The impact of the learning outcome caused by the English
cram schools on the 4th grade students-take eight students in
Hsing Chung elementary school as the example
1
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to understand the outcome of participation of the fourth grade
elementary school students in English cram school and the effect of learning English in their school.
We are to find out the impact of the learning outcome in the extracurricular English lessons in cram
schools within the four levels- society, schools, families and individual.
In this research, eight Hsing Chung elementary school students were main subjects and
"learning questionnaire" designed by us is
the main research tools. The conclusions of the
research are summarized below:
I. Most of the subjects in the elementary school agree that they get more English ability from
cram schools and enhance English ability.
II. The English curriculum in the elementary school is too basic and simple. In fact, they think
if they just seriously studied in English and they could deal with all tests.
III. The parents play an important role on the students’ English learning.
IV. The Students have started to participate in English cram schools on their own in order to
complement the shortage of English courses at school. But the effectiveness of learning
varies according to different personality traits and interests.
See the appearances given above. Maybe we can supply the Department for Education and
elementary school with some authorities and reference resources in the future.
Key words：(Noun) English cram school、(Noun) English refresher (Verb) to take English lessons
、Outside of school、Inside school、Low-birth rate、Learning English
Contents
Abstract
Chapter 1 Introduction
2
1.1 Research Background and Motive
1.2 Research Objective
1.3 Research Questions and Discuss
1.4 Research Area
1.5 Research Restriction
Chapter 2 Literature Review
2.1 Does it really work to go to English cram school ahead of time?
What are the possibly effects after go to English cram school?
2.2 Society Level
2.3 School Level
2.4 Family Level
2.5 Personal Level
Chapter 3 Methodology
3.1 Research procedures and framework
3.2 Research tools
3.3 The factors of the questionnaire
3.4 Questionnaire collection and arrangement
Chapter 4 Research discovery and analysis
4.1 The results overview
4.2 Society Level Analysis
4.3 School Level Analysis
4.4 Family Level Analysis
4.5 Personal Level Analysis
3
Chapter 5 Conclusions and Suggestions
5.1 Summary of the major findings
5.2 Recommendations for elementary school
Reference
Appendix A：Image investigate questionnaire of English cram school
Appendix B：Pre-test questionnaire
Appendix C：Questionnaire
Table I：Research flow chart
4
Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Research Background and Motive
Along with the oncoming of the global village, the international politics, economy and cultural
are associating with increasing interaction. English has become an important, worldwide
communicating tool. We have to overcome the language barrier to communicate with each other
owing to the information, science, technology industry, higher education, and so forth. By learning
English, people can experience different cultures of other countries to improve their understanding
and respect for one another. Therefore, valuing English education has become a tendency of
educational policy for most modern countries. For a few years ago, in order to reach the demands of
English education, expand the students’ diversifying fields of vision, and cultivate their
international knowledge, Ministry of Education proclaimed the “Grade 1-9 Curriculum Guidelines,”
which decided to add English into the language learning course in elementary schools. The English
courses of elementary school are predominantly based on listening and speaking; the English
courses of junior high school are predominantly based on listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Nevertheless, now we have to face the fact which the domestic education brings the excessive
supplement to us. According to the study of national policy foundation, (NPF Commentary, 2004),
the social phenomena of "low-birth rate" have become the global tendency. As we know, the
agriculture society needs great manpower in the 60s and 70s; and even to the industrial society in
the 80s. However, now, the great deal of industries has moved out to pursue their better quality of
life and it causes birthrate lower to avoid a wasteful expenditure of money on this field. As far as
economics is concerned, people’s six essential requirements, clothing, housing ,transportation ,
education and entertainment, are reduced decreasingly, and the supplement of these requirements
will undoubtedly be decreased. Relatively, people’s material consuming will be risen, too.
Regarding to the level of family education, most of the parents particularly pay attention to the
educational problem because they don't have many children. They sincerely don’t hope their
5
children to lead a bad life; on the contrary, they hope them to have a good start point at beginning of
their lives. Besides, they also believe that learning English earlier can help their children have a
good performance in their entrance exam in the future. Thus, the parents’ idea is having their
children attend cram schools after school which prevails among themselves to promote their
children’s English ability.
There are many English cram schools everywhere in Taiwan. We have three main motives on
this study. First, it is to understand clearly whether the students prefer learning English in the
English cram school or in the elementary school. What is the difference between them? Is the
function of the two systems reciprocal or conflicting? The second is to find out if attending English
cram schools can help the students learn English well in the elementary school or just bring them
more pressure of learning it? The third motive is that we suppose the cram school can help the
students learn English well in their school, and then how much they can benefit from it?
1.2 Research Objective
According to the research background and motive, this research intends to inquire into and tidy
up the 4th grade elementary school students learning outcomes caused by the English cram schools
and to analyze the characteristic of cram school outside of school further. In addition, we will know
the difference between crammed students and students without going to the cram school.
1.3 Research Questions and Discuss
Q1：To understand which one plays more important role in dealing with the subject, English?
English cram school or students themselves?
Q2：What causes the English cram school to affect the results of the fourth elementary students’
learning？
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Q3：To explore some teaching styles and contents at school.
Q4：To treat the correlation of teaching styles and contents between English cram school and
school.
Q5：To analyze the two factions’ attitudes, minds and the effect on their grade in the school.
Q6：To explore the effects of external factors about English cram schools and learning English in
the school.
Q7：To explore the administration effects of language course in the school by the distinction of
English cram school.
1.4 Research Area
This research is conducted to question and discuss the learning outcomes caused by the
English cram schools and how it influences English lessons in the school on the 4th grade
elementary school students.
<P.S：The word “two party students” refers to the two groups of students; one is students who
take English lesson in the cram school and the other is students. >
Ways：1. Use open questionnaire or interviews to collect all information.
2. Use close questionnaire to be the pre-questionnaire to estimate the effect about
questionnaire.
3. Use questionnaire to collect all the information.
1.5 Research Restriction
Internal validity：
According to the independent variability, we want to understand the effects of learning English
for the 4th grade elementary school students. So, we want to find out three points by two kinds of
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questionnaires. In the first point, we need to know the identification of students’ English learning；
then, to find the relationship among students, scholastic English course and English cram school；
The last point is to know what the students’ motion is about learning English.
External validity：
Due to time and geographical factors, we have to select familiar elementary school and
increase our work efficiency many times.
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Chapter 2
Literature Review
2.1 Is it really necessary for children to go to “cram school
prematurely for extra English classes? What are the possible
effects after they go to “cram school”?
Many prematurely conscientious parents worry their children might lose “the race at the
beginning”, so they send their children to “cram schools” in the early stage of their school life;
some even hire tutors for extra English classes at home. This has encouraged and intensified the
cram school culture in Taiwan. According to a survey by National Teacher’s Association (NTA) on
English learning, currently in elementary school more than 1/3 of the students have to take English
courses in cram schools before their primary education while 76% of English teachers have seen a
huge gap in students’ English learning, of which the unbelievable gap is 40% high. Some
students—those who have learned English before their primary education—would not concentrate
on class because the class is too easy for them. In consequence, they may even interrupt others
during the class. Those who did not have English education before primary school are experiencing
hard time in class and have become so discouraged that they would give up on themselves. The gap
of learning English is so wide that it has become very difficult for teachers to plan and teach the
course. As a result, students do not get the best education.
In this chapter we discuss two things. The first thing is whether or not premature English
education is effective. What are the effects caused by this type of education?
The other thing is the
development and effects of “the cram school culture” with respects to society, school, family, and
personal.
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2.2 Society Level
In recent years, English cram schools have been growing rapidly. The rapid increase of the
“cram school” has lowered their qualities and given the public impression of profitable group. The
density of “English cram school” shows that attending it has become part of school children’s
after-school life. Their parents’ belief in “cram school”, acceptability of “cram school” and
household incomes decide whether their children should attend the cram school. The main factors
for children to attend the school are governmental system, social tendency, a change of their
parents’ attitude as well as their expectations for higher education, which is a result of today’s better
education quality in Taiwan.
2.2.1 A social view about “cram school”
The public’s views about “cram school” have remained the same: they believe “cram school”
is guilty of damaging orthodox education system. It hinders a change in the system and becomes a
source of academic stress in advancing educational pursuit (National Policy Foundation, November
9, 2001).
Historically, the public’s view about “cram school” is, however, changing. The change must be
the major social factor affecting the development of the “cram-school education” and its market.
