타 과목 대비 영어교과 부진 학습자의 특성 및 원인

Exploring the characteristics and causes of English-underachieving learners

The present study explores the characteristics and causes of students who do well in the other school subjects but underachieve in English. Ten primary school students participated in the study. Among them, five students scored in over 80% in all school subjects (high-achievers), and the other five scored below 60% in English and over 80% in the other school subjects (English-underachieving' high-achievers). Classroom observations as well as interviews with the participants, their parents, and their homeroom teachers were conducted. The study findings suggest that both groups of students considered English as important and had a high-level of motivation to English learning. They all receieved English education prior to their school entrance and remembered their early lessons as pleasant learning experiences. No distinguishable differences were found in their parents' supports for their childern's education as well. Despite such common characteristics, the English-underachieving students lacked the confidence in English. They appeared excessively worried about their scores in English exams and reluctant to participating in English class out of fear of giving wrong answers. While the high-achievers were highly interested in English-speaking people and cultures, the English-underachievers had more instrumentally oriented motivation, considering good English scores as important for their college entrance and vocational success. Although the both groups' parents provided high-demanding private English lessons to their children, the heavy homework, frequent exams, and sophisticated contents possibly exaccerbated the English-underachieving students' lack of confidence and fear of failing in English. Discussions and pedagogical implications are provided.