The purpose of this study is to explore how elementary English education in Korea has changed since English was introduced as an official elementary school subject in 1997. For this purpose, the study quantitatively analyzed fifteen English class videos using the five categories of COLT Part A—activity, participant organization, content, student modality, and materials—across the 7th, 2007, 2009, and 2015 revised national English curricula. The results are as follows. First, with regard to activity, controlled and guided activities accounted for approximately 50% overall, compared to about 40% for free activities, with no notable differences across the four curriculum periods. Second, for participant organization, whole-class teacher– student interaction occupied about 70–80%, while individual, pair, and group work were relatively low, and again, no notable differences were found among the curricula. Third, regarding content, about 70% of the analyzed classes focused on language functions, with little or no focus on language form, discourse, or sociolinguistics. Fourth, regardless of curriculum period, two or more language skills were integrated in 90–100% of the classes. Finally, concerning materials, aside from the partial use of edutech in recent lessons, similar instructional materials have been consistently used from the past to the present.

This study aims to examine pre-service elementary school teachers’ perceptions of English teaching demonstration competency. In the current study, 112 pre-service teachers were recruited and asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of 20 closed-ended questions about the importance and self-evaluation of the items in assessing English teaching demonstration competencies. Specifically, closed-ended questions were divided into three competency categories such as lesson planning, lesson execution, and classroom English use. They were also asked to answer two open-ended questions about the challenges they anticipate during the English teaching demonstrations and the support needed to improve their English teaching demonstration competencies. The results showed that overall, participants’ average confidence level was lower than their perceived importance of each item. Furthermore, among the three sub-skills, confidence in classroom English use skills was relatively low compared to the other skills. It was also found that participants expressed concerns about their own limited English skills and difficulties assessing learners’ level. They also said they need more training programs and practical teaching experience as the support needed to improve English class demonstration competencies. Based on the findings, discussion and suggestions on ways to improve pre-service teachers’ English teaching demonstration competencies were presented.

This qualitative study explores how fifth-grade elementary school students experience AI-based feedback in English writing. Two students participated in writing activities and received feedback from ChatGPT. Data were collected from observation logs, drafts, reflection journals, and interviews over several weeks. The analysis focused on participants’ perceptions, cognitive/meta-cognitive and affective responses, and the impact of feedback on revision. Results indicate AI-based feedback is helpful, clear, and supports self-directed learning, increasing motivation and confidence. Effective classroom use requires instructional sequences integrating AI feedback with teacher facilitation, including drafting, feedback reception, revision, and reflection stages. Teacher training should prepare educators to manage AI tools effectively and foster students’ self-regulation. Teacher-led research and collaboration can enhance AI feedback integration, ensuring meaningful learning experiences for young EFL learners. These findings provide foundational insights for developing personalized feedback systems and instructional models combining technological innovation and pedagogy, supporting young learners’ growth as confident and autonomous writers.

This study examines the implementation of CEFR Basic User-level descriptors within a systematic instructional design framework to support learner-centered instruction and formative assessment in Korean elementary English education. Focusing on Grades 3 and 4, the study aligned CEFR’s four communicative functions—reception, production, interaction, and mediation—with the 2015 Revised National English Curriculum. A CEFR-based self-assessment tool was developed and administered before and after instruction to measure learners’ perceived communicative development. Findings revealed functional gains across multiple communicative domains, with variation in growth patterns depending on learner group and task type. K-means clustering identified three learner profiles—low-growth, reception-focused, and high-growth—which informed differentiated instructional strategies tailored to learner needs. The results demonstrate that CEFR-informed self-assessment, when combined with systematic instructional design, enhances curriculum coherence and supports data-driven pedagogy. This study provides empirical evidence on the practical integration of CEFR descriptors in primary classrooms, highlighting their potential to inform learner diagnosis and guide targeted instruction in localized educational contexts.

