Previous studies on English spelling have investigated the types of spelling errors and their frequencies, and studies on why learners made those errors have been called for. This study aimed to identify factors leading to errors in the English-spelling of Korean elementary school students. The factors were investigated by using the following methods: A total of 130 students from O Elementary School were given three types of word-writing tasks: dictation of single words, dictation of short sentences, and writing words as many as the students can based on pictures depicting familiar scenes. The errors in their writing samples were classified into five types. The students were interviewed about why they made those errors. The results showed that the errors were influenced by the factors: the students’ first language, background knowledge, pronunciation, and morphological reasons. The results suggest that if teachers understood these factors, they would be able to explore better teaching methods for reducing errors in English spelling, and that future research could apply these factors for further investigations.

The present study aimed to explore how pre-service teacher’s individual regulatory focus orientation, currently emerging as an interesting learner variable for language learning, could influence their Englishspeaking abilities. English teaching demonstration videos of 67 pre-service teachers were analyzed in terms of pronunciation, accuracy, and fluency. The regulatory focus orientations of participants were evaluated using a questionnaire. The results of data analysis, using multiple regression analysis, indicated that promotion-focus orientation was a significant positive predictor for pronunciation, fluency (words per minute, ratio of dysfluency), and accuracy (lexical errors, ratio of error-free AS-units). On the other hand, prevention-focus orientation did not emerge as a statistically significant factor affecting accuracy. However, it was observed to have a negative influence on both pronunciation and fluency. In light of the research findings that highlight the favorable impact of a promotion-focus orientation, suggestions were made for future teacher training programs aimed at enhancing the English proficiency of pre-service teachers.

This study aimed to explore the impact of AI image generators on the affective factors of college-level English learners and the correlations among these factors. During a four-week instructional period, 65 participants were asked to use Midjourney as an AI tool for their user experiences. Affective factors including interest, confidence, and participation were measured through pre- and post-surveys. Using Jamovi for analysis, significant improvements were discovered across all affective factors. Noteworthy improvements occurred in confidence, indicating a favorable impact by AI-generated images on English learning. Additionally, correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive relationships between interest and confidence, as well as confidence and participation. This confirms the interconnected nature of these affective elements in the learning process. The findings suggest that the educational use of image-generating AI tools can beneficially influence English learners’ affective domains. The study calls for further investigation into the pedagogical applications of image AI to foster a more interactive, engaged, and self-assured attitude towards language learning.

In light of the expanding use of technology in education, we attempted to analyze how Korean college students perceived the use of Machine Translation (MT) tools in the classroom. Specifically, this study attempted to explore students’ perceptions of their ability to use MT tools and to measure the reliability of the MT-generated output, along with measuring students’ general sense of confidence in English learning. This research analyzed 183 EFL college students’ responses to an online survey, and a one-way ANOVA was used to test for the differences in the averages of three groups. The results of data analysis revealed that 1) Among beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced learners, those self-identifying as advanced had the highest scores on all the factors measured.; 2) There was a significant mean difference in students’ perceptions of the ability to use MT tools, their beliefs regarding MT’s effectiveness as a learning tool, and affective attitudes towards the use of MT tools between beginner and advanced groups. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications for the effective use of MT tools in the Korean EFL classrooms, and suggestions for future research were presented.

This study explores EFL English learners’ reactions and achievements when exposed to two types of online learning, pre-recorded lectures and real-time lectures, in a semester-long English reading class. The participants were 60 Korean university English learners who attended both types of online lectures for six weeks each. They studied three parts: reading comprehension for top-down and bottom-up reading skills, grammar, and vocabulary. Midterm and final exams assessed the learners’ achievements, and one online survey was conducted to investigate their reactions. The results showed that the participants preferred to study recordings and were most satisfied with their grammar studies in recorded lectures but preferred real-time lectures for reading comprehension. The study also found that they attained better scores on top-down reading skills and vocabulary learning through recorded lessons and higher scores on bottom-up reading skills and grammar learning through real-time lectures. Finally, the study shows the participants preferred to attend a combination of both online methods. This study suggests salient online learning ways for an English reading course.

