• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.237-254
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• 2011

This study investigated Korean university students' perceptions of NESTs (Native English Speaking Teachers) and NNESTs (Non-native English Speaking Teachers) in TEE (Teaching English through English) courses to examine strengths and weaknesses of NESTs and NNESTs. 100 university students who had an experience in taking TEE courses with both NESTs and NNESTs answered the questionnaire in which they were asked to answer questions of general area, language skills, affective areas, and teaching behaviors. 20 students out of them were also interviewed to consolidate the data. The results revealed that except for speaking ability, students did not express a strong preference for NESTs and they did have a preference in learning some specific skills. In terms of affective areas, students had a preference for NNESTs. In addition, there were differences in teaching behaviors of NESTs and NNESTs. These findings have valuable implications for NNESTs to improve their speaking proficiency: analyzing and participating in discourses, and monitoring teaching practice through videotaping.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.255-272
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• 2011

As the demand of English education is increasing, the demand for Native English speaking teachers (NEST) is rising, especially in Asian countries. However, due to the low number of NEST, the Korean government is suggesting that Filipino Women be used as English teachers as an alternative. This study aims to answer three questions: (1) are Filipino women in Korea qualified to teach English based on the error analysis of their written essays? (2) what are the linguistic features found in their diagnostic essays? and (3) is their written English better than Korean college students' written English based on the comparison of the two groups? The findings from the Filipino participants show the most frequently occurring errors are related to punctuation usage (commas and hyphens), vocabulary (word choice), verb usage, redundancy, and even as basic as capitalization usage. The results from the comparison of the two groups show that the percentage of the Filipino participants' written error was 14% while the percentage of the Korean participants was 17%. The findings would give us some ideas on the qualification of Filipino women in Korea as English teachers.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.51-78
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• 2006

This research conducted between March and December of 2005 has focused on analyzing a diverse range of educational services provided by English native-speaking instructors teaching in Korea. This study includes quantitative research findings from 238 university students. This dual-semester research study focuses on our most recent Korean EFL (English as a Foreign Language) programs provided for university students who wish to improve their English ability. Many students hope to partake in lectures taught by Native English Speaking teachers (hereafter NS teachers), and many universities are also willing to open additional courses for these students. However, in order for lectures to be most effective, NS instructors need to be appropriately trained or qualified teachers in order to successfully educate their students. Furthermore, NS teachers need to constantly review their teaching styles and strategies to allow for professional development and to ensure an improvement in their teaching methodology. Overall, this research provides whole English lecture views of NS teachers that is data-driven regarding designing, implementing, evaluating, and reforming the education of English taught by NS teachers working in Korea.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.59-77
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• 2011

In recent years, as many native English speakers are working in Asia to as English teachers, team teaching with local teachers has been commonly implemented within the Korean EFL classroom. Using qualitative case studies, this paper aims to explore native English-speaking teachers' (NESTs) perceptions of team teaching and their challenges at different secondary Korean schools. The study documents the challenges faced by three foreign teachers embedded in intercultural teaching teams. The data shows that common challenges include vague role distribution among teachers, problems presented by mixed levels of students, large classes, and students' low valuation during foreign teacher's classes, which go ungraded. The study calls for serious governmental efforts to change these fundamental problems and closely examine local factors that strongly affect team teaching practices before initiating a system of importing foreign teachers without proper preparation.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.87-110
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• 2007

Past studies conducted on the students' verbal participation both in and out of class have explored and identified variables affecting the process of learning to speak English. However, little is known about the causes and effects of these variables. A survey form developed from a previous study was administered to 468 university students taking English conversation classes from native speakers of English. To better understand the causes and effects of speaking barriers, path analysis was administered as the main tool of investigation. The results of the study indicate that familiarities toward NS (Native Speaker) teachers, learner faithfulness, che-myon, NS teachers' classroom management skills, and NS teacher's trustworthiness account for 50.72% of speaking grades. These factors are causally related to learner attitudes. However, with regard to speaking grades, all of the above factors except che-myon are also causally related with each other. Therefore, it was concluded that learner attitudes can be improved by minimizing che-myon, however, che-myon itself cannot be a predictor of speaking grades. To validate the findings of the study, related research work is discussed and implications are provided.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.157-175
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to compare learners' view on Korean and native teachers of English with regard to competence of teaching skills. A total of 166 high school students attending the same high school in Korea participated in a questionnaire survey. The students were asked a series of questions about their five Korean teachers of English and three natives. The analysis of the results indicates that the learners believed Korean English teachers would be better in teaching vocabulary, grammar and reading than native English teachers. The learners answered native English teachers would be better in teaching speaking, listening, and writing. In the areas of the accuracy of classroom language, the level of teacher-centeredness, and the amount of cultural information given in a classroom, there were no significant differences in the learners' responses between Korea and native teacher of English. By recognizing the differences of the learners' views on two different types of ELT teachers, we suggest that it would be beneficial for learners if we would utilize their views in designing and administrating a team-teaching program.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2009

