Korean English As A Foreign Language Learners Research Articles

Examining Relationships between Technology and Critical Thinking: A Study of South Korean EFL Learners

Little research has been conducted to examine how technology shapes values concerning critical thinking (CT) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. Due to the need for further research, this study was designed to examine the relationships between perceptions of technology and attitudes about CT. A total of 80 EFL students were given two Likert surveys and two optional qualitative questions concerning CT and technology. Likert surveys were compared using Spearman’s rank correlation, whereas qualitative data were evaluated using reflexive thematic analysis. Quantitative results revealed that support for engagement with tech and laptops, along with support for using technology for career goals or IT skills development, positively correlated to a learner’s understanding and value for CT. In contrast, learners who favored using technology did not tend to value CT and were more likely to skip class if materials were provided online. Qualitative results also suggest that prosocial behaviors for engagement and clear goals promote positive attitudes toward CT, whereas overreliance on technology hampers the cultivation of CT in EFL classrooms. Implications for pedagogy have been proposed.

Null Subject Sentences in ‘Because’ Subordinate Clauses and L1 Transfer in English Writing by Korean Learners of English

The null subject parameter holds significant implications for L1 transfer in language acquisition. English learners whose native language permits null subject sentences often exhibit a tendency to omit subjects in their English expressions (Tati, 2021). This research investigates whether Korean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners demonstrate a similar inclination toward using null subject sentences in their English writing. This inquiry is particularly pertinent as Korean, akin to Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, is characterized by subject-drop features. Moreover, the study endeavors to elucidate the impact of the topic-prominence feature in Korean on the writing proficiency of Korean learners of English. To achieve these objectives, a thorough analysis was conducted on 20 compositions written by advanced EFL learners enrolled in an all-English University Program in South Korea. The error analysis revealed that 16 students consistently made subject-omission errors, with a pronounced frequency in subordinate clauses introduced by ‘because.’ Intriguingly, these learners also employed fragment ‘because’-clauses as a means to organize information in a topic-comment structure. This study contributes valuable insights into the manifestation of L1 transfer in the writing skills of Korean EFL learners and highlights the nuanced ways in which topic-prominence influences their English language performance.

Speaking proficiency and affective effects in EFL: Vlogging as a social media‐integrated activity

This study introduces an innovative approach to improving speaking proficiency among Korean EFL learners through the use of vlogs, further evaluating their impact on learners' foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA) and willingness to communicate (WTC). In this semester‐long experiment, 49 university students were divided into an experimental group (n = 25) and a control group (n = 24). The former engaged in vlogging activities, while the latter received traditional instruction devoid of social networking. Data were collected via pre‐ and post‐questionnaires on FLSA and WTC, coupled with pre‐ and posttests assessing speaking skills. Vlogging significantly decreased FLSA and bolstered WTC in Korean EFL learners, demonstrating a marked improvement when contrasted with the control group. Additionally, the experimental group, engaged in vlogging, displayed superior advancement in vocabulary, comprehension, fluency and task proficiency. However, no discernible enhancements were observed in speaking accuracy when compared to the control group. With the evidence of reduced anxiety, increased communication willingness and enhanced speaking proficiency in the vlogging group, this study provides a concrete foundation for EFL teachers to consider integrating vlogging and similar social media‐based activities into language instruction. This approach could contribute to creating more engaging and comfortable learning environments, aiding learners in overcoming affective barriers and improving their language skills. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Prior research in second language acquisition probed the impact of social media on diverse language learning areas: vocabulary, intercultural learning, speaking skills, pronunciation and writing skills. Social media‐integrated language learning demonstrated potential in enhancing oral proficiency among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Limited research exists exploring the influence of social media, especially vlogging, on EFL learners' speaking skills and affective factors such as Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and speaking anxiety. What this paper adds This study demonstrates that a learning environment cultivated via social media, particularly vlogging, improves speaking proficiency and positively influences affective factors like Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) and WTC. The findings suggest that social media‐integrated speaking activities, specifically vlogging, offer a beneficial and effective pedagogical strategy to ameliorate speaking proficiency, FLSA, and WTC in supportive and non‐intimidating contexts. Implications for practice and/or policy This study offers crucial insights for EFL teachers planning courses to enhance speaking proficiency: The integration of vlogging and similar social media‐based activities into language instruction is strongly supported by the evidence of reduced anxiety, increased communication willingness and enhanced speaking proficiency in the vlogging group. This study provides a concrete foundation for such innovative approaches. The creation of an engaging, interactive and stress‐free learning environment is essential, enabling learners to practice speaking English without anxiety. This approach can also aid learners in overcoming affective barriers and enhancing their language skills. EFL educators should prioritize improving key attitudinal factors, such as anxiety and WTC. These factors significantly contribute to the holistic development of oral proficiency. When incorporating social media‐based speaking activities like vlogging, teachers' targeted feedback on recurring learner mistakes can foster improvements in speaking accuracy. EFL teachers must recognize their critical role in nurturing a supportive, non‐intimidating environment, paving the way for learners to effectively enhance their speaking proficiency.