This study aimed to analyze elementary school teachers’ needs regarding the functions of AI-based digital English textbooks. Data were collected from a survey of 96 elementary school teachers. First, a paired sample t-test was first used to examine differences between perceived importance and current implementation. Borich’s needs assessment model was then applied to identify priority items, and the Locus for Focus model was followed visualize them. Finally, a comprehensive analysis was conducted to determine the most urgent needs. Results showed that among five categories—Diagnostic and Evaluation Functions, Support for Personalized Instructional Design, Adaptive Learning Support, AI Tutor and Assistant Teacher, and Dashboard and User Interface—the highest need was in Diagnostic and Evaluation Functions. Personalized Instructional Design and Adaptive Learning Support also showed high demand. These findings suggest that AI-based digital textbooks remain in a developmental phase, requiring further discussion on how to implement them effectively according to subject-specific needs.

This study examined subject-auxiliary inversion errors in wh-questions produced by 88 Korean EFL elementary learners, focusing on whether types of wh-words and auxiliaries could affect inversion acquisition and whether explicit instruction on movement rules could facilitate this process. Guided writing tasks were used as a pretest and a posttest to analyze influence of wh-words and auxiliaries on learners’ inversion in the pretest and effects of instruction on movement rules in the posttest. Results showed that both whwords and auxiliaries significantly influenced learners’ inversion acquisition. Learners struggled more with why-questions than with what-questions, which were selected as representatives of adjunct and argument wh-questions, respectively. More inversion errors occurred in wh-questions requiring do-support than in those involving auxiliary be or modal will, although no significant difference was found between be and will. Experimental lessons with brief explicit instruction on auxiliary movement during regular classes significantly improved learners’ inversion accuracy, particularly in dosupport questions, which posed the greatest challenge in the pretest.

This study developed and implemented an elementary English writing program using image-generative AI to examine its effects on students’ writing abilities and affective domains. The program was designed following the ADDIE model and aligned with the 2022 Revised English National Curriculum. It used Padlet’s ‘I Can’t Draw,’ allowing students to create images based on their prompts. Eighty sixth-grade students participated, with data collected through pre- and post-writing tests, affective domain surveys, student work, reflections, and teacher interviews. A mixed-methods analysis, combining ANCOVA and content analysis, revealed the following: (1) The program improved the syntactic and lexical complexity and fluency of students’ writing, but not accuracy. (2) Students’ situational interest significantly increased, but individual interest did not. Additionally, students’ engagement and motivation in learning English improved. These findings indicate that image-generative AI is an effective tool for enhancing English writing lessons and providing feedback. The study also emphasizes the critical role of teacher competence in successfully integrating AI into language instruction.

This study aims to analyze the degree of importance and performance that in-service primary English teachers attribute to edutech, which is widely used in primary education. To this end, 57 primary school teachers at public elementary schools in Gangwon State responded to a questionnaire related to their ability to understand and utilize edutech in education. The results examined the difference between importance and performance through SPSS and IPA analysis. The findings are summarized as follows. First, descriptive statistics on edutech understanding showed the importance of most items was higher than their performance levels, and the results of the sample t-tests also showed a significant difference. The results of the IPA analysis demonstrated the areas requiring focus were related to diagnosing the learning process and monitoring progress through edutech. Next, statistical analysis examining the importance and performance of edutech utilization capabilities found the average importance of overall edutech utilization capabilities was about 0.6 points higher than their performance. Compared to the importance of edutech utilization capabilities, current performance in the educational field did not meet this level. Overall, these results suggest that teacher training is necessary to enhance understanding of edutech and strengthen related skills before the implementation of AIDT.

This study explores the development of professionalism in using Educational Technology (EdTech) among Korean elementary English teachers amid the increasing integration of technology in English education. Employing the Grounded Theory methodology, the study involved in-depth interviews with nine Korean elementary English teachers experienced in using EdTech. It aims to identify their EdTech experiences, the elements constituting EdTech professionalism, and its developmental process. The study reveals that teachers’ EdTech professionalism encompasses a proactive approach towards technology, continuous professional growth based on practice and reflection, and adaptation of teaching methods in response to evolving technologies and learner needs. It highlights the importance of teachers’ self-directed approach, collaboration with other teachers, and the integration of pedagogical, content, and technological knowledge into their English teaching. The findings have implications for teacher education and the advancement of EdTech-utilized English education, suggesting new processes and directions for developing elementary English teachers’ professionalism in the rapidly evolving landscape of educational technology.

