An Analysis of Grammatical Error Types in European, Chinese, and Korean L2 Learners’ Writings

김언조 한국중원언어학회 2024 언어학연구 Vol.- No.71

This study aims to explore grammatical error types to improve the grammatical accuracy of L2 writing and to explore whether the kinds of errors are transferred from the features of an L1 language group. This study presents a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the most prevalent error types in the essays of 98 L2 learners enrolled in English writing courses at a university and language institutes in London, including European learners (30) of an inflecting language, Chinese learners (33) of isolating language, and Korean learners (35) of an agglutinative language. Findings confirm significant differences in error types among European, Korean, and Chinese learners; in particular, Korean learners exhibited error patterns and error frequencies resembling those of Chinese learners but European learners were found to have different error types and frequencies. The study argues that these results have suggestive implications for teaching instructions, curriculum design, and pedagogy. It can also be assumed that the language group of the learners’ L1 may have a cognitive impact on L2 writing.

Perceptions of Criticality in Language Learning in EFL Context

김언조 중앙대학교 외국학연구소 2018 외국학연구 Vol.- No.43

It is often presumed that the advent of fourth revolution requires fundamental changes to the curricula, language teaching, and learning approaches used in higher education. This paper explores the perceptions of EFL teachers and learners regarding whether criticality is an essential requisite for language learning. The researcher administered a Likert-scale questionnaire to 35 teachers and 214 learners in Korean universities to explore what the participants thought about criticality in the EFL context, how they evaluated themselves as critical individuals, and how they judged the criticality of their classmates and colleagues. The responses identified the need for criticality training and offered suggestions for such a program. The resulting analysis also revealed that L2 leaners in the EFL context are aware of the needs of gaining higher-order thinking to enhance critical-thinking ability, which should be integrated into the English program.

Discourse Patterns in EFL Classroom Interaction

김언조 한국사회언어학회 2013 사회언어학 Vol.21 No.2

The main purpose of this paper is to identify typical discourse patterns of EFL classes and to enhance the sensitivity of the complex socio-cultural aspects involved in discourse patterns. This study assumed that language learning is a process of competent participation in socio-cultural language practices. The data were collected from four groups of two courses (General English and Screen English) to compare the ways teachers and students perform discourse patterns. The collected data were analyzed focusing on multi-dimensional approaches in interaction formulas: IRF (Initiation-Response-Feedback), ICs (Instructional Conversations), MP (Modeling - Practicing), CEQR (Comment - Elaborative Questioning -Response), CCF (Conversation-Corrective Feedback), CMIR (Contingency Management Instruction-Response), OEQA (Open Ended Questioning -Answering), QEC (Question-Explaining Conversation) ACNB (Any Cases Not Belonging). Data analysis from various sources (scripts of video-recordings, frequency counts, and interviews) indicated that to some extent the discourse patterns were different due to the course type and its objectives. The result indicated that the teachers and students changed their discourse patterns depending on the course types. Such choice of discourse patterns of contingent interaction is related to various topics to be dealt with in the particular course. (200)

The Benefits of Formative Feedback for Critical Writing in EFL Context

김언조 대한언어학회 2018 언어학 Vol.26 No.1

Although formative feedback has been shown to be beneficial in L1 writing classes, the benefits of formative feedback for critical writing in EFL context have not been widely explored. The aim of this study is to determine which factors are more effective in improving EFL students’ critical writing. The study was conducted in an intensive English reading and writing program with 134 university students divided into two intermediate and two beginner level classes. The researcher provided formative feedback over the course of the semester. Analysis of the critical writing achievement test measured from writing collected at the beginning and end of the course revealed that the experimental group (EG), which received formative feedback focused on their critical writing, made more meaningful gains on the writing achievement test than the control group (CG), which had only corrective feedback during class. Results also demonstrated that students at the beginner level in the EG improved more than those at the intermediate levels on the writing achievement test. In addition, learners at the beginner level in the EG made gains in both micro and macro aspects of critical writing, while those at the intermediate level improved only macro aspects of their critical writing. Both the intermediate and beginner groups made similar gains in criticality.

A Study on Self-Critical Reflections of Illocutionary Act Strategies Utilized in L2 Learners’ Social Network Service

김언조 영상영어교육학회 2018 영상영어교육 (STEM journal) Vol.19 No.2

The aim of this study is to explore illocutionary acts and the self-critical reflection rating of EFL university learners who utilized message exchanges in English through Social Network Service (SNS). The current study targeted illocutionary act strategies such as ‘Assertives,’ ‘Commissives,’ ‘Directives,’ ‘Declaratives,’ and ‘Expressives’ by analyzing learners’ familiarity and self-critical reflection of speech act use. In addition, it considers learner’s gender as a significant factor for extended analysis. For this purpose, 64 participants rated their illocutionary acts based on five speech act classifications (Searle, 1969). The results revealed some speech acts were more frequently used, which have been noted by different topics. Furthermore, t-test analysis of L2 learners’ familiarity and self-critical reflection scores indicated different speech acts used across different topics. Learners’ gender produced different results, but the difference was considered to be insignificant. While the participants generally used various strategies of the most frequently used illocutionary acts, ‘Expressives,’ ‘Directives’ were also variously shown in their self-reflective scoring in spite of lowest familiarity. The results of having the study highlighted the necessity of EFL learners’ speech acts in relation to self-critical reflection on authentic experience and continued method development for authentic use. In addition, the research findings suggested more extensive study for EFL learners is necessary.