The study aims to answer two questions: (a) what perceptions do NNESTs have about teaching native English speaking (NES) students? (b) what perceptions do NES students have of their NNESTs? The study participants were four NNESTs and 17 NES students. Data were collected through one-on-one interviews, which were analyzed qualitatively. Major study findings showed the differences between the NNESTs and their NES students in the area of teaching and language performance. The NNESTs were perceived by their students as using ineffective teaching techniques, lacking in their command of English, especially accent; the NNESTs, in turn, perceived themselves as well-prepared teachers with not too much concern about nonnativeness of English, and felt that their students were not actively engaged in their class. The present study indicates, for both NNESTs and NES students, the need to be aware of World Englishes (WE) in terms of language and pedagogy. This involves the variety of Englishes, especially with different accents existence among nonnative speakers, and the variety of learning and teaching methods in English class, where both need to create a balance between the old and new perspective to maintain a middle ground.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2010

In the past, Korean English language learners focused on knowledge of grammatical structures. Thus Korean trained instructors, who focused on explaining the grammar structures, were seen as being preferable for teaching in EFL (English as a foreign language) classrooms. However, with the focus changed to speaking capability Koreans now desire 'fluent' English more than 'accuracy' seeing if possible (Mottos, 1997). Current study has been concerned about the issue of how non-native learners of English perceive the difference between native teachers (NTs) and non-native teachers (non-NTs) of English in the context of ELT classroom. The study explores the issues and problems the followed and how non-NTs can enhance teaching practice of speaking and listening lessons through multimedia application.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-46
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• 2007

Teachers can maximize students' L2 learning by knowing preferred learning styles. This paper presents the results of a survey that asked 309 English learners to identify their perceptual learning style preferences. It further compared students' favored learning styles in terms of their gender and major field of study and explored a possible link between learning styles and English achievement. Collected data using Reid's (1995) questionnaire were analyzed by descriptive statistics, MANOVA, ANOVA, correlations, multiple regressions including squared partial correlations, and Cronbach's alpha. The results indicated that Korean students favored English learning in group regardless of gender, while their preferred mode of learning was significantly different in regard to their major field of study. Certain learning styles might be profitable for English achievement. Multiple regression analyses revealed that individual mode of learning was the best predictor of students' English achievement. It furthermore showed significant relationships between visual and individual styles of learning and English performance. The findings of the study reflected students' English learning context in which English native-speaking teachers frequently used communicative pair and small group activities for speaking practices that were consonant with students' learning styles.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.33-57
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• 2009

Taking the issues of inequity and power between NES and NNES teachers as a starting point, this qualitative study explores the way the widespread belief of the native speaker fallacy manifests itself in one NNES teacher's teaching life and is linked to the teacher's understanding of herself as an English teacher. Guided by critical applied linguistics (Pennycook, 2001) and using Bourdieu's (1991) theorization of symbolic violence, I conducted an instrumental case study (Stake, 1995) in an ESL writing class at a US university. I collected data through classroom observations and interviews over a nine-month period and analyzed the data using the constant comparison method (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). The findings illustrate the ways the dominant ideology of the native speaker fallacy works to maintain and reproduce the status quo unequal relation between NES and NNES teachers by making all parties involved believe in the artificial sociocultural arrangements that favor NES teachers as legitimate. The findings direct our attention to the importance of critical teacher education that will enable future TESOL professionals to engage in critical reflection on diverse issues and envision transformative change. The findings, in particular, point to the need for language support for NNES teachers in TESOL teacher education.