The “cram-school education” in the 70s and 80s is defined by Cheng-fong Kuo who said
“cramming” is part of the “cram-school education,” which is to make up the lack in the orthodox
education (1990). That means people believed that “cram-school education” should not be part of
the orthodox. It is when the orthodox experiences the lack that the “cram-school education” is
needed for students’ supplemental learning, “cram school” or “cram-school education,” thus, should
not tend to replace the orthodox education since it has not been given its authority (Kwang-kuo
Hwang et al, 1981). The practice has become socially unfair to the students in poverty since it has
become a financial burden to them.
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2.2.2 Government’s policy and cram school’s interaction
The original English cram schools assault the government for incorporating the English
education into the elementary schools. English cram schools here divided into two opposing
extremes regarding the case. The first one is that the elementary schools will be replaced the
English cram schools, and the other one is that the existence of English cram school becomes more
and more important. Most English cram schools think that the advances of English cram schools
incorporating into elementary school can promote the learning equitation of children’s English and
increase the learning population by schools. In the early days, to carry out the children’s English
education into schools can not mainly content the learner’s requirement. For the past few years, the
high-speed of the increase on English cram school was stimulated by demand. People hope to get
the whole education moving while the education reformation was improving. Owing to the school
education emphasis on keeping the working routine and following the rules, every learning process
has to follow the principles. The cram schools provide different ways of education in order to
conform to the student’s requirement. But the ways of performance often violate the stipulations
which the government provides, such as the unequally enrolling new students, the over collect fees,
the rules which were not conformed to the students exceed in numbers, the teachers’ extra teaching
hours in addition to their primary job, and the unrealistic advertisement which were causing more
negative effects.
2.2.3 The importance of cream school to the whole of society
Owing to the factor that the salary has decreased steadily but life expense has increased rapidly,
many parents must work outside in order to maintain the revenue and expense balanced for their
family. In the past, the younger parents need to work outside and grand parents to help them to take
care of the grand children in a big family. But now, there are more and more small household in the
city area. When parents have their own jobs at the same time, the cram school will become a
necessary place where students can study and learn after school. Besides, parents value their
children’s education. They hope their children have a good beginning. Therefore, the cram school
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use the slogan： ”Don’t let your child lose on the start line” to enroll students as members of their
cram school.
Besides, the cram school starts to emphasize the market direction and to respect the
character of teaching. Thus, the cram school has naturally become integrant education agency.
(Chiu, yang-enriches, 2002)
Taiwan is going to develop and become Asia operation center in the 21 Century, so English
will almost become a basic tool with occupation and entering higher school. Although the cram
schools in Taiwan are not under the Jurisdiction of the legal education system, they were growing
into another important agency. For one point, the English cram schools influence students’ scores
entrance of a better high school and future careers. On the other hand, the English cram schools
maybe distinguish from unequal management. In short, the existence of English cram school is a
worth society phenomenon for us to explore. (Li, zheng, 2006)
2.2.4. The importance of English learning in the elementary school.
Language is not only a tool, but also a representation of a nationalistic spirit、thought、
philosophy and axiology. Now the world will be a global village. The basic language training
except first language for every child has meaningful and achieved equal、international、living and
universal educational opportunity. Therefore, English learning in the elementary school has already
become a common consensus necessarily and potentially. It can make the students learn English
well and have the habit of speaking English by making students learn English everywhere. By the
language center calculation from American and Japan, one of the languages will disappear per two
weeks in the world and English hegemony is a killer, which is pursuing all languages to fall away
rapidly. To learn more language not only boost more tool of communication but also enriches and
develops eyeshot. Nevertheless, if we take English as only foreign language, the communication
would become more and more narrow and closed. The English teaching policy must cooperate with
the elementary school and all requirements of society. Moreover, it needs to set up instruction
resource well-arranged and still waters run deep. (http://blog.udn.com/cgmkm/1542307)
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2.3 School Level
The Ministry of Education decided to include English into the curriculum of the fifth and sixth
grades of elementary schools since the fall semester of 2001 in order to improve the national
competence and to meet the social and family demands. Since the fall semester of 2005, the English
education has advanced to the third grade. This is a good policy, for our children can get in touch
with English and the world ahead of time. However, the policy is not so good, for the lack of
qualified English teachers and education methods. (Chairperson of Department of Children English
Education, National Taipei Teachers College)
The situation of elementary English Education and the difficulties of elementary schools are
introduced into four parts.
2.3.1 Students’ English abilities vary.
The English curriculum of the Ministry of Education includes the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth
grades. They spend two hours a week in English class. Many elementary school start the English
education as the alternative curriculum from the first grade by spending their funds on teachers to
recruit more students. The elementary English education has not produced good results because the
schools did not take the reality into account. Even the normal curriculum of two hours a week was
in a mess since the curriculum of 22 to 24 hours a week has to be filled with English and other
subjects. Is the advanced English education a good or bad policy? That needs further research. The
qualifications of elementary English teachers vary, and some schools without enough teachers hire
foreigners. Consequently, those students who do not understand the foreign teachers give up
English ahead of time. ( Lilan Zhou, Douliou, Oct. 29, 2007)
One of the reasons to advance English education into the elementary curriculum was to reduce
the burden from going to cram schools and to terminate the differences in English abilities of the
students after they go to junior high curriculum. Nevertheless, including English into the elementary
curriculum (at grade three) has led to parents’ advancing children’s English education to an earlier
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age to keep children competitive. Today, the problem for elementary English teachers is not only
that some students have learned English, but that students have different learning English
experiences, varying from one year to four years or longer from kindergartens. (Chung, tien-Chou)
2.3.2 Differences in Urban and Rural Education
Education is the most important means to reduce the income difference and to activate the
class mobility. In the class mobility, people from lower classes can improve their life and social
status by getting education. In recent years, the elementary English education has been progressing
towards polarization between the opposite extremes of English abilities mainly due to the difference
in rural and urban education. Many resources such as foreign teachers are available for most
children who have gone to cram schools because of their parents with higher incomes in cities (Xu,
Jing-Yi, 9111). On the other hand, many resources are not available to rural children, with
low-income parents who cannot spend their time on children’s education. The government shall
work to improve the rural education by bringing more resources. Education resources are necessary
for the disadvantaged (remote and aboriginal areas and offshore islands) to support the English
education, to reduce the difference between rural and urban areas, and to improve the quality of
elementary English education (C.F. Cheng, 9407).
2.3.3 Parents’ Social and Economic Backgrounds
From the family aspect, parents with different social backgrounds attach different degrees of
importance to English education, playing a role in children’s learning attitudes and opportunities.
Economically, the quality of children’s education depends on parents’ incomes. The higher class
gives more educational and cultural resources to their children than lower class family. Families
with higher incomes may spend more on children’s English education including cram school and
foreign private teachers. However, the disadvantaged families in remote areas can barely afford the
educational resources for children because the families live such a poor life without enough money
for meals. “In my elementary school, we have tried very hard to invite parents to join activities like
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symposiums for parents of new students and information sessions of Grade 1-9 Curriculum for
parents, but most parents are too busy earning their living to attend the activities. Some parents are
even single, and some children are cared for by their grandparents” (Jinhon, wang,Jul. 13th, 2007).
This situation may be common in schools in remote areas, so school teachers are the main resources
for the disadvantaged children’s education.
2.3.4 Curriculum guidelines and textbooks lack unification
The government has not unified the curriculum guidelines and the textbooks for the elementary
English education, which thus is designed by teachers or schools on their own. As the textbooks of
Grade 1-9 Curriculum could be published by different publishers, the problem of different textbook
versions, especially during the transition between elementary and junior high educations, must
appear. As a result, the said transition at the beginning of junior high education must be designed by
teachers to help students adapt to junior high textbooks. Furthermore, students of the same grade at
the same educational phase should use the same series of textbooks to avoid transitional problems
(for transferring students). When textbooks at the very phase have to be replaced, the transition
between old and new textbooks must be well designed by schools.
In addition, even though some English teachers adopt textbooks according to students’ English
degrees, most teachers use textbooks from publishers, while very few teachers design textbooks by
themselves. Elementary English teachers’ over-dependence on textbook publishers has resulted in
some book vendors’ monopolization on campus. At the open textbook selection, the government
must take children’s rights into account and call for tenders with suitable policies for schools to
make choices. School teachers cannot choose certain textbook publishers due to “their own
preference” so that the monopolization shall be prevented. (C.F. Cheng, 9407)
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2.4 Family Level
Family is an important factor in learning and it may effect learning a lot. This part we will
introduce what the present parent’s worry is and the economic affection about learning English. We
think it is the main point in English learning.
