한국 초등학생의 영어 사용 및 영어 의사소통 의지에 대한 연구

A study of Korean primary school students' use of English and their willingness to communicate in English

This study aims to investigate the application of the willingness to communicate (WTC) theoretical framework to the study of Korean primary school students' use of English in the EFL context and to search for practical considerations in leading them to use English more for communication. For the study, 77 students provided written reports on their use of English, and 237 students filled out a survey about WTC, English use, and related factors. The text data of their reports were analyzed using a corpus approach, and the survey data were analyzed statistically. The results show that the main factors in previous WTC studies, such as perceived competence, motivation, and anxiety, are also significant in Korean primary school students' WTC and use of English. WTC itself influences their use of English, too. Moreover, the context and experiences of their formal English learning are influential, as shown by other WTC studies in the EFL context. In addition to the results, however, it is found that, as they have learned English as a school subject, they do not have an appropriate concept of using English for exchanging information and/or maintaining interpersonal relationships. Therefore, it is highly recommended not only to consider ways of increasing the level of their WTC and English use but also to offer them experiences of using English as a communication medium.