Based on the motivation theories, we postulated that interest in learning languages influences the self-efficacy beliefs of students about their capabilities as second/foreign language (L2) English learners. This study examined the longitudinal causal relation between affective interest and cognitive self-efficacy in the L2 motivational context using the Gyeonggi Education Panel Study (GEPS) data from South Korea. A secondary school student sample from 2015–2020 GEPS over six years comprised 6,314 students (3,189 males and 3,125 females). Using a parallel growth model (PPM) with Mplus 8.4, the results indicated that the initial level and growth rate of L2 English interest positively predicted L2 English self-efficacy. Subsequently, the initial level of L2 English interest exhibited a negative cross-effect on the growth rate of L2 English self-efficacy. Finally, the sequential causal effect of L2 English interest on self-efficacy was found across the six-year period. The findings are discussed in terms of the pedagogical implications in English learning and teaching practices and further research.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of ‘individual coaching’ and ‘L2 learning experiences’ on TOEIC learning among low proficiency learners. Among the 194 college students who received classroom coaching, the 23 students who scored 2 to 6 (out of 25) on Simple TOEIC 1 were given three individual coaching sessions. The effect of coaching was quantitatively proven through the independent samples t-test conducted on the scores of Simple TOEIC 1 and Simple TOEIC 2 between the individual coaching mixed group and the classroom coaching only group. The more individual coaching participants had different types of L2 learning experiences, the more their English achievement improved. In contrast, students who participated in classroom coaching only saw their academic performance decline. During individual coaching, participants who improved their English language achievement had positive learning experiences and feelings (confidence), while those who did not improve their grades experienced negative learning experiences and feelings. The clearer each participant’s learning goals (ideal L2 self) were, the more specific and continuous learning was possible, which was linked to improved English language achievement. Qualitative data from individual coaching sessions revealed the reasons for some participants’ academic success or failure.

In this study, using the concept of perezhivanie as an analytical tool, we were trying out new ways to investigate L2 identity taking the peripheral educational context into account. We examined how two graduates from non-academic high schools perceived their peripheral school situation through their perezhivanie, and described how this situation affected the individual trajectories of L2 identity development as well. When two students immersed themselves in marginalized classroom contexts, they have experienced academic stigma in the context of classroom community. Moreover, they all experienced emotional conflicts related to English learning. Besides, they struggled over deficit remedial L2 identity, entailing identity tensions. As they attempted to reconcile the contradictions between themselves and their circumstances, their perezhivanie made their social situation of development differently. Depending on how the contradiction was being emotionally experienced through the prism of each student’s perezhivanie, the same contradiction had different meanings, led to different reactions, and had differing impacts on their L2 identity.

Second language (L2) peer response literature is defined in part by discourse research, yet there is scant research on text-specific comments, or comments that make explicit text references, thus resisting generic qualities. The purpose of this case study was to examine such peer response activities in an English writing course at a South Korean university. The data comprises two essay assignments with peer response conducted between two drafts – as accomplished during class time on the class learning management system (LMS) – as well as the subsequent revisions in second drafts. This paper expands on previous coding schemes accounting for area, nature and type commentary to account for a specificity dimension, and also links these categories to revision practices. While students entertained diverse commenting and revising options, popular practices included generic evaluating or revising local or surface-level concerns. This paper offers implications for modelling response activities as well as for how to better define specific and complex idea construction exhibited during response.

This study examines the claim that vocabulary learning and retention are dependent on a task's involvement load (i.e., need, search, evaluation), as proposed by Hulstijn and Laufer (2001a). The study aims at comparing the effects of task types and task involvement load on vocabulary retention for Korean EFL university students. More specifically, this study was designed to test whether differential levels of task involvement loads lead to equally effective results to vocabulary retention when the total involvement index being equal. Three types of productive word-focused tasks (gap-filling using a dictionary, writing original sentences, and gap-filling through word transformation) were used to examine the interplay of involvement index and task types. The result indicated that there were significant main effects of task types, test types, and proficiency levels. The results also indicated that there were significant interaction effects of task types on the retention tests, proficiency levels on the retention tests, and task types×proficiency levels on the retentions. The pedagogical implications and further research directions are discussed.

