This study explores elementary school students’ perceptions of English pop songs in regular English classes at a Korean elementary school. Seven 6th graders participated in the study and they were divided into three groups based on their English proficiency level. Data were collected from their interviews, written logs, and group discussions for a qualitative analysis. The results indicate that low level learners associate pop songs with the auditory factor only, while intermediate and high level learners associate the songs with both auditory and visual factors. It is also found that each individual learner exhibits his or her own music preference in selecting pop songs for learning. In addition, the socialization effect, which evokes the sense of unity, is found among the English learners who attended the pop song lessons. Finally, the study presents the results that learning pop songs contributes to self-directed learning of English. Pedagogical implications on using pop songs for a teaching material are discussed.

The study investigated the effect of the flipped class method implemented in a general English program in the tertiary level. The treatment variable of the experiment was a teaching method: a flipped class for the experimental group and a traditional class for the control group. A total of 13 class sessions were completed. The model of the experiment was a nested design with repeated measures. The dependent variables were positive affective experience, negative affective experience, class satisfaction, and language achievement. This study analyzed the data using factorial analysis, t-test, and repeated measures analysis of variance. The results showed that learners in the experimental group improved their positive experience during the treatment through statistically significant differences in pre-test and post-test scores; while the control group did not. The negative experience decreased at the end of the class in both groups. Although the mean differences were not statistically significant, the mean of the negative experience in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group. The class satisfaction was significantly different between the two groups. The experimental group improved language achievement on their final exam, while the control group’s mean decreased.

The purpose of this study is to investigate elementary school teachers’ and students’ experience of teaching and learning English grammar and how they perceive English grammar education with regard to its role in learning English and the need and ways of including grammar instruction into the curriculum. Questionnaires were administered to 123 teachers and 1513 6th grade students. In addition, written interviews with 20 teachers were done through e-mail. Major findings from the analysis of this survey are three-fold. First, most of the teachers and the students had experiences of teaching and learning English grammar and they perceived that English grammar knowledge plays a positive role in learning English. Second, majority of both the teachers and the students believed that grammar instruction should start in 5th grade, but there is a gap between the teachers and the students with respect to grammar teaching approaches; the teachers prefer the inductive method, while the students prefer the deductive one. Third, many teachers considered that grammar instruction would not have a negative effect on English classes based on the communicative language teaching approach, but they believed that activities for grammar instruction should be well designed in order to keep students interested in learning English. Based on these results, several suggestions for improving English education in elementary schools are made.

The present study sought to investigate whether Korean learners would benefit from tablet PC-based English learning and how they and their instructors would perceive the relatively new mobile technology as a language learning and teaching tool. To this end, 161 young learners and 57 instructors at private English institutes in several cities in Korea took part in the present study. For three months, the learners received one of two forms of instruction, one based on traditional paper-based materials and the other via tablet PC-based materials. Analyses of the listening and reading tests and of the questionnaire responses, followed by student interviews, indicate that the learners may benefit from tablet PC-based English programs, especially in their reading skills and their learning autonomy. Furthermore, the learners’ beliefs in the effectiveness of tablet PC-based instruction were found to be stronger than among the instructors. Pedagogical implications and future research directions are discussed.

The research on washback of a test has little been carried out in Korea while it has been flourishing in language testing researchers overseas. This paper investigates whether the advent of NEAT has affected the perception of test takers and the teaching/learning practices in English classrooms of Korea. In addition, we also want to investigate the relationship between variables such as perception of test users, teaching/learning practices, and test scores. We carried out a survey with 601 students who were seated at NEAT administered in April 2013 as well as 3,267 third-year high school students who had no experience on NEAT. The analyses revealed some evidence to support that NEAT has an effect on the perception of the participants. However, the analyses also revealed that NEAT was not effective to appeal for a change in teaching and learning practices in English classrooms in Korea.

This study investigates the effects of writing to learn on sixth graders’ English development compared with speaking to learn and examines their perceptions. The study established the following research questions: (a) what are the effects of writing to learn on English speaking and writing abilities compared with speaking to learn? and (b) what are the students’ perceptions of writing to learn compared with speaking to learn? Students in the experiment group had experienced learning English through writing to learn, whereas those in the comparison group had learned English through speaking to learn. As for the results, writing to learn had significant effects on developing speaking and writing abilities in terms of complexity, accuracy and fluency. Also the students had more positive perceptions on writing to learn in cognitive and behavioral perspectives. Writing to learn has been confirmed as effective in learning English, leading students to use English to express their own ideas with more extensive vocabulary and complicated syntactic structures.

