• Title/Summary/Keyword: Korean Language Learners

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Korean EFL Learners' Cognitive Tendencies in Critical Reading of Argumentative Texts

  • Lee, Jong-Hee
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.107-125
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    • 2006
  • This article reports some Korean EFL learners' cognitive tendencies drawn up from their responses to logical fallacies in the argument passages, and its pedagogical implications. The findings of experimental study show the meaningful disparities in three sets of judgment tests designed to identify and explicate faulty arguments: based on the three general types of fallacies using language, emotions, and distraction tactics, subjects on average gained the highest scores in the test questions with language-loaded fallacies and the lowest scores in those with emotion-based ones among the three different types; for this reason, the scores that subjects obtained in the test of distraction-loaded fallacious arguments fell in between the two poles. These discrepancies, mainly based on statistical inferences, support the possibility that the Korean EFL learners are most likely to be manipulated by emotions/distraction- loaded argument tactics than by language-based ones in the three types of fallacious arguments; and, they are least likely to be influenced by language-oriented trickeries. As a consequence, such variances in abilities to recognize the intrinsic elements of logical fallacies suggest some basic instructional approaches to critical reading of argumentative texts with due weights on the Korean EFL learners' culture-specific cognitive tendencies.

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Acquisition of English speech rhythm by Chinese learners of English at different English proficiency levels

  • Zhang, Jiaqi;Lee, Sook-hyang
    • Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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    • v.11 no.4
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    • pp.71-79
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    • 2019
  • This study aims to investigate the rhythmic patterns in the English speech produced by Chinese learners of English who learn English as a foreign language (EFL learners). Utilizing interval-based rhythm metrics, namely, VarcoC, VarcoV, nPVI-C, nPVI-V, and %V, the study compared the rhythmic differences in English speech between ten native speakers from the United States and forty Chinese EFL learners from mainland China. A sentence elicitation task consisting of thirty picture prompts and corresponding thirty stimuli sentences with at least five vocalic and four consonantal intervals was conducted. Statistical results reveal that both Chinese advanced learners and beginners had significantly lower degree of stress-timed in their English speech, indicating that the acquisition of the L2 speech rhythm was influenced by the learners' L1 rhythmic pattern. In addition, the results also show that the Chinese advanced learners had significantly higher degree of stress-timed in their English speech than beginners and showed no significant difference with native speakers in VarcoC and nPVI-C. These results indicate that the direction of L2 speech rhythm development was from more syllable-timed to more stress-timed.

Korean Native Speakers Auditory Cognitive Reactions to Chinese Korean-learners' Pronunciation: Centered on the utterance of consonants in the Korean Language (중국인 학습자의 한국어 발음에 대한 한국인 모어 화자의 청각 인지 반응 -중국인 학습자의 자음 발음을 중심으로-)

  • Kim, Ji-hyung
    • Journal of Korean language education
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.37-60
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    • 2017
  • This research has its basis with focus on the way Korean native speakers recognize Chinese Korean-learners' pronunciation. The objective of the study is to lay the cornerstone for establishing effective teaching-learning strategies for the education of the Korean phonetic system. In this study, the results of the experiment are presented which shows how native speakers of Korean identify Chinese Korean-learners' pronunciation of consonants. In the first place, stimulation tones were created from the original utterances of Chinese Korean-learners and seven scripts were made through the Pratt program. In addition, the subjects were asked to choose what the phonetic materials sounded like. The results of the research are represented as the ratio of frequency of Korean native speakers' response to each utterance to the total frequency. In addition, the paired t-test was taken in order to explore any relatedness to the changes in the level of proficiency of the Korean phonetic system, ranging from beginners to advanced learners. The outcome shows that the mistakes which Chinese Korean-learners make in pronouncing the consonants of Korean are relatively well-reflected in Korean native speakers' auditory cognitive reactions. To put it concretely, there is some difficulty in differentiating lax consonants from aspirates in the cases of plosives and affricates, but relatively little trouble with fortes. However, it is revealed that there is also a slight difference in relation to articulatory positions in detailed aspects. To provide an effective teaching method for the Korean phonetic system, it is essential to comprehend learners' phonetic mistakes through the precise analysis of data in terms of 'production.' Also, a more meticulous observation of 'phenomena' must be made through verification from the view of 'reception,' as attempted in this study. A more thorough diagnosis by applying methodology makes it possible to lay the foundation for developing effective teaching-learning strategies for the instruction of the Korean phonetic system. This study has its significance in making such attempts.