A study on the relationship between working memory capacity, L2 vocabulary size, and L2 listening proficiency

The purpose of this study is to find out how working memory is related to English vocabulary size and listening comprehension of Korean EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners. 30 college students, all English education majors, were recruited for the study. In this experiment, the backward digit span task and the operation span task were used to measure the participants’ working memory capacity. The Listening Vocabulary Level Test (LVLT) and the Michigan English Test (MET) were adopted to measure their vocabulary size and listening proficiency, respectively. To analyze the data, both descriptive and inferential statistics, in particular the correlational analysis, were employed. The results show that there is quite a variation in the participants' storage capacity, which was confirmed by the relatively high standard deviations. The correlational analyses reveal that the bigger one’s working memory storage is, the better the person processes incoming input. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between working memory capacity, English vocabulary size, and listening proficiency, which might have been caused by the fact that a small group of relatively homogeneous subjects participated in the study. Follow-up studies with bigger and diverse samples should look at what factors interacts with L2 listening that can affect listening skills in addition to L2 vocabulary knowledge.

Examining the Academic Contribution of Non-native and Native Language Instructors in College English Courses

In the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) education, native-English-speaking teachers (NESTs) have long been considered more valuable than non-native-English-speaking teachers (NNESTs). As a growing number of people around the world are becoming English learners, however, NNESTs now outnumber NESTs. This fact calls for greater attention to how the two groups of language instructors are perceived and what they actually bring to the EFL language classroom. This study examines how the predominance of NESTs in Korean EFL contexts affects Korean EFL learners and Korean college education. Grouping students according to change in their TOEIC scores over one semester (increase, decrease, no change), the study investigates the influence of NNESTs versus NESTs on (1) their students’ academic sincerity and (2) their students’ academic achievement. The study finds no meaningful difference between NNESTs’ and NESTs’ students in academic sincerity or achievement, which suggests that English teachers’ status as native or non-native speakers is irrelevant. It concludes that such labeling is no indication of the quality of language education provided by these groups.

Relative Strength of Influence of Five Factors Involved in Korean Learners’ Choice of English Ditransitive Constructions

This study aims to examine the relative strength of influence of the five factors that are known to be involved in Korean English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ choice between the two English ditransitive constructions. The five factors include animacy of theme (T), definiteness of T, pronominality of recipient (R), length difference between T and R, and semantic class of individual verb. In order to explore how differently the five factors influence Korean EFL learners’ choice between the adpositional construction (AC) and the double object construction (DC), the study used the Korean section of the TOEFL 11 corpus and conducted three correlation tests: ϕ, V, and rpbis. From the results, the following were observed: (1) the length difference between R and T had the strongest effect on the Korean EFL learners’ choice between AC and DC and (2) the relative strength of influence of the five factors examined in the Korean data set was different from those examined in a native English speaker data set. The study ends with a discussion of pedagogical implications of the findings.

Young Korean EFL Learners’ Reading and Test-Taking Strategies in a Paper and a Computer-Based Reading Comprehension Tests

ABSTRACT This study investigated whether young Korean students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) engage in similar processes when responding to reading comprehension questions delivered in two different test-presentation modes: paper and computer. It examined the relationship between the two modes and test-takers’ reading comprehension strategies, as well as the degree to which the test-takers’ reading proficiency moderates this relationship. Eighty-four Korean middle school EFL learners took both paper-based and computer-based reading comprehension tests and filled out a questionnaire of reading and test-taking strategies as well as a background questionnaire and a posttest survey. Results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the participants’ scores on the reading tests delivered on paper and computer, and there were very few statistically significant differences in strategy use between the two modes. On the other hand, there were clear differences in the strategies used by learners with different levels of English reading proficiency. Despite the similarities in test performance and strategy use between the two modes, the majority of participants preferred taking the test on paper and reported difficulties with the computer mode – a finding that might be due to the participants’ lack of familiarity with reading English on a computer screen.

