• English Language & Literature Teaching
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.365-395
• /
• 2010

This study explores the effect of extensive reading(ER) implemented in middle and high schools in Korean EFL context. Two middle school English teachers and two high school English teachers participated in implementing ER in their classes. Six middle school classes of 239 students and seven high school classes of 268 students participated in ER program guided by the above four teachers. To implement ER, participating teachers had continuously been guided by the researcher about the theoretic reasoning of ER and practical methods for efficient ER in class. The study lasted for two semesters and the teachers and students were surveyed and interviewed during and after the classes. The result showed pretty positive improvement of students' self-confidence, interest and motivation about English through ER implemented in this study. It is hoped that this study would show the possibility of implementing ER in Korean EFL secondary school context and a model for ER and cooperation between university researchers and in-service English teachers.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2005

This study is a preliminary investigation of the nature of discourse marker acquisition in Korean American speakers of English. Discourse markers are of interest because they are not an aspect of language taught through formal instruction either to native or non-native speakers. Therefore, discourse marker use serves as indirect evidence of face-to-face interaction with native speakers and an indicator of integration. In this light, the present study examines the presence of discourse markers in Korean Americans. The markers chosen for analysis were you know, like, and I mean. The data consist of spontaneous speech elicited from interviews. Sociolinguistic variables such as age, sex, and generation (i.e., $1^{st}$, 1.5, $2^{nd}$) were examined. Results show that there appears to be interaction between the variables and discourse marker use. While all speakers showed variable acquisition of markers, younger, female, and 1.5 generation speakers were found to use discourse markers more than other speakers. Although discourse marker use is optional and thus not a linguistic feature that must be necessarily acquired, it is clear that use is pervasive and acquired differentially by English speakers irrespective of whether they are native or not.

• Proceedings of the KSPS conference
• /
• 2000.07a
• /
• pp.332-332
• /
• 2000

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perception and production of English vowels by native speakers of Korean. In perception test, twelve English vowels /${\ae},{\;}a,{\;}{\Game},{\;}e,{\;}{\varepsilon},{\;}i,{\;}I,{\;}a,{\;}o,{\;}u,{\wedge},{\;}{\mho}$/, as in had, hard, hoard, hayed, head, heed, hid, hod, hoed, whod, Hudd, and hood produced by native speakers of English were used as perception test materials and subjects were asked to identify the vowels. Two different groups of subjects participated in the perception test. One consisted of 90 students who were taking an English phonetics course, and the other consisted of 64 who were not. The results showed that the former did better than the latter m identifYing English vowels, and that vowels in 'head' and 'had' were relatively hard to identify, while vowels in 'hayed', 'hard', and unexpectedly, 'heed' and hid' were easy to perceive. In production test, two native English speakers and 4 native Korean speakers served as subjects. The 4 native Korean speakers were divided into two groups as in the perception test, experienced and inexperienced, depending on whether they were taking an English phonetics course or not. Native English speakers generally showed significant differences both in vowel duration and in FI & F2 values between members of the vowel pairs which are of special interest of this study: /i/ vs. /I/, /${\ae}$/ vs. /$\varepsilon$/, and /u/ vs. and /$\mho$/. There was no significant difference between the two Korean groups. Native Korean speakers showed much difference in neither duration nor FI & F2 values except significant durational difference in /i/ vs. /I/ pair.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
• /
• no.3
• /
• pp.13-42
• /
• 1997

The purpose that the curriculum appropriate for the student's level pursues is to offer to a student the curriculum that can satisfy the student's interest, aptitude, and requirements. This curriculum has recently enforced all over the country, but the careful research and the plan for verification on its effect are required so that it may accomplish its purpose. This study, centered on the reading comprehension ability of Freshman English of the High School, aims to suggest a more desirable procedure for organizing and enforcing the curriculum appropriate for the students' level. In order to provide the best curriculum appropriate for the student's level. (1) the diagnosis of the individual student's level should be made first ; (2) the syllabus focused both on the grammar and on the communicative functions should be prepared ; (3) the teaching material on the basis of the syllabus should be selected considering the student's interest. and requirements. The new method of teaching-learning English should also be developed with the enforcement of the new curriculum discussed here. The curriculum appropriate for the student's level has many kinds of problems but these disadvantages should be overcome for providing the better educational system for the individual student.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.69-79
• /
• 2018

This study examines and measures the enhancement of intrinsic motivation in learners who have been part of the e-Learning system (www.englishbuddy.kr) for elementary-level English learning, developed based on the systematic application of the motivation theory as dictated by 'interest' and 'self-determination' and put into practice at 3,100 private tutoring institutions. According to the survey conducted on 328 learners in the e-Learning system inspired by the motivation theory and on 150 learners in other English programs, the former was found to have stimulated 'interest' and satisfied 'psychological desire' in the learners, leading to the development of 'specific strategies to motivate learners.' The study has clearly identified how learners are better motivated in the e-Learning environment, demonstrating its contributions to advancing e-Learning, building a practical e-Learning system based on a systematic motivation theory defined by 'interest' and 'self-determination,' and applying the system to some 16,000 learners at 3,100 private tutoring institutions.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.14 no.9
• /
• pp.622-633
• /
• 2014