2.4.1 The present parent's worry
English learning’s disorganized. Basically it is parents maze about language learning’s key
point. They hope their children learn English better than before. There are some problems in our
elementary school’s English courses. The problem is hours of courses, and it only has 1~2 periods
per week, and 40 minutes for each course. It is not enough for the children, so parents can not see
obvious result from school, and thus it increases parents’ worries. Parents find extension classes in
order to make their child learn more English and improve their English skills. Extension class and
English school are popular at the present time, but the cost of extension class is not cheap for the
parents, and hence parents need to economize on clothing and food in order to let the child to learn
more English. Parents hope their children to have competitive strength; they hope their children can
find a good job in the future. There are some problems in elementary school because some students
learn English from Bilingual kindergarden and some don’t know English. , they have level
difference, and therefore it becomes teacher’s trouble. Some students lose their confidence because
they didn’t learn English before.
2.4.2 The economic affection about learning English
Qu-shi Maestro said in Japan that it will be a type of M society in the future. Middle level will
disappear; there are two groups in our country; one is poor man, and another one is rich man.
Qu-shi maestro is a teacher, and there are different in English learning in his school. Some students
can’t go to extension classes because their parents don’t have money can supper them to learn
English.
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They carry out to divide students into different level’s classes in the major course. One has
good English ability group. The other is poor English ability group, because they want to push all
students who have good English ability together. And in the same class some teachers say some
students have good English ability because parents have enough money, and some students who
don’t have money to learn English lose in English learning. Therefore, the student who has good
economic environment is good at English. Economic is the main reason in the type of M society.
Every teacher likes to see students improve in their learning, but the type of M society makes
teacher worried.
"The great factor causes the difference between city and country, …… some family are worse
at social economic, the parents made money all too late to regard for children’s lessons, and they
don’t have time to teach the children the lessons; it causes more fall behind of town. English
environment is needy, but the children can't comprehend the importance of English, and their
learning efficiency is really not very good also has no city in the meantime children come of good ”
(Education investigation collected papers, 2006). Some students live in the town whose English
learn is not better than some student who live in the city. About this problem the south university‘s
teacher Lee Jia Ton wrote something in “Poor children went to a junior high school to give up
English” this book. He said “"Our social gap between rich and poor are in quickly space out now. If
the poor child gives up English because of having no money to take lessons, the disparity between
the rich and the poor situation will be more and more serious." (“The Trendmaster’s Guide”, 2002,
Lee Jia Ton)
Besides, teacher Lee Jia Ton said something in the "expand social justice, shorten the gap
between the rich and the poor”, he continued "because the gap between rich and poor spaces out, a
lot of wealthy children are learning English from the kindergarten. Children in the rich house who
always learn English at cram school, made their English degree far away with in poor students.
Many poor students have already given up English at first time " Lee Jia Ton said that English isn't
good if the student don’t have good environment,
it produces one another margin of inequality.
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there will not have competitive ability, and then
2.5 Personal Level
So far as the students of elementary school are concerned, will their attending the cram school
bring a positive or negative influence on themselves? We bring up two main possible influences of
their minds and courses to discuss further.
2.5.1 The Produced Pressure of School Boy
The influence of the intellectual education is emphasized by the cram school, but the influence
of the emotional education is always ignored (Cweu-li min, 1996). Once their performances showed
the negative on their behavior and mentality, and the competition among themselves; that means,
they suffer so much from these kinds of pressure which influences their conducts. Thus, the cram
school is different from the elementary school. The former doesn’t usually possess such a function
to help them alleviate their pressure, except themselves. Besides, it may be indirectly harmful to the
abilities of student’s thinking, and then it will also bring the negative effects to them. It seems a
required course to attend an English cram school, where most of the elementary school students are
forced to attend it after school, but some of them are volunteer because they are worried about that
their learning in this course is worse than others. But it is the great pressure for most of them to
learn English (Tsau, feng- fu, Wu-you shi, Shie yan lung, 1994). In this changing society, to attend
English cram school after school has become prevalent because the parents in Taiwan put
themselves out on their children learning sustained for a long time. To be honest, it brings the
children much pressure and frustration, even harmful influence on the development of their
behavior and mentality (Lin sheng chuan, 1978, Shia chiting, 2001, Lu shiau jinan, 1997).
There is a marked discrepancy in the healthy body and mind from different personality and the
stress of life (Dai bo fen, 2007 & Jang juei jang, 2006). The anxiety of learning English of the
students (Jang bau yan 1996a) maybe come from the stress. Most people think that attending the
cram school is not beneficial to students’ body and mind (Lin sheng chuan, 1978 & Shiu chiting,
2001 & Lu shiau jinan, 1997). Now every elementary school has its own English courses; therefore,
18
many students only have to learn them from their own school, but they have to do the homework
required by the cram schools every day. The students, learning English under such a situation, may
impede their development of body and mind directly or indirectly.
2.5.2. The diversities of the students’ achievement in learning
English is now the most common international language in the world, and learning English is
also the required course for the people living in this modern society. These days, in Taiwan, the
main purpose of their attending English cram school is to promote their good performance in
English learning. In order to pay attention to each student’s learning situation and improve their
teaching methods, most of the cram schools adopt the small class to teach. The cram schools
emphasized the mastery of English learning, but whether do the student have their spare time to
understand the essence of the English materials? Nevertheless, after their learning from the English
cram schools, do they think that the contents of the English teaching in the elementary school are
too easy for them to have interests in learning them, which reduces the motivation of learning
English and which causes the deterioration in the quality of English learning?
As for whether the students attend the cram school or not, there are remarkable differences
from their English learning tactic, learning motive and accomplishment, according to the students’
English learning experiences and learning years (Chang,Yu-Ju, 2007 & Tsai, Shui-Ho, 2005). In this
society of appraised values, English, the international common language, has even been taught in
the first year of the elementary school. In the academic achievement, the performance of those who
attend the cram school is better than others who don’t attend it (Wang shiau haei, 2000). And the
students who learn English before the third year form show better accomplishment than those who
learn English after the third year in the elementary school. But if they learn English in the fifth or
sixth year, their performances in learning English would be worse than those in the third year (Isau
feng fu, Wu you shi, Shie yan lung, 1994). Undoubtedly, the way of learning English in cram school
would help them promote their English ability. To spend more time in learning English can get
better accomplishment. Well, whether can it really improve the students’ English ability? Should we
19
let the children attend English cram school? It is the question about which people are concerned a
lot and it also causes a great dispute. Such a fiercely disputed question needs to be discussed further.
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CHAPTER 3
Research Method
This chapter totally is divided into four sections point. Section one introduces research process
and framework; section two explains research tool; section three is to analyze factors of
questionnaire; section four is collecting and arranging the questionnaire.
3.1 Procedure and Framework
This research draws up an image investigate questionnaire of English cram school to grasp the
present image and approbation of English cram school where the elementary students study. Then,
we draw up another questionnaire whose name is pre-test questionnaire. In this form, we design
some questions by four levels in order to understand some viewpoints and opinions from the 4th
grade students. As the result of pre-test questionnaire, we arrange formal questionnaire again and
proceed with our research. The following is the procedure chart (Table I).
Determination research subject
↓
Collect data about our project
↓
Draw up “The image investigate questionnaire of English cram school”
↓
Content analysis
↓
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Draw up a pre-test questionnaire
↓
Proceeding pre-test questionnaire
(Study in the Sun Tsun 3 grade elementary school now, total
3
students)
↓
Revise pre-test questionnaire to become formal questionnaire
↓
Proceeding formal questionnaire
(Study in the Hsing Chung 4th grade elementary school now, total
8
students)
↓
Collecting questionnaire
↓
Data analysis
↓
Compose research report
3.2 Research Tools
This research uses a fixed attribute to connect all methods with closed questionnaire, Hsing
Chung fourth grade’s elementary school students who write down various standpoints that are about
attending to the cram school, and then we collect integrative data. The purpose is to find out the
influence of the 4th grade elementary school student’s learning outcomes of the English cram
schools.
3.2.1 The image investigate questionnaire form of English cram school
This questionnaire’s intentions of researchers assume that nowadays there are many English
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cram schools have big differences in learning environment and management. In order to make sure
that all the information of cram school collected effectively and analytically. We write the cram
school’s investigation paper (Appendix A), and interview the students who study English in the cram
school because they may know the defects and advantages about cram school, and test all the
information we got , and write down the opinion of cram school. After analysis, we design the
pre-test questionnaire.
3.2.2 Prepare questionnaire
The pre-test questionnaire is in order to know the response about questionnaire and make sure
all the chosen items are suitable. This research uses “learning outcomes caused by the English cram
school pre-test questionnaire” to test students. The questionnaire was divided into three parts; the
first part is basic background and family situation. A second part is the estimation of the English
course in the elementary school. Part three is the estimation of English cram school. All the testers
are three students.
