The Impact of Short-term English Study Abroad on Adult Learners’ English Skills

This study aims to evaluate the English proficiency of participants who attended a short-term language training program in New Zealand through the 2024 Pyeongtaek City Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program, and to analyze the results to assess the changes and effectiveness of the program. The study participants consisted of 17 adults selected for the program. The participants attended a four-week language training course at an affiliated language institute of University A in New Zealand. The data used in this study were the results of English tests conducted before and after the overseas language training. The pre-test was conducted during the pre-training period, and the post-test was conducted during the performance report meeting one month after the overseas language training ended. The results of the evaluations conducted in this study showed that the participants' English proficiency improved significantly. However, there were slight differences depending on the test type and language skills, and it was observed that the post-test scores for the reading test conducted by the local training institute were lower. Detailed test results are presented in the results section of this study, and the analysis and inferred reasons for the test results are provided in the conclusion and recommendations section.