The Language Teacher
05 - 2002

2002 World Cup Korea/Japan: One World, One Game, One Goal!

John Liontas

University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA

For as much as there is a great noise in the city caused by hustling over large balls ... from which many evils might arise, which God forbid, we command and forbid on behalf of the King, on pain of imprisonment, such game to be used in the city in the future.
--Proclamation by King Edward II, April 13, 1314 (in Bode, 1978)

Introduction

With the highly publicized arrival of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan--the non plus ultra of soccer tournaments--and a plethora of books, TV shows, and athletic events dotting the soccer landscape, it is hard to imagine that the game of soccer (or football, as it is more commonly known) could have ever been more popular than it is today. Along with this event come the differing interpretations of the true meaning and practice of fair play of the XVII FIFA World Cup. In today's diverse language classrooms, instructors of Koreans and Japanese must look for the linguistic and cultural opportunities and challenges this quadrennial tournament entails. The way we design and articulate our interdisciplinary language programs can ultimately determine how we and our students will experience the 2002 World Cup Tournament taking place in the Land of the Morning Calm and the Land of the Rising Sun.

The 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan (May 31-June 30, 2002) will be not only the first in World Cup history to be hosted jointly by two countries, but also the first to be held in Asia. With 13,000 participants, 32 national teams (from 198 countries), 64 matches (32 respectively in Korea and Japan), 3.5 million expected spectators in Korea and Japan, and a projected TV audience of 41 billion, the 2002 World Cup is anticipated to be the most spectacular single sporting event in the modern world. This practical and easy-to-follow teaching guide offers a simple, organized way to develop and implement a World Cup unit in your second language curriculum.

The Cultural Challenge

At a time when "multiculturalism" has become an important watchword, the emotional and often hotly disputed debate over World Cup Summer '02 offers the first and perhaps best opportunity for all Korean and Japanese students of foreign languages to understand the genesis and evolution of the game of soccer. It is of important educational value for all students then to understand that the "Age of Soccer" began long before October 26, 1863, when the world's first football league--The Football Association in England--was founded at the Freemason's Tavern in London. For centuries, different peoples in different parts of the world, and for different reasons, set out to engage in games that closely resemble what we know today as soccer/football. Therefore, soccer can be a good starting point for educating about multicultural recognition, appreciation, and respect. Teaching and learning within a multicultural, holistic approach that spans centuries of history is not easy even for the most willing, knowledgeable, and competent educator. How well you fare will depend largely upon the time, the effort, and the energy you are willing to invest. Recapturing in words and pictures something that has developed over centuries is both a challenge and an opportunity for students of all races and cultures to jointly discover new knowledge.

Discovering Soccer: One World, One Game, One Goal

The following three projects are successful classroom-tested, year-round projects that have been implemented by this author in a variety of second languages, including English, over the past fifteen years. They utilize soccer and the World Cup Tournament as a springboard to language and culture learning and are presented here in no particular order of importance.

From ancient times to today

Because this topic spans centuries of history, it is only wise to sub-divide this unit into smaller historic journeys, each an entity in itself, but incomplete if examined outside the larger and more complex framework. Exploring this topic from the viewpoints of history, philosophy, literature, religion, and the social sciences could offer an opportunity for students to produce a World Cup video program. Students could produce a picture and photo series in chronological order accompanied by narrations and descriptive comments; they could interview students and community members on the importance of this year's tournament; or even organize activities celebrating the event, which could then be videotaped as a report or documentary. Students engaged in such projects will keep abreast of activities, both here and abroad, which revolve around this event that has changed the course of sport history in Japan. The final student productions, if they utilize the best of sound, special effects, soundtrack, etc., could even be advertised in the local newspaper or possibly aired on a local cablevision channel.

Hooliganism

Based on a study of the history of hooliganism (the word's origin is unclear, but it may come from Patrick Hooligan, an Irish hoodlum in late 19th-Century London), have students write down a series of questions they would ask "hooligans" if they were present in the classroom. Using these questions as a framework, students should discuss the problem from the perspective of the "ugly sports fan." Hypothetical conflict-resolution activities--role-play situations outlining what they would have done differently, and how and why--are highly encouraged.

A world without soccer?

Have students speculate orally or in writing how their world would have been had the World Cup Tournament, or soccer, not existed. This is a good time to illustrate the prominence soccer has on the world stage, so much so that it can spark the worst sports-related riot in history (a riot after the 1964 Olympic qualifying match in Lima, Peru, left 309 dead and 1,000 injured), or even cause a border war between two countries (Honduras and El Salvador--the 1970 World Cup).