Native vs Non-Native English Speaking Teachers : An Analysis of Business Schools in the Tertiary Education Sector

The study examines how Business Schools at universities in Korea can motivate Korean, English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in business courses under the policy of English-medium instruction (EMI). This research focuses on the role of non-native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) and native English speaking teachers (NESTs) in an EFL environment. To conduct the experiment, EFL learners’ motivation changes and qualitative interviews are collected; the NNEST class (n = 19), and NEST class (n = 18). The results of the motivation survey showed that at the beginning of the semester, the NNEST class learners displayed a lower level of confidence and intrinsic motivation than that of NEST class learners. However, by the end of the semester, while the intrinsic motivation levels remained the same, the NNEST class showed a higher level of confidence, interest, and extrinsic motivation than that of NEST class. Qualitative interviews were also done after the semester ended. The results of the interviews showed that motivation changes had no direct effect on classroom satisfaction in EFL contexts as learners understood the differences between NNESTs and NESTs, and their expectations in class of these two teachers were clearly different. Based on the findings, the paper also provides some policy advice to universities so as to help increase Korean EFL learners’ motivation and class satisfaction under the English-medium instruction policy.

English Island Sentences by Korean EFL Learners

This paper examined how Korean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners processed English island sentences using an experimental method. Sprouse et al. (2012) demonstrated that English native...

Korean EFL Learners' Use of to-infinitival and Gerundial Verb Complementation : A Constructionist Approach

to-infinitival and gerundial verb complementation patterns in English are known to pose particular difficulties to English as a foreign language(EFL) learners as there are often no equivalents in their mother tongue(L1) and seem no explicit rules governing the choice between the two patterns. The present study set out to examine main verbs co-occurring with either complementation pattern in a corpus of argumentative essays written by Korean university students. Specifically, the study identified distinctive collexemes(DC) or verbs distinctively attracted to one complementation pattern over the other and compared the extracted DCs with those from a comparable native speaker(NS) corpus. Results showed that while the Korean EFL learners were overall able to select verbs semantically compatible to either complementation construction, the direction and strength of verb-construction association in learner data deviated from the NS data indicating the Korean EFL learners’ lack of idiomaticity in collostructional selection. This paper concludes by discussing pedagogical and research implications.

Effects of Gender and Grade Level on Young Korean EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

The present study examined the effects of gender and grade level on English reading comprehension proficiency of young Korean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Learners. Through a nationwide reading comprehension assessment event, nine hundred seventy-nine young Korean EFL learners in Korean elementary school grades 1 through 6 were tested for their English reading comprehension measures. Statical analysis was conducted to investigate between and within group differences as well as possible interactional effect of gender and grade level. Results showed significant main effects of gender and grade level on reading comprehension. However, there was no interactional effect of gender and grade level on English reading comprehension of the young Korean EFL learners.

Investigation into Korean EFL Learners’ Acquisition of English /s/ + Consonant Onset Clusters

This paper investigated the phonological acquisition of English /s/ + consonant onset clusters by Korean learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) who varied in their levels of proficiency. The data were collected from twenty eighth-graders in a Korean secondary school, who were divided into two groups according to their proficiency: low- and high-achievement. The major findings were: 1) the high-achievement group did not use a vowel epenthesis strategy in the articulation of the /s/ + consonant onset cluster, unlike the low-achievement group; 2) the duration of /s/ pronunciation was longer in the high-achievement group, as follows: /s/ + stop + liquid, /s/ + stop, /s/ + liquid; 3) the low-achievement group’s duration of oral closure was longer than was that of the high-achievement group, as follows: /s/ + stop + liquid, s/ + stop, and 4) with regard to how /s/ + consonant onset clusters are perceived by native English speakers, /s/ + stop + liquid was related more significantly to the learners’ level of proficiency than were the biliteral consonant onset clusters. Among biliteral onsets, /s/ + stop and /s/ + liquid clusters differed significantly between the groups, while the /s/ + nasal cluster did not. Keywords: English /s/ + consonant onset clusters, L1 transfer, the sonority sequencing principle, syllable structure, L2 phonological acquisition