This study delineates the process of analyzing the illustrations in high school English I textbook. The goal of this study is to shed light on the issues related to producing better English textbooks. The methods include analysis of the illustrations in the textbook developed under the 2009 Revised National Curriculum and surveys of teachers and students' awareness about them. This study classified common features in the illustrations to devise four analysis criteria: cultural aspects, expression styles, expression techniques, and linguistic functions of the illustrations. The questionnaire was made for both teachers and students. The questions in the survey of teachers were about the relevance to the contents, the layout and formation, learners' interest, cognitive aspects, easiness of teaching and learning, and connectivity with language functions. In the survey of students, familiarity, interest level, learnability, favored expression technique and expression material were considered. The result of the surveys showed that the teachability and learnability are key factors in developing illustrations for English textbooks, and they should look familiar to the students.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.18 no.10
• /
• pp.306-319
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to improve a good sense of language through professors' reduced role and university students' cooperative learning with overcoming the limit of existing English teaching materials and learning methods. To analyze the effect of cooperative learning in university general English classes on the improvement of English speaking ability and affective achievement, cooperative learning for English speaking was applied to 50 university students of K university in Seoul for 4 months from March 2 to June 20 in 2018. And then the affective achievement was verified. The results of this study are as follows. Frist, the cooperative learning in university general English classes made a difference in the improvement of English speaking ability (accuracy, fluency, complexity). Second, the cooperative learning in university general English classes made a difference in confidence of learning and interest in learning among the affective achievement but there's no difference in study attitude and learning motivation. Third, the cooperative learning in university general English classes made a difference in the effect of the improvement of English speaking ability (accuracy, fluency, complexity) on the confidence of learning and interest in learning of the affective achievement, but there's no difference in study attitude and learning motivation.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.19 no.8
• /
• pp.565-571
• /
• 2019

This study aims to suggest more efficient ways of teaching English more related to but distinct from major English, based on the needs and awareness of the students of English Education Department. For this, interviews and surveys have been carried out targeting some English Education majors. The results show that the satisfaction level of students is relatively low, marking around the score '3'. While the satisfaction level about classroom environment including the multi-media equipment, and professors' teaching ability, quality and methods is higher compared with other factors, the improvement of English skills and interest-causing levels are lower on average. Besides, this study also includes the surveys on the needs of students for various teaching programs, differentiated classes and qualified instructors. Based on the results, this study makes three suggestions as follows; (1) the opening of some specific English classes for English-education majors (2) the development of English-conversation classes related to English-education majors (3) the development of communication-centered English reading based on English literature.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.44-52
• /
• 2022

With recent scientific advances and growing interest in AI technologies, AI-based chatbots have been viewed as a practical learning aid for English language development. The purpose of this study is to examine preservice teachers' perceptions on the potential benefits of employing AI chatbots in English instruction and its pedagogical aspects. 28 preservice teachers majoring in English education were asked to use Kuki chatbots for a week with a guidance of a researcher and then report on their perceptions of AI chatbots in terms of perceived usefulness after use, applicability, and educational benefits and drawbacks. Emerging codes and themes were identified and evaluated using Thematic Analysis(TA) based on qualitative data from surveys and interviews. The findings show that six emerging themes were identified, encompassing perspectives on teacher, learner, communication, linguistic, affective, and assessment. The overall findings of this study revealed that AI-based chatbots can play a significant role as learning tools for stimulating interactive communication in a target language. Most preservice primary teachers acknowledge that AI chatbots can be useful as teaching and learning aids for both teachers and students. Furthermore, when applying various learner data to chatbot technology, such as learner assessment and diagnosis, a guided approach is necessary to perform a conversation appropriate for the learner's level and characteristics. Finally, as chatbots have a variety of benefits in terms of affective aspects, they may improve EFL learners' confidence in speaking English and learning motivation.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.165-198
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this research is to improve the writing ability of students by an ideal test model of English writing based on strategies of procedural learning stages enhancing the level of students' writing ability. Assessment of writing in the field of English education has been limited so far to very restricted areas with no appropriate scientific scrutiny. Assessment is really meaningful only when it exactly estimates the ability of students. Since English writing competence has become indispensable in this era of global village, writing instruction should be most emphasized. The most forceful method of busting writing instruction is to utilize the so-called washback effect of testing. So, to develop a good test model of writing, the first thing that is required is to inspect writing strategy in steps and, then, testing itself. First of all, analyzed with a special reference to the 6th high school English curriculum were the goals and contents of the syllabus reflected in one kind of junior high textbook and eight different kinds of senior high textbooks. Then questionnaires on the whole area of writing and tendencies of English writing classes were given to 100 English teachers, 300 students. The results of questionnaires were statistically analyzed. Then, some suggestions and opinions about the questioning method were made: the procedural strategy in steps, English writing instruction and test model of assessment were applied to the syllabus referring to teaching plans. On the bases of the results of the questionnaires, three pretests and a final test of English writing were administered to verify the effect of enhanced English writing competence which had been gradually promoted and, through the promotion, produced the test criteria of English writing. In conclusion, guidance and evaluation of English writing through in steps are really indispensable to increase student's practical ability and, accordingly, we are in need of the development of a testing method of useful writing practiced in school class above anything else. So, it is necessary to further the study on methods to assess writing ability on the bases of participation and fluency of students with their keen interest in English. Also, to intensify the effect of the test model, more accommodating reorganization of syllabus is required in our education. For instance, we need a flexible operation in organizing time units from the current 50 minutes to 100-130 minutes.