This study investigates the claim that task-induced involvement load has an effect on vocabulary learning and examines the effect of task types and word concreteness on intentional vocabulary learning in the Korean EFL context. This study aims at testing whether productive word-focused tasks lead to equally effective vocabulary learning when the total involvement load index is equal but the distribution of index levels of each component (need, search, and evaluation) is different. The three productive word-focused task types are gap-fillig, sentence writing, and gap-filling through word transformation. In addition, in order to investigate the effect of word concreteness on vocabulary learning, two groups of target words were selected based on the level of word concreteness. In sum, the results of this study generally supported involvement load hypothesis (Laufer & Hulstijin, 2001) and test types and proficiency levels proved to be important variables that affect vocabulary learning. Moreover, the findings also indicated that word concreteness was not a major factor in vocabulary learning. The pedagogical implications and further suggestions are discussed.

This study examined whether learning context and language aptitude affected the use of pronunciation learning strategies and pronunciation proficiency. One hundred thirty-eight Chinese learners (88 KFL Ss & 50 KSL Ss) learners were investigated for the correlation between learning context(KSL, KFL), language aptitude (high/low), pronunciation learning strategy and pronunciation proficiency. Participants' sound discrimination ability was measured by PLAB and then they were divided into high group (upper 30%) and low group (lower 30%) by scores. SPLS and personal information survey were also conducted. The results showed that (i) a significant difference was found in pronunciation proficiency pursuant to learning context and language aptitude, (ii) use of pronunciation learning strategy differed significantly pursuant to learning context and language aptitude, and (ⅲ) use of pronunciation learning strategy could predict pronunciation proficiency. The findings suggest that effective pronunciation learning strategy should be investigated and taught in L2 Korean classroom.

The purpose of this study is to analyze part of speech distribution according to proficiency level in 66 Korean textbooks used in major Korean language institutes. Since the number of Korean learners with instrumental motivation has significantly increased, it becomes a very important issue to evaluate their Korean proficiency levels measured through the official assessment of Korean Proficiency Test (TOPIK). Language teaching is subject to certain target learners, and it is necessary to proceed along with studies on them by considering the utilization of their research results. With regard to the distribution of different parts of speech throughout the proficiency levels, 593,100 nouns accounted for 47.86% of the total, 267,334 verbs accounted for 21.57%, and 108,593 adjectives accounted for 8.76%. Other than these three major parts of speech, those that modify other elements of a sentence show a comparatively high percentage. Although many parts of the textbooks contain dialogues or conversational sentence examples, the percentage of abbreviated words or exclamations that represent the characteristics of the spoken language were not very high.

This study aims to study factors affecting level of Korean language proficiency for North Korean Refugee Adolescents dwelling in Korea. 30 North Korean Refugee Adolescents were asked to answer three different questionnaires designated to investigate Korean language proficiency, Acculturative Stress and demographic background. This study adopts altered TOPIK for the evaluation of Korean language proficiency, and focuses on finding out the relationship of Korean language proficiency with sexuality, age, years of Korean study, and duration of dwelling in China. The SPSS for windows 15 was used for the statistical analysis. Acculturative Stress Scale was measured with the ASIS that was developed by Sandhuand Asrabadi(1994) and Proficiency Test that was selected by TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korea) session 22, 23. Cronbach for Acculturative Stress Scale was 0.898. Internal consistency reliability for Korean proficiency test was 0.897. The result shows that learning methods(Korean friends or books), duration of stay in China, Korean use, learning period, age, and gender have significant relationship with level of Korean proficiency, especially periods living in China has more significant relationship with the proficiency. The result from this study helps to recognize factors affecting level of Korean language proficiency. Specifically, the Korean proficiency of North Korean Refugee Adolescents who live in Korea has a close relationship with Acculturative Stress Scale. These facts indicate that not only the Korean education are required to effectively increase the Korean education itself, but also developing the competency of Cultural Acculturation are needed to be followed up as well for North Korean Mission.

This study aims to study factors affecting level of Korean language proficiency for Korean Missionaries' Kids (MK) dwelling in Turkey. 45 Korean MKs were asked to answer three different questionnaires designated to investigate Korean language proficiency, cultural identity and demographic background. This study adopts altered TOPIK for the evaluation of Korean language proficiency, and focuses on finding out the relationship of Korean proficiency with sexuality, age, age at immigration to Turkey, years of Korean study, self-recognition of cultural identity, cultural identity of Korea, and cultural identity of Turkey. The SPSS for windows 17was used for the statistical analysis.Ethnic Identity Scale was measured with the KAEIS that was developed by Ahn(1999) and Proficiency Test that was selected by TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korea) session 19, 20. Cronbach  for cultural identity of Korea was 0.823 and Cronbach  for cultural identity of Turkey was 0.691. Internal consistency reliability for Korean proficiency test was 0.891. The result shows that cultural identity of Korea and age at immigration to Turkey have significant relationship with level of Korean proficiency, especially age at immigration to Turkey has more significant relationship with the proficiency. The result from this study helps to recognize factors affecting level of Korean language proficiency. Especially, the Korean proficiency of MKs who live in Turkey has a close relationship with Korean cultural identity.These facts indicate that not only the Korean education are required to effectively increase the korean education itself, but also developing the pride of being Korean are needed to be followed up as well.

Chung Jung-Seung. 1998. The Effects of Listening Strategies on Listening Proficiency in University Students. Studies in Modern Grammar 14, 321-347. This study aims at finding out what kinds of listening strategies Korean university students have in the English classroom It also investigates not only the differences between male and female students, between high and low groups of students, and among majors in the use of listening strategies, but also the relationship between listening strategy use and listening achievement in these groups of students. The analysis of data revealed several important things in the study of listening strategies. First, there existed seven factors of strategies: affective, metacognitive, cognitive, inference, self-management, selective attention, and comparison-repetition strategies. Second, among the seven strategies the affective strategies were most closely related to the rest of the strategies. Third, the most favored listening strategies by the Korean students were self-management strategies, while the least frequently used strategies were metacognitive strategies. Fourth, female students showed more frequent use of listening strategies than their male counterparts. Fifth, humanities students tended to use strategies more often than engineering and science students. Sixth, the high achievement group of students were found to use listening strategies far more significantly often than the low group of students. Seventh, the statistically significant relationship between use of listening strategies and listening achievement xisted between high and low groups of students. Finally, the study suggests some implications for teaching listening comprehension and some considerations for further research in listening strategies.