시각장애 학생과 일반학생의 영어 학습태도, 학습전략 및 학업성취도에 관한 연구

Abstract

English education in school is important for both students with visual impairments and sighted students. This study investigated the attitudes, strategies and scholastic achievements of students with visual impairments and sighted students, and analyzed relevant variables for both groups as a means of providing basic data that may contribute to greater effectiveness in English education. The participants of the study were 122 high schoolers (56 students with visual impairments, 66 sighted students) studying in their second year. Scholastic achievements in both groups were measured using the English language evaluation results contained in the “2009 National- Level Scholastic Achievement Evaluation” report. In addition, the researchers used both student attitude and learning strategy questionnaires. The results of the study are summarized as follows:First, no significant differences existed between overall student attitudes to English language learning between students with visual impairments and sighted students, but students with visual impairments rated significantly higher in the sub-category of “attitudes toward English language class”. Second, sighted students rated higher overall than students with visual impairments in their English learning strategies. Significant differences obtained in the sub-categories of meta-cognitive strategies and cognitive strategies. Third, there were significant differences in scholastic achievement between the two groups. The results of the national-level scholastic achievement evaluation report showed that sighted students rated higher overall than students with visual impairments. Fourth, student attitudes and strategies to scholastic achievement in English had overall significant impact only on those students possessing excellent scholastic abilities. Finally, there were significant effects in scholastic achievement among impairment status, learning attitudes and attitudes of curriculum, and meta- cognitive strategies. Learning attitudes, attitudes of curriculum, and meta-cognitive strategies affected their scholastic achievement. It is obvious that meta- cognitive strategies were the most effective factor. Therefore, in the English classroom, maximum educational support must be provided to raise academic achievement levels through producing effective attitudes and strategies in the learners. This study suggests that instructing learning strategies and attitudes, especially focusing on meta-cognitive strategies, will help both students with visual impairments and sighted students.