An Investigation into the Effects of Integrative and Instrumental Orientations on Language Learning Strategies

  • Lee, Moon-Bok
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.37-55
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    • 2005
  • This study examines the effects of two motivational orientations on the use of language learning strategies at overall, category, and specific-item levels. 184 students (males and females) from a Korean university responded to the following two questionnaires: the Motivational Orientation Questionnaire (MOQ) developed by the author and Oxford's Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). The results showed that both integratively- and instrumentally-oriented students were moderate strategy users overall. Integratively-oriented learners were found to use learning strategies more often and a broader spectrum of strategies than instrumentally-oriented learners. A noteworthy finding, however, is that strategy use was not motivation orientation-specific. In other words, the two motivational groups were found to share the similar patterns of strategy use. Independent samples t test results revealed that integratively-oriented students exhibited significantly greater use of overall strategy than instrumentally-oriented students. This phenomenon held true for the use of cognitive, metacognitive, and social categories. At the specific item levels, 13 of the total 50 individual strategies were shown to be employed significantly more often by integratively motivated learners than by their instrumentally motivated peers.

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Speech Production and Perception of Word-medial Singleton and Geminate Sonorants in Korean (한국어 어중 공명 중첩자음과 단자음의 조음 및 지각)

  • Kim, Taekyung
    • Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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    • v.5 no.4
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    • pp.145-155
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    • 2013
  • This study investigated the articulatory characteristics of Korean singleton and geminate sonorants in the word-medial position, effects of the duration of the sonorant consonant and the preceding vowel on perception, and the difference between native Korean speakers and foreign learners of Korean in perceiving the singleton and geminate consonant contrast. The Korean sonorant consonants(/m, n, l/) are examined from the VCCV, VCV sequences through speech production and perception experiments. The results suggest that the duration of the sonorant consonant is the most important factor for native Korean speakers to recognize whether sonorants are overlapped, and the duration of preceding vowel and other factors affect the recognition of singleton/geminate consonant contrast if the duration is not obvious. A perception experiment showed Chinese Korean language learners did not clearly distinguish singleton consonants from geminate consonants. The results of this study provide basic data for recognition of singleton/geminate consonant contrast in word-medial of Korean language, and can be utilized for teaching Korean pronunciation as a foreign language.

Australian English Sequences of Semivowel /w/+Back Vowel /3:/, c:/ or /a/ Perception by Korean and Japanese Learners of English

  • Park, See-Gyoon
    • Speech Sciences
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.91-112
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    • 1998
  • This paper aimed at examining the influence of L1 (native language) phonology when speakers of L1 perceive L2 (foreign language) sounds. Korean and Japanese learners of English took a perception test of Australian English words 'work', 'walk' and 'wok'. Based on Korean and Japanese phonology, it was predicted that Korean subjects would face more difficulties than Japanese subjects. The results of the experiment substantiated the influence of L1 phonology in L2 learners' L2 sound perception.

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Korean Learners' Interpretation of English Locative PPs with Manner of Motion Verbs

  • Kim, Jung-Tae
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.16 no.1
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    • pp.41-59
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    • 2009
  • The present study investigated Korean learners' knowledge on the range of possible interpretations of English locative PPs with manner of motion verbs, and considers whether learners can arrive at a superset L2 grammar on the basis of positive L2 input. Unlike Korean, some English locative PPs occurring with manner of motion verbs (such as in John jumped on the bed) are ambiguous as they can be interpreted as either directional or locational. Thirty Korean learners of English in three distinct groups (Advanced EFL-only group; Intermediate-EFL-only group; and ESL-experienced group) participated in an experimental study, along with a control group of nine native speakers of English. The results of the study showed that I) Korean learners, overall, tended to interpret English locative PPs as only locational, failing to recognize the ambiguity between the directional and locational readings in the target structure; 2) For the learners who experienced only the EFL context, even highly proficient learners, as well as intermediate level learners, failed to acknowledge the ambiguity; 3) The learners who experienced the ESL context for an extended period of time could identify the target reading to some extent, although they still could not reach the native-like competence. From these results, it is argued that robustness of positive evidence, not simply its availability, is critical in the acquisition of the superset L2 targets like the present one.

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An analysis of corrective feedback and learner uptake in college EFL class: With a focus on teachers' and learners' attitude (대학에서의 영어 말하기 오류수정 피드백과 학습자 반응: 교사와 학습자의 태도를 중심으로)

  • Kim, Na-Yun;Lee, Eun-Joo
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.15 no.4
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    • pp.237-264
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    • 2009
  • The present study explores patterns of teachers' corrective feedback and learners' uptake in Korean EFL undergraduate classroom setting. It also examines consistencies and discrepancies in the perception of corrective feedback by teachers and learners. Teachers' and learners' preferences and perception of corrective feedback are further analyzed to determine whether or not those differ from actual practices in English language learning classrooms. The results of the study are as follows. First of all, teachers' corrective feedback type varied according to the learners' error type and English proficiency level. There was a lack of consistency between the teachers' feedback practices and the learners' error types. Second, for the phonological errors, learners' data witnessed the most frequent uptake on recast. For the other error types, however, the learners' uptake rates were high for the explicit corrective feedback. Third, the teachers' explicit knowledge of corrective feedback was rather low and the preferences differed from teacher to teacher. The teachers' feedback perception and preferences did not consistently reflect their actual practices. Finally, patterns of the learners' expectations of corrective feedback varied according to learners' proficiency level. Teachers' and learners' expectations of corrective feedback were also compared and some mismatches were detected.

