영어권 국가 거주 경험 한국 아동들의 언어혼란에 대한 환경요인

Environmental Effects on Korean-English Children's Language Confusion

The purpose of this study was to explore and assess the environmental factors on Korean-English children's language confusion through the mixed methods approach. Surveys were conducted with 54 mothers of children who had been exposed to dual languages(Korean and English) in their early life(before age 3). From the surveys, the negative environmental factors emerged through the qualitative methods using Nvivo 2. And three factors among them, the insufficient maternal language stimulation, the insufficient paternal language stimulation and the conflict between mother and father, were revealed significantly negative to children's language development through the quantitative method(Chi-square analysis). In-depth interviews on this three factors were conducted with 3 mothers who believed that their children had experienced language delay as a result of their dual language environment. The analysis of the interviews provided that the environmental specificity in foreign countries could cause the insufficient language stimulation at home and the parental conflict. The results of this study imply that parental roles in children's language acquisition are more important and more decisive in dual or minor language environment than in mono or major language environment.