Australia–Korea Foundation Grant Awarded to A/P Julie Choi for Cross-Cultural Storytelling Project

Congratulations to Associate Professor Julie Choi, who has been awarded an Australia–Korea Foundation Grant from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for her exciting new project:
“Creating Cross-Cultural Connections: Australian Children’s Korean Stories.”

This multilingual, arts-rich project, that is part of LALE’s Arts-Rich Translanguaging Pedagogy Lab, invites Australian children from diverse backgrounds to create stories that explore Korean language and culture through their own eyes. The initiative will highlight children’s creative connections between Australian and Korean cultural elements, fostering intercultural understanding and expression.

Led by A/Prof Choi—an experienced teacher educator specialising in multilingual pedagogies—the project builds on her work producing community language books through the Kids’ Own Languages series and authoring Kimchi is for Everyone. She will mentor young storytellers throughout the process, guiding them in crafting stories that reflect their unique perspectives.

The resulting anthology will be presented at children’s book festivals across South Korea, showcasing the voices of young Australians and their imaginative engagement with Korean culture.

This project exemplifies the power of storytelling to build bridges across cultures—and we’re thrilled to see it supported through DFAT’s Australia–Korea Foundation.