Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회지)

The Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회)
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Understanding of foreign-born Korean Children's Early School Adjustment in the U.S - Language Development and Maternal Influences -

미국 내 거주하는 한국 국적을 가진 아동의 초기 학교 적응에 관한 연구 - 언어발달과 어머니의 영향 중심으로 -

  • Seo SO-Jung (Dept. of Early Childhood Education, College of Education, Ewha Womans Univ.)
  • 서소정 (이화여자대학교 유아교육학과)
  • Published : 2005.05.01
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of foreign-born Korean children's early school adjustment in the U.S. The interaction between the foreign-born Korean children in the U.S. and several of the children's microsystems, including family, school, and peer was assessed to meet this purpose. The study subjects were 43 foreign-bom Korean children who were sampled from Korean Sunday Language schools and who attended local schools in the Boston area, MA, USA. Quantitative analysis was conducted to identify which variables of interest predicted the early adjustment of this group of children. Furthermore, in-depth interviews were conducted with mothers of the children from the top and bottom groups 1) the most successful (in the top quartile) and 2) the least successful adjustment groups (in the bottom quartile) sorted by scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R). The interview results were analyzed to elicit maternal perceptions/beliefs on education, in general, and those of home-school relationships, in specific. Several conclusions can be drawn from both the quantitative and qualitative analyses. The results of multiple regression and path analysis showed that the children's language development predicted their adjustment, but the effects of the other two variables, peer relationships and school experiences, on the adjustment of children, were mediated through the children's language. Moreover, common themes and patterns in the responses to a series of open-ended questions emerged from the interviews with the two groups of mothers. The two mothers of the least successful group were concerned about their children's future and school success, but thev did not show anv responsive attitudes toward achieving this goal. By contrast, the mothers from the most successful group were self-determined with regard to their children's education and had strong beliefs and values on how to raise their children in the new culture. The implications were discussed.

본 연구는 미국 내 거주하는 한국 국적을 가진 5. 6세 아동을 대상으로 그들의 초기 학교 적응에 관련된 변인을 가족, 학교, 또래, 그리고 아동의 언어발달의 측면에서 분석하는데 주목적을 두었다. 또한 연구대상의 아동을 적응 집단과 부적응 집단으로 구분하고 두 집단 어머니의 양육태도 및 방식을 심층면접을 통해 살펴보고자 하였다. 본 연구의 주요 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 언어발달, 또래관계, 학교경험이 아동의 초기 학교 적응에 유의한 정적 상관관계를 보였다. 둘째, 언어발달이 아동의 초기 학교적응에 가장 영향력 있는 변인으로 나타났다. 또한 경로분석 결과, 아동의 언어발달은 또래관계, 학교경험, 그리고 초기 학교적응의 관계에서 중요한 매개역할을 하는 것으로 나타났다. 적응집단과 부적응 두집단 어머니들과 심층면접에서도 어머니의 양육신념은 아동의 언어발달 및 초기학교적응에 중요한것으로 나타났다.

Keywords

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