• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.291-307
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• 2011

The primary purpose of this study was to report overall findings of academic English proficiency of university ESL students in an ESL program from 2003 to 2008 at a university in the U.S. Furthermore, this study proposes to explore the effectiveness of the ESL program on developing the ESL learners' academic English proficiency. In order to achieve these purposes, this study applied a quantitative research methodology which analyzed data (more than 3,000 samples) collected by the university ESL program. The data included the ESL learners' English proficiency test scores. The results indicated that the effectiveness of the ESL program was significant in improving the ESL learners' cognitive/academic language proficiency across all three groups: ESL-only, ESL + Under, and ESL + Grad. That is, after either a complete ESL program intervention only or both a partial ESL program intervention and taking academic courses, the three groups' academic English proficiency was increased to almost same degree The findings are discussed and implications for pedagogy are suggested.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.165-190
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• 2011

This research investigates listening strategies and the relationship between the employment of strategy and listening proficiency of Korean EFL middle school students. One hundred and four middle school students (N = 104) participated in this study and their strategy use was assessed through a questionnaire adapted from Oxford's (1990) SILL and O'Malley and Chamot (1990). To measure listening proficiency, the English Listening Ability Test designed by 15 city and provincial offices of education in Korea was used. The results show that students employed a moderate use of strategies; compensation strategies were used most frequently and metacognitive strategies were used the least frequently. Significant differences were found in the use of implicit strategy among different listening proficiency groups, but not in their use of behavioral strategy. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the use of implicit memory, cognitive and compensation strategies among groups of students with different listening proficiencies, but not in their use of metacognitive strategy. The results from multiple regression analysis indicate that implicit strategy use could play an important role in listening comprehension. The findings suggest the need for additional research to explore the effect of listening strategy training for English language learners.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.199-222
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• 2009

As great attention is given to a high quality of English education in Korea, more and more in-service and pre-service English teachers are looking for an opportunity to study in an English speaking country to become better qualified teachers. However, after receiving a degree in an English speaking country, many teachers fail to apply what they have learned to their own teaching due to their tensions of identity, beliefs, knowledge, and professionalism within the changes of sociocultural settings. By using sociocultural theory as a theoretical framework, this paper explores how formal training and Ph.D. studies in the U.S. have influenced a Korean teacher educator in applying theory to practice in relation to her identity, beliefs, knowledge, and professionalism during 30 years of her teaching experience. Rather than facing tensions, the teacher educator has been willing to change her roles, broaden and deepen her beliefs in teaching and knowledge about theory of teaching and learning, and continue her professional development. Limitations and implications of the study are provided.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.353-380
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to analyze the preconceptions Korean EFL learners have about team teaching in the field of English education at a secondary level. Team teaching is a method of teaching where a Korean English teacher works in co-junction with a native English speaker. Generally speaking, when we discuss teaching methods for a foreign language, the most important objective is to improve our communication skills. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect on communication skills when team teaching is employed, and to find ways to maximize the benefit when team teaching. The underlying issues are; firstly, what are the precedent conditions for team teaching? Secondly, what are the best teaching methods and preparations for teaching materials for improving the effectiveness of team teaching? Third, how do the programs for team teaching with native teachers assist in improving the student's communication skills? Ideally, this study will assist in overcoming the fear that foreign language learners have when communicating with real native speakers.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.117-138
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to increase students' interest in the subject of English, which has been led by some mannerism, and to improve the students' basic scholastic ability and self-controlled problem solving, through adopting an individualized Web Based Instruction(WBI) as a concrete and practical learning method. In order to achieve this, an individualized Web Based Instruction(WBI) homepage has been developed to be applied experimentally to the field of middle school education for 8 months, and a research has been made on its effects on the students' interest in English along with the improvement of English. Two groups which showed almost the same interest were selected as a controlled group and an experimental one. Individualized Web Based Instruction was applied to the experimental group, while the controlled group was not instructed according to student ability. The controlled group was taught using CD added with the textbook. As a result of T-test, the students in the experimental group showed more improvement in communicative competence than those in the controlled group.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.77-102
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• 2002

