한국언어과학회

This study empirically analyzed the factors that influenced the gap in English education between urban and rural areas, by focusing on rural secondary schools in the island area. To achieve this, the variables affecting academic achievement were broadly categorized into three categories: individual, environmental, and mobility factors. Differences in influencing factors between the urban and rural groups were examined through survey analysis coupled with 2-sample t-tests. The empirical models were tested using panel regression estimated by fixed effects. The results are as follows: First, individual and environmental factors were identified as important variables that can explain students’ academic achievement, but their relative influence varied depending on the group. Second, mobility factors were found to have a limited impact on urban students but were identified as variables affecting the academic achievement of rural students. This demonstrates that mobility factors such as population decline and student attrition are specific to rural areas. This study suggests that the model for English divide needs to be tailored to rural factors and deferentially appropriate to students in islands areas.