Enhancing Critical Language Awareness with Discourse Analysis Frameworks in the EFL Context

김언조 중앙대학교 외국학연구소 2017 외국학연구 Vol.- No.39

This study aimed to investigate if EFL learners could develop their writing ability and enhance critical language awareness (CLA) (Ellis, 2012; Fairclough, 1989) after employing discourse. To achieve this goal, this study centered on the role of CLA as a critical mind-set to help English learners gain deeper insights into the nature of the language. After expository teaching of CLA combined with Van Dijk’s discourse analysis frameworks (1988, 1998, & 2006)—such as actor description, quoting authority, comparison, disclaimers, euphemism, evidentiality, hyperbole, implication, irony, presupposition, etc.—the study explored attitudes, interests, motivation, and improvement in writing, shaped by CLA. For this qualitative research, learners’ compositions on the final exam and composition notebooks were collected, examined, discussed, and evaluated with the assistance of two other native instructors. According to the results, there were clear differences in learners’ writing between (EG). were motivated by their freedom of text collection and use of the CLA framework in discussions and writing, and their attitudes toward writing were changed by the controversial issues presented, even though they exhibited a preference for certain CLA frameworks over others. In conclusion, employing CLA improved writing, promoted learners’ motivation in writing, and the discourse analysis framework was useful in enhancing their writing.

Rhetorical Analysis for Critical Thinking: A Pilot Study in an EFL Presentation Class

김언조 영상영어교육학회 2020 영상영어교육 (STEM journal) Vol.21 No.1

The current study examined the influence of rhetorical analysis instruction on critical thinking (CT) in an EFL PPT presentation class. The study utilized an experimental design to implement rhetorical analysis with 26 participants in a control group and 28 participants in an experimental group. The two groups were equivalent in terms of their English proficiency level as well as their critical thinking ability as measured by the Critical Thinking Test (CTT, available online) before the experiment. The participants in the experimental group were instructed to utilize rhetorical devices in their presentation scripts and rhetorical analysis in their presentations. In group discussions, participants in the experimental group explored the use of rhetorical devices in other students’ presentations in terms of how and for what purpose they were used and whether they were well applied. The results of a post-test (CTT) demonstrated that teaching rhetorical devices had a positive and promising influence on CT. Exploring rhetorical devices and analysis was also found to have a great impact on three components of CT: noticing arguments, recognizing the way an assumption is rhetorically manipulated, and interpreting conclusions. The study reinforced other earlier research findings, which support the use of rhetorical analysis to enhance EFL learners’ CT.

The Use of the Definite Article, the in Korean L2 Learners’ Writing

김언조 중앙대학교 외국학연구소 2021 외국학연구 Vol.- No.55

The purpose of the current study is to examine L2 learners’ usage of the definite article the. By categorizing missed and overused definite article usage, the study provides statistical results and a detailed account of various kinds of use, mainly focusing on Hawkins’ (1978) eight types of the definite article. The study utilizes writing data from 61 L2 learners and 17 native speakers. Within the L2 group, missed definite article use improved significantly according to writing achievement scores, particularly when there were transferrable items in L1. Overuse of the definite article was unvaried between groups with different writing achievement scores. In addition, definite article usage was observed and analyzed according to more specifically categorized types. The findings imply that missed and overused definite article usage is influenced differently by L1 and shows consistent L1 influence. Therefore, L2 acquisition may be influenced by UG (Universal Grammar). The study reinforces previous research findings, which support the role of UG in L2 acquisition. Based on the results, the study suggests some implications for teaching the definite article the.

A Study of Critical Thinking Ability in Relation to Learning Styles of EFL Learners

김언조 한국중원언어학회 2023 언어학연구 Vol.- No.67

This study aims to fill the gap by exploring critical thinking ability in relation to the key learning styles for language learning: field independence, left-brain dominance, ambiguity tolerance, reflectivity/impulsivity, and visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. To do this, students performed the critical thinking process according to the specific syllabus, and the questionnaires for WGCTT (Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Test) and LSA (LSA) were distributed. The data were collected from 127 EFL students to identify their learning styles and critical thinking ability. In this study, while analyzing the questionnaire of the WGCTT and LSA, hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to verify the influence of independent variables on changes in dependent variables. According to the results, some components of critical thinking ability were positively related to left-brain dominance, ambiguity tolerance, and reflectivity, while others were negatively associated with some elements of critical thinking ability. The positive relationship between critical thinking and learning styles could imply that some learning style patterns could change with adopting the critical thinking ability in the L2 performance.

EFL/ESL 교실에서의 영문법 교육과 그 역할에 대한 고찰

金彦助 한국영어교육연구학회 2004 영어교육연구 Vol.- No.28

Any learning activity, according to Celce-Murcia (1992) and Mohammed, that focuses the learner's attention on the form of a message and gives the learner the rules of usage constitutes formal grammar instruction. Grammar, however, denotes the patterning of word order and word forms indicating the relationships between concepts, ideas and objects (Heafford). The present paper looks at some approaches related to formal grammar instruction and their development in recent years, as well as some theories or conceptions for or against formal grammar teaching in the EFL/ESL classroom setting. This is an important issue, because it addresses the question of the role played by grammar. It is also an important educational issue, as language pedagogy has traditionally operated on the assumption that grammar can be taught. Grammar was taught as if it were the same as the language and as if the language were only grammar. This paper will begin with a historical review followed by a discussion of relevant issues and research. This will serve as the background for a reformulation of the role of grammar in language teaching and conclude by suggesting ways in which the evolution of grammar instruction can contribute to the related disciplines.