This study explores Korean EFL learner preferences and perceptions of digital composing (DC) with innovative online technology tools during the implementation of emergency remote learning measures. The research compares learner use of text-based DC and voice-based audio asynchronous online discussion (AOD). This paper investigates the following research problem: What digital modes of interactive, online instructional design can serve as appropriate, learner-accepted replacements for offline instruction? One prior finding indicated that Korean undergraduate EFL learners preferred text and audio DC to video modes. To follow up, this paper investigates 57 learners’ preferences and perceptions toward text-based and voice-based DC, and compares the results. The data analysis methods employ paired-samples Tests, and a thematic analysis to identify issues raised in student comments. The results reveal that learners’ levels of user satisfaction with voice-based audio AOD and their ratings of its perceived usefulness confirm that it can be a satisfactory, effective, and preferable task for engaging learners in digitally-mediated four-skills practice. Another finding is that utilizing a voice-based audio module did not significantly alter learners’ course satisfaction when superseding a text-based module. These findings inform pedagogical practice with empirical insights regarding learners’ use of digital technologies, levels of acceptance, and DC preferences.

The current study is designed to investigate the use of deductive and inductive grammar teaching approaches in online instructional videos in a fully online asynchronous learning context across four different grammar lessons. More specifically, the study aimed to analyze two aspects about these two options for grammar instruction; their impacts on effectiveness in learning the grammar, and also the students’ perceptions of the two options in terms of interest, effectiveness, and difficulty. To address these research aims, this study employed a quasi-experimental approach where 82 participants were divided into two groups, and each group was taught via only deductive instruction or only inductive instruction. As for the results, regarding effectiveness, an ANCOVA test resulted in no differences when comparing across all four lessons combined. Furthermore, Mann-Whitney U tests indicated no difference in effectiveness for each individual grammar lesson. Regarding student perceptions, ANOVA tests indicated no difference in the students’ perceptions of interest, effectiveness, or difficulty.

The purpose of this study is to analyze 118 studies in the field of Korean presentation education conducted between 2005 and January 2023 and to provide insight into the future direction of research in this area. The study utilized Topic modeling and direct researcher analysis methods to examine Korean presentation education research materials. The analysis revealed a steady increase in research on Korean presentation education, with high frequency keywords such as ‘academic’, ‘purpose’, ‘discourse’, and ‘class’ indicating that research has been conducted on these topics. Furthermore, the Topic modeling analysis revealed that many studies have focused on ‘study on the analysis of aspects and the use of strategies in presentation discourse’ and ‘study on the use of presentation classes by learners’, particularly for Chinese native learners. In terms of research methods, the analysis conducted through direct researcher analysis showed that the most common methods used were ‘dialogue analysis’ and ‘survey research’, and single research methods were utilized more frequently than mixed methods. Based on these findings, this study suggests that future research should focus on Korean presentation education for language learners with various purposes and employ a variety of research methods.

The scope of this study was limited to the first spelling question out of 30 Vietnamese questions of each SAT from 2014 to 2023. To analyze the difficulty of the spelling questions, we analyzed the format of the questions focusing on the questions sentence and examined how many times the vocabulary in the questions was exposed, starting from which page of the EBS CSAT Special Lecture, which is the main exam book in reality. In addition, as another criterion for measuring difficulty, we used the Vietnamese vocabulary classification presented in the standard curriculum developed as part of the Critical foreign Languages Education Promotion to see what level the vocabulary on the question corresponds to. To summarize the characteristics of the four periods divided based on the questions sentence, the difficulty level of the spelling questions was inconsistent over the past 10 years and became difficult in the second period, but through the third and fourth periods, the level of completion increased and the difficulty level found its appropriate level.

This paper compares the language policies implemented in Korea and Japan based on the Korean Language Basic Law and the Promotion of Japanese Language Education Act. The research examines the purpose, background, key policy agencies, measures taken, and achievements of legislation in order to gain insight into the philosophy behind and direction of national language education as a foreign language. The findings are summarized as follows: Firstly, there are differences between Korea and Japan in terms of the process and background of enacting policies for native language education as a foreign language. But in both cases, the legislation regarding language policies carries significant meaning as it imposes obligations on responsible bodies. Secondly, there are points worth noting regarding the content aspect that constitutes educational curricula. Within educational curricula frameworks lie ideological values inherent within them. Both Korean and Japanese languages’ educational curricula as foreign languages fundamentally embrace multilingualism and interculturalism.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the receptive vocabulary size of Korean university students in Chinese. The study was conducted at the end of the 2022 fall semester and focused on the receptive aspect of vocabulary knowledge, specifically on ‘reading.’ The participants were divided into three groups: 1st year, 2nd year, and 3rd-4th year students, and a vocabulary assessment was carried out. The assessment vocabulary consisted of 80 items extracted from the HSK (2015) test. As a result, the accuracy rates were 60.07% for the 1st year, 76.98% for the 2nd year, and 80.77% for the 3rd-4th year. After conducting one-way ANOVA and post hoc tests, there were statistically significant differences in scores between the 1st year group and both the 2nd year and 3rd-4th year groups. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2nd year and 3rd-4th year groups. When comparing the accuracy rates to the cumulative vocabulary of 5,000 words in the HSK level 6, it showed that the 1st year group knew approximately 3,103.50 words, the 2nd year group knew 3,849.00 words, and the 3rd-4th year group knew 4,038.5 words.

