영어몰입교육에서의 원어민 교사와 한국초등학생과의 상호작용 분석

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the interaction between a native English teacher and Korean students in an immersion classroom. This research focused on the strategies chosen by the teacher on the process of meaning negotiation, feed-back, and error correction while the teacher introduced new concepts during the science lesson. The analysis was divided into two aspects: teacher's instructional talk and organizational/managerial strategies. Each aspect had several subcategories according to the features. The immersion approach offers a model of second/foreign language teaching that draws upon the integrated content-based approach to language instruction. The program goals include: helping students to be able to communicate in the target language, to maintain natural mother tongue progress, to master subject content, and to acquire an understanding and appreciation of the target language and culture while still maintaining their own cultural identity. The data were collected through classroom observations. The classroom observations of an immersion 3rd grade class were done for 6 blocks, each of them consisted of 80 minute class at a private elementary school in Korea. During the entire observation period, all classes were video-taped and audio-taped. The researcher's field notes and informal interviews were also included for this research. Upon the completion of data collection, all information was transcribed. The results showed that the teacher used many interactional strategies. Even though the learners' L2 competence was not as perfect as native students, it never became a crucial hinderance at all in the learning of any science content nor in the communications students had with their teacher or peers. They kept trying interactions through meaning negotiation, feed-back and error correction. The teacher rarely used the features of foreigner's talk, such as repetition of words or sentences and control of discourse speed. To meet each student's current level of proficiency to the comprehensible input (i+1), the native English teacher supplied much contextual information which enabled students to apply their own experiences and knowledge of the world, as well as previous content information learned. All the linguistic input provided by the teacher was turned out to be authentic and led the learners to achieve meaningful learning experiences. For the teacher's class management, the students were given clear and concrete instructions. The students appeared to feel respected, cared for, and guaranteed to express their ideas under the teacher's invisible control. All the directions and instructions by the teacher were clear, concrete, firm and consistent. The learners seemed to be proud of what they had achieved. The results of this research imply that Korean teachers working in EFL/ESL programs need to improve their English language skills enough to supply abundant contextual information to maintain the learner's interest as well as lead meaningful learning experiences that challenge the students. With limitation of language proficiency, Korean teachers might use only simple language forms. On the other hand, it is also necessary to establish professional development programs for native English teachers to teach without the basic knowledge and understanding of Korean students and their culture.