Expanding Circle Learners in an Outer Circle Environment : The Experience of Koreans Studying English in the Philippines?

Randy Green,Byeongkil Ahn,Daekweon Bae 팬코리아영어교육학회(구 영남영어교육학회) 2015 영어교육연구 Vol.27 No.4

The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of 25 Korean university students majoring in English who took part in short-term English language programs in the Philippines. After the completion of their programs, each student was interviewed individually and asked to make comparisons of their learning experience in the Philippines with English-learning in Korea. The students were asked to share their perceptions about the advantages and disadvantages of studying English in the Philippines. In addition, this study examined the perceptions of 5 Filipino English instructors in the Philippines regarding their teaching philosophies and methodologies and general impressions of Korean English students. Collected data led to a number of themes related to the participants’ experiences both in and out of the classroom. Participants’ responses provided meaningful insight into the learning experiences that students from what Kachru (1985) calls the Expanding Circle have when traveling to and studying in the so-called Outer Circle. Overall, the student participants in this study identified more advantages than disadvantages to studying English in the Philippines, and 100% recommended similar experiences for other Korean students. The findings of this study have a wide range of pedagogical and socio-cultural implications for both students and educators.

English as an Intercultural Language in EFL Settings: Student Perceptions and Classroom Strategies

( Randy Green ) 현대영미어문학회 2017 현대영미어문학회 춘계학술대회 발표논문집 Vol.2017 No.-

The purpose of this presentation is to introduce the concept of English as an Intercultural Language (EIcL) (Green & Lee, 2015; Lee, 2012; Sifakis, 2004) and to summarize the results of two studies that identified Korean university students’ perceptions of EIcL, one related to classroom learning and the other to study abroad experiences in the outer circle (Kachru, 1992). In addition, the presenter will introduce several pedagogical approaches and strategies that can promote EIcL in the EFL classroom.

Strategies that Promote English as an Intercultural Language (EIcL) in the EFL Classroom

( Randy Green ) 현대영미어문학회 2016 현대영미어문학회 추계학술대회 발표논문집 Vol.2016 No.-

In recent years, discussions among linguists and language educators related to World Englishes (WEs) and English as an International Language (EIL) have begun to focus more on what Lee (2012) and Sifakis (2004) call English as an Intercultural Language (EIcL). In this case, English usage and education is viewed as a universal, dynamic, and multidimensional means of communicating local cultural values and meanings and is less dependent on standardized forms of the language as used in Kachru’s (1992, 1998) inner circle. EIcL promotes intercultural communication, often between non-native speakers in the outer and expanding circles, that is constructive, functional, inductive, critical, and comparative in nature. While several studies regarding theoretical aspects of EIcL have been conducted, less has been written about the practical application of teaching and learning strategies that can promote EIcL in the classroom. The purpose of this study is to do just that - to discuss a number of activities and methods, in this case in the university EFL classroom in the Republic of Korea, that can enhance learners’ awareness of and ability to use EIcL. Several general concepts of EIcL pedagogy are discussed as well as implications of the teaching and learning strategies and recommendations for further research.

Discovering the Culture Embedded in Language: Student Perceptions of an EFL Classroom Activity that Promotes English as an Intercultural Language

( Randy Green ) 현대영미어문학회 2018 현대영미어문학회 추계학술대회 발표논문집 Vol.2018 No.-

Demystifying the Language Learning Process: The Use of Freirian Pedagogy in the EFL Classroom

Randy Green,안병길,배대권 한국현대영어영문학회 2015 현대영어영문학 Vol.59 No.3

Paulo Freire’s (1970, 1973) problem-posing approach to teaching and learning has been widely discussed and applied to a number of educational settings, including that of immigrant ESL courses in the U.S. (Wallerstein, 1983). Less, however, has been written about the application of Freirian pedagogy to EFL courses, particularly as it relates to specific in-class activities. The purpose of this study is to provide an example of one classroom activity for adult EFL learners in Korea that was designed based on Freire’s problem-posing education and to observe students’ reactions and responses to this activity. The generative theme identified was English education in Korea. Using clips from the Korean film “Please Teach Me English” as codification, the researchers asked students to share their perceptions of the issues that emerged as well as discuss their reactions to the activity itself. Themes that were identified in the students’ discussion included reasons for and pressure to learn English, ways in which English is taught and tested in Korea, influences of English education, and possible solutions to perceived problems. The responses and reactions of the participants to the activity designed for this study can be interpreted as evidence of support for Freire’s problem-posing approach in an EFL setting.

