This study was designed to construct English immersion program through literature for young children in Korea and suggest an English education method for early childhood by examining its effect. the study question to fulfill the purpose of the study w...
This study was designed to construct English immersion program through literature for young children in Korea and suggest an English education method for early childhood by examining its effect. the study question to fulfill the purpose of the study were as follows:
First, How was English immersion program through literature for young children in Korea constructed?
Second, What was the effect of English immersion program through literature for young children?
The English immersion program through literature for young children was constructed based on the national kindergarten curriculum and an integrated curriculum using literature.
The goals of the English immersion program through literature for young children were established as follows:
A. Children can be interested in English.
B. Children can have confidence in the use of basic English.
C. Children can understand the cultural difference between Korean and the other.
D. Children can achieve the objectives of the subjects in life such as healthy, language, social, inquiry and expressive area of national kindergarten curriculum.
The contents of the English immersion program through literature was the high-qualified literature which could meet the objectives of national kindergarten curriculum.
The organization of the contents was based on Eisele(1991)'s theme outline which integrated language, social studies, science, math, art, music, and special activities.
The learning and teaching processing was the partial immersion which children was exposed to Korean and English at a ratio of 50 to 50 and the team teaching which consisted of one homeroom teacher using Korean and one English teacher using both Korean and English.
The English immersion program through literature was applied eight 5-year-old children for one month. A participant-observation of classroom and daily life in kindergarten and intensive interviews to teachers and parents were used. The validity was improved through triangulation and member checking.
The results of this study were as follows:
First, the child showed the psychological change that reduces the burden of English through the English-friendly environment. It was also found that the child used English with pleasure while recognizing English as tool rather than subject by proceeding various activities in English.
Second, the homeroom teacher experienced the role change into cooperator of English education and English teacher had the motive to develop specialty of early childhood education.
The results of this study suggested that the understanding and cooperation for immersion education through literature, and administrative and continual financial assistance are needed. Also the study to systematize the content of English immersion program through literature for young children is required.