Insight Into Learners' Identity in the Korean English as a Lingua Franca Context

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to explore Korean English learners' identity and pedagogical implications of the findings. After a brief explanation about why the manners of examining English learners' identity can be diverse according to their sociocultural context, as an agency of Korean English learners' identity representation, their interactive behavior is investigated through “the theory of three levels of self.” Despite Korean learners' pursuit for native English, regulations governing social and power relationships between Koreans play an influential role in their interaction. However, trade-offs between learners' individual and relational selves in some contexts indicate that their identity options are affected by the power struggle between learners' own sociocultural norms and roles English language and culture play in their community. This study concludes by emphasizing the need to look into ELF learners through social practices in their sociocultural context to maximize learning.