, the reader is asked to use the vocabulary in speaking and writing exercises. By reading these classic stories, they also are given a window into Korean culture and learn to appreciate the uniqueness of the country--which provides greater motivation to continue learning the difficult language. Cultural notes and discussion questions further reinforce one's understanding of the stories, and bolster one's language skills. Korean-English and English-Korean glossaries are included as well as an overview of the Korean Hangeul script. Audio recordings by native speakers help readers improve their pronunciation and inflection"--

Book Synopsis

Explore Korean Culture Through Bilingual Folktales--Build Language Skills as You Read!

Korean Stories for Language Learners brings 42 traditional Korean folktales to life, presented in both Korean and English on facing pages. This unique collection is perfect for beginners in the language, whether you're a student in a first- or second-year Korean course or someone eager to explore the richness of Korean culture.

Each story is accompanied by cultural notes, discussion questions, and practical language exercises, making it a valuable resource for expanding your vocabulary and deepening your understanding of Korean traditions. As you progress through the book, the stories increase in complexity, helping you develop your language skills step by step.

Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully designed, this volume includes glossaries in both languages and a helpful introduction to Hangul, the Korean writing system. To further support your learning, native speaker audio recordings are available online to guide your pronunciation and listening comprehension.

Whether you're passionate about language learning or fascinated by Korean folktales, this book offers a window into Korea's cultural heritage while building essential language skills.

Review Quotes

"...a great bilingual reader for beginners to mid-intermediate learners...Tuttle also offers downloadable audio files from their website...Always love the little touches like this--shows that the author / publishing house understands the readers' needs." --Hangukdrama & Korean blog

"...comes with an [online audio] collection that is an absolute joy to listen to. The reader speaks in a very clear voice and articulates words clearly--even on the higher-level stories." --Mezzofanti Guild

"I'd recommend [this book] to anyone interested in learning more about the Korean culture while still practicing some Korean." --Natalia Garza

About the Author

Julie Damron received her B.A. from Brigham Young in English; her MAT in TESOL, from The School for International Teaching in Brattleboro, Vermont; and her Ph.D. in Linguistics from Purdue. She currently heads the Korean section in the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages at Brigham Young. Dr. Damron developed and teaches all of BYU's independent study Korean courses and BYU's new "BYU Online" hybrid Korean classes. She is active in the profession with regular presentations and publications.

EunSun You received her B.A. in Korean language teaching from Kyunghee University in Suwon, Korea. She later received her M.A. from Brigham Young University in second language acquisition and teaching. She has been a teacher of Korean as a foreign or second language for the past five years. Her teaching and research interests include teaching language through literature, discourse and cognitive linguistics, and language acquisition of multicultural children.