The purpose of this study is to estimate the future of second foreign language (hereafter, second FL) education after the high school credit system by understanding the primary/secondary teachers’ perceptions of second FL and the actual organization/operation status of second FL, and then to seek the proper tasks and solutions to expand students’ right to choose subjects, which is the purpose of this system. 324 primary/secondary school teachers participated in this study and the results are as follows. First, the languages the teachers preferred the most and would like to recommend to students were Chinese, other languages, French, and Japanese, in that order. Second, in the results of verifying the value of second FL education the primary/secondary teachers reported that overall they not only perceived the necessity of second FL education but also strongly agreed on the necessity to open various second FL subjects. Third, regarding the status of second FL subject, both Chinese and Japanese were overwhelmingly found in secondary school and a subject presented as a choice to students inquiring about their preferences and demands. This implies that the imbalance in second FL education originated not from students’ demand but from the imbalance of second foreign language teachers.

The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the perceptions and attitudes of adult native speakers of Korean and Chinese toward the pronunciation of World Englishes. Fifty-two Korean and 63 Chinese speakers listened to six variations of World Englishes and then completed a questionnaire outlining their perceptions and attitudes toward the different pronunciations. The survey results revealed that Korean adult English learners showed less favorable attitudes toward different pronunciations of World Englishes than Chinese adult language learners did. Korean adult learners preferred American English, but Chinese adult learners preferred Canadian English. Among the three individual variables measured, the first language showed the greatest influence in their responses. The findings of this study imply that, in the context of English education in Korea, it is necessary to raise the awareness of both teachers and learners to the acceptability of World Englishes through exposure to a wide variety of English pronunciations.

The research examines the types and causes of L2 writing anxiety Korean EFL learners experience and the influence of study abroad experience on L2 writing anxiety types. For the current study, a total of 128 university students majoring in different subjects responded to a questionnaire consisting of the three parts, including 1) the background questionnaire, 2) Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI), and 3) Causes of Writing Anxiety Inventory (CWAI). In order to analyse the collected data, descriptive statistics and an independent sample t-test were employed. The results showed that the participants were more likely to face cognitive anxiety than somatic anxiety and avoidance behavior. Moreover, L2 learners’ previous study abroad experience had an impact on avoidance behavior more than cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety. It was also found that main causes of L2 writing anxiety are learners’ linguistic difficulties, fear of teachers’ negative comments, and insufficient writing practice. Based on the findings, both implications for teaching English writing and suggestions for future research are discussed.

The study is aimed at exploring impacts of self-assessment on students’ self-regulated learning and satisfaction at a university setting. Twenty-one students taking a foreign language pedagogy course participated in the study. Weekly self-assessment was assigned for 8 weeks to see if it improved students’ self-regulated learning. Student questionnaire was collected twice on the 7th and the 15th week; in addition, in-depth interviews were conducted to gather students’ perceptions of self-assessment in terms of its benefits and drawbacks. Findings based on quantitative and qualitative analysis are as follows. Firstly, significant positive impacts of self-assessment were found in all three domains of self-regulated learning: cognitive, motivational, and behavioral. Secondly, students found self-assessment overall satisfactory and useful in their studies. In-depth interviews further revealed that self-assessment helped to regulate their study behaviors effectively, which, in turn, led to a better understanding of the subject matter and greater participation in class activities. At the same time, however, some students expressed some burden as a drawback of self-assessment. Pedagogical implications and research suggestions for future study were discussed.

The current study presents a methodology of teaching the connotations and nuances of the word Han (恨) to English-speaking Korean language learners. Since Han (恨) expresses unique and traditional aspects of Korean sensibilities, the goal would be for native English speakers to be able to understand the complexities of its meaning, in spite of the differences in culture background. To this end, research was done into how Han (恨) is translated into English, as there is no term in English with the same meaning. From these findings, a list of Korean vocabulary related to the meaning of Han (恨) was made to show its definitions in English. In addition, a survey was conducted on 42 Americans to find out how English speakers understand Han (恨). As a result of this research, the current study demonstrates the need to teach the meaning of Han (恨) to Korean language learners from English-speaking countries, and suggests a teaching methodology which follows the order of Pre-Class, In-Class and After-Class study based on the Flip-Learning model.

