A study on the utilization of a Cyber Home Work site for elementary English education through peer tutoring

Abstract

This study attempted to investigate ways of utilizing a Cyber Home Work (CHW) site for elementary school students’s English learning. For this, an on-line class based on the CHW site was designed and peer tutoring was introduced. The participants were thirty-four fifth graders at an elementary school. They were paired up according to their level of English proficiency; high-level students with low-level ones and intermediate-level students with the same level ones. The students used the CHW site for 15 weeks with their partner helping each other. To examine the effectiveness of the utilization of the CHW site through peer tutoring for English learning, pre and post tests and questionnaires regarding the students’ English ability, affective attitude towards English, and self-directed learning ability were carried out. Qualitative data such as students’ self-directed learning notes, students’ on-line writings, teaching journals, and interviews were also gathered from eight case study participants. The analysis of the data showed that the use of the CHW site through peer tutoring: 1) was effective in developing the students’ speaking, reading, and writing skills except for listening skills. Especially, it was most effective for the low-level students because of their partners’ help, 2) positively changed most students’ affective attitude towards English, and 3) was also effective in developing the students’ self-directed English learning ability. It was aso revealed that the utilization of the CHW site through peer tutoring was most beneficial for the low-level students’s English learning. Based on the findings, several suggestions were made with relation to the contents and design of the CHW site and its utilization for elementary English education.