초등학생의 언어 학습권리에 관한 고찰: TOEFL 시험준비의 현장에서

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand the Korean young English language learners (YELL) and test-takers studying TOEFL-iBT from the perspectives of human rights. The term 'human rights' is commonly associated with a legal or political concept, but it is also discussed in casual and everyday situations of life. This study tries to identify the mismatch between what has been documented from the literature in YELL and human rights, especially enunciated through international organizations, and what is really conventionalized in English language education in Korea. Interview data was obtained to explore the human right issues among young learners and test-takers of English in Korea. Three participants who have been preparing for the TOEFL-iBT were all sixth-grade female students. It was found that participants' rights of children, language learners, and test-takers were not fully valued in their TOEFL-iBT preparing contexts. It is hoped that this study would lead to awareness-raising movements for the children's rights in the field of English language learning and testing. It would raise the awareness of why the issues of human rights and ethics are needed to enlarge the related boundaries of professionalism in English language education.