This study aims to investigate the effects of using AI chatbots in Korean English education from a macro perspective. For this purpose, 19 experimental studies are selected to conduct a meta-analysis, synthesizing the results of 51 individual study cases. The results of this study are as follows: First, it is found that the overall effect size of using chatbots is more than medium size meaning that a chatbot is an effective tool to learn English. Second, in the aspects of linguistic competence and affective categories, each shows over medium sizes like the overall effect size. In details of the dependent variables, vocabulary and speaking in linguistic competence and motivation in affective categories, large effect sizes are shown. Third, the effect sizes are getting larger, as the younger the students are, the longer the experiment period lasts, and the more purpose-built the chatbot is. But the differences in the effect sizes in terms of these moderators (e.g., school level, experiment period, and chatbot type) are not significant. Lastly, it is suggested that follow-up studies are needed to collect a sufficient number of experimental study cases and subdivide the variables for performing a more detailed meta-anlysis.

This study compares AI PengTalk’s assessments of Korean children’s pronunciation with the assessments of Korean teachers. Sixty Korean sixth-graders participated as assessees, and four Korean elementary teachers participated as assessors. Both PengTalk and the teachers rated the children’s production of 10 English sentences on a five-point scale. They focused on segmentals, stress-rhythm, intonation, and speech rate. The findings were as follows: Firstly, PengTalk evaluated the children’s pronunciation in the four elements significantly lower than the teachers across all English proficiency levels. Secondly, teachers’ ratings of the students aligned more closely with their pre-evaluated English proficiency levels than the AI PengTalk’s assessments. The teachers rated students at the upper level significantly higher than those at the intermediate level, who were, in turn, assessed significantly higher than those at the lower level in all four elements. Furthermore, AI PengTalk and the teachers differed in the mean order of the four elements, particularly in segmentals. Based on the results of this study, suggestions were made for the development and implementation of AI-based English programs.

This article reports on an experimental study that investigated the effects of different conditions of listener backchannels on the fluency of L2 speakers. The participants were 15 advanced Chinese learners of Korean who performed oral tasks in three different backchannel conditions: (1) verbal + nonverbal (V+NV), (2) nonverbal-only (NV), and (3) no backchannels (NB). The verbal backchannels included “[ŋ~] (Non lexical verbal form)”, “[ne]”, “[ɑ]”, “[ɨm]” while the nonverbal backchannels involved head nodding. Fluency was assessed via three temporal measures: Rate A, Rate B and MLR. The data was statistically analyzed using SPSS 25 package. The results showed that 15 Chinese participants in the NV condition were more fluent than in the V+NV or NB conditions. However, no significant differences were found between the V+NV and NB conditions. These results suggest that nonverbal backchannels may facilitate the fluency of advanced Chinese learners of Korean during oral tasks depending on the nature of backchannel use in their L1 and sociocultural environments. The present research theoretically broadens the scope of both fluency and backchannel studies and provides valuable data and methods for empirical studies on backchannels to Korean.

Caldecott medal winners have been recognized as best picture books, and they become one of the most predominantly selected literary works for children. Impacts they have on children’s emotional, social, and linguistic development are well-recognized in various areas such as literacy, literature, and sociology. As educational philosophies embedded in Caldecott medal winners may contribute to their ‘didactic’, sociocultural, and linguistic impacts, this study explores what educational philosophies are embodied in 85 Caldecott medal winners from 1938 to 2022. It classifies them in terms of five major educational philosophies (progressivism, essentialism, perennialism, existentialism, and postmodernism including multiculturalism, feminism, ecology, and metafictive devices). Finally, it traces their prevailing trends from the chronological order in which they are introduced. The findings of this study are as follows: 1) Some educational philosophies such as essentialism and multiculturalism have appeared most frequently while perennialism and progressivism are no longer prevalent modes presented in Caldecott winners; 2) The changes in overall chronological flows of educational philosophies are made from essentialism to postmodernism, especially promoting picture books of metafictive devices. This study assumes that using appropriate Caldecott winners that can meet children’s different educational needs would better result in their emotional, sociocultural, and linguistic development.