• Title/Summary/Keyword: thinking-in-English

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A Study of the Relations among English Thinking Structure, Pre-English Skill, Self-Efficacy in English, Flow and Learning Effect (e-Learning에서 영어식 사고구조, 사전 영어능력, 영어자기효능감의 몰입을 통한 학습효과)

  • Kang, Jung-Hwa
    • Journal of Digital Convergence
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    • v.8 no.4
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    • pp.165-176
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    • 2010
  • The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between variables affecting learning effect and flow experience on an e-Learning English program. There are 4 independent variables; English thinking structure, self-efficacy in English and flow. The results are as follows: Firstly, there is statistically significant positive correlation between each variable of English thinking structure, pre English skill, self-efficacy in English, flow and learning effect. Secondly, it appeared that flow was affected by all three variables of English thinking structure, pre-English skill and self-efficacy in English. Also flow experience affected learning improvement. Finally, it is verified that there is a mediating effect of flow experience on the relation of self-efficacy in English and learning effect.

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Teaching English Literature and Critical Thinking, beyond just Language Acquisition

  • Kim, Yeun-Kyong
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.71-90
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    • 2010
  • This study suggests that English literature educators need to be eclectic and flexible in applying theories and methods, not simply adhering to one or two for all situations and occasions. They need to be available to go with the flow and particularly employ whatever is needed at any given moment of class time. There is a current trend emphasizing English literature as merely a language resource rather than the study of English literature as an end in itself. Without much attention given to literary analysis and criticism, students tend to lack creative and critical thinking abilities. Given the current imbalance, it would seem important to address the issue, and create English class programs that maintain a balance between teaching the study of English literature to improve students' critical thinking abilities, and its use as a language resource. To fulfill this goal, thorough preparation is required. Indeed, we can direct our intelligence more effectively when we are well prepared and we are familiar with the basic methods and mechanics of teaching our subject. The greatest achievement of the English literature class I taught was that the students showed unexpectedly remarkable creative and critical appreciation of the novel we studied, in addition to improving their English language skills.

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Problems in teaching English and effective learning methods (영어교육의 문제점과 효과적인 학습방법)

  • Kim, Ji-Won
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.167-186
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    • 2006
  • We live in a global village that requires a language with a genuinely global status as a means of communication. During the twentieth century, English has clearly emerged as the lingua franca owing to both past British political imperialism and the more recent superpower status of the United States. Further contributing to world domination of the English language is the fact that the computer and Internet sprang from the US. Whether you like it or not, you are destined to learn English at least to some extent in order to live in this global village. For the last two decades, one of the most mistaken ideas a number of Korean English teachers have had is that speaking and listening are the primary forms of language, while reading and writing are secondary. In fact, reading is regarded as a skill of much consequence to us since it provides us with access to a huge quantity of information on the Internet, of which at least 80% is written in English. Writing, too, deserves a great deal of attention because we are increasingly called upon to use standard English expressions. As diligent learners of English, we had better not forget the place accorded to language not only as a medium for exchange and constructing information but as a tool for thinking. So we should try to think in English to the point where we have thinking-in-English as a habit, thereby leading to increased familiarity with the language. Such familiarity entails, above all, possessing a command of English.

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Putting Images into Second Language: Do They Survive in the Written Drafts?

  • Huh, Myung-Hye
    • Journal of English Language & Literature
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    • v.56 no.6
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    • pp.1255-1279
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    • 2010
  • Much has already been learned about what goes on in the minds of second language writers as they compose, yet, oddly enough, until recently little in the L2 research literature has addressed writing and mental imagery together. However, images and imaging (visual thinking) play a crucial role in perception (the basis of mental imagery), in turn, affecting language, thinking, and writing. Many theorists of mental imagery also agree that more than just language accounts for how we think and that imagery is at least as crucial as language. All of these demands, to be sure, are compounded for EFL students, which is why I investigate EFL students' writing process, focusing on the use of mental imagery and its relationship to the writing. First I speculate upon some ways that imagery influences EFL students' composing processes and products. Next, I want to explore how and whether the images in a writer's mind can be shaped effectively into a linear piece of written English in one's writing. I studied two university undergraduate EFL students, L and J. They had fairly advanced levels of English proficiency and exhibited high level of writing ability, as measured by TOEFL iBT Test. Each student wrote two comparison and contrast essays: one written under specified time limitations and the other written without the pressure of time. In order to investigate whether the amount of time in itself causes differences within an individual in imagery ability, the students were placed under strict time constraints for Topic 1. But for Topic 2, they were encouraged to take as much time as necessary to complete this essay. Immediately after completing their essays, I conducted face-to-face retrospective interviews with students to prompt them for information about the role of imagery as they write. Both L and J have spent more time on their second (untimed) essays. Without time constraint, they produced longer texts on untimed essay (149 vs. 170; 186 vs 284 words). However, despite a relatively long period of time spent writing an essay, these students neither described their images nor detailed them in their essays. Although their mental imagery generated an explosion of ideas for their writings, most visual thinking must merely be a means toward an end-pictures that writers spent in purchasing the right words or ideas.

Applying Problem-Based Language Learning in an Online Class: Designing a PBLL Unit

  • Abdullah, Mardziah Hayati;Chong, Larry Dwan
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.9 no.spc
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    • pp.1-17
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    • 2003
  • This paper aims to propose that Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a method that can help meet the conditions in language learning and instruction. PBL was first used in medical education, where learners engaged in problem-solving activities that reflect the demands of real-life professional practice, thus promoting critical thinking in the content domain. The paper proposes that by applying PBL in language learning and creating situations in which learners work collaboratively on problems, the learners benefit in two respects: (i) they have the opportunity to practise the kind of thinking skills and problem-solving strategies needed in real life, and (ii) they engage in purposeful language activity with others through discussion and negotiation. The paper first provides a theoretical rationale far the use of PBL in language learning and suggests attendant changes in the role of a language instructor in a PBL context. The paper then presents an outline of the stages and components needed in designing an online PBL Unit far use in an undergraduate language class.