This study investigated how Korean EFL students’ self-directed English learning abilities, learning strategy use, and the relationship between the two constructs change as they advance to upper level schools. Data were collected from 447 elementary, middle, and high school students in Seocho-gu, Seoul, using Self-Directed Language Learning Readiness (SDDLR) and a revised version of Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). The results showed that elementary school students’ SDDLR and SILL scores were significantly higher than those of middle and high school students, with no significant difference between the two groups. Among the learner factors, interest toward English study was the only factor which affected all the three groups’ SDDLR as well as SILL scores. The influence of study-abroad experience and starting age of private education was limited to the elementary school student group, indicating their short-lived effects on self-directed learning and strategy use. Lastly, there was a high or moderately high positive correlation between SDDLR and SILL in all the three groups. However, the specific relationship among subcategories of the two constructs was complicated and different among the three groups.

This study suggests effectiveness of G-Learning (teaching and learning methodology utilizing interactions derived from game play) English afterschool class, which had been implemented for 3 months to 496 elementary school students in 5th grade at 31 elementary schools spread in the whole regions of Gyeonggi province. To achieve the goals of this study, two hypotheses were set in this study: 1) after conducting G-Learning English class, students' achievement in English study will increase, and 2) after conducting G-Learning English class, students' interest and confidence to English study will increase. Pre and post proficiency tests were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the G-Learning English class. A survey was also carried out with the participants of the class. The results showed that the students' achievement in reading was increased from 24.7 to 36.4 and vocabulary increased from 21.1 to 33.5 with statistical significance. The increase of the test score in three proficiency groups was as follow: high group was 9 points, middle group was 25 points, and low group was 38 points. Moreover, as for the affective factors toward English study, students' interest improved from 3.28 to 3.54 and confidence improved from 3.17 and all the aforementioned results showed statistical significance.

The aims of this study were to explore the value of integrated use of the related literary texts and movies through teachers' awareness toward them, and to develop English teaching-learning method using them. Thirty-four primary school teachers who enrolled a graduate course participated in the study. The teachers read a literary text, Because of Winn-Dixie written by Kate DiCamillo, and watched the movie based on the text. Data collected were analyzed through a mixed method which used both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The result of the study emerged in two steps. First, experiences of participating teachers were investigated in terms of understanding literary texts and movies, participants' experience as both English learners and teachers, and the understanding of complementary aspects of a literary text and the movie based on the text. Then, teaching-learning method for English learners were developed. For example, the study suggested how to develop four language skills through integrated use of the literary texts and movies, and provided a list of related literary texts and movies applicable in diverse EFL contexts. Based on the results, the study suggested teachers to apply methods and techniques to other literary texts and movies in the teaching of English in EFL settings.

The purpose of this study was two-fold: to evaluate the effectiveness of an English program under a practical curriculum for English majors in college and to investigate the relationships among students' perceptions of the program, language learning styles and strategies, perceived and actual improvement in English, and their satisfaction with the program. To this end, the study followed the changes in college students' perceptions of the program and their learning of English for four semesters from their freshman to sophomore years. Questionnaires were administered four times to measure and trace the students' perceived utility of the program, affective attitude, use of language learning styles and strategies, perceived and actual improvement in English, and satisfaction with the program. The results showed a statistically significant increase every semester in actual improvement in the students' TOEIC scores. Compared to their high expectations for improvement, the students' perceived improvement was shown to be the lowest at the end of the first semester, after which it got slowly higher each semester during the 2-year period. However, their overall satisfaction with the program got lower each semester. Native speaker instructors and interactive activities in class were found to positively affect the students' perceptions of program utility and affective attitude, which, in turn, significantly affect the students' use of language learning styles and strategies.

The purpose of this study was to examine English lecturers’ readiness toward internet use in English teaching and learning at selected universities in Jambi, Sumatra, Indonesia. A questionnaire was used as a research instrument to sixty-five participants who were recruited through a variety of networking sources, but forty-seven participants completed and returned the questionnaires. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and a t-test. The major findings indicated that the English lecturers’ readiness toward Internet use for teaching and learning was at an average level. This study also found that there was a significant positive correlation between the lecturers’ background of internet use and the level of lecturers’ readiness toward Internet use. There was a positive correlation between lecturers’ knowledge readiness and attitude readiness. However, there were significant differences in the level of readiness between English lecturers at public institutions and private institutions. The findings of this study shed light on policy makers and leaders’ understanding of English lecturers’ readiness toward internet use in English teaching and learning in Indonesian higher education. Policy implications and future research are also discussed.

