Answering Korean Negative Questions by Elementary Students in Differing English Learning Contexts

The study investigates whether different English learning contexts result in different grammar development in L1-specific structures in learners’ mother tongue, Korean. Three groups of 8-to-10-year old students (i.e., EFL, immersion, and ESL learners) participated in the research. Participants completed a dialogue by choosing either Yes or No in Korean, and accuracy and reaction time were measured. The results showed little difference among the three groups in reaction time, but a significant difference between the EFL students and the ESL students in accuracy. The ESL students showed more limited knowledge with the peculiar but common structures in Korean. In the correlation analysis, length of residence in Korea had the strongest correlation, implying that the longer students lived in Korea, the better they correctly answered. The study enhances understanding of the complicated aspects of bilinguals’ language development, particularly regarding L1 attrition or delayed development. In addition, it implies pedagogically that the mother tongue curriculum for bilingual learners could be well-served by more emphasis on enhancing learners’ grammatical development, including language-specific structures.