• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.699-710
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• 2007

The study purposes to explore the effects of individual characteristics and home environments of children on their bilingual language aquisition, that is, to examine whether their English language competency is different from their Korean language competency depending on those variables. Thus English or Korean language competency of children who had had early exposure in English learning were studied in terms of child's individual characteristics such as age, gender, exposure period to English, intelligence, and experiences of visiting English-speaking countries, and home environments such as parental age, educational level, income level, their perceived English competency, their perceived significance of English and Korean language, and the frequency of using English at home. 72 children who went to English kindergarten were tested with Peabody Pictures Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) in Korean version and in English version respectively. The results show that child's intelligence and experiences of visiting English-speaking countries influence their Korean language competency. Also child's age, exposure period to English and experiences of visiting English-speaking countries influence their English language competency. Moreover their mother's educational background, father's English fluency, mothers' English fluency, and the frequency of using English at home influence child's English language competency, whereas any variables did not influence child's Korean language competency. Accordingly, child's English and Korean language competencies are related to each other.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.585-599
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• 2020

This study investigated children's interests in learning English, affected by educational activities in and out of institutes, and mothers' perceptions regarding early childhood English education. We recruited, 253 mothers of 3- to 5-year-old children in either general kindergartens or English immersion institutes. They answered questions on socioeconomic status, perceived interest in English by their children, their perceptions regarding early childhood English education, and English education outside institutes. In addition, 42 English teachers provided information within institutes such as class time per week, teacher-pupil rate, and language use policy during class. The collected data were analyzed through SPSS 22 for frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The major findings are as follows. First, the two groups were in distinct learning environment. Second, mothers' perceptions and outside-institute activities were significantly different between the two groups. Third, the English interests of children at both institutes were influenced by mothers' worries and at-home English interactions. Fourth, education within institutes did not affect both group's English interests. Fifth, private education and socioeconomic status did not affect both group's English interests. Lastly, only the children's interests in English immersion institutes were affected by gender and mother's perceived necessities. Focusing children's interests, this study helps in understanding young children's affective aspects regarding learning English. The findings are expected to be a guideline for each home and institute to increase children's interest in learning English.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.17-36
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• 2007

This study examined educational and career backgrounds of 180 early childhood English teachers and curricula of training courses for early childhood English teachers in continuing education centers across 6 areas in Korea. Data analyses showed that (1) curricula for early childhood English teachers consists of basic practical conversation, English teaching skills, understanding early childhood education and general English knowledge. (2) Most teachers are women between 30 to 40 years of age, university graduates with majors in English literature, English education and/or early childhood education with confidence in speaking in and listening to English. (3) They were satisfied with their retraining courses. (4) English pronunciation skill was not always related to English conversation skill, but clarity of pronunciation influenced teaching confidence.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.14-24
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to understand deeply the current circumstances of parents who took part in child-English Education through semantic analysis about 11 mothers' and their children's experiences in the individual depth interviews and group interviews. The obtained results of this study were as follows: First, mothers started their children's English education on the basis of the belief that English ability is an essential asset in the era of globalization, their experiences and the scheduled situation. Also they positively recognized the effect of English education when they could feel their children's learning improvements. Second, participants had experienced their children's education stress and economic burden. Third, participants had personal, social level desires for their children's proper English education. Through this study, it revealed the critical introspection about mothers' experiences and desires in child-English Education. And it alluded to necessity about continuous attention and debate in child-English Education.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1125-1133
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to explore the perception toward qualification of early childhood English teachers and their teachers' sense of efficacy. The samples consisted of 201 early childhood English teachers in Seoul, Daejeon, Daegu, Gyeonggi area. A sample of early childhood English teachers completed a series of questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed with t-test, F-test, correlation. The results showed that most teachers were women between 30 to 40 years old, university graduate with job experience less than 3 years. In addition, half of teachers in this study majored on English studies or early childhood education and child studies. This study found that early childhood English teachers thought themselves to be qualified as a English teacher and early childhood teacher. And they rated teachers' sense of efficacy to relatively high. There were differences on the scores of qualification of early childhood English teacher and teachers' sense of efficacy according to education level and major. And years of job experience were positively related with the perception of qualification of early childhood teacher and teachers' sense of efficacy.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.299-313
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• 2001

