A Meta-Analytic Study on the Effectiveness of Korean Language Education for Adult Non-Native Speakers and Its Policy Implications Ko, Jung Eun Advisor: Prof. Kang, Hui-suk, Ph.D. Department of Korean Language Education as a Foreign Language Graduate S...
A Meta-Analytic Study on the Effectiveness of Korean Language Education for Adult Non-Native Speakers and Its Policy Implications Ko, Jung Eun Advisor: Prof. Kang, Hui-suk, Ph.D. Department of Korean Language Education as a Foreign Language Graduate School of Chosun University Over the past two decades, accelerating global migration and labor mobility have transformed South Korea into a multicultural and multilingual society. As of January 2025, more than 2.6 million foreigners resided in the country, accounting for approximately 5.1% of the national population. Notably, nearly 78% of these individuals are long-term residents, signaling a shift from temporary migration to permanent settlement. This demographic includes foreign workers, marriage migrants, international students, and humanitarian status holders, many of whom are categorized as Adult Non-Native Speakers, defined as learners with no prior exposure to the Korean language or culture. For these individuals, Korean proficiency is essential not only for basic communication but also for meaningful participation in education, employment, social services, and civic life. Recognizing the strategic role of language acquisition in promoting social integration, the Korean government has implemented various language education initiatives, such as the Social Integration Program (KIIP), Sejong Institutes, and Multicultural Family Support Centers. However, many of these programs remain overly generalized and insufficiently responsive to the diverse needs, backgrounds, and learning goals of Adult Non-Native Speakers. Moreover, empirical evaluations of these instructional efforts remain limited, fragmented, and inconsistent in scope. To address this gap, the present study conducts a meta-analysis of empirical research on Korean language education targeting Adult Non-Native Speakers. Specifically, it addresses three research questions: (1) What is the overall effect size of Korean language education for this learner group? (2) What variables moderate the effect size? (3) What policy recommendations can be derived from the findings? A systematic review was conducted on 20 empirical studies published between 2000 and 2024 that employed experimental or quasi-experimental designs with quantifiable outcomes, yielding 40 effect sizes. A random-effects model was used to account for between-study heterogeneity, and Hedges’ g was calculated to estimate effect sizes. Moderator analyses were performed based on learner type, instructional hours, and institutional context. Publication bias was examined using funnel plots and Egger’s regression test. The analysis revealed a large overall effect size (g = 0.922), indicating the substantial positive impact of Korean language education on Adult Non-Native Speakers. However, effectiveness varied by learner group. Programs targeting foreign workers—often associated with instrumental goals such as visa acquisition or workplace communication—demonstrated greater effectiveness, whereas programs for marriage migrants showed lower effect sizes unless integrated into sustained educational or employment pathways. Based on these findings, this study proposes several policy recommendations: the development of differentiated curricula tailored to diverse learner profiles, the implementation of functionally oriented instruction grounded in real-world contexts, the expansion of bridging and vocational Korean programs, and the establishment of standardized evaluation frameworks. This research offers a comprehensive synthesis of Korean language education for Adult Non-Native Speakers and provides practical insights for educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers committed to fostering effective language acquisition and sustainable social integration. Keywords: Korean language education, Adult Non-Native Speakers, meta-analysis, social integration, language policy, multicultural learners