3.3 The factors of the questionnaire
3.3.1 Questionnaire
Our questionnaire has two parts; one is “The image investigate questionnaire of English cram
school” and the other is “formal questionnaire”. The first part as an open questionnaire is mainly
aimed at understanding the difference of teaching situations and environment between English cram
school and school. The second part as a close questionnaire is aimed at knowing how effects upon
the learning English at English cram school.
23
3.3.2 Arrangement for school and class
At first, we needed to find three to five students at random to answer our pre-test questionnaire
to assure questions correctness. And then, we chose eight students who study in Hsing Chung
elementary school to proceed with our familiar teacher.
3.3.3 To select students
Because of matching students study hours and making answers adequately, we chose eight 4th
grade students to answer our questionnaire and divided them into two groups. One group has six
students who have studied in English cram school. The other group has two students who have not
attended to the English cram school. The purpose of the way is to compare differentia English
learning between cram school and school.
3.4 Questionnaire collecting and arrangement
Before making questionnaire, we draw up a letter of test consent for eight students and us? to
avoid unnecessary dispute. During the questionnaire process, we have had a bad setback. Some
students ask few principled questionnaires for us. For example：”Teacher, if my father is a boss, and
I don’t know his professional title, so what kind of job do we need to write?”, ”I don’t know my
charge about cram school, because it is my mother’s responsibility.”, “Teacher, will the test consent
which you gave me be mounted ?” and so on.
We are deeply appreciated these students kindness for our questionnaire and added much
pleasure for us.
24
Chapter 4 Research discovery and analysis
In this chapter, we still discuss four results from our questionnaire for four levels. At first, we
will discriminate high rate from low rate by each question in our questionnaire. Then, we give a
description of what we have seen and analyze it. Third, we write at a regulation speed to describe
what the effects caused by this type of education are. At last, we can also write some commends of
developments and effects of English learning at cram school and at school in our opinion.
4.1 Society Level Analysis
According to the questioners, the existence of English cram school is depended on demands.
It is a part of social education.
4.1.1 The change of Values
● Students like English course
Some interviewees are interested in English course and they also like it.
● Students emphasize the English grade
Some interviewees thought English cram school could improve their English ability and their
grades.
4.1.2 Confirmation for cram school
● An advantageous position of English cram school
Students consider that the teaching style of cram school is variable and the environment is
excellent. There are 2/3 interviewees from cram school thought the progresses of teaching are more
quick and it gave them some stresses. But those stresses are still in the range of acceptance.
25
●Students thought joining cram school in free time is necessary
In the past students usually have decided to join the cram school by their parents, and now
about 1/2 students decide themselves to join it;, others who didn’t join the cram school also hope to
join the cram school.
4.2 School Level Analysis
Based on our questionnaire, we found that most English courses offered in schools are quite
easy and do not contain much content, so students should be able to learn the contents without extra
help from cram school. What the participants believe though, would rather cram school is necessary
for schoolwork, than cram school can help students become competitive for their career in the
future. Attending cram school, is thus, believed to be important.
As having indicated in Literature Review 2-3-1 of Chapter 2, some students who attend cram
school perform better whereas others do not. When students begin English classes in cram school, it
does make a difference on their performance in school. The second part of the
questionnaire—Evaluation of English Class in School—is for the students who attend cram school.
It shows that half of them have attended cram school for more than three years, and they found
cram school has helped them much in English classes in school.
English Cram School
Questionnaire (Open Questionnaire) points out that cram school succeeded in helping students learn
better by providing a happy-learning stress-free environment with strict homework requirement that
requires an on-time handing in of the homework, so most of the students are able to handle the
English courses in school with ease. But other students found their performance in school has not
been too much better than those students who do not attend cram school. Those students, though
they do not attend cram school, study hard enough at home. Also, the cram school does not
necessarily align their course curriculum with the schools’. When being asked whether or not
students should choose cram school, both of the English Cram School Questionnaire (Open
26
Questionnaire) and the Evaluation of English Class in School, which is for the students who do
attend cram school, show two thirds of the students would prefer cram school for the reasons of
becoming more competitive or simply having an interest in the subject. The rest thinks they can
study the subject on their own. In questionnaire part two of the Evaluation of English Class in
School, the portion for students who do not attend cram school, shows half of the students who
think memorizing vocabulary is difficult would prefer cram school because it makes the learning of
English stress-free and makes it easier for them to take tests in school. This is because cram school
teaches more and doesn’t just review what has been covered in school. In contrast, the half of
students believes they can study on their own for tests.
The questionnaire also shows the profession background of the students’ parents—for both of
the students who go to or do not go to cram school. Most of their parents’ professions are about the
same, industry and business. Both of the Part two of the Evaluation of English Class in School
shows one third of the parents, disregarding their professions, would send their children to cram
school to try to have their children start ahead of others from the beginning. Part three, which
targets at students who go to cram school, of the Evaluation of English Class in School shows two
thirds of the parents would choose to pay for cram school but doing so once per month is due to
their finance situation yet with the hope to reach the same goal like other parents’.
About choosing textbooks, the questionnaire indicates that cram school would supplement
extra materials other than merely using school textbooks. But school textbooks are not only unified
but also different from school to school, so students in the same grade levels in the same school
may use the same textbooks but students in the same grade levels in different schools would use
different textbooks. How schools choose their textbooks are probably based on schoolteachers’
decisions by votes.
It is, therefore, suggested that the Department of Education should
administrate some policy to well connect different versions of textbooks and to oversee textbooks’
selecting process to ensure fairness and practicality of the learning by the use of the textbooks.
27
4.3 Family Level Analysis
4.3.1 Learning advantage
To compare our questionnaires, student’s English level may response student’s family
background. Most children in the family who has good economy and have higher English level,
have enough money to support their children to go to cram school; parents who have higher
educational level identify with cram school, because they know English is very important
nowadays. In such family, parents let their children study English before grade one and some
parents can speak English with their children, so their children think English is not difficult and
they can improve their English in their daily life. In such environment they are willing to learn
English.
4.3.2 Learning disadvantage
Some families who have low economic level may not have enough money to support their
children to learn English at cram school; some families don’t care their child’s English grades, so
they don’t join in their English learning. Some students can’t solve their problem of English
homework, so they feel difficult about English learning. That will be the baffle in their learning.
4.4 Personal Level Analysis
According to the results of the questionnaire, filled by the eight fourth-grade students in
Shin-Chung elementary school, we can find out that now the majority of the students have learned
in English before, and we can see that the influence to the students, who are induced by English
cram school, is not mostly the same as we forecasted before, which is that the students of
elementary school would be forced to attend cram schools by their parents. But now we can see the
fact from the questionnaire that half of the students attend the cram schools voluntarily. Most of
28
them had attended English cram schools before they entered the first grade in the elementary school.
Now there are more than half the inquired students who attend cram schools voluntarily because
they hope they could have a good achievement in English. Besides, there are still a small number of
the students who are forced to attend cram school by their parents. Nowadays there are many
students who like English, but a few of them don’t like it. Even though there are more students who
like English, most of them do study it depending on their mood or time. As we know, all of the
students have their own learning power whether they attend the cram schools or not; therefore, it
counts on their decision.
Would attending cram schools cause the pressure of students’ body and mind? In fact, we can
see that the students don’t have much pressure. Now there are lots of the students who require
themselves to get a better accomplishment than others. Besides, the students also have to bear their
family’ies’ expectation which causes them to deal with not only every course in the school but also
in the cram school. That’s to say, the students have to be worried about their own abilities, which
would cause some of the pressure, and undoubtedly it is just a tendency nowadays. According to the
previous conclusion, it’s necessary to attend English cram schools.
29
Chapter 5 Conclusions and Suggestions
The purpose of this project is to understand the fourth grade elementary school students’ to
participation in English cram school and the effect of learning English in their school. In this
chapter, we drew some conclusions from research discovery and propose some suggestions and
consultation about curriculum and further research in the elementary school.
5.1 Summary of the major findings
According to our questionnaire we can find out most of the 4th grade students are highly
willing to participant English cram school, and further they start to learn English the language in the
preschool. In addition, we are more surprised that they want to attend the English cram school in
order to attain great ability in English. In other words, they are no longer passive learners. They do
not need parents to coerce them into English cram school constrainedly. To compare with the past,
students today have more self–crisis sense and have ability to transcend the peer’s.
This section is based on research issues and results of the questionnaire which summed up the
major findings and conclusions of all potential problems.
Q1：To understand which one play more important role in dealing with the subject, English?
English cram school or students themselves?
