Research on Improving Academic Achievement and Core Competencies Through English Extracurricular Programs : Focusing on K University’s English Extracurricular Programs

This study aims to analyze how the effects of the English extracurricular programs are operated for. Promoted by K University in the Chungcheong Province, these programs are designed for exploring extents of both students’ academic achievement and improvement of core competencies. Each number of students who participated in the first semester of 2024 is as follows: 44 in English tutoring, 101 in KU English Jump, and 17 in KUTALK. The effectiveness of the English extracurricular programs was analyzed through t-test and cross-analysis. As a result, these programs provide not only positive effects on students’ academic achievement but show enhancement on improving cooperative communication competency and glocal leadership competency among the four core competencies of K University. In addition, improving communication skills and interpersonal skills are remarkable elements among the detailed competencies of cooperative communication competencies; also, positive effects on improving foreign language skills and glocal citizenship competencies are outstanding among glocal leadership competencies. The results are meaningful in revealing that the English extracurricular programs trigger to improve English skills, as well as elevate students’ recognition on enhancing their core competencies.