This study compares AI PengTalk’s assessments of Korean children’s pronunciation with the assessments of Korean teachers. Sixty Korean sixth-graders participated as assessees, and four Korean elementary teachers participated as assessors. Both PengTalk and the teachers rated the children’s production of 10 English sentences on a five-point scale. They focused on segmentals, stress-rhythm, intonation, and speech rate. The findings were as follows: Firstly, PengTalk evaluated the children’s pronunciation in the four elements significantly lower than the teachers across all English proficiency levels. Secondly, teachers’ ratings of the students aligned more closely with their pre-evaluated English proficiency levels than the AI PengTalk’s assessments. The teachers rated students at the upper level significantly higher than those at the intermediate level, who were, in turn, assessed significantly higher than those at the lower level in all four elements. Furthermore, AI PengTalk and the teachers differed in the mean order of the four elements, particularly in segmentals. Based on the results of this study, suggestions were made for the development and implementation of AI-based English programs.

This study is to explore and analyze three current English teachers’ thoughts and attitudes on their TEE practices in elementary English classroom settings. Adopting a qualitative approach, data were collected through interviews, teachers’ journals, and informal communications from the three elementary school English teachers. The analysis of data revealed three main themes: 1) thoughts on effective TEE classes, 2) factors affecting TEE classes, 3) the difficulties of conducting TEE classes. The participants presented their views on effective TEE classes. They also expressed their opinion on the timing and usage of TEE. The teachers said TEE classes are influenced by teachers’ English communication ability and willingness to use English as the instructional language, students’ English proficiency and the class atmosphere. Finally, the participants said that TEE classes were difficult due to the same factors influencing TEE class effectiveness. This study has implications for the direction of TEE implementation in elementary education.

Lesson reconstruction is a way of enhancing student competency, and has been receiving much attention. Research was conducted based on lesson reconstruction by applying content and language integrated learning: CLIL. However, drawbacks such as the EFL educational environment and the notional-functional syllabi in much of the English curriculum made teachers teach the 4 skills separately (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing), even though integration of 4 the skills is very much required. Although many researchers have analyzed CLIL so far, little research has suggested the specific methods of reconstructing, designing and implementing lessons in a primary Korean EFL education setting. In this study, the research reviewed the theoretical frameworks of the literature and suggested three potential methods for improvement: 1) designing lessons based on lesson reconstruction, 2), implementing the 4Cs Framework while planning CLIL lessons and, 3) choosing appropriate language based on ‘The Language Triptych’. For implementation, this research suggested that CLIL lesson integrated with other subjects or topics improves students’ reading abilities. This research goes beyond previous theoretical concepts; it suggested the ways of designing and implementing lesson construction based on CLIL lessons. The research also suggests that further research needs to fully consider its pedagogical application and explores how to practice CLIL.

This study aims to investigate how multicultural aspects are dealt with in current elementary English textbooks. The cover pages, dialogues, main readings, and culture sections of a total of 10 elementary English textbooks for 5th and 6th graders were closely examined in terms of (1) the races and genders of the characters, (2) the cultural backgrounds of the contents, and (3) Bennett’s (2010) core values of multicultural education. The results revealed that each gender was equally represented and the textbooks present diverse cultural backgrounds in a balanced way. It was found, however, that there was an imbalance in terms of racial backgrounds. With respect to the core values of multicultural education, acceptance and appreciation of cultural diversity, and respect for human dignity and universal human rights were the top two values that appeared most frequently throughout the textbooks. Responsibility to a world community was the value that was comparatively hard to find in them. Detailed findings are discussed in greater depth, along with implications for elementary English education in Korea.

