This paper investigates the English language learning history and perceptions of 224 fifth grade primary
school students from two different cities, with one group being made up of students from districts in Seoul
other than Gangnam and one group being from small and medium-sized cities in Gyeonggi province. The
results show that there is a significant difference between the two groups with regard to their English
language learning histories and perceptions towards English language learning. However, when compared
with the results of past studies, the current study shows that the size of the gap between the two areas has
been reduced and that the number of students who started to learn English before entering primary school
has increased as well. Furthermore, it also was found students in both groups are using a greater variety of
methods and means to learn English language, and that the two groups had similar expectations of
experiencing effective English language learning at private institutions and were more more interested in
and motivated to learn English from public school English lessons. Thus it was found that the gap between
the two groups in terms of learning histories and perceptions towards English learning had been reduced
and that the learning taking place at private language institutes and public schools have a greater
complimentary relationship than before. This paper, therefor, can be regarded as a meaningful study, owing
to the light it sheds on the critical issue of regional disparities between the learning opportunities and
perceptions towards English of more urban and rural language learners, and it is hoped that there will be
more studies of like nature in the future.