The present study has investigated teaching motivation and demotivation factors on itinerant English teachers for pre-school children. A total of 119 itinerant English teachers were asked to answer a questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale, which had 32 items for teaching motivation and 14 items for demotivation. They also responded to 8 items asking about personal background information, which were used to examine the direct influence on teachers’ (de)motivation. Factor analyses were conducted to explore (de)motivation factors. As a result, five factors emerged regarding teaching motivation: altruistic motivation, intrinsic motivation, interpersonal motivation, monetary reward, and self-improvement motivation. Four teaching demotivation factors were also identified through factor analysis: burnout, lack of self-confidence, insufficient external support, and lack of autonomy. The result of t-test and one-way ANOVA indicated that teachers’ age, marital status, and teaching experiences have influenced teaching motivation, whereas their undergraduate major and age contributed to the level of teaching demotivation. This study implies that it is necessary to provide them with systematic pre- and in-service teacher training programs in order to develop the comprehensive knowledge of early childhood education as well as to improve their overall English proficiency.

Despite the Ministry of Education's policy, early childhood English education has been widely conducted among private kindergartens and in private English Education agencies. Although there are a great number of English teachers who are teaching English to young children, few research has been done about their working conditions. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the working conditions of early childhood English teachers, to determine the problems that they are facing in the education field, and to find out the possible solutions to improve their working conditions. Sixty-seven teachers answered the survey. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were done. This research found that teachers have difficulties in attracting children's attention when they teach English in the classroom, and in developing appropriate teaching techniques. It also found that their working conditions were not good enough to keep them doing this job. In spite of poor conditions, they are proud to be teachers. It was found that the subjects wished to have a medical insurance, a secured income, and to be free from extra teaching activities, such as textbooks sales and collecting monthly fees. They would like to have an opportunity to learn new teaching techniques through in-service teacher training. They also insisted that the Ministry of Education should face the current situation by giving them a chance to become certified teachers.

본 연구는 유아영어교육에 대한 교사와 학부모의 인식을 조사하여 추후 유아영어교육이 나아갈 방향에 도움이 되는 기초자료로 제공하는데 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 K시에 근무하는 유아교육기관의 교사 250명, 학부모 250명을 대상으로 설문 조사하였으며, 수집된 자료는 SPSS 23.0 프로그램을 사용하였으며, 빈도분석, 기술통계분석, 독립표본 t검증, 카이제곱검증(x2)을 실시하였다. 연구결과, 첫째, 교사와 학부모 모두 유아영어교육이 필요하다고 인식하고 있었고 학부모의 인식이 교사의 인식보다 더욱 높게 나타났다. 둘째, 유아영어교육의 목표로 교사와 학부모 모두 영어에 대한 친밀감 갖기가 가장 높게 나타났다. 셋째, 유아영어교육의 적합한 교육방법으로 교사와 학부모는 만3~5세의 유아들에게 유아교육기관에서 주 2~3회 20분 이내 모든 유아들에게 일시적으로 실시하는 것이 가장 적합하다고 인식하고 있었다. 또한 유아영어교육의 적합한 교수법으로는 데일리루틴 교수법이 가장 높게 나타났다. 넷째, 유아영어교육의 문제점에 대한 인식은 교사와 학부모 유아의 실제 영어 활용기회 부족에 대한 인식이 가장 높았으며, 유아영어교육의 효과에 대해서는 영어에 대한 유아의 흥미와 동기유발이 증진된다는 것에 가장 높게 인식하고 있는 것으로 나타났다.