The purpose of this study is to explore inter-grade dividing criteria of the 2015 grade group elementary English textbooks. Elementary English textbooks consist of two grade groups: the 3rd and 4th grade group and the 5th and 6th grade group. L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer(L2SCA) is utilized to investigate the dividing criteria of the communicative functions implemented in these textbooks. Subjects of the analysis were the listening dialogues for their structural sequencing of 3rd to 4th graders and 5th to 6th graders separately within their own grade groups. Data were processed and analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and independent sample t tests for inter-grade textbooks for 14 L2SCA statistical indices. The findings are: 6 indices out of the 14 L2SCA statistical indices turn out to be critical for dividing the 2015 grade group elementary English textbooks. The 6 indices are mean clause length, mean sentence length, mean t-unit length, mean complex noun phrasal number per phrase and per t-unit and mean number of verb phrases per t-unit. Based on the findings, it is suggested that a standardized criteria derived from these 6 indices can be provided as an inter-grade dividing criteria of the 2015 grade group elementary English textbooks.

This paper explores initiators of humor and the differing characteristics of humor these initiators use in elementary-level English classrooms in Korea. Forty-nine videotaped ordinary classes and interviews with four teachers were investigated. Teachers tended to make learners the subjects of humor, with this type of humor attracting students to participate in learning. Furthermore, teachers encouraged learners to pay more attention to the form of English language features by humorously revealing mispronunciations or expressions that learners could easily make mistakes with. Additionally, among learners, the primary users of humor were middle- to lower-level students. Teachers needed to build a safe environment for English underachievers who unintentionally made humorous mistakes so that they would not be mocked. Also, certain boys intentionally tried humor to get attention. It is noteworthy that teachers and learners jointly constructed humor by supporting each other. This conjoint humor reaffirms the importance of teachers’ reactions and attitudes towards pupils. By listening attentively and accepting learners’ remarks, teachers could make humorous, meaningful interactions. The current paper projects some pedagogical implications concerning how to use or deal with humor for foreign language teachers.

The benefit of language play for language learning is not recognized in English education. Based on the idea that teachers’ perception of teaching and learning affects their teaching practices, this study sought to examine teachers’ perception of language play in the English classroom. The specific purposes of the study were to discover commonalities and differences in elementary teachers’ and pre-service teachers’ perception of language play and to provide suggestions for including language play in teacher education and classroom instruction. Separate group interviews were conducted with 7 in-service and 9 pre-service teachers at the elementary level, in which the participants shared their responses to 3 language play texts that highlight rhyme, rhythm, and nonsense compound words. The topical analysis of the data revealed that both the teachers and pre-service teachers focused on understanding the words in the texts and did not recognize their playful aspects. However, the in-service teachers interpreted the texts more actively than the pre-service teachers and shared ideas for using language play texts in the English classroom. Based on the findings, the paper emphasizes that pre-service English teacher education needs to include language play as one of curricular contents, which should continue into teacher education.

This study analyses the communicative functions of listening scripts extracted from the 2015 elementary school English 6 and middle school English 1 textbooks in terms of continuity. Auditory data corpora were drawn from all five elementary school English textbooks and five most widely used middle school English textbooks. Each sentence of listening scripts was manually tagged based on the classification of communication functions presented in the 2015 Revised National Curriculum. The corpora were analyzed using 14 syntactic complexity measures with the L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer (Lu, 2010). The findings of this study show that the continuity between the elementary school English 6 and the middle school English 1 textbooks is relatively well-organized. However, concerning the sequence, the elementary school English 6 was found to be more complex than the middle school English 1 in terms of syntactic complexity. It is suggested that future textbook development should correct the reversed complexity in listening scripts found in this study.

This study aimed to investigate how two novice teachers in elementary schools conceptualized and developed their practical knowledge about English teaching. They provided their narratives about their teaching six times over the spring semester of 2019. Their narratives were recorded and transcribed. Two researchers examined the transcription to investigate what prior knowledge they had and how they developed their practical knowledge. It was found that their practical knowledge had constantly changed and developed. When they started teaching English, they had their own knowledge on English teaching, which seemed to come from their previous English learning experience and from their study on teaching English. As they applied these knowledge to their own teaching situations, they encountered many problems. The main situations that shaped their practical knowledge were 1) students' level of achievement, 2) level differences among students, 3) teacher status (classroom teacher or English specialist teacher), and 4) colleagues. While coping with those problems, they added new practical knowledge or modified the knowledge they had. The findings provided several implications on pre-service and novice teacher training.