學齡前幼兒學習英語之觀點

Pre-school Children’s Perspectives on Learning English

本研究透過觀察、訪談及繪圖等方法，瞭解尌讀半日英語班與才藝式英語班幼兒學習英語的觀點。研究結果顯示，雖然兩班的教學方法與授課時數不同，但幼兒學習英語的觀點卻有相似之處：（一）幼兒的口語描述與繪圖內容各自真實地呈現兩班英語教學的樣貌，顯示幼兒能提供與課程相關的資訊；（二）多數幼兒表示喜歡上英語課，且偏愛有趣及結構性低的活動，然而部分幼兒因不理解教師之英文指令而難以參與課程時，較容易對英語學習產生負向觀感；（三）幼兒對於英語學習的觀點，隨著接觸英語時間的增長而改變，中班英語初學者常陎臨聽不懂或不知如何表達的挫折感，進入大班後，幼兒則能肯定自己逐漸進步的理解與表達能力；（四）幼教老師與同儕的翻譯有助於降低幼兒聽不懂英文的焦慮；（五）父母的期待與全英語的教學環境塑造了幼兒認為學習英文是必要的。依據研究結果，提出幼兒英語教學實務之建議。

Employing observations, interviews, and children‟s drawings, this study intended to understand children‟s perspectives on learning English in a partial English immersion and a single-period English class in Taiwan. Although these two types of programs differed in English instruction and duration, their children shared more similarities than differences regarding their perspectives on learning English. Important findings included: (1) the children‟s descriptions and drawings truly revealed the instruction and activities in the two English classes accordingly, which proved that children are capable of providing valuable information about curricula; (2) the majority of the children indicated that they liked English class and that they preferred interesting and less structured activities. A few children who were unable to understand English instructions and participated in the English class developed negative attitudes toward English learning; (3) the children‟s perspectives on English learning changed along with their exposure length to English instructions. In the beginning stages of learning English, the children found it frustrating that they did not understand English and could not express themselves in English. However, after they had learned English for a period, they affirmed that their comprehension and communication abilities improved; (4) the translations made by the early childhood teachers and peers were beneficial to reduce children‟s anxiety about not understanding English instructions; (5) the children considered that learning English was necessary, which was greatly influenced by their parents‟ expectations and the English-only learning environments. According to the results, suggestions for teaching practices of early childhood English language education were provided.