본 연구는 전북 지역 283명의 공 · 사립 유치원 교사를 대상으로 질문지를 사용하여 유치원 영어교육 및 영어교육 프로그램에 관한 실태와 교사의 인식을 알아보았다. 또한 유치원에서 실시하고 있는 영어교육 프로그램을 조사하였고, 7개 유치원 교사를 면접하여 영어교육 실시 방법을 알아보았다. 연구결과 44.2%가 영어교육을 실시하고 있었고 교사들은 영어교육에 긍정적 인식을 갖고 있었으나 현실적인 여건의 문제점을 지적하였다. 유치원에서 사용하고 있는 영어 교육 프로그램들은 제작 형태에 따라 컴퓨터 활용 제작, 방송국 제작, 단행본 책과 비디오 제작 그리고 사설 영어학원 제작 등의 프로그램 유형으로 분류할 수 있었으며 실시 방법은 개인 및 대집단으로 시청만 하거나 교사 주도적 대집단 활동으로 이루어졌다.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the actual circumstances and teachers` recognition of English education and English programs in kindergarten. Ultimately to explore desirable instruction plans for kindergarten English education. In addition, major commericialized English programs in use for kndergarten children were selected and analyzed. For these purposes, 283 early childhood teachers in Jeanbuk Province of Korea responded to a questionnaire developed by the researchers. The results of the study are as follows : 1) Among the subjects of this study, 44.2% of the teachers have already carried out English education. Kindergarten teachers, in general, felt that infant English education was necessary and assented to kindergarten English education. They pointed out the fact that infants have already had a natural environment in which to have contact with English, and believed that early English education would be efficient. On the contrary, those who opposed of early English education as being unnecessary felt that upper-grade English education was sufficient and that the present conditions, such as educational methods or the qualifications of the teachers, could bring out problems. 2) As for teachers recognition of the English education program and their actual circumstances the results showed certain differences. Most teachers demanded to be allowed to prepare their own programs and import outside curricula, designing two or three lessons per week, and the inclusion among the day`s curriculum, large group education. 3) In the analysis of actual programs those brought in from the outside were divided into such categories as; English programs using computers, broadcast production, private institution production, and English book or video cassette tape program. Most of these programs aim to deliver certain details of early English education rather than to approach proper teaching methods or theoretical background.
