Art Project Book

Abstract

The English education market in South Korea is booming rapidly and a large part of this is focused on young learners. Most Korean young learners are studying English to prepare for standardized tests, pressured by their parents (Choi, 2008). English lessons that focus on language have students memorize language structures and vocabulary through drilling can lead to uninteresting lessons for young learners. More importantly these lessons can lead to de-motivation or in extreme cases negative attitudes toward learning English. Based on my teaching experience, I have also seen students who hated English because they have been forced to study. One of my students, an eight year old girl who gets perfect scores on multiple choice tests, was reluctant to participate in communication classes because she thought it was not studying English. By using motivating topics including fun activities and creating comfortable environment for students to communicate in English, we can help children enjoy English (Nunan, 2011). Also building students’ confidence and motivation can help students become more motivated to study English further after this program. The target students are ten to eleven years old Korean, third and fourth grade elementary school students in the Korean public school system. English is their second language and most students have never lived abroad. The students have a proficiency level of Level 2 on the WIDA scale. They can read simple instructions and short sentences, yet additional support such as video clips and visuals would be helpful to comprehend the target language. They are also capable of speak simple sentences and working as groups. This book can be used in after school programs or private institutes that would like to design fun and interesting language programs for young learners. So my book is designed to provide fun and motivating lessons and provide students with the opportunity to communicate in English by interacting with other students through art projects.