Factors affecting foreign language learning task are diverse in nature due to the different social and cultural backgrounds so that learners have to somehow use strategies and expressions to adjust diverse factors to their learning environments. The main purpose of this paper is to show how important NNS vs. NNs interaction through CCDL can be in their enhancement of English proficiency by giving examples from their chatting conversation(written conversation) data collected for over two semesters. Chatting as a means of synchronous communication interaction between students from two different cultural backgrounds can act as a predictor of foreign language achievement. Chatting and Telemeet activities have their own advantages in enhancing communicative competence when learning English. By engaging in these synchronous communication activities learners of English from different cultural backgrounds can acquire unique strategies and expressions from which they learn from each other. In short, this study advocates the importance of strategies and patterns foreign language learners can acquire from interaction among culturally different peer groups.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.91-114
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' perspectives on content-based instruction (CBI) in English at a higher education in Korea. Based on the assumption that content-based instruction programs could be successful if teachers were actively involved not only in transmitting the content knowledge but also in students' development in the second or foreign language competence, the study explores teachers' treatments of language in relation to the students' language development in CBI classes. Research questions were related to five areas such as (1) the goals of CBI programs, (2) difficulties in CBI classes, (3) the use of native language, (4) teaching strategies and techniques, and (5) factors that affect the success of the CBI programs. Data gathered from 24 college instructors from a large university located in the metropolitan city of Korea. Results of the study indicated that college instructors of CBI programs had keen interest in developing students' language competence, experienced difficulties in designing course syllabus for mixed leveled group of students, rarely used Korean in class and used successful teaching strategies. Also factors needed to improve the CBI programs were recommended at the end of the study. Results of the study implied that teachers needed to be more aware of the students' learning process of English and to be more communicative with students in English in class. Further studies were needed in relation to the CBI courses for students of different age levels.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.133-158
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• 2004

The purpose of the present study was to scrutinize computer games that can motivate elementary school students through their interactive "edutainment" effects. The types of elements in computer games that students find interesting as learning media and their impact were studied. The current status of Korean computer games, issues related to learning English, and methods to stimulate the motivation and interest in learning by elementary school students were explored. A computer game model for efficiently teaching English to elementary school students through a connection between computer games and education was suggested. In this model, overall games were designed with the focus on the integration of curriculum and content subjects related to learning activities. For games not to be biased toward entertainment and to have systemized learning steps, the games are composed of an introduction, presentation, practice, production and evaluation, in that order. The model suggested by this plan and composition make it possible to approach learning efficiently with entertaining games based on a systematic learning curriculum. As shown above, developing the model of educational computer games can be seen as an opportunity, which can provide amusement and interests and a broad learning experience as an additional learning method.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.185-210
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• 2006

This study has two purposes. First, it aims to suggest an appropriate approach to English writing education for Korean high school students in a cooperative learning situation. It also aims to suggest what type of learner grouping, either homogeneous or heterogeneous, is appropriate by comparing the learners' writing abilities and the changes of their affective factors after being exposed to cooperative EFL writing instruction. Two homogeneous classes were selected and instructed to write in English for 11 weeks. One was composed of homogeneous small groups based on the students' writing scores, and the other was composed of heterogeneous small groups, again based on the students' writing scores. The results showed that the improvement between the two class types was quite different across different proficiency levels. For example, although there is little difference between the homogeneous and the heterogeneous classes of low and intermediate-level learners in writing ability improvement, high-level students showed a significant difference between the classes. In addition, it was found that class participation correlated significantly to writing ability improvement. Cooperative learning was proved to be an effective writing instructional approach to encourage learners' interest and increase their self-confidence; however, the results did not show any significant differences in learners' affective domain between the homogeneous and the heterogeneous classes. Similarly, the learners' grouping preference was not affected by the grouping method.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.575-596
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• 2010

The modes of narratives and communication have expanded due to social and cultural changes and technological development. Thus texts have become multimodal and media hybridities and media crossover have been increasing as well. Multimodality requires new literacy to understand and interpret those multimodal texts other than existing traditional literacy approaches. The New London Group (2000) argues that multiliteracies are needed to serve today's changing multimodal texts. Kress (2003) also argues, visual texts have been prevailing, being mingled with other modes of texts such as linguistic, audio, gestural, and spatial modes. Literary texts are not exception in this trend of multimodality. The recent renaissance of comics, in particular, the new light on graphic novels can be interpreted in this historical vein. In comparison to comics, no consensus has been made in defining graphic novels, however, many studies have been recently conducted in order to look into the potential of graphic novels in building multiliteracies. In this paper, the graphic novel as a literary genre are explored from a histocial perspective and the definition of graphic novels was attempted to be made. In the light of multiliteracies, this paper presented cases that show how graphic novels can be utilized to build multiliteracies. Lastly, the use of graphic novels for English as a foreign language was introduced as well. The author hopes that at the age of multimodality, the potential graphic novels have in language and literacy education can be taken into account by language teachers and students in expanding their territory of literacy.