This study examined how three task activities with receptive (R) reading, cloze (CZ) and receptive-productive (RP) integration differently lead to L2 idiom recall and retention by Korean EFL adult learners when they are enhanced with bolding, L1 glossing and three repetitions. It further looks into what features of the enhanced input tasks influence L2 idiom gains. The theories of input enhancement, receptive and productive task input are the basis for the present study. The results revealed that overall the three tasks contributed to high score of L2 idiom gains in immediate receptive, productive recall and delayed receptive retention, except delayed productive retention. There was no significant difference in idiom recall and retention by the three tasks. The descriptive analysis showed R group performed better on immediate receptive recall, while CZ group led the highest score of immediate productive recall. In terms of retention gap between immediate and delayed tests, the three tasks yielded high percentage of receptive idiom retention. The CZ task yielded the highest percentage of receptive retention but relatively low percentage of productive retention, while the R group retained most memory of productive knowledge. The results suggest some implications for effective L2 idiom teaching materials using input enhanced tasks such as bolding, L1 glossing and repetition.

Kim, Suyeon. 2017. “L2 Learners' Perception of STAD and its Relationship with Learning Styles”. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 25(2), 73~102. This study aims to examine the relationship among cooperative learning, L2 learning, and learning styles. To that end, I utilized Slavin's Student Teams-Achievement Divisions (STAD) and investigated how learners perceive the effect of STAD on second language (L2) learning and how the effect of STAD is associated with their learning styles. I implemented STAD in two college English conversation classes during a semester, with 44 learners completing two questionnaires and six participating in interviews. Three key findings emerged: 1) L2 learners perceived STAD as being more useful than lecture-centered classes in improving their conversational skills, promoting more active participation and interaction, and developing higher self-confidence and lower anxiety, 2) while avoidant learning styles had a significant negative correlation with students' perception, a significant positive correlation resulted with the majority of learning styles, and 3) collaborative and independent learning styles had a more significant effect on L2 students' perception of STAD than other learning styles. The results show that through cooperative learning, L2 learners are scaffolded to improve conversational skills, and STAD accommodates diverse learning styles by giving learners equal opportunities for success. This study implies that L2 learning can be maximized when teachers employ a strategy that allows learners with different learning styles to participate.

The study discussed advanced-level Korean high school EFL learners’ demotivation and remotivation strategies in English learning. Demotivation refers to specific external forces that reduce or harm motivation; remotivation is the process of recovering the reduced motivation. Although both are common in L2 learning, only a few studies address this issue. Using the survey data of 130 participants, the study identified eight demotivating factors through factor analysis. The first factor, negative attitude toward English, indicates that even high school students felt demotivated because of the sheer difficulty of studying English. Descriptive statistics revealed that a negative attitude toward the English-speaking community was not a strong demotivator, which indicated that students possessed Machiavellian motivation. Correlation and regression analysis suggested that no demotivator had a significant negative relationship with English scores; rather, the ways students perceived the demotivators were more important. Eight remotivation strategies were identified; among those, “Keep thinking about the social importance of English” was the most often mentioned one. These results suggested the need for further qualitative, systemic research on remotivators and for training programs for practicing remotivation strategies.

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has propelled much research into how task type, condition, or demand affects L2 learners’ linguistic performance and language learning. To date, however, TBLT has mainly been researched in connection with learners’ production, while its applicability to L2 reading has largely been unattended to. To fill this gap, the present study explored whether and how cognitive complexity of L2 reading tasks would affect L2 English reading comprehension and learning of target L2 constructions contained in the texts. The study employed a pretest, posttest, delayed-posttest design with two treatment sessions. The target features were 17 English unaccusative verbs and ten pseudowords. Participants included 52 Korean college students learning L2 English who were randomly assigned to either – or + complex condition. Reading comprehension was measured with 14 multiple-choice items for each text, and learning of the target constructions was assessed with a grammaticality judgment test and word form and meaning recognition tests. The results of mixed-effects modeling indicated that increased task complexity had limited effects on reading comprehension scores as well as learning of the target unaccusative verbs. Also, task complexity had significant negative effects on vocabulary form recognition scores in the delayed posttest. The results are discussed in relation to models of task-based learning and L2 reading.