More World Cup Language Activities

The following list contains specific recommendations for a variety of fun and interesting classroom-tested language tasks and projects emphasizing specific and combined skills. Depending on curriculum emphasis and the students' level of linguistic proficiency, interests, and needs, have your students:

  1. 1. Research and recapture in words and pictures the origins and evolution of the game of soccer around the world. In particular, have some students find the specific quotes from proclamations by Edward II (1314), Richard II (1389), James III (1457), Elizabeth I (1572) and other European rulers, or specific statements on soccer recorded by John Wonkell of Durham, England (1779), and by Shakespeare in Comedy of Errors, (Act II) and King Lear (Act I, Scene IV; see Mencke, 1969 for many of these quotes). Some students could research the Internet or the library for material on traditional soccer, while others chronicle the explosive growth of women's soccer from the turn of the century to now. They should also examine how the women's World Cup has increased in popularity and importance. Students could also research the beginnings of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the governing body based first in Hong Kong in 1954 and moved to Kuala Lumpur in 1965. For a comprehensive review of the history of the game and FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), they can visit: www.fifa.com/fifa/index_E.html and www.fifa.com/fifa/history_E.html.
  2. 2. Find the different names used for soccer around the world such as Fußball, f%eacue;tbol, calcio, and so on, and create a wall poster, Soccer Speaks All Languages. They should also collect all possible information found in the newspapers or magazines for a wall poster, The World Cup Korea/Japan Games of 2002. For downloadable wallpapers of each FIFA World Cup banner from 1930 to 1998, have them visit: fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/en/e/dc/index.html.
  3. 3. Research and collect information on the previous 16 World Cup Tournaments, including the organization of the world of soccer into six continental confederations or geographical zones (see Liontas, 1994). They should also check out the highlights from 70 years of FIFA World Cup History on video. To watch video clips of some of the most spectacular FIFA World Cup goals and excitement, visit FIFA's World Cup Goal of the Century site: fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/en/pf/h/gotc/index.html.
  4. 4. Research which countries have won the World Cup--and how many times--in its 72-year history. In a vertical column, have students list the host countries chronologically from the first World Cup Tournament in 1930. Horizontally, have students complete the following seven categories: Winning Team, Date, City, Opposing Team, Score, Attendance, Referee. This "World Cup History Facts" sheet could be compiled, categorized, and typed on 3x5 index cards for future group or class competitions. The end result: World Cup History in Headlines: 1930-2002. For formats of the FIFA World Cup Final Competitions (1930-2002), students can visit: www.fifa2.com/scripts/runisa.dll?s7:gp::67173+wc/2002/format.
  5. 5. List alphabetically, in a vertical column, the 32 national teams that will compete in Korea and Japan this year.1 Horizontally, identify each country's government, size, population, capital, largest cities, language(s), currency, religion, and anything else pertinent or interesting. "Country Facts" could be compiled, categorized, and typed on 3x5 index cards for future group or class competitions. The end result: The ABC Map of World Cup 2002.
  6. 6. Make a collection of the official World Cup posters since 1930, as each one of them has borne an artistic style characteristic of the age. These posters have become familiar to soccer fans around the world, and have been the subject of comment and analysis from art critics and historians. The end result: World Cup Art (1930-2002). To view the World Cup posters (1930-1998), visit: www.fifa2.com/scripts/runisa.dll?s7:gp::67173+wc/2002/format or fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/en/pf/h/pwc/index.html. The 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup poster can be viewed at: www.fifa2.com/scripts/runisa.dll?s7:gp::67173+wc/2002/format.
  7. 7. Provide a statistical summary of the 2002 World Cup Korea/Japan, specifically the answers to the following headings: length of tournament, number of games, attendees, goals, yellow and red cards, penalty kicks, players, tickets sold, international media and broadcasters, commercial affiliates, TV coverage in hours, number of viewers, and estimated economic impact. Much of this information for the 2002 World Cup will become available during and after the tournament--which, pedagogically speaking, reinforces student accountability before, during, and after the tournament. For information on any World Cup statistics, scores, and the like, visit: www.fifa.com/comp/index_E.html. For total World Cup matches ranked by wins, visit: www.fifa2.com/scripts/runisa.dll?s7.131970:gp:956001:67173+compstats+T+W+D.
  8. 8. Write down a simple definition of what soccer is, where and how it is played, and by how many players, as well as information on the field, the equipment, the players' skills, field positions, assignments, and responsibilities on the field. A good start for this assignment is the 17 international rules that govern the game. For a complete description of the rules, visit: www.FIFA.com/refs/laws_E.html.
  9. 9. Compare and contrast soccer with other team sports such as football (e.g. American or Australian), basketball, or rugby. Following that, have students speculate and suggest why certain sports are more popular than others, and especially why football and basketball have such a high profile in American society. Finally, have students find out whether educational systems around the world, including the Korean and Japanese systems, place a different value on the importance of (traditional) sports in the school curriculum.
  10. 10. Discover some of the other traditional Korean games and popular sports, both old and new, played for centuries on festival days, such as New Year, Chusok (Harvest Thanksgiving), and Tano. They could obtain information on ssirum (wrestling, a very popular spectator sport), on taekwondo (a Korean contact sport and an official Olympic sport since the 2000 Games in Sydney), on archery (a competitive combat sport that formed part of the education of the Korean nobility in ancient times), or on kite flying (a popular pastime in Korea).
  11. 11. Get an insight into some traditional Japanese sports such as sumo wrestling, aikido (a modern martial art derived from the centuries-old tradition of Japanese fighting arts collectively known as bu-jutsu), and kyudo (archery on horseback, Japan's oldest martial art practiced by court nobility and military aristocracy for ceremonial reasons as well as to hone martial and hunting skills).
  12. 12. Take a (virtual) tour of the twenty Korean and Japanese cities and venues (10 in each country) that will host this year's football extravaganza. Ask students, for example, to visit a city's website and discover all the famous sites, museums, cultural festivals and performances, and tour and shopping information. All the information could then be compiled into an electronic portfolio with audio (or video) narrations and descriptions. Students could also be asked to act out dialogues dealing with accommodation, transportation, and tourist attractions. To view the index of host cities, visit fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/en/da/c/. To view the host venues index, visit fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/en/da/v/. For an excellent site about venues in Japan, visit www.jawoc.or.jp/siryo_e/venues/venuesmap.html.
  13. 13. Find out about the names (Ato, Nik, and Kaz) and the colors (yellow, blue, and purple) of the three mascots for the FIFA 2002 World Cup Korea/Japan. These three mascots, whose names were chosen from 987,411 ballots cast by fans over the Internet and at McDonald's restaurants across the two host countries, will be featured on various World Cup souvenirs such as t-shirts, caps, and pins. One assignment could be to find out what the three names symbolize.2 Students could also be asked to justify the need for mascots as goodwill ambassadors in sporting events.

