• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.435-443
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between learning motivation, learning strategies and Korean proficiency. Therefore, this study conducted a learning motivation and learning strategies survey on 101 learners of Korean language from Korean and Chinese universities who obtained a middle and high-level on the Test of Proficiency in Korean. A frequency analysis and correlation analysis was conducted on these students using the SPSS 28.0 program. As a result of the study, it was found that the motivation for learning Korean in Chinese learners was high in the order of integrated motivation and instrumental motivation. The frequency of using metacognitive strategies was the highest. There was no difference in learning motivation corresponding to Korean language proficiency, but there was a correlation in the use of social strategies for learners in levels 3, 4 and 5. Based on these research results, I proposed a teaching and learning method for Chinese learners. Further research should be conducted by comparing the learning motives and learning strategies of learners in the beginner-level group and learners in the middle and high-level group.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.391-411
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of culture teaching and using web sites as a method of culture teaching in college English education. To achieve these purposes, a web-based culture teaching-learning model was developed and applied in English classes. Then, the effects were compared with those of a culture teaching method which were based on the traditional verbal explanation. As the tools for this study, two test sheets were used to measure language proficiency and American cultural knowledge. Focusing on the study results, the conclusions were summed up as follows: First, for enhancing the American cultural knowledge, using the web was found to be more effective than traditional verbal explanations. Second, for English language enhancement through web-based culture teaching, it is necessary to do it for each level of English proficiency or develop web sites which fit well with students' interests or levels.

• MALSORI
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• no.66
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• pp.41-59
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• 2008

Knowledge in linguistic rhythm of the target language plays a major role in foreign language proficiency. This study attempts to discover valid rhythm features that can be utilized in automatic assessment of non-native English pronunciation. Eight previously proposed and two novel rhythm metrics are investigated with 360 English read speech tokens obtained from 27 Korean learners and 9 native speakers. It is found that some of the speech-rate normalized interval measures and above-word level metrics are effective enough to be further applied for automatic scoring as they are significantly correlated with speakers' proficiency levels. It is also shown that metrics need to be dynamically selected depending upon the structure of target sentences. Results from a preliminary auto-scoring experiment through a Multi Regression analysis suggest that appropriate control of unexpected input utterances is also desirable for better performance.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.127-152
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• 2006

For the past 20 years the process approach to writing has been popular in second language writing classrooms. However, there have been very few studies conducted in Korea with regard to the composing processes and the effects of proficiency on writers' usage. The present study attempts to begin to fill this gap. Three groups of college students with different writing proficiency participated in the study: the advanced group, the intermediate group, and the beginning group. The verbal protocol of their writing processes revealed that they approached writing tasks differently. While the advanced writers focused on generating texts and ideas and examined their writing at both global and local levels, the other two groups of students tended to focus on evaluating text at the local level and generated fewer ideas and less text. The findings from this study are then compared to those of some major studies of the composing process as conclusions are subsequently drawn about the specific needs of Korean college writers.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.369-382
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• 2008

We discuss the effect of ability grouping calculus courses based upon student's proficiency of the subject and their collective examination of midterms and finals among mid-level and low-level classes. We assess incoming freshmen at Seoul National University of Technology(SNUT) of their proficiency in calculus and assign them to the appropriate levels within the course(i.e., high-level, mid-level, low-level). We found that this was beneficial to both students and instructors. Instructors can easily determine the pace in which each class should be kept, and students can quickly adapt to the learning environment.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2023

Since developing digital technology requires new skills in digital literacy, digital competence also has become a keystone in English classes. This study explores three aspects of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' digital confidence: information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, and digital content creation, based on the European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DigComp). The participants were 150 Korean college students enrolled in two general English classes, and their English proficiency levels were from basic to advanced; each level consisted of 30 participants. In order to assess their digital confidence, I designed a Google survey form and collected data during two semesters. The survey results revealed that the participants had highest digital confidence in information and data literacy and overall, the female participants showed higher digital confidence than their male counterparts. It also showed that the learners' English proficiency and computer skills are important factors.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.31-50
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• 2012

The present study explored whether the implementation of focused activities (intervention programme) can enhance 22 pre-service mathematics teachers' proficiency in solid geometry thinking level as well as change for the better their feelings in this discipline. Over a period of 6 weeks the pre-service teachers participated in activities and diversified experiences with 3D shapes, using illustration aids and actual experience of building 3D shapes in relation to the various spatial thinking levels. The research objectives were to investigate whether the intervention programme, comprising task-oriented activities of solid geometry, enhance mathematics pre-service teachers' mastery of their geometric thinking levels as well as examine their feelings towards this discipline before and after the intervention programme. The findings illustrate that learners' levels of geometric thinking can be promoted, entailing control on higher thinking levels as well as a more positive attitude towards this field.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.125-147
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• 2012

The primary goal of the study was to provide some preliminary validity evidence for the Vocabulary Grade Levels Test (Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education, 2009), which is designed to measure the receptive vocabulary knowledge of learners in L2. For the purpose of the current study, 327 participants at the elementary school participated in the study and were asked to take two different vocabulary tests. Namely, a Vocabulary Size Test (Nation, 2001) and a Vocabulary Grade Levels Test. The data were analyzed using correlation in order to discover the relationship between these two types of tests. Following this, the Rasch analysis was conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the measurement in question. The data analysis showed that both grade separation reliability and item separation reliability were high, indicating that the Vocabulary Grade Levels Test well discriminates learners with a wide range of proficiency levels. The findings of the study are discussed, along with further improvements in order to ascertain the validity of this particular vocabulary test.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.199-216
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• 2009

This study investigates how Korean speakers develop their interlanguage of English passive constructions with a reference to the learners' grammar proficiency levels. Sixty two college students of different levels of English participated in this study. They were asked to complete a sentence-completion task. Their production was classified into accurate passives, malformed passives, pseudo-passives, unaccusatives, and actives according to the use of transitive, ergative and unergative verbs. They then were further analyzed depending on the subjects' levels of grammar by three main factors: L1 transfer, the English voice system, and universal cognitive factors. The results showed that the subjects of the lower group produced more pseudo-passives, malformed passives, and overpassivization than those of the higher group, and even subjects of higher group still made passives for ergative verbs. It was also shown that L1 and universal factors had more influence on the lower group than on the higher group. Based on the analyses of the subjects' responses, the development of the English passive system by Korean learners is shown and some implications are suggested for effective teaching of English.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2017

This study examined the predictors of life satisfaction of marriage migrant wives with school-aged children in South Korea. For this purpose, we draw data from the 2015 National Survey on Multi-cultural Families (NSMF). The target group was marriage migrant wives who were in a first marriage and had school-aged children (N=3,004). We used OLS regression to examine the predictors of the target group's life satisfaction with the SPSS 18.0 program. The results are as follows. First, marriage migrant wives with school-aged children had maintained their marriage for at least 14 years. They were satisfied with their relationships with both their spouses and their children. Also, they were satisfied with their spouse's child care roles. They did not support the multi-cultural policy of assimilation. Their Korean proficiency was slightly higher than the middle level. More than half had jobs and had not attended a parent meeting. Second, although they were satisfied with their everyday lives, their levels of life satisfaction were less than that of migrant wives with children below 5 years of age. Third, all variables explained 38.8% of the life satisfaction experienced by marriage migrant wives with school-aged children. Satisfaction with their spouses, subjective health, satisfaction of spouse's child care role, monthly family income, satisfaction with their children, experience attending a parents meeting, and Korean proficiency were positively associated with the life satisfaction of this target group. The findings of this study are significant because they can provide certain implications for family life education and policy within a multi-cultural society.