Factors that Influence the English Learning Motivation of Fifth and Sixth Grade Students in South Korea

 Primary English education has been part of the curriculum in South Korea since 1997. In the 2012 national curriculum, primary school English education was two hours each week for the third and fourth grade and three hours for fifth and sixth grade. Although South Korean society is becoming internationalized, increasing the English learning motivation of fifth and sixth grade students in South Korea remains crucial.<br>  The purpose of this research is to clarify (1) the factors of English learning motivation, (2) the difference in English learning motivation by overseas experience, gender, and grade, (3) and the factors that influence the English learning motivation of fifth and sixth grade students in South Korea. The results of a study of 809 Korean fifth and sixth grade students showed that English learning motivation is composed of four factors: usefulness, intrinsic, avoiding uneasiness, and exchanging Desire.<br>  In order to investigate the difference in English learning motivation for those students with overseas experience and those without such experience, the difference in the average value of each factor score was verified by an analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that students with overseas experience were at a significantly higher level than those without overseas experience in the four factors. The results also showed that boys were at a significantly higher level than girls in usefulness, intrinsic, and Exchanging desire by an analysis of variance. Furthermore, the results showed that sixth grade students were at a significantly higher level than fifth grade students in avoiding uneasiness.<br>  The covariance structure analysis showed that the school factor effects usefulness, Intrinsic, and avoiding uneasiness in English learning motivation and that the family and friends factor effects Usefulness. That familiar people are connected with the foreign country may encourage students to have a sense of security in English even if the familiar people cannot speak English. Although students may feel secure, they may not strongly feel the usefulness of English. The results also clarified that the family and friends factor effects avoiding uneasiness. This can be interpreted as pressure from family or the circumference working. The individual factor effects usefulness, intrinsic, and exchanging Desire. In general, increasing intrinsic motivation for the study is desirable. The results of this research show that intrinsic English learning motivation was most strongly subject to influence from the school factor. We could therefore conclude that the school factor is the most important factor when the school goal is to increase the English learning motivation of fifth and sixth grade students.