Korean University Students’ Experiences and Beliefs about Medium of Instruction in English Speaking Classes

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to further understand Korean university students’ perception of using English as a primary medium of instruction in English speaking classes, along with their beliefs about what language would prove the most beneficial as a medium of instruction. This study aims to present the beliefs that students hold about which language(s) should be employed and for what reasons, as well as whether these beliefs vary depending on the students’ language proficiency. This research was based on the responses given by students after having direct experience participating in English speaking classes taught in English. This study used a survey questionnaire as the primary source of data which contained multiple choice questions, a Likert-scale, and open-ended questions. Data was collected from a total of 135 predominantly first-year Korean university students who self-reported as being at the beginner and intermediate-levels. A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics and a series of independent sample t-tests were used for the multiple choice questions and Likert-scale questions and content analysis applied to open-ended questions. Data analysis revealed that students had positive experiences in English speaking classes taught in English. The advantages of the English-only classes included the English-rich environment, improved familiarity with English, a positive emotional response, increased attentiveness to English, and most importantly, improvement in English proficiency. At the same time, students also reported difficulties in understanding lectures and instructions and in communicating with their teachers in English. They coped by using various strategies, such as machine translators and by asking their teachers questions. However, beginner-level students were more self-reliant while intermediate-level students used a balanced use of self-sufficiency and human resources. Regarding their beliefs about what language should be used as the medium of instruction, both beginner and intermediate students believed that English should remain the primary language used in class with a moderate use of L1 being suggested. Specifically, students agreed that L1 may provide benefits in academic, affective, and managerial domains. However, beginner-level students found using L1 to be more advantageous than intermediate-level students. The findings of this study suggest employing an English medium of instruction across varying English proficiency levels in English speaking classes and discusses various methods that might be considered by teachers when employing an English medium of instruction, one of which would be allowing for the use of the students’ L1 to a moderate extent under certain circumstances.