Comparative perspectives towards communicative activities among elementary school teachers in South Korea,Japan and Taiwan

Abstract

With the spread of globalization and information technology, the goal of English education in East Asian countries has recently undergone drastic change, with one such change being the introduction of English at the elementary school level. Based on a sociocultural theoretical framework, this study attempts to identify and compare the ways in which local elementary school teachers consider classroom activities in English that are ‘effective’ in their given sociocultural and policy contexts. Employing multivocal ethnography, classroom activities in these countries were videotaped and edited. The edited videotape was shown to elementary school teachers in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, who were then asked to discuss various aspects of teaching practice and activities in small groups. Among the many issues raised by teachers, this paper focuses on their concerns and challenges in employing communicative activities with respect to (1) creating motives and goals that drive communicative activities; (2) identifying developmentally appropriate mediational means; and (3) situating activities in specific contexts. The study found that teachers’ challenges were due to a lack of understanding of three factors, including what constitutes ‘teaching for communicative purposes’, the roles that developmental factors play in EFL learning and teaching, and strategies for harmonizing learning/teaching and context.