Teachers' Voices on Elementary English Education and Policy, and Its New Directions

This study investigated how elementary English teachers who attended in a graduate school perceived elementary English education in Korea, what concern they faced, and what suggestions they had to help create better and more effective English teaching and learning environment. To answer these research questions, data was collected by reflection papers(about the general ideas and thoughts of how they perceived elementary English education), open-ended survey, and interviews. This study found four main themes(findings): 1) needs for sufficient language exposure; 2) management skills in teaching; 3) teacher qualifications and 4) needs for well-designed professional training program for teachers. These themes tell that children in the classroom needed to receive language input as much as they could and to have an opportunity to speak. To create better teaching and learning systems, the schools needed qualified teachers who can deliver good knowledge of English and are equipped with expertise in teaching. Well-designed training programs should be provided to these teachers to improve their professional development in teaching. This study showed a good understanding of current situations in terms of elementary English education through the teachers' voices, and it also provided new directions for English education.