前人的研究顯示,桃園縣國小英語教師對於英語教學計畫感到滿意,但是教師對英語教學仍有感到困擾之處,例如:英語師資不足、學生能力差異大、教學時數不足。縱然有上述問題,桃園縣政府仍決定在民國101年將國小英語教學提早至國小一年級。另外,因目前少有對於此議題的研究,本研究旨在探討桃園縣國小英語教師對於此政策的看法,包括教師所遭遇的問題、所需要的幫助,以及政府的配套措施是否有效。研究方法則是透過半結構式及深入的訪談來自13所桃園縣國民小學,共20位英語教師,輔以基本資料問卷。研究結果顯示政府政策與教師意見有相當大的落差。雖然教師一開始認為 (1)此向下延伸政策可以連接幼稚園及國小英語教育,(2)學生沒有成績壓力,(3) 提早學習對於孩童的聽力及發音有幫助,(4)孩童有更多學習動機、更多潛力、也有更長足的進步空間,(5)學生可以提早學到基本知識。但是仍有(1)教學時數不足,(2)教材量過大,(3)師資不足,(4)教師能力不足,(5)學習效果不彰,(6)教材銜接問題,(7)學生差異大,(8)城鄉差異大,(9)英語設備不足等困擾。且因教師能力不足,家長對孩子的期許,家長提早送孩子去補習班,學生能力差異及城鄉差距儼然已成為一個惡性循環。因此,為了提升桃園國小的英語教學品質,桃園縣政府要設立明確的教師篩選標準以及訂定明確的教學目標。此外,政府亦須建立一個更完整及系統化的國小一至六年級,以及國小及國中之間的英語教學大綱。
Despite the previous result shows that the Tao Yuan County’s English teachers were satisfied with the English educational plan, there were still problems regarding English teaching like insufficient English teachers, gaps between students, and not enough teaching hours. Despite the fact, the Tao Yuan County government had decided to extend the English learning age down to the first grade in 2012. Moreover, since little study had investigated about English teacher’s perspectives of the current English education in Tao Yuan, the purpose of the study is to investigate current Tao Yuan County elementary school English teacher’s perspective of the downward extended English policy in terms of problems teachers are facing, help needed, and effectiveness of the help from the government. The data was collected from 20 English teachers from 13 elementary schools via semi-structure and in-depth interview assisted with a questionnaire of demographic information. The result showed discrepancies between English teachers’ perspectives and the downward extended policy. Although teachers thought that: (1) the policy can link the English education between kindergarten and elementary school, (2) kids do not have pressure of grading, (3) advancing the English learning time is good for children’s listening and pronunciation ability, (4) children are more motivated, have more potential, and can make more progress, and (5) they can learn the basic knowledge. There were still problems of: (1) insufficient teaching hour, (2) too many teaching materials, 3) lacking English teachers, (4) insufficient English teaching skills, (5) discrepancies of the learning effectiveness, (6) material linkage, (7) uneven distribution of students’ English ability, (8) gaps between the rural and urban area, and (9) lacking English teaching equipment. It is concluded that the gap between students and the Ural-urban disparity has formed a vicious cycle result from teachers’ insufficient English ability and parents’ expectations because parents would send their children to cram schools. Therefore, in order to improve the quality of English education in Tao Yuan County elementary school, the government may need to set up clear standard for teacher selection and goal in teaching. In addition, the government also needs to construct a complete and systematic curriculum guideline between the lower, middle, and higher grade, and between elementary and junior high schools.