한국 예비 대학생의 영어 사용 특성 파악을 위한 대규모 공개 영어 학습자 코퍼스 구축 및 분석

최근 영어 학습자 코퍼스(English learner corpus)를 활용하여 다양한 영어 교육 분야에 활용하는 시도가 이뤄지고 있다. 하지만 지금까지 국내에서 개발된 대다수 영어 학습자 코퍼스는 소규모이거나 공개가 되지 않아 공익을 위한 영어 교육 콘텐츠로서의 적절한 역할을 하지 못하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 국내외 영어 학습자 코퍼스 구축 현황을 살펴보고 대규모 공개 한국인 영어 학습자 코퍼스의 필요성을 논의한다. 또한, 이와 같은 필요성을 바탕으로 1백만 단어 이상으로 만들어진 대규모 공개 한국인 영어 학습자 코퍼스 구축과정과 결과를 분석하여 예비 대학생의 영어사용 특성을 파악하고 이를 영어 교육 개선을 위해 활용할 수 있는 방안을 제안한다. In recent years, researchers have become increasingly interested in the creation and pedagogical use of English learner corpora. Many studies have shown that learner corpora can not only make a significant contribution to second language acquisition research but also contribute to the construction and evaluation of language tests by advancing our understanding of English learners. So far, however, little attention has been paid to the Korean EFL (English as a foreign language) learners' corpus. The Yonsei English Learner Corpus (YELC 2011) is a specialized, monolingual, and synchronic Korean EFL learner corpus that was developed by Yonsei University from 2011 to 2012. Over 3,000 Korean high school graduates (or equivalents) who were accepted by Yonsei University for their further studies participated in this project. It consists of 6,572 written texts (1,085,828 words) at nine different English proficiency levels. In this paper, we describe its compilation, and more specifically, how we have corpusized from a text archive to a corpus. After introducing the process of corpusization, we report arresting insights into the specific linguistic features that different proficiency levels of Korean learners of English have. This study also discusses the potential use of the YELC 2011 which is now freely available for research purposes.

Korean EFL Learners’ Curious Usage of Double Salutations in English Letter Writing

English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at a Korean university have been observed to overuse salutations in personal letters. This is interesting in light of the English as an International Language (EIL) paradigm. As previous research on the specific topic of Korean writers` use of salutations was not found, this study comprising ten focused, metapragmatic interviews about student production, therefore, attempts an initial exploration of the issue. The curious usage of double salutations is considered in light of Thomas` (1983) distinction between pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic failure and the degree of language control attributed to the learner. Although transfer appears to be the main cause of pragmatic failure, incomplete understanding of salutation meaning and function (resulting in an inappropriate assignment of pragmatic force), as well as a declared preoccupation with relational considerations aimed at achieving comity (resulting in sociopragmatically inappropriate moves), also come into play. Limited by the number of participants available, this study only purports to make a modest contribution. However, the pedagogical implications that students may need to acquire a deeper awareness of salutation use in both their native and the target languages and also reassurance of the relational effectiveness of new conventions in order to take ownership of the speech act is noteworthy.

Topical Structure Analysis of Korean EFL Learners’ Writings

This study explores Korean English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ writings to examine coherence through topical structure analysis. It compares 15 Korean EFL learners’ essays with 15 native English speakers’ essays. The study investigates how these two groups advance their writing with sentence topics and how they employ four types of topical progression, namely, parallel, sequential, extended parallel, and extended sequential progression. Subcategories in each progression, though not by means exhaustive, elucidate differences in using topical progression between the two groups. The findings show that the Korean EFL learners tend to introduce more sentence topics and use more sequential progression than the native English speakers. Finally, the study suggests implications for teaching writing and future directions.

영어와 한국어의 현재진행상 용법 비교연구－코퍼스(Corpus)를 바탕으로－

This study aims to examine the different usages of Korean and English present progressive aspect based upon corpus linguistics. There are three research questions in the present study: First, how often does the present progressive aspect appear in each Korean and English corpus? Second, how are the distributions of five categories--(1) activity in progress, (2) extended present, (3) repetition, (4) express future, and (5) a change in progress--in each Korean and English corpus?, and third, what are the characteristics of these distributions of the five categories in each Korean and English corpus? To figure out these research questions, Sejong mal-mung-chi for Korean and BROWN Corpus for English were used. The results showed that considerable differences existed between Korean and English present progressive aspect in terms of its quality as well as quantity. The number of tokens in English corpus was three times more than that in Korean corpus. And the distribution of the categories of English corpus was (1)-(2)-(5)-(4)-(3) with a relatively small difference between categories (1) and (2), while that of Korean corpus was (2)-(1)-(5)-(4)-(3) with a prominent dominance of category (2). The findings of this study can have pedagogical implications on the practical teaching method for Korean EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners to learn English present progressive aspect in more systematic way.

