While many scholars paid attention to L2 learner beliefs about grammar learning and error correction, there has been little research on both teacher and learner beliefs about types of grammar instructions in Korean EFL contexts. This study aimed to investigate the beliefs about types of instructions as well as grammar learning and error correction using a questionnaire adapted from Jean and Simard (2011). A total of four hundred and eighty-seven participants in Korea participated in the study and were divided into five groups: three teacher subgroups (non-native Korean high school, non-native Korean college, and native college) and two student subgroups (high school and college). The participants in general highly valued accuracy in L2 learning, but they disliked grammar learning or teaching. While both students and teachers believed that grammar instructions such as discovery learning, and mechanical practice could be useful in grammar learning, Korean teachers reported more positive views on grammar instructions than Korean students. The majority of the participants reported that they had a tendency to prefer error correction in the written production rather than in the spoken one. The results also revealed opinion gaps among the subgroups. The pedagogical and theoretical implications will be discussed.

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.

This paper investigates the role of L2 learner beliefs in study-abroad (SA) contexts. To date, the research of learner beliefs has relied mostly on survey methods, missing qualitative, critical evaluation reflecting the learners’ voice. 8y adopting multiple qualitative research methods, idiosyncratic SA experience and learners' perception of it are reported by analyzing the data of two Korean college students experiencing changes in L2 learning beliefs and L2 proficiency before and after the SA. The data were collected through language learning autobiographies, semi-structured interviews, and stimulated recall tasks by using photos uploaded to the learners' personal web blogs. The findings show that 1) changes in L2 learning beliefs are related to thedegree of legitimate peripheral participation in SA contexts and 2) L2 learners' mode of belonging to the SA community is a useful conceptual framework for explaining their L2 learning beliefs and their sense of success in SA experience. The results suggest that the crucial factor for successful SA L2 learning may not be L2-rich contexts per se but be the learners' recognition of and appreciation for L2 participation.

This present study borrows the framework of action research as a tool for improving the quality of instruction in a university reading comprehension course by reflecting previous and current teaching practices, by incorporating students’ feedback and preferences, and by intervening students’ beliefs and strategy use. In doing so, the study examines the potential effects and problems of strategy-based instruction in the reading comprehension tasks that integrate TETE in collaborative, task-based learning environment. The students were assigned to the training of two different types of strategies in terms of language processing: paraphrasing vs. translation strategies in a TETE class. A total of 107 students from two reading comprehension courses were asked to take a TOEFL and answer a self-report questionnaire both at the beginning and at the end of the semester. While students’ use of metacognitive and cognitive strategies increased significantly, their use of translation strategies and beliefs about translation were persistent to change as the students seemed to regard translation an important tool for reading comprehension. A follow-up interview and course evaluation were also used for triangulating the quantitative findings. It is suggested that the role of L1 in language classes should be revisited and the English-only policy be reconsidered.