ABSTRACT

A Study of English-Teaching Model
through Stories and Songs

Kim, Jeongok
Major : English Education
The Graduate School of Education, Woosuk University

This study aims to develop and apply an English-teaching model through stories and songs for English learners in elementary school. The study of English-teaching model focuses on not only how learners increase their listening and vocabulary skills, but also how they improve their affective attitudes toward English. This study was conducted in an after-school English class in an elementary school for two months. The participants were 20 subjects in a control group and 20 in an experimental group. The control group learned English with the grammar translation method using an English textbook, while the experimental group learned English using stories and songs through communicative language teaching, whole language approach, total physical response, and natural approach.
The study tested two hypotheses. First, the subjects in the experimental group, learning with English stories and songs, would make greater progress in listening and vocabulary ability than those in the control group, using the English textbook and grammar translation method. Second, affective attitudes such as interest, motivation, confidence, and learning attitudes of the students in the experimental group would be more positive after the learning period than those of the students in the control group. Both language abilities and affective attitudes would be shown with tests and surveys administered before and after the two-month learning period.
The results of this study are summarized as follows. First, the English-teaching model using stories and songs increased listening and vocabulary abilities when compared to the teaching model using an English textbook. While both groups improved their listening and vocabulary scores, pre-tests and post-tests showed that the experimental group received significantly more enhanced scores than did the control group. Second, the model using English stories and songs made a meaningful difference on affective attitudes compared with the grammar translation model. Affective survey results showed that the experimental group subjects had a significant advantage in interest, motivation, confidence, and learning attitudes beyond the control group subjects at the end of the study period.
According to an analysis of these results, this study advises that the English-teaching model be adopted for learners in after-school English classes in elementary schools. In particular, the teaching model through English stories and songs may improve learners’ affective attitudes as well as their listening and vocabulary abilities. This model seems to be effective for learners in elementary school.
Regarding language ability, this study only focused on improvement of listening and vocabulary. Thus, more specific studies may be developed to explore ways for learners to improve their listening, speaking, reading, and writing in an integrated way. In addition, studies better suited to the needs of learners at high, middle, and low ability levels may be carried out.