• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.129-153
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• 2007

When English language teachers are deciding on their priorities for teaching pronunciation, it is imperative to know what kind of differences and errors are most likely to interfere with communication, and what special problems particular first-language speakers will have with English pronunciation. In other words, phoneme discrimination skill is an integral part of speech processing for the EFL learners' learning to converse in English. Training using sound visualization technique can be effective in improving second language learners' perceptions and productions of segmental and suprasegmental speech contrasts. This study assessed the efficacy of a pronunciation training that provided visual feedback for EFL learners acquiring pitch and durational contrasts to produce and perceive English phonemic distinctions. The subjects' ability to produce and to perceive novel English words was tested in two contexts before and after training; words in isolation and words in sentences. In comparison with an untrained control group, trainees showed improved perceptual and productive performance, transferred their knowledge to new contexts, and maintained their improvement three months after training. These findings support the feasibility of learner-centered programs using sound visualization technique for English language pronunciation instruction.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.29-36
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• 2010

The purposes of this study are (1) to see if language transfer effect is found in Korean speakers' pronunciation of English stops and to correct them and (2) to investigate the effectiveness of mimicry training and Speech Analyzer training on subjects' pronunciation of English stops. For these purposes, 20 Korean speakers' VOT values of English stops were measured using Speech Analyzer and their post-training production was compared with their pre-training production. The result shows that Korean speakers have no difficulty in correcting pronunciation errors of English voiceless stops and voiced stops and such a result indicates that language transfer effect is not noticed as expected. In addition, the result of pronunciation training shows that the training using Speech Analyzer is more effective than mimicry training.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.395-411
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to explore the elementary English conversation instructors' perception on their professionalism and the needs of teacher training program. The survey data were attained from 136 elementary English conversation instructors. Descriptive statistics were employed to discuss the result of the survey response. The results of this study revealed that the elementary English conversation instructors perceived the need of in-service training program for their professionalism improvement, especially in teaching techniques for four language skills. The result also revealed that the instructors need to be more equipped with the knowledge of elementary learners' developmental psychology and L2 learning process. The study concludes with several suggestions for elementary English conversation instructors' improvement of teaching professionalism and in-service training program.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.37-44
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• 2023

This study investigates perceptual confusions of English fricatives among 121 Korean elementary school English as a foreign language (EFL) learners with shorter periods of learning English. The objective is to examine how they perceive English fricative consonants and to provide educational guidelines. Two sets of English fricative identification tasks-voiceless fricatives and voiced fricatives-were administered to participants in a High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT) setting. Their phonemic awareness of the fricatives was visualized in perceptual confusion maps via multidimensional scaling analysis. The findings are explored in terms of the impacts of Korean EFL learners' L1 linguistic aspects and a comparison with L1 learners. Learners' phonemic awareness patterns are then compared with their relative importance in speech intelligibility based on a functional load hierarchy. The results indicated that Korean elementary EFL learners recognized English fricatives in a manner largely akin to L1 learners, suggesting their ongoing acquisition progress. Additionally, the findings demonstrated that the young EFL learners possess sufficient phonemic awareness for most high functional load segments but encounter some difficulties with one high and one low functional pair. The findings of this study offer suggestions for diagnosing language learners' phonemic awareness abilities, thereby aiding in the development of practical guidelines for language instructional design and helping educators make informed decisions regarding teaching priority in L2 classes.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.107-131
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• 2010

The goals of the present study are two-fold: 1) to examine NNS teachers' needs for training period in improving their general communicative competence and classroom communicative competence, and 2) to explore the relationships of teachers' needs for the training period, and their current levels of general/classroom communicative competence and other background variables. Data was collected from seventy primary and secondary school English teachers (N=70) who participated in the six-month intensive teacher training program in South Korea. The teacher trainees responded to four questionnaires of 1) the self-diagnosis of their current levels of four language skills (L/S/R/W) in both general/classroom communicative competence, 2) the training period required to improve their general/classroom communicative competence for teaching both English and other subjects through English, 3) the period of their English teaching, and 4) the proportion of their English use in class. The data analysis has shown that there were the strong relationships between trainee needs for the training period and their teaching period, and the proportion of their English use in class. In terms of trainees' communicative competence, the significant relations of both their general/classroom communicative competence and their needs for the training period were found. Implications of the findings are discussed.