Promoting an Awareness of Sociocultural Linguistics in the EFL Classroom

( Randy Green ) 현대영미어문학회 2019 현대영미어문학회 춘계학술대회 발표논문집 Vol.2019 No.-

Understanding the inherent, interrelated relationship between language and culture has been widely recognized as an indispensable element of language learning. This is particularly relevant in light of the plethora of World Englishes currently being used around the globe (Shin H & Jang, 2018). However, few studies have examined specific means by which this awareness can be promoted in the EFL classroom. The purpose of this study is to identify the perceptions of 80 Korean university English majors to an EFL activity that promotes an understanding of sociocultural linguistics. By examining sets of English and Korean sentences and comparing students’ translations of Korean and English sentences, the participants were asked to share their perceptions of sociocultural concepts embedded within the two languages. The participants identified ten such concepts. In addition, the high majority stated the activity had promoted their understanding of the relationship between culture and language. The results of this study have a number of significant implications for educators and learners.

Promoting English as an Intercultural Language (EIcL) : Student Perceptions of an EIcL Activity

Green, Randy,Lee, Kang-Young 한국중앙영어영문학회 2018 영어영문학연구 Vol.60 No.4

With the recent proliferation of world Englishes, the urge for an expanded range of pedagogical approaches that facilitate meaningful teaching and learning experiences has been brought to the forefront. Some of these pedagogies are taking place within the context of what has been called English as an intercultural language (EIcL). In EIcL, English usage is almost always universal, dynamic, and multidimensional means of communicating sociocultural values and meanings among its users. The purpose of this study is to identify the perceptions of 80 Korean university students via an EFL classroom activity that was designed to address one aspect of EIcL. This activity aimed at promoting students’ awareness of the interconnected relationship between socioculture and language. By comparing pairs of English and Korean sentences and translating English and Korean sentences, the participants were asked to identify aspects of socioculture embedded within the two languages. The study’s results revealed that the participants identified ten such aspects; the high majority also remarked that the activity was effective in enhancing their awareness of the connection between socioculture and language and further into English use in the EIcL paradigm.

Expanding Circle Learners in an Outer Circle Environment and the Role of World Englishes

( Randy Green ) 현대영미어문학회 2015 현대영미어문학회 추계학술대회 발표논문집 Vol.2015 No.-

Incorporating World Englishes into the Korean EFL Classroom

Randy Green 언어과학회 2015 언어과학연구 Vol.0 No.73

As the number of English speakers included in Kachru`s (1985) so-called Outer and Expanding Circles of English continues to increase worldwide, the study of a variety of issues related to World Englishes has intensified. This study is aimed at identifying the perceptions of 60 university students in an EFL environment in Korea about their personal abilities to distinguish between different forms of English, the importance of learning various non-native versus native forms of World Englishes, and the incorporation of activities into the EFL classroom that introduce a variety of World Englishes. Following the completion of a brief verbal guise test in which students were asked to identify the nationalities of a number of native and non-native English speakers, the participants completed an open-ended questionnaire and took part in focus group discussions. The findings of this study revealed that the high majority of students reported having more difficulty comprehending English from Outer and Expanding Circle Countries than from Inner Circle Countries and that, although most participants recognized the importance of understanding a variety of non-native Englishes and were supportive of the incorporation of World Englishes into the EFL classroom, the majority felt it was more important to learn native than non-native forms of English. In addition, the participants identified a number of factors that influenced their perceptions.

Incorporating Dynamic Pedagogy into the Korean EFL Classroom

( Randy Green ) 현대영미어문학회 2019 현대영미어문학회 추계학술대회 발표논문집 Vol.2019 No.-

The purpose of this presentation is to describe a pedagogical approach that has arisen in response to the pervasive influence that World Englishes currently has on EFL education: Dynamic Pedagogy (DP) (Mahboob & Dutcher, 2013). Based on the Dynamic Approach to Language Proficiency (DALP), DP strives to expose language learners to a diversity of contexts rather than focusing on adherence to one form of the language. Specifically, this presentation will examine the basic concepts of DP and report on a classroom activity that attempts to incorporate several of its basic tenets for Korean university EFL students. In addition, the presenter will discuss the results of a pilot study that was conducted using this activity. The perceptions of the students who participated in this pilot study and a number of pedagogical implications are discussed.