A1：It is not sure. Half of our subjects who have studied at cram school believed as long as the
scholastic English teacher teaches more completely and accessibly. They don’t need to join the
English cram school to handle them. But a quarter of the students who have not attended cram
school believe that they can handle most of the questions in school tests. But if it exceeded the
study range, they could not respond the questions.
30
Q2：What are the reasons of affecting the results in taking English cram school?
A2：At first, the seeking knowledge affects deeply students’ learning mindset. In the 60s to 70s,
parents let their children join the English cram school in order to do the preview before enter
the junior high school and highlighted the family background and economic situation with
other peers. In short, most of students were taking cram school compulsively at that time. In
the 80s after the Department of Education issued Nine-Year Compulsory Curriculum, students
treat English ability as launching pad to exceed themselves and peers. Although the M-type
community phenomenon is growing now, many parents notice their children are willing
intensively to join the English cram school. Parents have to grit their teeth to support their
children to get better in their English studies.
Q3：To explore some teaching style and contents at school.
A3：Owning to “Taiwan Elementary and Secondary Educator Community”, the third base idea of
language object in the nine-year Compulsory Curriculum is developing students’ version and
facing international trends. In language field, native languages, local language and English
learning are included. The native language is a base tool which targets on listening, speaking,
reading, writing and application of phonetic symbols. The local language targets on
communication. It was mainly to develop listening, reading and writing is secondary. English
mainly in elementary school stage focuses on listening and speaking, but in the junior high
school stage, it focuses on listening, speaking, reading and writing.
From the school level in our questionnaire, we can find out the English teaching is still based
on reading texts, reciting vocabularies and listening to the tape and CD to increase listening
ability. It may only be said that the schools have not yet prepared a good learning English
environment.
31
Q4：To treat the correlation of teaching styles and contents between English cram school and
school
A4：From the school and society level in our questionnaire, we can find English cram school’s
teaching content mainly aimed at reciting vocabulary and reading texts. To let children
understand more vocabularies naturally can help them read the contents easier. To let children
not barred English and have interests in their second language. Furthermore, they will choose
some colorful and lovely illustrations to attract children to read.
Q5：To analyze the two factions’ attitudes, minds and the effect upon on their grade in the
school.
A5：From the school and society level in our questionnaire, all of the students who have not joined
the English cram school argued that the English hours in the school are enough. But they feel
the rate of progress in English teaching may be too fast, and sometimes they are unable to keep
up with. These students even worry that if the test exceeded range, and they may not answer
the questions, so they hope to participate in English cram school. On the other side, all of the
students who have attended to the English cram school also argued that the scholastic contents
are too easy to pick them up in the school. However, they also congratulate themselves on
attending cram school so that they can deal with all scholastic contents in the school.
Furthermore, whether or not they participate in English cram school, all of the students believe
that they may get a good grade as long as they study harder, seriously and remember to review
at home every day.
Q6：To explore the effects of external factors about English cram schools and learning English
in the school.
A6： According to our questionnaire, all of the students conceive that to rely only on study in the
school is not enough. In other words, they must participate in English cram school to
complement scholastic English course. Furthermore, cram school is more popular than the
32
school because it hires foreign teachers to promote students listening skill. To sum up,
studying English in the cram school is better than in the school no matter in listening,
speaking, reading or writing. So, the ministry of education is required making improvement
of school English curriculum.
Q7：To explore the administration effects of language course in the school by the distinction of
English cram school.
Q7：From our questionnaire, we can find out that it is necessary to apply language course in the
school. Even now, students participating in English cram school can get best complementary
effect and boost advancement of scholastic language teaching. When English subject was
brought into the elementary school curriculum, the demand of participating in cram school
increases. Many people gradually recognized the value of English in the world. However, in
Taiwan, the main goal in education provides higher results. In light of the materials provided
by the cram school, it is certainly more abundant and difficult than school. In addition, the
lesson plan was full of vivid and lively pictures to attract students’ attention. Finally, in order
to avoid boring and reducing learning desire, language courses in elementary school can
increase students’ interaction times, materials of artistic illustrations and so on.
5.2 Recommendations for elementary school
As a result of researches and discussions, researchers made the following recommendations for
the school districts to make improvement on their English education:
5.2.1 School
1. Schools may administer after school tutoring section for students who are falling behind and are
unable to attend cram school’s extracurricular English classes.
33
2. School homework should make adjustment according to students’ English proficiency.
3. Classes should hinge on students and thus should consider incorporating practical English
words into their daily life for practicality purpose.
4. Use multimedia including extracurricular readings to establish a learning interest and provide
self-help.
5. Schools should understand students’ learning progress to make education content more suitable
for students.
6. Teachers’ quality is important, so workshops and trainings for teachers should be held
periodically to ensure teachers keeping standards and making improvements as necessary.
5.2.2 Family
Provide parents material to be used at home, so they can educate their children while at home,
and avoid stressing responsibilities on teachers.
This way, they can also improve their
relationship with their children.
5.2.3 Educational Institutions
1.
Subside schools in less advantaged areas, such as in towns and small cities, with financial
subsidies and support schools by checking their academic curriculum periodically to ensure
education quality.
2.
Establish teachers-mutual-help platform for teachers to be able to find helps with their
colleagues when they encounter difficulties on the job.
3.
Establish teacher’s training and provide financial subsidies when needed in order to provide
professional teaching quality and improve teaching skills for better education.
34
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Appendix
A
The image investigate questionnaire of English cram school
Dear students:
Thank you to help us fill out the questionnaire first of all. In this study, we want to know how
English cram school will impact on the fourth elementary school student. To analyze the characteristics
of English cram schools and the students of different learning situations is our study. So, in accordance
with your learning situations, your answer to the questions could provide us with valuable advice. Your
all answers will serve as academic research purposes. All the information you give is confidential.
Thank you for your assistance and cooperation.
The Applied English Department of Southern Taiwan University
Students：Chuang, Chia-Yen、Li, Yu-Ping、Yang, Chiao-Chen、
Li, Hui-Jing、 Chen, Hsing-Yi
Part I：personal basic background
１．Sex：
male
female
２．Which grade are you in：___________grade
３．What school are you in?：_________________elementary school
４．Are you learning English in any cram school now?
Yes, My cram school’s name：_____________
No, but I have been to English cram school.
Yes, I have a private teacher.
No, I have not been to any. (If you choose this answer, please write the second questionnaire directly.)
38
Part II：Write down your sign about English cram school
Q1：What is your opinion about your English teacher’s teaching style and contents?
I like his / her…
I do not like his / her…
Q2：Do you like your English book about contents、typesetting、illustration?
Yes, I like this book, because…
No, I do not like this book, because…
Q3：Do you like the environment in your English cram school like classroom, hallway, rest
room?
Yes, I like cram school that has…
No, I do not like cram school that has…
Q4：Do you like your English cram school homework？
Yes, I like it, because it has…
No, I don’t like it, because it has…
39
Q6：Do you feel your classmates who study in the cram school can not necessarily get better
score?
Yes, Most of all are not.
Why＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
Not sure
Why＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
About the same
Why＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
No notice
Why＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿
Q7：If you can decide whether to go to cram school, do you want to go？
Yes, I want to go.
No, I do not want to go.
Because ____________________________________________________________________
40
Appendix
B
Pre-test questionnaire
Dear children：
This is an academic survey. The purpose of this study was aimed at understanding how the 4th
grade elementary school students participate in English cram schools and the effects of the learning.
We hope to provide this reference to all teachers and parents through your valued opinions.
Therefore, your answers are very critical impact for this study. All the information you provide is
confidential, so you could respond to the questions according to your personal perspectives. Thank
you for your assistance and cooperation.
The Applied English Department of Southern Taiwan University
Students：Chuang, Chia-Yen、Li, Yu-Ping、Yang, Chiao-Chen、
Li, Hui-Jing、Chen, Hsing-Yi
Part I：Personal and family level
１． Sex：
male
female
２． What is your school name? _________________elementary school
３． Which grade are you in：___________grade
４． I have been to the English cram school for ___________ years.
５． Your father job is
６． Your mother job is
soldier、teacher
worker、Businessman
housekeeper
Others _____________________________
soldier、teacher
worker、Businessman
housekeeper
Others _____________________________
７． How much dollars is your tuition fee in cram school？
８． Who can communicate with you in English at home？
Older sister
Younger Brother or sister
41
farmer、fisher man
farmer、fisher man
____________dollars for each month.
Father
Others
Mother
Older brother
９．Who can teach your English homework at home？
Older sister
Father
Younger brother or sister
Older brother
Others
１０．Do you go to English cram school actively?
１１．Do you like to go to cram school？
Mother
Yes, I do.
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
No, I do not.