These are some suggestions that epitomize the pedagogical truism: "It's not the materials that count, it's what you and your students do with them!" While space doesn't permit including more activities here, anyone interested in additional ideas and materials (historical perspectives, synopsis of the rules, and additional activities and games) please contact the author by e-mail: jliontas@nd.edu.

Conclusion

Once hailed and honored as the game that assured an abundant crop, soccer is fast becoming the most famous and controversial sport of modern times. For all its interest and relevance, the story of soccer will remain a great mystery should instructors of Koreans and Japanese drop the ball and miss the unprecedented opportunity to present to their students the most spectacular show in sport. As I have argued elsewhere:

No matter whether it is called soccer, Fußball, fútbol, or calcio, and no matter whether it is played on the sandy beaches of Rio de Janeiro, on the muddy fields in London, in the dusty streets of a village in Cameroon, or on the manicured grass in Chicago's Soldier Field, the world's most universal game seems to have the innate power to transcend all boundaries of race and culture. It speaks all languages, transcends time, appeals to the imagination and creativity of both the young and old alike: in short, it unites the nations of the world unlike any other team sport before it has done. (Liontas, 1994, p. 51)

These activities offer a pluralistic approach by which language educators can begin to formulate workable linguistic and cultural activities involving the game of soccer. Whether or not we will take full advantage of this momentous opportunity and whether or not we will be able to justify to students the need for the presence of this global event in our curricula remains to be judged by those who will participate. Until then, tomorrow's "goals" are ours to seize today. Remember: The possibilities are only as limited as your own creativity and imagination. Have a great 2002 World Cup Korea/Japan Tournament. And don't forget! The next chance you will have "to get the ball rolling" again is four years away.

References

Bode, P. (1978). America's new sport: Soccer. New York: Walker Publishing.
Liontas, J. (1994). World Cup--America '94: Making the ball talk in your classroom. Mid-Atlantic Journal of Foreign Language Pedagogy, 2, 51-71.
Menke, F. G. (1969). The encyclopedia of sports. New York: A. S. Barnes.

Notes:

1. The 32 national teams that will compete in Korea and Japan this year are listed alphabetically below by their corresponding FIFA Confederation: AFC (Asia): China, Japan, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia; CAF (Africa): Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia; CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean): Costa Rica, Mexico, USA; CONMEBOL (South America): Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay; and UEFA (Europe): Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.

2. Answer: They are energy particles in the atmosphere "spherics," based on a story that "justice" and "evil" spherics are always in a battle; the specific characters are a coach (Ato) and two star strikers (Nik and Kaz). (www.jawoc.or.jp/index_e.htm).



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