Students' Perceptions of and Responses to the Establishment of the "English Village" : Using Wun Chung Junior High School as an Example

• Main Authors: Li-cheng Hsiang, 向麗珍
• Other Authors: Pen-shui Liao
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/h9w4pu

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語教育研究所 === 97 === ABSTRACT The study investigated the effects of the English Village conversation class students' learning motivation and language development in Wun Chung Junior High School in Taoyuan. In addition, the subjects’ attitudes toward speaking English and their attitudes toward the English Village were analyzed and discussed. The subjects were twenty-five eighth-graders in this study. The English Village conversation class was conducted every week and lasted for twelve weeks, including taking the pre-test and post-test. The subjects attended the conversation class in the English Village every other week. For data analysis, the researcher asked the students to take oral proficiency tests before and after the English Village conversation class. In addition, the pre-teaching and post-teaching questionnaires were used to investigate whether or not there is any significant difference on students’ learning motivation and attitudes toward speaking after the instruction. Finally, the subjects’ attitudes toward the scenario rooms of the English Village were analyzed in this study. Based on the data analysis, the findings of the study are summarized as follows: 1.Students were motivated to learn English after the English Village conversation class. 2.In terms of the scores of the pre-test and post-test, there was a significant improvement in students’ oral proficiency after the English Village conversation class. That is to say, the English Village conversation class could help students improve their speaking ability effectively. 3.Students’ attitudes toward speaking English did not change significantly after the project. Students might need to attend more conversation classes in the English Village to help them ease their language anxiety. 4.Most of the students showed their positive attitudes toward the English Village conversation class and the scenario rooms in the English Village. Based on the findings, the researcher proposed some pedagogical implications as follows: 1.Junior high schools in Taiwan are encouraged to set up the English Village within schools. The English Village can not only motivate students but also improve students’ oral proficiency. 2.In the English Village, students should also be taught according to their different levels. 3.Foreign teachers should create a supportive and relaxed atmosphere in their teaching so as to increase students’ confidence in speaking English and foster students’ motivation to learn English.