The last decade has observed a very rapid increase of Korean returnees from English-speaking environments. Most returnees experience struggles when readjusting to the home country as they did in the host country. The most difficult problems in their readjustment process involve linguistic and cultural differences between the two countries, which also have a detrimental effect on their academic performance in school. It is reported that elementary school returnees experience a more severe readjustment than secondary and tertiary school returnees. The present study investigates the paths of Korean elementary school aged returnees' identity formation. To be more concrete, this study provides a thick description of the participants' L1/L2 identity loss and maintenance and reconstruction of bilingual identities before and after their return to Korea. The study took place in an elementary school in Korea that opened an overseas class for returnees’ readjustment. Three students in the overseas class participated in this study, and their years of stay in the host country varied from four to six years. Their identity development process is composed of three phases: (1) adjustment in the host country, (2) readjustment in the home country, and (3) reconstruction of bilingual identities. In conclusion, they realized that their bilingualism could be a great asset and could reconstruct positive bilingual identities. Suggestions for returnees' bilingual education are also provided.
1. Introduction
2. Research on Korean Bilinguals
3. Conceptual Framework
4. The Study
5. Findings
6. Conclusion
7. Suggestions
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