• Title/Summary/Keyword: difficulty of vocabulary

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A Comparative Study on Korean Reading Comprehension by Adjusting Vocabulary Levels (수준별 어휘 조정에 따른 한국어 읽기 텍스트 이해도 비교 연구)

  • Ju, Jae-hwan
    • Journal of Korean language education
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.201-223
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    • 2018
  • The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of text modification by comparing differences in Korean reading comprehension levels that arise from differences in vocabulary levels in texts. This study intends to use simplified texts with the vocabulary difficulty adjusted differently from the original text to measure reading comprehension levels of Korean learners and analyze the result. To measure reading comprehension, the researcher divided 55 Korean learners of intermediate to advanced level of fluency into two groups; the control group read the original text and the treatment group read a simplified text in which complex vocabulary were substituted with easier words of medium difficulty. Then the two groups were tested with the same questionnaire to measure comprehension levels of each group. The result showed that the groups that read simplified texts scored higher than the control group; this suggests that the reading comprehension level was increased in the treatment group. The experiment confirmed that unknown vocabulary density has direct impact on Korean reading comprehension. The result shows that the proportion of unknown vocabulary should be reduced for meaning-focused reading. It also demonstrates that comprehension of the learner was enhanced with lexical simplification rather than structural simplification i.e. simplification of grammar or sentences. Thus, diverse reading materials adjusted to the learners' level of fluency should be developed to enable reading for learning Korean. By reducing the burden of understanding the meaning of each vocabulary, learners will be able to achieve the initial goal of reading.

Vocabulary Acquisition of Korean Learners for Academic Purposes -Focusing on the Effects of Instruction Introductory Methods of Context Inference and Activation of Background Knowledge (학문목적 한국어 학습자의 어휘 습득 연구 -문맥 추론과 배경지식 활성화를 통한 수업 도입을 중심으로-)

  • Lee, MinWoo
    • Journal of Korean language education
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.93-112
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    • 2018
  • The purpose of this study is to deal with vocabulary in KFL. As a result of this study, learners learned vocabulary on average 43 points through contextual inference and introduction of the class to activate background knowledge. In particular, the implicit method showed the highest learning rate of 52 points, and the thematic method had a 41 point-learning rate. In contrast, the semantic method was the lowest with a 25 point-learning rate. There was no significant difference in the improvement rate of upper vocabulary learners, but in the case of the lower learner, there was significant difference in the improvement rate. The difference was not significant in the post-test relative gain rate of upper learners, but there was significant in lower learners. In the delayed test relative gain rate, the difference was significant in all groups. There was correlation between vocabulary difficulty and score, but there was no correlation with the thematic method. And there was no correlation between vocabulary difficulty, improvement rate and relative gain rate in all three classes. However, content understanding, lexical grade, improvement rate, and relative gain rate showed a significant correlation.

A study to analyze and improve vocabulary adequacy of field-reviewed textbooks for 1st and 2nd grade elementary school mathematics according to the 2022 revised curriculum (2022 개정 교육과정에 따른 초등학교 1~2학년 수학 교과서 현장검토본의 어휘 적정성 분석 및 개선 연구)

  • Lee, Dae Hyun;Kwon, Misun;Lee, Mi Jin;Sung, Chang-Geun
    • Education of Primary School Mathematics
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    • v.27 no.1
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    • pp.75-90
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    • 2024
  • This study analyzed the vocabularies presented in the 1st to 2nd grade elementary school mathematics field review textbook according to the 2022 revised curriculum using a 9th grade vocabulary system and improved them. The result of the analysis shows that the frequency of vocabulary that was not appropriate for the students' level was found to be 6.67% in the first semester of the first year and 12.17% in the second semester of the first year. For the first semester of the second year, it was 11.73%, and for the second semester of the second year, it was 14.19%. This shows that the frequency of vocabulary that may be difficult for students gradually increases. Based on the analysis results, vocabulary that had a high difficulty level but was not essential in the textbook was deleted, and essential vocabulary or vocabulary that was difficult for students was presented with pictures added or revised in more detail. In addition, words that can be modified with similar words with low lexical difficulty were replaced and presented. In this way, research on vocabulary difficulty can identify aspects of vocabulary used in textbooks and can help develop high-quality textbooks by appropriately modifying vocabulary for effective mathematics learning.