１２．Do you only study in English when the test is coming？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
１３．Are you worried about your score not good enough in your class？
Yes, I am.
No, I am not.
１４．Are you worried about the score bad so as to affect your frame?
Yes, I am.
No, I am not.
１５．Do you feel your English course in the school is too easy to study？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
１６．Do you feel your English score is not better than others？
１７．Is it important to conform with your parent request？
Yes, I do.
Yes, it is.
No, I do not.
No, it is not.
１８．Do your parents ask your score to be within the first 10 grades in your class？
Yes, they do.
No, they do not.
１９．Are you a optimistic child？
Yes, I am.
２０．Do you usually break parents heart？
No, I am not.
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
２１．Do you hope to receive more attention from your parents？
２２．Are your parents usually disappointed with you？
２３．Do you always like to win in front of the students？
Yes, they are.
Yes, I do.
２４．Are you a passive child？
Yes, I am.
No, I am not.
２５．Are you a moody child？
Yes, I am.
No, I am not.
42
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
No, they are not.
No, I do not.
Part II：School level
１．How many hours do you get English class in the elementary school every week？
1-2 hours
2-3 hours
3-4 hours
above 4 hours
２．Have you ever been to an English cram school？
Yes，I have learned_________ months / years.
No, I have not.
３．What grade were you in when you first learned English?
In my kindergarten
In the first grade
In the second grade
in the third grade
４．Do you like your English course in your school？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not, because ____________________________________
５．Do you feel English vocabularies are very difficult？
６．Do you understand the English course in the school？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
７．Do your parents want you to join the English cram school？
Yes, they do.
No, they do not.
８．Do your parents encourage and call on you to recite English vocabulary？
Yes, they do.
No, they do not.
９．Do you recite English vocabularies voluntarily？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
１０．Are your English textbook the same with other class or other schools？
Yes, the editions are the same.
No, the editions are different.
１１．Do you like your English book contents in your school？Why?
Yes, I like.
No, I do not, because _______________________________________
１２．Do you understand your English book contents in your school？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
１３．Do you agree the scholastic English book contents are easier than the English cram school？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not, because _______________________________________
１４．Do you agree that most of students join the English cram school can get better English result？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
43
１５．Do you agree if you study in English harder, you will pass all scholastic tests, so you do not
need to join the English cram school？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
１６．What English skills do you emphasize the most？
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
１７．Do you agree only studying in scholastic English course is not enough？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
１８．Do you review your English lesson after school every day？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
Part III：English cram school level
１．Do you like to go to the English cram school？
Yes, I like.
So, so
No, I don’t like
No, I hate it.
２．Do you think the English course at cram school is more interesting than at school？
Yes, English cram school is more interesting.
They are all interesting.
No, school is more interesting.
They are all boring.
３．Do you agree that it is a important thing to go to English cram school？
Yes, I do.
So, so
No, I don’t agree.
４．What do you like English cram school？
５．What do you dislike English cram school？
Teacher
Classmates
Dessert
All like
Teacher
Dessert
Classrooms
Others ______________
Classmates
All like
Classroom
Others ____________
６．Who helps you to choose the English cram school？
Myself
Father or Mother
Scholastic Teacher
44
Classmates
Others ______
７．How many hours do you study English at cram school every week？
1-2 hours
2-3 hours
3-4 hours
Above 4 hours
８．How many hours do you study English at home every week？
1-2 hours
2-3 hours
3-4 hours
Above 4 hours
９．Do you agree that the pace of progress in the English cram school is faster than school？
Yes, the cram school is faster.
No, the school is faster.
They are the same.
１０．Do you agree that the English cram school can make progress about your English results in the
school？
Yes, it lets me acquire much.
No, it’s nothing at all.
No, I do not.
１１．Do you agree the English cram school is a good place toward studying in English？
Yes, it is a good place.
So, so
No, It’s nothing at all.
１２．Do you agree if you never again join the cram school, your English score will keep the same？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not think so.
No, I do not.
１３．Do you agree that the safety of the English cram school is fine?
Yes, it is safe.
No, I don’t know.
No, it is not safe.
１４．Do you wish you could not go to English cram school?
Yes, I do.
No, I could not.
I don’t know
１５．Do you have pressure when you go to English cram school？
１６．Which ways can help you from English cram school？
Reading
Writing
Yes, I do.
Listening
No, I do not.
Speaking
It just deals with my all scholastic test.
１７．Does the English cram school have more homework than school?
Yes, English cram school has more.
No, Scholastic has more.
They have the same.
１８．Do you review your English homework after English cram school every day？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
45
１９．What kinds of your homework do you have from English cram school？
Assignment
Recording
To review handout
To recite vocabularies
Others______________
46
To recite text
Appendix
C
Questionnaire
Dear children：
This is an academic survey. The purpose of this study was aimed at understanding how the 4th
grade elementary school students participate in English cram schools and the effects of the learning.
We hope to provide this reference to all teachers and parents through your valued opinions.
Therefore, your answers are very critical impact for this study. All the information you provide is
confidential, so you could respond to the questions according to your personal perspectives. Thank
you for your assistance and cooperation.
The Applied English Department of Southern Taiwan University
Students：Chuang, Chia-Yen、Li, Yu-Ping、Yang, Chiao-Chen、
Li, Hui-Jing、 Chen, Hsing-Yi
Part I：Personal and family level
１． Sex：
male
female
２． What is your school name？ _________________elementary school
３． Which grade are you in：___________grade
４． Do you join the English cram school now？
Yes, I have a private teacher.
No, I do not.
Yes, The cram school is called________________.
★When did you start to learn English？
the small class of kindergarten
the middle class of kindergarten
the big class of kindergarten
first grade of elementary school
second grade of elementary school
third grade of elementary school
No, but I have attend the cram school before
47
No, never.
５． Your father’s job is
soldier、teacher
worker、Businessman
housekeeper
Others _____________________________
６． Your mother ’s job is
soldier、teacher
farmer、fisher man
worker、Businessman
housekeeper
farmer、fisher man
Others _____________________________
７．Who can teach your English homework at home？
Father
Mother
Younger uncle
Older brother
Older aunt
Older sister
older aunt
Older uncle
younger aunt
others __________
nobody
８．Who can communicate with you in English at home？
Father
Mother
Younger uncle
Older brother
Older aunt
Older sister
older aunt
Older uncle
younger aunt
others _________
nobody
９．Do you go to English cram school actively?
Yes, I do, because I am scared of being the worse in my class.
Yes, I do, because I want be a strong person in English.
No, incompleteness.
No, I do not, because my score is not good enough that I should go there.
No, I do not, because I am compulsive.
１０．Do you only study in English when the test is coming？
No, I study in English every day.
Yes, I do.
No, I study in English when I have free time.
Maybe, In according with my temper.
１１．Are you worried about that your score is not good enough in your class？
Yes, I am.
Yes, a little.
Yes, sometimes.
No, I am not.
１２．Do you prefer English to other subjects in the school？
Yes, I prefer English.
So, so
No, I hate English very much.
48
１３．Do you feel your English course in the school is too easy to study？
Yes, I feel easy.
No, it is not all.
No, I feel hard.
１４．Do you always care about the results of every subjects？
Yes, I do.
Yes, a little.
So, So
No, I do not.
１５．Do you sometimes compare the results of every subject with your classmate？
Yes, I do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, so
No, I do not.
１６．Do your parents care about your learning results very much？
Yes, they do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, So
No, they do not.
１７．Do your parents sometimes compare the results with your neighbor or other children at same
age？
Yes, they do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, So
No, they do not.
１８．Do your parents ask your score to be within the first 10 grades in your class？
Yes, they do.
Yes, a little.
So, So
No, they do not.
１９．Do you always hope your results is better than the others？
Yes, I do.
Yes, a little.
So, So
No, I do not.
２０．Do you always worry about that you don’t finish homework every day？
Yes, I do.
Yes, sometimes
So, So
No, I do not.
２１．In which ways do you want to get attention from your family？
In results
Make a mistake studiously
In moral character
In accomplishment
Quarrel with brother or sister
In athleticism
２２．Do you review your work every day？
Yes, I do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, So
No, I do not.
２３．Do you review your work passively by your parents every day？
Yes, I do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, So
49
In English
No, I do not.
Part II：School level
１．What time is your English class in the school？
It is at am____：____～____：____on Monday.
It is at am____：____～____：____ on Tuesday
It is at am____：____～____：____ on Wednesday
It is at am____：____～____：____ on Thursday
It is at am____：____～____：____ on Friday
２．Do you feel that it is enough to learn English？
Yes, I do.
３．Is your English teacher’s instructional pace too fast？
No, I do not.
