The purpose of this study is to find out the effects of English classes using cultural topics on English learning motivation, the understanding of cultures and the vocabulary of the elementary second grade students.
For those purposes the research...
The purpose of this study is to find out the effects of English classes using cultural topics on English learning motivation, the understanding of cultures and the vocabulary of the elementary second grade students.
For those purposes the researcher choose cultural topics and vocabulary according to the cultural topics by analyzing other subjects of the first and the second grade. Then the researcher designed a lesson plan that was based on chosen vocabulary and topics and conducted twenty period of classes for ten weeks on the single experimental group, a class of twenty second graders. The results of the experiment were verified through vocabulary and culture tests, and English learning motivation questionnaire given before and after the experiment. Also analyzed in the study were the students' reflection journals and teacher's observation journals and individual students' interviews to complement quantitative tests. The results of this were as follows:
First, English classes using cultural topics had positive effects on English learning motivation of the elementary second grade students. The result was clarified by increasing the autonomy index which students tried to study English by themselves. Also the number of students who have identified external motivations, showed achievement pursuing intrinsic motivation, had stimulus pursuing intrinsic motivation were increased.
Second, English classes using cultural topics had positive effects on the understanding of vocabulary in the second grades of elementary school. Especially, it was much more effective to the students who had some basic knowledge about English than to the students who had a large English vocabulary because they studied English for a long time in private institutes.
Third, the second grade students accepted that cultural differences are natural phenomenons and learned cultural habits and also had cultural curiosity through the English classes using cultural topics.
Suggestions based on the results of this study are as follows:
First, the English class using cultural topics was found to have positive impacts on English learning motivation, a greater understanding of vocabulary and cultures. Therefore it is required that systematic cultural materials be given to homeroom teachers in order to teach English using cultural topics.
Second, it can contribute much more to English learning motivation if preferential cultural topics of lower grade students are studied.
Third, it would be meaningful to research the effect of English classes using cultural topics on listening and speaking abilities.