<p>This study investigates Korean
parents’ perceptions of and attitudes toward issues related to the study of
English, such as the social phenomena that arise from excessive emphasis on
learning English and so-called “English fever”; as well as ideas about Standard
English, American English, Korean English and other varieties of English (World
Englishes). This investigation was conducted using a survey that targeted
Korean parents, who are the primary decision-makers when it comes to their
children’s English education. The survey was comprised of two sections with
similarly-themed questions: one part asked respondents’ opinions based on their
own experiences learning English, and the second part asked about their
philosophy when it came to their children’s English education. In this way, the
study explored whether or not respondents held contradictory attitudes between
their beliefs as learners and their beliefs as parents. The results of the
survey confirm that respondents view English as essential for success in South
Korea, but it was also clear that they are tired of the excessive pressure
placed on learning English and social problems caused by it. Additionally, they
believe there is a standard English, but do not consider it to be limited to specific dialects, such as American or British English
and while they perceive the existence of other varieties of English, they are
less interested in learning them. Regarding their children’s English education,
their responses were not fully contradictory, but they did show some degree of
inconsistency. For example, they preferred their children have Native English
teachers and were less accepting of them being taught other varieties of
English, including Korean English. Significantly, the results of this study not
only challenge, but stand in contrast to results from previous studies and to
prevailing social prejudices, which often portray Korean parents as
English-obsessed and willing to go to any lengths to ensure the highest-quality
English education for their children.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:purdue.edu/oai:figshare.com:article/12643034 |
| Date | 13 July 2020 |
| Creators | Joohee Kim (9111284) |
| Source Sets | Purdue University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis |
| Rights | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
| Relation | https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Korean_parents_perceptions_and_attitudes_toward_the_Study_of_English_in_South_Korea/12643034 |
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