Yes, it is.
４．What kind of system of pronunciation does your English teach？
Natural pronunciation
By my teacher design
No, it is not.
KK Phonogram
Others ___________
No any
５．Do you like study English in the school？
Yes, I do, because
My teacher is so funny.
My teacher will play a game with us.
The content is too easy.
The atmosphere of study is soft.
No, I do not, because
I do not understand what he or she means？
My teacher is too hard.
The content is too easy to study.
６．Have you ever been to English cram school before study in English at school？
Yes, I have.
(1) How long have you been studying in English at English cram school？
Within 1 year
Off and on
1-2 years
2-3 years
over 3 years
I am not sure for how long, and I have been to before.
(2) Do you think that join to the English school can give a helpful elements at
school？
Yes, sometimes.
No, never help
７．Your English teacher always likes to teach with
Reading book
reading vocabulary.
50
Yes, a little.
No, not exactly
No, I did not.
listening tape
speaking or Conversation
８．What kinds of your English homework do you have from your school？
To recite vocabularies
To read text
To recite text
To recite grammar
To read vocabularies
Assignment
Others__________________
９．Do you recite English vocabularies voluntarily？
Yes, I do.
Sometimes
I just choose easier word
No, I do not.
１０．Do your parents encourage and call on you to recite English vocabulary？
Yes, they do.
Sometimes
No, they do not.
１１．Do you recite English vocabularies difficultly？
Yes, I do.
Sometimes
No, I do not.
１２．Do you review your English homework actively at home time？
Yes, I do.
Sometimes
No, I do not.
１３．Do you agree if you study English hard, you will pass all scholastic tests, In fact, you don’t
need to join the English cram school？
Yes, by myself is enough.
No, as long as I do not join the English cram school, I will not answer any question.
I can handle most of the English questions, but if it exceeds the range, I will not any
English questions.
１４． Are your English textbooks the same with other class or other schools？
They are the same with other class but difference with other school.
They are the same with other class and school
They are all different.
No, I do not know.
１５．What kind of skill do your English book provide？
Listen (pronunciation)
Speaking (dialogue)
Reading( content, vocabulary)
Writing ( make the sentence)
１６．Do you like your English book contents in your school？Why？
(1)
Yes, because：
I can understand.
too simple
The picture and content are very wonderful.
51
(2)
No, because：
(3)
I don’t know.
I can't understand,
picture and content are not fun
１７．Do your parents worry about the scholastic English score is not enough, so they want you to
join the English cram school？？
Yes, they do.
No, they do not.
I don’t know.
１８．Do you agree that most of the students join the English cram school can get better English
result？
Yes, I do.
I don’t know.
No, I do not.
１９．Do you agree that to join the English cram school can get better English result？
Yes, I do.
Yes, I agree, but I do not need too much extra-curricular materials
No, by myself it is fine.
Part III：English cram school level
１．What time is your English class in the English cram school？
It is at am (pm)____：____～____：____on Monday.
It is at am (pm)____：____～____：____on Tuesday
It is at am (pm) ____：____～____：____on Wednesday
It is at am (pm) ____：____～____：____ on Thursday
It is at am (pm) ____：____～____：____ on Friday
２．Do you like to go to the English cram school？
Yes, I do.
So, so
No, I don’t.
No, I hate it.
３．Do you join the cram school by yourself？
Yes, by myself.
No, just go with classmate.
No, I was pressed.
４．Do you think the English course at cram school is more interesting than at school？
Yes, English cram school is more interesting.
No, school is more interesting.
They are all interesting.
They are all boring.
５．Do you agree that it is a important thing to go to English cram school？
52
Yes, it is very important.
Yes, it is important.
No, it is not a little important.
No, it is not important.
６．What do you like English cram school？
Dessert
Teaching style
Teacher
All like
７．What do you dislike English cram school？
Dessert
Teaching style
Yes, a little bit.
All like
No, it is not very important.
Classmates
Classrooms
So, so
All don’t like
Teacher
Classmates
So, so
All don’t like
Others ________
Classrooms
Others ________
８．Who helps you to choose the English cram school？
Father
Mother
Younger uncle
Older brother
Older aunt
Older sister
older aunt
Older uncle
younger aunt
others __________
Myself
９．How many months can you study in one term in the cram school？
one month
six months
two months
one year
tree months
four months
five months
other _____________
１０．How much the terminal fee do you give in the English cram school？
It’s ____________dollars. (include teaching materials)
１１．How long do you study and review English every week？
one hour
two hours
three hours
above four hours
never review it
I never review it, but just easygoing review before attend cram school.
１２．Do you agree that the pace of progress in the English cram school is faster than school？
No, the cram school is faster.
No, they are all slower.
Yes, the school is faster.
No, they are all faster.
No, I don’t notice. I do not know.
１３．Do you agree that the English cram school can make progress about your English results in the
school？
Yes, it let me acquire much in the English cram school.
Yes, I have learned it before the cram school.
So, so, a little.
No, because their English course are different.
No, because I don’t review it.
No, their contents are alike so that can not make me progress.
53
１４．Do you agree if you never again join the cram school, your English score will keep the
same？
Yes, I do.
Uncertainly
No, I must join the cram school.
No, I don’t know.
１５．Do you agree the English cram school is a good place toward studying in English？
Yes, it is a good place.
No, it’s nothing at all.
So, so
１６．Who give you a clear teaching of the English four skills about listening , speaking, reading,
writing？
My cram school teacher does.
My scholastic English teacher does
My cram school teacher and scholastic teacher do.
My cram schoolteacher and scholastic teacher do not.
１７．Do you have pressure when you go to English cram school？
Yes, sometimes
Yes, a little bit.
Yes, sometimes.
So, so
No, I do not.
１８．Do you wish you could not go to English cram school?
So, so
Yes, very much.
Yes, a little bit.
Yes, I wish it very much.
No, I don’t.
１９．Which skills does English cram school improve？
Listening (pronunciation)
Speaking (dialogue)
Writing (make the sentence)
Four skills can improve.
It just deals with my all scholastic test.
Reading ( content, vocabulary)
Nothing help me.
Others _________
２０． Which skills are you superiority in English？
Listening (pronunciation)
Speaking (dialogue)
Reading ( content, vocabulary)
Writing (make the sentence)
Four skills are good.
Four skills are bed.
Others _________
２１．Who gives you more homework？
Scholastic has more.
English cram school has more.
As more as.
As less as.
２２．Do you review your English homework after English cram school every day？
Yes, I do.
No, never.
Yes, sometimes.
No, I just review it before go to cram school.
54
２３．What kinds of your homework from English cram school？
Assignment
Recording
To review handout
To recite vocabularies
Others__________________
55
To recite text
Appendix C：
Questionnaire
Dear children：
This is an academic survey. The purpose of this study was aimed at understanding the 4th grade
elementary school students participate in English cram schools whose opinions and effects. We hope
to provide this reference to all teachers and parents go through your valued opinions. And therefore,
your answers were very critical impact for this study. So that, to follow the situation according to the
study filled out. The questionnaire adopts secret, please carefully respond to each question. Thank
you for your assistance and cooperation.
Private Southern Taiwan University of Applies English department
Students：Chuang Jia Yan、Li Yu Ping、Yang Chiao Chen、
Li Hui Jing、Chen Xing Yi
Part I：Personal and family level
１． Sex：
male
female
２． What is your school name？ _________________elementary school
３． Which grade are you in：___________grade 年級
４． Do you join the English cram school now？
Yes, I have a private teacher.
No, I do not.
Yes, It name is________________.
★When did you start to learn English？
the small class of kindergarten
the middle class of kindergarten
the big class of kindergarten
first grade of elementary school
second grade of elementary school
third grade of elementary school
No, but I have attend the cram school before
No, never.
56
５． Your father job is
６． Your mother job is
soldier、teacher
worker、Businessman
farmer、fisher man
housekeeper
Others _____________________________
soldier、teacher
worker、Businessman
farmer、fisher man
housekeeper
Others _____________________________
７．Who can teach your English homework at home？
Father
Mother
Younger uncle
Older brother
Older aunt
Older sister
older aunt
Older uncle
younger aunt
others __________
nobody
８．Who can communicate with you in English at home？
Father
Mother
Younger uncle
Older brother
Older aunt
Older sister
older aunt
Older uncle
younger aunt
others _________
nobody
９．Do you go to English cram school actively?
Yes, I do, because I scared lost my classmate heel.
Yes, I do, because I want be a strong person in English.
No, incompleteness.
No, I do not, because my score is not good enough that I should go there.
No, I do not, because I am be compulsive.