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Identifying Characteristics of Korean Language Learners Enrolled in University-attached Lifelong Learning Institutions in Hong Kong (홍콩의 한국어 학습자 특성 연구 - 홍콩의 대학 부설 평생교육기관 학습자를 대상으로)

  • Lee, Hyun Ju;Lee, Young-Min
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.368-379
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    • 2022
  • This study aims to understand the characteristics of Korean language learners and propose appropriate teaching plans for them through a focus group interview with Korean language instructors who had experience in teaching Korean at university-attached institutions in Hong Kong. For this purpose, the investigator interviewed ten instructors who taught Korean for at least five years. Korean language learners in Hong Kong who were in their twenties, but there were diverse age groups, including those in their fifties or older. Their motivations for learning Korean included the Korean Wave and the influence of support from the Continuing Education Fund by the Hong Kong government. Korean language learners in Hong Kong were characterized by active learning desire and effort, continuous learning intention, passive performance in speaking, and sensitivity to the disclosure of private information. Based on these findings, the study proposes to devise teaching and learning methods based on various age groups in a class and teaching methods for speaking that reflect the characteristics of Korean language learners in Hong Kong to teach Korean more effectively. The study is significant as a field study that examines the learning motivations, learning attitudes, and difficulties with Korean study of Korean language learners based on an unprecedented survey of the characteristics of common local Korean learners in Hong Kong.

INTONATION OF TAIWANESE: A COMPARATIVE OF THE INTONATION PATTERNS IN LI, IL, AND L2

  • Chin Chin Tseng
    • Proceedings of the KSPS conference
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    • 1996.10a
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    • pp.574-575
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    • 1996
  • The theme of the current study is to study intonation of Taiwanese(Tw.) by comparing the intonation patterns in native language (Ll), target language (L2), and interlanguage (IL). Studies on interlanguage have dealt primarily with segments. Though there were studies which addressed to the issues of interlanguage intonation, more often than not, they didn't offer evidence for the statement, and the hypotheses were mainly based on impression. Therefore, a formal description of interlanguage intonation is necessary for further development in this field. The basic assumption of this study is that native speakers of one language perceive and produce a second language in ways closely related to the patterns of their first language. Several studies on interlanguage prosody have suggested that prosodic structure and rules are more subject to transfer than certain other phonological phenomena, given their abstract structural nature and generality(Vogel 1991). Broselow(1988) also shows that interlanguage may provide evidence for particular analyses of the native language grammar, which may not be available from the study of the native language alone. Several research questions will be addressed in the current study: A. How does duration vary among native and nominative utterances\ulcorner The results shows that there is a significant difference in duration between the beginning English learners, and the native speakers of American English for all the eleven English sentences. The mean duration shows that the beginning English learners take almost twice as much time (1.70sec.), as Americans (O.97sec.) to produce English sentences. The results also show that American speakers take significant longer time to speak all ten Taiwanese utterances. The mean duration shows that Americans take almost twice as much time (2.24sec.) as adult Taiwanese (1.14sec.) to produce Taiwanese sentences. B. Does proficiency level influence the performance of interlanguage intonation\ulcorner Can native intonation patterns be achieved by a non-native speaker\ulcorner Wenk(1986) considers proficiency level might be a variable which related to the extent of Ll influence. His study showed that beginners do transfer rhythmic features of the Ll and advanced learners can and do succeed in overcoming mother-tongue influence. The current study shows that proficiency level does play a role in the acquisition of English intonation by Taiwanese speakers. The duration and pitch range of the advanced learners are much closer to those of the native American English speakers than the beginners, but even advanced learners still cannot achieve native-like intonation patterns. C. Do Taiwanese have a narrower pitch range in comparison with American English speakers\ulcorner Ross et. al.(1986) suggests that the presence of tone in a language significantly inhibits the unrestricted manipulation of three acoustical measures of prosody which are involved in producing local pitch changes in the fundamental frequency contour during affective signaling. Will the presence of tone in a language inhibit the ability of speakers to modulate intonation\ulcorner The results do show that Taiwanese have a narrower pitch range in comparison with American English speakers. Both advanced (84Hz) and beginning learners (58Hz) of English show a significant narrower FO range than that of Americans' (112Hz), and the difference is greater between the beginning learners' group and native American English speakers.

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