Analysis of the Adequacy of Vocabulary in Elementary Mathematics Textbooks and Workbooks for Grades 3~4 (초등학교 3~4학년군 수학 교과서 및 익힘책의 어휘 적정성 분석)

  • Pang, JeongSu;Kwon, MiSu
    • School Mathematics
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.903-922
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    • 2016
  • This paper examined vocabulary in elementary mathematics textbooks and workbooks for the grade band of 3~4. This study focused on the adequacy of vocabulary using 9-degree of semantic difficulty. The results of this study showed that about three to eight percent of vocabulary with difficulty for students in grades 3~4 was employed. Whereas some difficult vocabularies were used along with the picture that helps students understand their meanings, others were presented without any illustrative tools. The most frequent vocabularies in the main activities of the mathematics textbooks included 'investigate', 'represent', 'number', 'how many', and 'method'. Based on these results, this study provides textbook writers with implications on what to further consider in dealing with vocabulary in instructional materials.

English Vocabulary Learning Application Development Applying Forgetting Curve and Match Result Based Rating System (망각곡선과 대결 기반 순위 결정 시스템을 적용한 영어 단어 학습 어플리케이션 개발)

  • Youm, Kiho;Oh, Kyoungsu;Chun, Youngjae
    • Journal of Korea Game Society
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    • v.15 no.3
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    • pp.151-160
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    • 2015
  • This paper presents English vocabulary memorization system using forgetting curve to automatically adjust the vocabulary difficulty to match learner's level. Our system will decide the appropriate repetition cycle, depending on the number of memorizing words through the forgetting curve, then requires an iterative learning. No matter what learners know or do not know, words are reviewed. To save time by reviewing some words which have the highest probability that learners forget. And it provides vocabulary based on learner level, which makes learner maintain their interest and achievement. A general system provides vocabularies which difficulty matches with evaluated ones, or randomly provides some vocabularies without consideration of users' level. But we apply the "Glicko" system which is being used in the online chess game ranking system to adjust the vocabulary's difficulty. We utilize the system used in the one-by-one player system to our vocabulary-human system. As a result, learners's level and the vocabularies's difficulty is measured in the review process. Moreover it maximizes the performance of English vocabulary memorization by applying feedbacks from practice testing and distributed learning.

Analysis of the Adequacy of Vocabulary in Elementary Mathematics Textbooks and Workbooks for Grades 5 and 6 (초등학교 5~6학년군 수학 교과서와 익힘책의 어휘 적정성 분석)

  • Pang, JeongSuk;Kwon, Misun;Kim, Jeong Won
    • Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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    • v.27 no.3
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    • pp.329-350
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    • 2017
  • This paper examined vocabulary used in elementary mathematics textbooks and workbooks for the grade band of 5~6. This study focused on the adequacy of vocabulary using 9-degree of semantic difficulty. The results of this study showed that most vocabulary in the textbooks and workbooks was adequate for the target grades. In some cases, however, vocabulary that was supposed to be difficult for the fifth and sixth graders was employed in a way that the meaning of such vocabulary was difficult for students to infer in the given context. The most frequent vocabularies in the main activities of the mathematics textbooks included 'method', 'investigate', 'number', 'communicate', and 'represent'. Based on these results, this study provides 5~6 grade textbook writers with implications on what to further consider in dealing with vocabulary in instructional materials.

Readability of Patient Information Leaflets in Clinical Trials (임상시험 시험대상자설명서의 가독성 평가)

