• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.1-20
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• 2004

The findings in contrastive rhetoric research of the twentieth century have shown that different cultures have different conventions in organizing written texts. These culture-related conventions were claimed to influence English texts written by L2 learners, including Asian learners of English. However, due to the massive inflow of the American culture into Asia as well as increased exposure to English in the midst of globalization of the last decade, it is quite probable that the textual gap between the native English writers and Asian EFL writers have been reduced. The present study investigates the changes that have taken place in EFL writer's knowledge of genre-specific writing over the past decade. To this aim, this study compared four sets of application essays written by four groups of applicants (1) native American applicants in 1993, (2) Korean EFL applicants in 1933, (3) native American applicants in 2003, and (4) Korean EFL applicants in 2003. The results suggested that the disparity between the Korean EFL writers' and the native English writers' texts were becoming less noticeable at the macro-level, possibly due to Korean EFL writers' enhanced textual awareness of English genre structures Pedagogical implications are discussed.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.375-387
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• 2022

One of the latest teaching strategies is smart classroom teaching. Teaching is carried out with the assistance of smart teaching technologies to improve teacher-student contact, increase students' learning autonomy, and give fresh ideas for the fulfillment of students' deep learning. Computer-based technology has improved students' language learning and significantly motivating them to continue learning while also stimulating their creativity and enthusiasm. However, the difficulties and barriers that many EFL instructors are faced on seeking to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) into their instruction have raised discussions and concerns regarding ICT's real worth in the language classroom. This is a case study that includes observations in the classroom, field notes, interviews, and written materials. In EFL classrooms, both computer-based and non-computer-based activities were recorded and analyzed. The main instrument in this study was a survey questionnaire comprising 43 items, which was used to examine the efficiency of ICT integration in teaching and learning in public schools in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 101 questionnaires were delivered, while each responder being requested to read the statements provided. The total number of respondents for this study was 101 teachers from Kuala Lumpur's public secondary schools. The questionnaire was randomly distributed to respondents with a teaching background. This study indicated the accuracy of utilizing Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization (TLBO) in analyzing the survey results and potential for students to learn English as a foreign language using computers. Also, the usage of foreign language may be improved if real computer-based activities are introduced into the lesson.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2010

In the past, Korean English language learners focused on knowledge of grammatical structures. Thus Korean trained instructors, who focused on explaining the grammar structures, were seen as being preferable for teaching in EFL (English as a foreign language) classrooms. However, with the focus changed to speaking capability Koreans now desire 'fluent' English more than 'accuracy' seeing if possible (Mottos, 1997). Current study has been concerned about the issue of how non-native learners of English perceive the difference between native teachers (NTs) and non-native teachers (non-NTs) of English in the context of ELT classroom. The study explores the issues and problems the followed and how non-NTs can enhance teaching practice of speaking and listening lessons through multimedia application.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.83-104
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• 2009

This study examined whether self-correction or metalinguistic explanation might make a difference in the ability to accurately write two English grammatical structures when learners received indirect teacher feedback in the form of underlining target errors in a Korean EFL college classroom. With the goal of helping low-proficiency students improve their ability to accurately write sentences including nonfinite present participial relative clauses and present participial constructions, four groups were formed: a group which received indirect feedback, a group which received indirect feedback and metalinguistic explanation, a group which received indirect feedback and self-corrected errors, and a group which received indirect feedback and self-corrected errors after receiving metalinguistic explanation. The results showed that the effects of either metalinguistic explanation or self-correction integrated with indirect feedback on learners' ability to accurately write the target structures were not meaningful, while the combined effects of metalinguistic explanation and self-correction were statistically significant.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.85-102
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• 2002

Learners and users of a second language have to resort to a variety of conversational strategies or structures to enable them to communicate effectively and competently. Factors affecting effective communication among English as a second or English as foreign language (ESL/EFL) learners are diverse in nature because of different socio-cultural backgrounds. Gambits as a conversational strategy are used to a large extent and teachers must be made aware of such conversational strategies used by English as second or foreign language learners. Thus, studies focusing on conversational strategies among ESL/EFL learners in the English language classroom are important in order to identify the types of conversational strategies used and to help teachers to understand the appropriate conversational strategies and structures. Such understanding can be used to guide learners to use correct conversational strategies when communicating in English. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the use of gambits as a communication strategy in conversation among non-native speakers of English in an English as a second language(ESL) context based on Kellers conversational strategy signals. (175 words)

