An analysis of elementary school English education: From students' perspective

초등학교 학생이 바라본 영어교육 실태 분석

English has been taught as a compulsory subject at elementary schools since 1997 starting with third graders, to sixth graders. We have seen active research on teaching methods for elementary English, but little has been done from the learners' perspective. It is very proper time for English educators to review what the elementary students think about their English classes. The purpose of the present study is as following. First, we tried to find out how the students' attitude toward and interest in English have changed over the four-year English education. Second we attempted to suggest the ways to promote the students' interests, and to increase understanding and participation in English classes. We also suggest that curriculum developers need to consider the students' lower interests and understanding in English classes as they move to higher grades, and that classroom teachers need to have a better understanding of what their students do and feel in the English classes.