This research was a Research and Development (R&D) project which aimed at developing digital storytelling based local wisdom through Blended Learning as an innovative media for teaching English at eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 1 Petang. The development model used in this research was adapted from the development of Luther’s model (in Sutopo, 2003). The data were collected by using documentation technique, interview, observation, and questionnaire. This research found that, (1) in developing digital storytelling based local wisdom through a Blended Learning method required a number of chronologically steps, namely: observation, need analysis, media prototype design, expert judgment, revision of the product, field testing, analyzing of data and finalizing the final product; (2) the total mean score of the questionnaire filled by the English teacher was 4.09, it indicated that the product was categorized as excellent, and (3) furthermore, the result of the questionnaire filled by the students was 3.76, this meant that the implementation of the product could be categorized as good. The results of this study were as expected and can help both the teachers and the students in the process of teaching and learning English, especially narrative text.

Based on the data from a two-year-long virtual ethnographic study, this article examines literate and social practices of a female adolescent English language learner (ELL) who is participating in a Korean popular culture (K-Pop) online fan site called Soompi.com. Drawing upon the concepts of ‘affinity space’ (Gee, 2004) and ‘participatory culture’ (Jenkins, Clinton, Purushotma, Robison, & Weigel, 2006), this article describes (1) how she participates and engages in multiple literacy practices in the site; (2) what resources she draws on for literacy development and content creations; and (3) what kinds of social relationships and identities she constructs in the site. Analysis reveals that she is able to access to distributed knowledge through peer-to-peer learning and teaching, and collaborative support, which help her develop not only language and composition related metacognitive skills, but also, positive social identities as a valued member of the site. Based on the aspects of the youth’s digital literacy practices, this study suggests some ways that language and literacy teachers can use to better meet ELLs' needs and to make their classrooms motivating and interactive learning communities.

The purpose of this study is to examine effective ways to introduce creative thinking skills development in the English learning classroom, specifically, focusing on questioning techniques and creative thinking techniques. The study explores selected creative-thinking techniques which are in accordance with English teaching methods and goals in the Korean context. The techniques highlighted were deemed adequate for enhancing creative and analytical thinking skills of English language learners and include the following: Brainwriting, SCAMPER, Lotus Blossom Technique, Forced Relationships/Analogy, Wishful Thinking Technique, Six Thinking Hats, SWOT, PMI technique, Flat Stanley Project. The study attempts to outline examples of and procedures for implementing such techniques in English education. The study is intended to provide insights for both researchers and practitioners alike and shall thus contribute to the ongoing discussion of integrating creativity education with English learning and teaching.

The purpose of the study was to identify Korean high school students’ beliefs about L2 learning and a structural model that best explains the belief factors associated with L2 achievement using structural equation modeling (SEM). It has furthermore explored the effect of gender on the structural model of belief factors affecting L2 achievement. A total of 447 students (253 boys, 194 girls) at two schools completed a questionnaire containing 26 Likert-scale items. The results produced five underlying constructs: selfefficacy of English learning, importance of grammar learning, role of teacher feedback, importance of accuracy, and nature of English learning. The final SEM model showed that both self-efficacy of English learning and importance of grammar learning were positive, direct, and significant predictors of L2 achievement. Role of teacher feedback and nature of English learning, however, were indirectly related to the L2 achievement through the mediating role of self-efficacy of English learning. The study also provided empirical evidence that gender moderated the causal relationships among belief factors affecting L2 attainment. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications to improve L2 instruction were suggested.

Second language writing research has focused on the learning-to-write approach whose analytic and pedagogical goal is to develop L2 learners' writing proficiency. Equally important is the writing-to-Iearn approach that uses writing as a primary tool for content learning. Drawn from writing across the curriculum (WAC) movement in North America, the writing-to-Iearn approach integrates writing into content instructions across various disciplines. Considering that Korean universities have increased English-mediated courses, it is timely to explore how the writing-to-Iearn approach can be used for content learning in English. Writing in this approach is considered to demonstrate whether and how students understand and undertake the course content presented in the assigned readings. The present study examines in-class timed writings produced in a course for English majors at a university in Korea. The student writings were analyzed and classified into four distinctive categories in terms of how they use sources in their writings. The data analysis demonstrates the types of problems these students have in processing complex texts and specifies an array of distinctive ski lls they need to be fully proficient.