１０．Do you only study in English when test is coming？
No, I study in English every day.
Yes, I do.
No, I study in English when I free time.
Maybe, In according with my temper.
１１．Are you worried about your score is not good enough in your class？
Yes, I am.
Yes, a little.
Yes, sometimes.
No, I am not.
１２．Do you prefer English to other subjects in the school？
Yes, I prefer English.
So, so
No, I hate English very much.
１３．Do you feel your English course in the school is too easy to study？
57
Yes, I feel easy.
No, it is not all.
No, I feel hard.
１４．Are you always care about the results of every subjects？
Yes, I am.
Yes, a little.
So, So
No, I am not.
１５．Do you sometimes compare the results of every subjects with your classmate about？
Yes, I do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, so
No, I do not.
１６．Do your parents care about your result very much？
Yes, they do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, So
No, they do not.
１７．Do your parents sometimes compare the results with your neighbor or other same age
children results？
Yes, they do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, So
No, they do not.
１８．Do your parents ask your score must within 10 grades in your class？
Yes, they do.
Yes, a little.
So, So
No, they do not.
１９．Do you always hope your results to win others？
Yes, I do.
Yes, a little.
So, So
No, I do not.
２０．Do you always worry about homework have not finish every day？
Yes, I do.
Yes, sometimes
So, So
No, I do not.
２１．Which ways do you want to get attention from your family？
Make a mistake studiously
In accomplishment
Quarrel with brother or sister
In athleticism
２２．Do you review your work moving every day？
Yes, I do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, So
No, I do not.
２３．Do you review your work passively by your parents every day？
Yes, I do.
Yes, a little bit.
So, So
58
No, I do not.
In English
In results
In moral character
Part II：School level
１．What time is your English class in the school？
It is at am ____：____～____：____on Monday.
It is at am ____：____～____：____on Tuesday
It is at am ____：____～____：____on Wednesday
It is at am ____：____～____：____ on Thursday
It is at am ____：____～____：____ on Friday
２．Do you feel that it has enough to learn English？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
３．Is your English teacher instructional rate too fester？
Yes, He (She) is.
No, He (She) does not.
４．What kind pronunciation does your English teach？
Natural pronunciation
By my teacher design
KK Phonogram
Others ___________
No any
５．Do you like study English in the school？
Yes, I do, because
My teacher is so funny.
My teacher will play a game with us.
The content is too easy.
The atmosphere of study is soft.
No, I do not, because
I do not understand what does he (she) teach？
My teacher is too hard.
The content is too easy to study.
６．Have you ever been to English cram school before study in English at school？
Yes, I did.
(1) How long were you studying in English at English cram school？
Within 1 year
1-2 years
Off and on
2-3 years
over 3 years
I am not sure for how long, and I do it before.
(2) Do you think that tend to the English school can give a helpful elements at
school？
Yes, sometimes.
No, never help
59
Yes, a little.
No, I did not.
No, not exactly
７．Your English teacher always like to teach
Read books
listening tape
speaking or Conversation
reading vocabulary.
８．What kinds of your English homework from your school？
To recite vocabularies
To read text
To recite text
To read vocabularies
To recite grammar
Assignment
Others__________________
９．Do you recite English vocabularies voluntarily？
Yes, I do.
Sometimes
I just choose easier word
No, I do not.
１０．Do your parents encourage and call on you to recite English vocabulary？
Yes, I do.
Sometimes
No, I do not.
１１．Do you recite English vocabularies difficultly？
Yes, I do.
Sometimes
No, I do not.
１２．Do you review your English homework actively at home time？
Yes, I do.
Sometimes
No, I do not.
１３．Do you agree if you study in English hard, you will pass all scholastic tests, In fact, you don’t
need to join the English cram school？
Yes, by myself is enough.
No, If I do not join English cram school, I will not answer any English questions.
Most of all English questions I can handle, but if it exceeds range I will not any English
questions.
１４． Are your edition of English book which the same between other class or other schools？
They are the same with other class but difference with other school.
They are the same with other class and school
They are all different.
No, I do not know.
１５．What kind of skills do your English book provide？
Listen (pronunciation)
Speaking (dialogue)
Writing ( make the sentence)
60
Reading( content, vocabulary)
１６．Do you like your English book contents in your school？Why？
(1)
Yes，because：
I can understand.
too simple
The picture and content are very wonderful.
(2)
No，because：
(3)
I don’t know.
I can't understand,
picture and content are not fun
１７．Do your parents worry about the scholastic English courts is not enough, so they want you to
join the English cram school？？
Yes, they do.
No, they do not.
I don’t know.
１８．Do you agree that most of students join the English cram school can get better English result？
Yes, I do.
No, I do not.
I don’t know.
１９．Do you agree to join the English cram school can get better English result？
Yes, I agree.
Yes, I agree, but I do not need too much extra-curricular materials
No, by myself is fine.
Part III：English cram school level
１．What time is your English class in the English cram school？
It is at am (pm)____：____～____：____on Monday.
It is at am (pm)____：____～____：____on Tuesday
It is at am (pm) ____：____～____：____on Wednesday
It is at am (pm) ____：____～____：____ on Thursday
It is at am (pm) ____：____～____：____ on Friday
２．Do you like to go to the English cram school？
Yes, I like.
So, so
No, I don’t like
No, I hate.
３．Do you join the cram school by yourself？
Yes, by myself.
No, just go with classmate.
61
No, I was pressed.
４．Do you think the English course at cram school is more interesting than at school？
Yes, English cram school is more interesting.
They are all interesting.
No, school is more interesting.
They are all boring.
５．Do you agree that it is a important thing to go to English cram school？
Yes, it is very important.
Yes, it is important.
No, it is not a little important.
No, it is not important.
６．Do you like English cram school what？
Dessert
Teaching style
Teacher
All like
７．Do you dislike English cram school what？
Dessert
Teaching style
Yes, a little bit.
All like
No, it is not very important.
Classmates
Classrooms
So, so
All don’t like
Teacher
Classmates
So, so
All don’t like
Others ________
Classrooms
Others ________
８．Who help you to choose the English cram school？
Father
Mother
Younger uncle
Older brother
Older aunt
Older sister
Older aunt
Older uncle
Younger aunt
Others _________
My self
９．How many months can you can study in the terminal course？
one month
six months
two months
one year
tree months
four months
five months
other _____________
１０．How is the fee in the terminal course？ (include teaching materials) It’s __________dollars.
１１．How long do you study and review English every week？
one hour
two hours
three hours
above four hours
never review it
I never review it, but just easygoing review before attend cram school.
１２．Do you agree that the rate of progress in the English cram school is faster than school？
No, the cram school is faster.
No, they are all slower.
Yes, the school is faster.
No, they are all faster.
No, I am notice. I do not know.
１３．Do you agree that the English cram school can make progress about your English results in the
school？
Yes, it let me acquire much in the English cram school.
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Yes, I have learned it before the cram school.
So, so, a little.
No, because their English course are different.
No, because I don’t review it.
No, their contents are likeness so that can not make me progress.
１４．Do you agree if you do not join the cram school, your English result will keep the same？
Yes, I agree.
Uncertainly
No, I must attend to the cram school.
No, I can’t do it.
１５．Do you agree the English cram school is a good place toward studying in English？
Yes, it is a good place.
No, It’s nothing at all.
So, so
１６．Who gives you a clear teaching of the English four skills about listening , speaking, reading,
writing？
My cram school teacher does.
My scholastic English teacher does
My cram school teacher and scholastic teacher do.
My cram schoolteacher and scholastic teacher do not.
１７．Do you have pressed when you go to English cram school？
Yes, sometimes
Yes, a little bit.
Yes, very much.
So, so
No, I do not.
１８．Do you wish you could not go to English cram school?
Yes, I very wish.
So, so
Yes, sometimes.
Yes, a little bit.
No, I don’t.
１９．Which skills does English cram school improve？
Listening (pronunciation)
Writing (make the sentence)
Speaking (dialogue)
Reading ( content, vocabulary)
Four skills can improve.
It just deals with my all scholastic test.
Nothing help me.
Others _________
２０． Which skills are you superiority in English？
Listening (pronunciation)
Writing (make the sentence)
Speaking (dialogue)
Four skills are good.
Others _________
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Reading ( content, vocabulary)
Four skills are bed.
２１． Who gives you more homework？
English cram school has more.
Scholastic has more.
As more as.
As less as.
２２．Do you review your English homework after English cram school every day？
Yes, I do.
Yes, sometimes.
No, I just review it before go to cram school.
No, never.
２３．What kinds of your homework from English cram school？
Assignment
Recording
To review handout
To recite vocabularies
Others__________________
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To recite text