Twitter and Implications for Its Use in EFL Learning

This study explores the use of microblogging in language learning for three different grade levels (i.e., Grade 5, Grade 7, and Grade 11) of Korean English as a foreign language (EFL) students through one of the most popular social networking sites, Twitter (http://twitter.com). Subjects for the study consisted of 45 students, 15 from each group. The patterns, purposes, and features of the students’ Twitter use in EFL learning were analyzed based on the collected students’ tweets for three weeks to compare different aspects in them according to the grade levels. From the findings, each grade group of students tweeted with different purposes, and their tweets showed different patterns and distinctive features. Also, the updated tweets provided convincing evidence that Twitter stimulates EFL learners to promote their foreign language output and helps them maintain social interaction with other users using target language regardless of grade levels. In other words, Twitter provided a venue for communicating in the target language with other people even outside of classrooms by participating in a second language (L2) community. As a result, therefore, it is expected that Twitter can shed light on the possibility for Korean EFL learners to be members of L2 society as well as to boost their L2 output process.

Attending to What the Other is Saying: Korean EFL Learners’ Use of Backchannels in Conversation

Following conversation analytic procedures, this study examines the use of backchannels in conversations between Korean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners to identify the patterns and functions found in the interactional practices. Specifically, the analysis focuses on the use of the backchannel tokens yes, yeah, uh huh, and mm hm occurring in turn-intial positions. The results show the learners’ use of backchannels coincides with performances found in talk of native speakers, yet at the same time, discloses distinct aspects arising from the not-yet-competent status as second language (L2) learners. The learners employed the tokens yes, yeah, uh huh, and mm hm as continuers to signal the listener's attention and assure the speaker of the speakership. In particular, yeah was used for systematically gaining speakership in ongoing talk. Contrastingly, the learners were also found to use first language (L1) vocalic forms as backchannels in their talk applying them in a disfluent manner for speakership incipiency. Such behaviors seem to arise from unfamiliarity with the prosodic features of the target language, English. The findings provide a closer understanding of Korean English learners' backchannel behaviors and of L2 interactional practices.

Referencing in a Second Language: Korean EFL Learners' Cohesive Use of References in Written Narrative Discourse

This study examined Korean English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' ability to establish textual cohesion in English through appropriate selection of reference forms and reference management strategies in their written narrative discourse. It employed both quantitative and qualitative analysis to explore how the language-specific reference choices and strategies in their first language (L1) may be evident in their second language (L2) discourse production. Participants were Korean adult EFL learners and American native English speakers (NES) in college. Findings from the quantitative analysis of the written narratives showed that the specifically Korean referential strategies of heavily relying on nominals were not evident in the Korean EFL learners' English narrative discourse. However, a closer look at the data with a qualitative approach revealed that the Korean EFL learners' referential strategies were very different from those of the NES. More specifically, the qualitative analysis revealed that, unlike the NES who alternated the use of noun phrases and pronouns strategically to achieve certain discourse effects, the Korean participants did not display such sophisticated use of reference forms within an extended L2 discourse. The findings are attributed to the L1-specific reference management conventions and to the L2 learners' lack of practice and competence in referential strategies at the discourse level.

Evidence for featural units in the acquisition of speech production skills: Linguistic structure in foreign accent

This study examines correlations in accuracy of the production of one set of segments with accuracy in segments that share a featural contrast in Korean EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners. Results indicate that accuracy rates for segment sets that share gestures in production tend to correlate, while segments that contrast in the same feature, but require the acquisition of different gestures do not correlate. Data here are from two tasks, a reading task and a mimicry task. Correlation results are similar across the two tasks, though a larger range of inter-subject differences in overall accuracy is evident in the mimicry task. Comparison of correlation patterns with previously published correlation patterns in perceptual identification indicates that patterns differ for perception and production, indicating that the structure of the skill sets, and hence, the acquisitional units for production and perception are different.