This study examines the current state of English education in private kindergartens in Korea. Among 1700 kindergarten teachers surveyed for this research, 680 replied that their institutions provided English lessons for children. Analyses of the data collected from these 680 teachers showed : 1) They started to teach English not because of educational considerations but because of pressure from children's parents or kindergarten principals; 2) Most of the English teachers were part-time instructors specially recruited for English lessons. Generally, English lessons were given two or three times a week, with one session lasting for about 20 minutes. A variety of teaching methods and materials were used for the lessons given to children aged three to five. Focus of the lessons was given to listening and speaking words and sentences; 3) Most of the teachers considered the scarcity of qualified English instructors as the most serious problem for providing English education in kindergartens, and they did not want to teach English themselves. They evaluated positively the performance and role of Korean part-time English instructors. The evaluations were generally poor as to native speakers serving as kindergarten English teachers.

• Child Studies in Asia-Pacific Contexts
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.133-144
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• 2012

Research has shown that mothers' attitudes towards early English language and literacy learning are important for children's English language development. Some researchers have indicated that in Taiwan most parents have a positive attitude towards English instruction and are motivated to teach English at home to their preschoolers. There is, however, little current data available to explain the motivations behind such parents' decisions to teach English to their child in the home before the commencement of formal schooling. We conducted a thematic analysis of the written survey responses of 263 Taiwanese mothers who explained why they taught their preschool children English at home. The findings indicate that English is highly valued for children's school readiness, future career opportunities, and because of its status as a global language. The mothers' motivations for teaching English include the desire to cultivate the child's interest, a belief in 'the earlier the better" for second language learning, and a belief in the need to review and practice English. These findings have the potential to inform educational policies and implementation strategies, as they can reveal whether mothers' motivations align with national priorities for English language education.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.37-62
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to develop an appropriate scale for evaluating early years children's English textbooks and to confirm the validity and reliability for the scale thus developed. The scale was administered to 563 Korean early childhood English teachers. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) of the 24 item scale demonstrated Cronbach' ${\alpha}$ = .94 for internal consistency of the total items. Confimatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported a four-factor structure. Cross-Validation for the retest accepted the four-factors. Those four factors were as follows; Contents & Organization as factor 1, Illustrations & Designs as factor 2, Materials & Topics, as factor 3 and Objectives as factor 4. The author suggests that these afore mentioned factors will prove to be most useful for evaluating the children's English textbooks which are apparently published in an often quite indiscriminant manner.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.43-65
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of English education for toddlers at home and institutes, and influential variables upon mothers' demand on English education for their toddlers. Four hundred forty-one mothers who have toddlers under 36 months-old were surveyed using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using frequency and logistic regression. Results of this study were as follows: It was found that 30.9% of mothers were providing English education to their toddlers. They started English education when their toddlers were between 24 months and 36 months because of parents' decision or English education in child care centers. English education was mostly given to their toddlers once or twice a week, less than 30 minutes a time with Korean teachers who majored in English. English lessons were focused on simple dialogue using multi media, worksheets, and workbooks. In other sense, 66.0% of mothers showed a positive perspective toward English education for toddlers. The higher salary, years of education, and degree of agreement on English education based on physiological, linguistic, and social perspectives were, the stronger the demand on English education was. Results of this study suggested that appropriate guidance for English education for toddlers needs to be provided.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.157-185
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors influencing preschoolers' emergent English as a second language literacy skills in terms of maternal language behavior in Korean and English picture book reading. This study was also conducted in order to identify the pathways of each factor. The subjects consisted of 201 mothers and their 3~5 year-old children from middle income families living in Seoul, Incheon, Gyyounggi-do, and Chungcheongbuk-do. The results indicated that the factors influencing preschoolers' emergent English as a second language literacy skills acquisition were as follows : maternal beliefs about the value of picture book reading, the child's level of interest in picture book reading, the time spent on picture book reading and maternal language behavior during picture book reading activities. The results further indicate that it is important that the mother shares desirable language interaction with her children in their native language while reading not only Korean but also English picture books when aiming to improve preschoolers' emergent English literacy skills.