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Visual Thinking Tools in Enhancing ESL Students' Writing Ability

  • Rafik-Galea, Shameem
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.67-89
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    • 2005
  • Writing is a difficult skill for many people, both for children and adult alike and generally most people find it difficult to write down their thoughts effectively. Numerous studies have revealed that teachers find it frustrating to teach writing and many failed to help ESL students develop their writing ability. The theoretical emphasis on process oriented writing instruction has, in general brought about positive changes in the way writing is taught and has become widely accepted in the teaching of English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL). Although the interpretation and implementation of the process approach varies considerably from instructor to instructor, nevertheless, the emphasis on process writing has brought about significant and beneficial changes in teachers' orientations to writing. Despite the theoretical recognition of writing as a recursive process, many ESL/EFL classrooms continue to teach writing as a linear sequence of planning, pre-writing, writing, revising and editing and has not enhanced ESL/EFL students writing ability to the desired level. There appears to be a missing link in helping students to crystallize their thoughts before writing. Studies have shown that incorporating visual thinking tools into the process approach of ESL writing can enhance students' ability to write. This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study on the effects of using visual thinking tools in enhancing ESL students writing.

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The War of Languages: Korean versus English (언어 전쟁 : 한국어 대 영어)

  • 이병혁
    • Lingua Humanitatis
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    • v.1 no.2
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    • pp.229-238
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    • 2001
  • Globalization and informatization today mean the world wide spread of the information made by America, the American mode of thinking, the American way of life, and the English language based on the world wide information network led by America. Under this worldly currents, all He Korean wish to learn English. Now English turns to be the essential means to survival in Korea. In this article, we try to interpret this blindly pursuit of English from the point of view of the war of languages. For this purpose, we begin to examine the position of English in the world from the perspective of linguistic imperialism. Next, we review the linguistic reality of South Korea penetrated by English from the perspective of officialization of English in Korea. Finally, we propose to modernize and informatiz Korean to fight against the penetration of English into Korean culture. It depends on the success or failure of the development of the computer system operated by Korean.

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A Critical Approach on the Extension of Lecture in English at Colleges (대학의 영어강의 확대에 대한 비판적 논의)

  • Kim, Dal-Hyo
    • Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.38-51
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    • 2010
  • The purpose of this study was to criticize (through available documents) the lecture in English at colleges. It is necessary that a study of English is emphasized in the era of internationalization. But, the indiscreet extension of lecture in English without consideration of the purpose, principle, and philosophy of college's education needs reflective thinking. This study criticized four dimensions, in other words the effectiveness of lecture in English, criteria of internationalization and college's competition of lecture in English, social inequality of lecture in English, and the harmfulness in the value of Korean language of lecture in English. First, most researches expressed the indiscreet extension of lecture in English was not effective in both students and professors. Second, many scholars and agencies on the internationalization and college's competition excluded the lecture in English as criteria. Third, the indiscreet extension of lecture in English had the possibility of social inequality. And fourth, the indiscreet extension of lecture in English had harmfulness in the value of Korean language and Korean's thought. College's education is an ivory tower in society. So, colleges should discard the thought that extension of lecture in English is the best way. Colleges should keep the purpose, principle, and philosophy of college's education.

Raising Critical Awareness of Watching American TV Cartoons in an ESL Context

  • Suh, Young-Mee;Jung, Yoosun
    • English Language & Literature Teaching
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    • v.18 no.3
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    • pp.223-242
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    • 2012
  • The study focused on exploring the ways that young ESL learners can cultivate media literacy by asking critical questions about the messages embedded in popular American TV cartoons. The participants in the study were five Korean children who came from three different families that had been living in a Midwestern college-town in the U. S. for less than two years. Research methods include analysis of interviews, video-taped sessions and photos of children's drawings. The children were asked about their American cartoon viewing habits as well as critical questions after watching two episodes of their favorite cartoons-Pok$\acute{e}$mon and SpongeBob. The analysis revealed that on one hand popular culture played an important role in helping children to adjust to a new culture and in motivating them to learn English. Further, the children believed that watching American cartoons was helping them improve their English skills. On the other hand, it appeared that they were not accustomed to being asked critical questions and thinking critically while watching American cartoons. Participation in the study increased the children's familiarity with critical questions and critical thinking to varying degrees. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for teachers are discussed.

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A Study on the Development of Programming Education Model Applying English Subject in Elementary School (초등학교 영어교과를 적용한 프로그래밍 교육 모델 개발)

  • Heo, Miyun;Kim, Kapsu
    • Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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    • v.21 no.5
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    • pp.497-507
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    • 2017
  • Research on software education and linking and convergence of other subjects has been mainly focused on mathematics and science subjects. The dissatisfaction of various preferences and types of learning personality cause to learning gap. In addition, it is not desirable considering the solution of various fusion problems that can apply the computational thinking. In this way, it is possible to embrace the diverse tendencies and preferences of students through the linkage with the English subject, which is a linguistic approach that deviates from the existing mathematical and scientific approach. By combining similarities in the process of learning a new language of English education and software education. For this purpose, based on the analysis of teaching - learning model of elementary English subject and software education, we developed a class model by modifying existing English subject and software teaching - learning model to be suitable for linkage. Then, the learning elements applicable to software education were extracted from the contents of elementary school English curriculum, and a program applied to the developed classroom model was designed and the practical application method of learning was searched.