This theoretical position paper highlights how second language (L2) learning demotivation or decrease in motivation can be reconceptualized within the framework of Vygotskian Activity Theory (AT). Previous demotivation studies primarily focused on determining the demotivating factors. There has not been sufficient academic attention to the dynamic interaction between L2 learners and their potential factors for demotivation. In this paper, we attempted to apply AT in order to explain this intricate demotivation process, particularly focusing on L2learners’ subjective perceptions of their learning environment. From the perspective of AT, L2 learners’ learning-related activities are seen as activities composed of subject, object, mediational tool, community, rule, and division of labor. Describing a learner’s L2 learning experience in Lantolf and Genung’s (2002) study, we argue that the tensions emerging between the elements in the activity system result in demotivation. Future directions and the issue of commensurability of AT with other theories are discussed.

This study examined the effects of peer feedback combined with teacher feedback on L2 writing. From a review of related studies, several factors were selected as predictors of L2 writing proficiency: L2 knowledge and composition skills, L2writing anxiety, and metacognitive knowledge on L2 writing. Participants were 75college students, who were randomly assigned to the experimental or the control group. Both groups received teacher feedback, while the experimental group performed peer feedback activities, and the control group did self-reflective revision in addition. Data were collected from teacher and peer feedback, timed writing, an L2writing anxiety survey, and evaluation of a sample essay. A statistical analysis revealed differences between teacher and peer feedback. Peer feedback combined with teacher feedback appeared to be beneficial for increasing L2 knowledge and lowering L2 writing anxiety. In the regression analysis, writing anxiety predicted the level of L2 knowledge and composition skills. Based on the findings, implications for L2 writing class and suggestions for future studies are presented.

This study examines the relationship of L2 learners’ motivational and attitudinal factors with the two versions (self-rated and tested) of proficiency. 79 Korean university students were assessed on measures of L2 orientations, motivation, and attitudes toward English using a questionnaire and learning autobiographies. The study also compared participants’ self-reported proficiency with their TOEIC scores. The results show that more of negative values (self-rated proficiency is lower than tested proficiency) came from students with high test scores than low-achieving students. Students defined gaining bilingual proficiency as criterion for success in L2 learning,and their expectation of such desired proficiency is significantly correlated with motivation and perceived significance of English, but not with the self-rated and tested proficiency. Multiple regression analyses suggest that students’ self-awareness of the importance of English learning significantly predicts their motivation, and linguistic L2confidence and self-assessment of target language competence are significant predictors for tested proficiency, but motivational intention is not. Potential interpretations for findings and implications for L2 pedagogy are discussed.

Engl ish as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in traditional second language (L2) writing classrooms are not provided sufficient opportunities for giving and receiving peer feedback. To compensate for this limitation, blended learning has been suggested in the L2 writing classroom. However, there has been little research on peer feedback in blended learning in L2 writing. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the patterns of peer feedback and the impact of peer feedback on revisions in blended leaming in L2 writing. The subjects for the qualitative study consisted of three university students, representing low- intermediate, intermediate, and advanced levels of English writing proficiency. Data sources included student-produced feedback in online and offline sessions, 18 drafts in process-oriented writing, classroom observations, and the interview. The major fi ndings of the study are as fo llows. First, the students produced more onl ine peer feedback than offline peer feedback. Second, they provided more fonn-focused feedback in online sessions, but more meaning-focused feedback in offline sessions. Third, they incorporated online peer feedback in their second drafts more than offline peer feedback in the final drafts. Based on the findings, implications are considered and suggestions are made for the effective use of peer feedback in blended learning in L2 writing .

This study examines the relationship between students’ perceptions of learning contexts and motivation to learn English in Korea. Three categories of contexts were operationalized: the transnational context as learners’ international interest including study-abroad desires, the national context as awareness of English learning to prepare for CSAT (College Scholastic Ability Test) and their classroom experience as the last category. A total of 433 high school students were assessed on measures of L2 learning goals, perception of contexts, self-reported L2 proficiency and motivational intention in the questionnaire, followed by focal participants’ interviews and essays. The statistical analyses show that transitional and classroom categories are statistically correlated with motivational intention. However, the national context is negatively correlated with actual motivation. Multiple regression analyses found that the transnational category is the best predictor for motivational intention, while the national category involves the least significant predictor. The students’ classroom experience is also a meaningful, milder than transnational, predictor. Synthesized results of both quantitative and qualitative data suggest that L2 motivation is more of a sociolinguistic construct that should be construed in relation to multiple social contexts. Findings also suggest Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009) notion of the ideal L2 self can better explain the complexity of L2 learning motivation, whereby the integrative-instrumental dichotomy loses its explanatory power.