KOREASCHOLAR

This study investigates the problems and possibilities of introducing immersion in public elementary schools in Korea through the opinions of the elementary teachers, students, and parents. The participants of this study were 1,082 elementary school students, 484 elementary school teachers, and 731 parents. The data were collected through questionnaires. Through the analysis of data the followings were revealed. First, there were some misunderstandings and misconceptions about the definition and the meaning of immersion education, which seem to be strongly related to the negative attitudes toward the introduction of English immersion programs in Korea. Second, respondents, however, tended to be positive with the immersion program with about 10% higher agreement with its introduction than disagreement. Third, if they have opportunities to participate in an immersion program, the respondents tended to be a bit hesitative or reserved but mostly agreed to be involved with it as immersion teachers, students, and parents allowing their children, respectively with one to three years of preparation for it in terms of the English competence. Fourth, as for immersion teachers, they preferred co-teaching between Korean and English native teachers to individual teaching, and they also liked Korean immersion teachers more as immersion specialized teachers than as class teachers. Based on these findings several suggestions were made to implement English immersion programs in public elementary schools in Korea, particularly for teachers, schools, local governmental education offices interested in immersion education.

• 박선호(경인교육대학교) | Park, Seon-Ho