• 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)

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.203-226
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• 2007

This paper analyzes the in-service training program for the 1st grade English teacher in the following 7 regions: Taejeon, Seoul, Incheon, Kangwon, Kyeonggi, Chungnam and Chungbuk. It also investigates the actual conditions of the program. The analyses are performed on three categories of subjects: Teaching Profession, Refinement and English Education. The English Education category can be divided into the three aspects: language skills, communicative skills and language learning/teaching skills. Among the 7 regions, subjects under Teaching Profession, Refinement and English Education have a significant (2-3 times +/-) variance in terms of the number and credit hours of the courses. While the Refinement Program is above the standard set by Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development(MEHRD) in some regions, the Teaching Profession Program and the English Education Program is below the standard set by MEHRD in other regions. To overcome the weaknesses of the program, this paper suggests the following: 1) prescriptions for the proportion ratio of each category should be suitably modified. 2) MEHRD should observe and supervise the program of each region. 3) being organized, the program must have two parts as follows: the same mandatory subjects for all regions and optional subjects suited to each region.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• no.3
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• pp.71-93
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• 1997

Teachers' beliefs about teaching English are reflected in their practices in the classroom. They influence on the students' attitude to English learning. Any teacher training program expects the trainees to change or modify their existing beliefs and attitude through the new ideas and information introduced by the program toward a desired direction. The present study describes a teacher training program for elementary school English teachers and compares the beliefs of the teachers about teaching English before and after the training. The subjects are the elementary school English teachers around Chungnam area who get a special training of 120 hours during January 1997. The investigation of the subjects' beliefs on English teaching is conducted through examining two journals of each subject before and after the training. The journals show the teachers' inner flow of thought, so teacher trainers are expected to get insight on their general instructional considerations and have implications on the future teacher training program through examining these journals. In addition, the journal writing itself gives the teachers opportunity to reflect their practice and rethink about their beliefs, and develop themselves as professional English teachers.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.269-289
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• 2010

The present study reports on a study of the development of customized intensive in-service English teachers training programs (IIETTP) reflecting on the demands of elementary/secondary school English teachers. For the purpose of study, a survey was conducted with 1,033 English teachers at elementary/secondary schools across the country. The results showed by and large no significant differences by school level, albeit some slight differences were revealed such as in training times, training methods, the percentages of teaching English in English (TEE), and other things. Since the two IIETTP models are presented as basic formats, they can be modified and applied according to the contexts of schools and the demands of trainees.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.533-538
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• 2010

English is the accepted common working language of the maritime world and being competent in its use is essential to the safety of ships, their crews and the marine environment. This paper is a response to the urgent need to find a suitable solution to the problem of providing maritime students with quality instruction in Maritime English. This paper will show what type of English instructor is best suited to help cadets have at least a basic grasp of Maritime English communication, with a view to possessing the level required by STCW 95 within the shortest time. It presents ways that maritime institutes can develop their own qualified or 'marinated' English Instructors and what qualifications should be required. It is concluded that by further essential research, interviews and questionnaires etc., the language needs of the university and shipping industry in Korea as a whole can be clearly verified. By examining such data, the present language education systems can be evaluated as to efficacy and relevance, allowing the establishment and implementation of 'best practice' within the training institute. This will result in making excellent informed decisions and choices about how best to improve the language competencies of graduating cadets, thereby creating the catalyst for the success of future seafarers whilst raising the image of the institute and Korean shipping worldwide.