Abstract
Based on a widely held belief that immersion provides the best language learning opportunities, a large number of Asian students go to English-speaking countries to improve their English language skills. These strongly motivated learners arrive in a new country with a bag of expectations, learner beliefs, and imaginations about the new community they are about to enter. However, learners are often faced with a set of challenges with respect to language learning opportunities and identity negotiations in the new community. Against this background, the present study examined three cases of Korean learners enrolled in an intensive English program (IEP) in the U.S. The aim of the study was to understand distinct struggles experienced by this learner population. The study found that the participants had certain motivations and imaginations about the new communities, but they experienced numerous challenges and struggles particularly with regard to opportunities for authentic communications in English and identity conflicts. The paper discusses pedagogical implications for an effective IEP curriculum to allow students more opportunities for legitimate periphery participation in the target language communities of practice.
Highlights
As English is becoming increasingly recognized as the global language of commerce and technology, English proficiency is considered an important skill in the job market in many Asian countries (Kim & Yang, 2010; Weger, 2013)
The present study examined three cases of Korean learners enrolled in an intensive English program (IEP) in the U.S The aim of the study was to understand distinct struggles experienced by this learner population
These programs are predominantly affiliated with universities in the U.S. While these learners are often identified in the Second Language Acquisition (SLA) literature as English as a second language (ESL) learners, referring to intensive English programs (IEP) learners as ESL learners may run the risk of masking important differences between temporary sojourners, matriculated international students, and permanent immigrant populations
Summary
As English is becoming increasingly recognized as the global language of commerce and technology, English proficiency is considered an important skill in the job market in many Asian countries (Kim & Yang, 2010; Weger, 2013). While these learners are often identified in the Second Language Acquisition (SLA) literature as ESL learners, referring to IEP learners as ESL learners may run the risk of masking important differences between temporary sojourners, matriculated international students, and permanent immigrant populations These groups may exhibit substantial differences with respect to a wide range of factors including language learning histories, motivations, beliefs, identities, and social contexts. Referred to as the sociocultural theory (SCT) of second language learning, this approach puts emphasis on the role of language as a cognitive mediator and its attention to the social and cultural aspects of learning In this line of research, it can be argued that individual learners’ experiences need to be examined in relation to their unique social and cultural contexts rather than treating learners as a homogeneous group of people who receive and acquire L2 input in a uniform manner. The present study examined the contextual factors that influence IEP learners’ experiences
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