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.435-443
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• 2018

This study explores the effects of different Focus-on-Form Instruction (FFI) on improving learners' grammatical knowledge development and observes how the learners apply the knowledge to their output. A total of 112 college students were placed into three groups: 35 input-enhanced group students, who received visually enhanced input reading materials, 41 output-enhanced group students, performing dictogloss tasks, and 46 control group students given traditional grammar instruction. All the participant students took pre/post grammatical tests and completed pre/post writing tasks, which aimed to look into how the target grammatical structures were used in writing. The research findings indicated that both input-enhanced and output-enhanced FFI were effective on learners' language form learning and made contribution to their writing. Based on the findings, this study suggests that the elaborate design of combination of both FFI can maximize learners' language form learning.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.229-235
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• 2023

This study investigates the relationship between syntactic complexity indices and scores on language use in Jacobs et al.(1981)' analytic rating scale. Syntactic complexity indices obtained from TAASSC program and 440 essays written by EFL students from the ICNALE corpus were analyzed. Specifically, this study explores the relationship between scores on language use and Lu(2011)'s traditional syntactic complexity indices, phrasal complexity indices, and clausal complexity indices, respectively. Results of the stepwise regression analysis showed that phrasal complexity indices turned out to be the best predictor of scores on language use, although the variance in scores on language use was relatively small, compared with the previous study. Implications of the findings of the current study for writing instruction (i.e., syntactic structures at the phrase level) were also discussed.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.103-129
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• 2006

This paper presents a case study of the effectiveness of debate class in promoting speaking skills of advanced learners. The researcher adopted English debate techniques in an English speaking class during four-week teacher training program and investigated how teachers responded to the new technique. Forty-five middle and high school teachers participated in the study and classroom observation, pre-survey, post-survey, and focus group interviews were used as the major research methods. The teacher pre-survey results presented that teachers prefer a conversation class where they can directly acquire proper sentence patterns and speaking strategies rather than spend time in performing communicative events. The results of the focus group interview and post-survey confirmed that a debate class can meet this specific teachers' needs. Most teachers responded positively to the debate classes since: 1) debate techniques are relatively new ideas to Korean teachers; 2) debate techniques require speed and accuracy in speech; thus teachers could learn to present their ideas logically and efficiently in a limited time through repeated argument exercises. The study result implies that debate technique can be an effective vehicle in an EFL context to promote advanced learners' logical thinking skills and logical English sentence structures.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.109-132
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• 2003

The purpose of the present study is to explore effective ways of teaching English grammar, which is geared toward improving students' communicative competence. Grammatical competence is essential to communicative competence. Grammatical knowledge cannot be acquired unconsciously in an EFL environment such as in Korea. Therefore learners should be given grammar instruction. More importantly, they should be instructed in grammar so that they can develop their grammatical abilities which are the foundation of communicative competence. The following is proposed for the grammar instruction placing the focus on improving communicative competence. First, it is effective to explain the form, meaning and pragmatics of a grammatical rule to learners in Korean. Second, learners should be given instruction in grammatical patterns that deals with constructions and meanings together, which can enable them to produce sentences by themselves. Third, it should be taught to understand constructions and meanings on the basis of word orders. Then the following steps of grammar instruction are suggested. In the first step of grammatical instruction, students should be provided with the illustrations of grammatical structures which link communicative functions and grammar. In the second step, learners should be gotten to practice grammatical constructions repeatedly enough to use them unconsciously. Lastly, communicative activities such as description and role plays should be included in grammar instruction to integrate grammar practice and communicative language use.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.829-839
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• 2014

This study aims at investigating Korean EFL students' writing strategies through their rhetorical patterns and meaning-making for a writing task in an English writing classroom at a Korean university. The participants were the students and teacher in the course, and the data comprised nine pieces of students' opinion writing and interviews with the teacher. To analyze the data, a 'Claim-Support' pattern was adopted. The findings show that most students, 89%, demonstrated the same or similar elements in the 'Claim-Support' pattern for their textual structures and many parts of the meaning-making in their writing were originated from the textbook. These findings reflect that the students pursued the strategy of 'accommodation' in order to succeed in their academic writing regardless of the teacher's intention which focused on creativity and imagination in writing. The conclusion suggest that the students tend to establish their own ways of strategy to cope with the recontextualized setting for writing in English.