  • Choi, Im-Soon;Yong, Chul-Soon;Lee, Iyn-Hyang
    • Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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    • v.26 no.1
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    • pp.33-39
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    • 2016
  • Background: Elements of informed consent including capacity, disclosure, understanding, voluntariness, and permission of the participant, are all crucial for clinical trials to be legally and ethically valid. During the informed consent process, the patient information leaflet is an important information source which prospective research subjects can utilize in their decision-making. In the adequate provision of information, KGCP guideline necessitate 20 specific items, as well as the use language that individuals can understand. This study measures the vocabulary level of patient information leaflets in an effort to provide an objective evaluation on the readability of such material. Methods: The word difficulty of 13 leaflets was quantitatively evaluated using Kim kwang Hae's vocabulary grading framework, which was compared to the difficulty level of words found in the $6^{th}$ grade Korean textbook. The quantitative outcomes were statistically analyzed using chi-squared tests and linear by linear association for ordinal data. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the vocabulary level and frequency of words in leaflets and the 6th Korean textbook. The leaflets were on average 260 sentences and about roughly 15 pages long, including lay language (easier or equal to language used in primary school) of around 12% less; technical language of around 4.5% more. As the vocabulary grades increase, there was a distinct difference in vocabulary level between Korean textbook and each information leaflet (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Patient information leaflets may fail to provide appropriate information for self-determination by clinical trial subject through the difficulty level of its wording. Improvements in the degree of patients' understanding and appropriate use of information leaflets are collaboratively equipped to strengthen patient's autonomy and therefore guaranteeing participant's rights.

Vocabulary Size of Korean EFL University Learners: Using an Item Response Theory Model

  • Lee, Yongsang;Chon, Yuah V.;Shin, Dongkwang
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.171-195
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    • 2012
  • While noticing that there is insufficient interest in the assessment of EFL learners' vocabulary levels or sizes, the researchers developed two tests identical in form (Forms A and B) to assess the lexical knowledge of Korean university learners at the $1^{st}{\sim}10^{th}$ 1,000 word bands by adapting a pre-established vocabulary levels test (VLT). Of equal concern was to investigate if the VLT was equally a valid and reliable instrument to be used on measuring the lexical knowledge of EFL learners. The participants were 804 university freshmen enrolled in a General Education English Course from four different colleges. The learners were asked to respond to either Form A or B. While scores generally fell towards the lower frequency bands, multiple regression found the Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) to be a significant variable for predicting the learners' vocabulary sizes. From a methodological perspective, however, noticeable differences between Forms A and B could be found with item response theory analysis. The findings of the study provide suggestions on how future VLT for testing EFL learners may have to be redesigned.

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This study revises Lee Hyo-seok's The Buckwheat Season, utilizing Novel Corpus, intermediate learners' level (소설텍스트의 난이도 조정 방안 연구 -이효석의 「메밀꽃 필 무렵」을 중심으로-)

  • Hwang, Hye ran
    • Journal of Korean language education
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.255-294
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    • 2018
  • The Buckwheat Season, evaluated as the best of Lee Hyo-seok's literature, is one of the short stories that represent Korean literature. However, vivid literary expressions such as lyrical and beautiful depictions, figurative expressions and dialects, which show the Korean beauty, rather make learners have difficulty and become a factor that fails in reading comprehension. Thus, it is necessary to revise and present the text modified for the learners' language level. The methods of revising a literary text include the revision of linguistic elements such as cryptic vocabulary or sentence structure and the revision of the composition of the text, e.g. suggestion of characters or plot, or insertion of illustration. The methods of revising the language of the text can be divided into methods of simplification and detailing. However, in the process of revising the text, many depend on the adapter's subjective perception, not revising it with objective criteria. This paper revised the text, utilizing by the Academy of Korean Studies, , and the by the National Institute of Korean Language to secure objectivity in revising the text.

Developing the Korean EFL Readability Formula (KRF)

  • Choi, Seonghee;Kim, Kyong-Hahn;Lee, Yong-Bae;Hong, Ju-Hee;Cho, Eunkyung
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.18 no.3
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    • pp.1-24
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    • 2012
  • It has long been shown that Korean EFL students have not practiced extensive reading in school curriculum. Their vocabulary knowledge is limited and a tool for measuring text readability for them has hardly been developed and used. The study aimed to check the current situations on the above issues and develop a reading framework appropriate for extensive reading within the national English curriculum, including the Readability Formula in Korean EFL contexts (KRF). The study consists of four steps. The study does a survey to check the current Korean EFL situations on the issues, suggests a new vocabulary learning size, develops a readability formula as a tool for measuring text difficulty based on the newly suggested vocabulary size, and finally validates the formula with various kinds of English books, including the primary and secondary school English textbooks. It is expected that this study will provide a model for the vocabulary size and the readability index for extensive reading in EFL contexts.

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