Richard Cassidy , Daniel Bailey

DOI: Vol.21(No.1) 11-34, 2018

Citing a lack of discussion about the particular effect of giving peer feedback, this study of student perceptions and actual practice seeks to map out and account rather for the benefits afforded by both sides of the online peer review process. A group of 61 university English education majors completed seven peer-to-peer (P2P) process writing tasks during one semester and then completed an in-house developed P2P perceptions questionnaire. Results suggest encouraging continuities between the peer review practice itself and its role in alleviating student writing anxieties. In so doing, the study hopes to provide a better understanding of the training students need in order to benefit from computer assisted collaborative learning activities such as P2P writing tasks. While students proved able to focus on a wide range of different grammar, content, and organizational aspects of their peer’s work, they appeared also to enjoy the responsibility of helping one another improve their writing. Furthermore, they reported a larger number of higher-level improvements associated with the giving part of the peer review process than with the feedback received. Finally, this accounting of student perceptions the peer review process correlate positively with an analysis of their actual peer comments, and provide therefore insight into the language learning strategy training afforded by the P2P process as well as into its mitigating effects on L2 writing anxiety.

Second language acquisition, academic writing, peer-to-peer feedback, blended-learning, language learning strategies, L2 writing anxiety

Hee-jung Jung

DOI: Vol.21(No.1) 35-56, 2018

The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze English teachers’ intention to resist technological innovation in their classrooms. To reach the research goal, the study proposes a research model and hypotheses that focus on innovation characteristics (low compatibility, information overload, economic risk, and functional risk) and English teachers’ characteristics (lack of self-efficacy, attitude, and habit) with a positive impact on intention to resist technological innovation. This study uses a survey approach to collect necessary data for analysis. For a period of five months, a total of 57 valid data from English teachers at middle and high schools were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 to test the proposed hypotheses. The results show that all proposed constructs except for lack of self-efficacy were found to have a significant influence on the degree of resistance to innovation among these English teachers. The findings provide a clear understanding of teachers’ resistance behaviors and offer suggestions for testable propositions in this neglected perspective of educational technology research. The contributions and implications of the study are discussed with respect to the future approach to resistance to technology-enhanced language learning environments.

English language classrooms, innovation characteristics, teachers` characteristics, intention to resist technological innovation

Na-young Kim

DOI: Vol.21(No.1) 57-76, 2018

This study investigates the effectiveness of reading aloud tasks through a mobile phone with a focus on EFL vocabulary and reading skills. For the purpose of the study, 70 Korean college students were recruited. All participants were freshmen taking an English course. Divided into two groups, mobile phone assisted reading aloud group (n = 34) and traditional reading aloud group (n = 36), the participants read one given passage aloud every week. During eight weeks of the experimental period, to engage in reading aloud tasks, the mobile phone group used a mobile phone, while the traditional group did not. They were required to take vocabulary and reading comprehension pre- and post-tests as well as an attitude questionnaire. Positive changes were found on all participants’ vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. The mobile phone assisted reading aloud group, particularly, showed more improvement. With regards to reading comprehension skills, it is interesting to note that the traditional group significantly performed better than the mobile phone group on the pre-test, but the two groups became homogeneous on the post-test. Survey results indicate that mobile assisted reading aloud tasks positively affect EFL learners’ interest, anxiety, and stress in English learning. Based on these findings, implications and suggestions are made.

mobile phone assisted language learning, reading aloud tasks, English as a foreign language (EFL), vocabulary, reading comprehension

Pirae Kim

DOI: Vol.21(No.1) 77-106, 2018

This study explored the effect of implementing digital storytelling on the L2 college pre-service teachers' writing ability development. In addition, students' perceptions of experiencing digital storytelling in the children's literature classroom at a university, in particular, in association to their writing ability development were also examined. In carrying out this research, the teacher-researcher employed a quasi-experimental, mixed methods research design, relying on both quantitative and qualitative data sources, including pre- and post- writing tests, and survey data from the students' course evaluation. The results indicated that students' engagement in the digital storytelling activities improved their writing skill at a statistically meaningful level in the analytic scoring (p<.05). In the examination of the language features in their writing focusing on the syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF), participants’ accuracy was found to be improved at a statistically meaningful level (p<.05). In the fluency, only the number of words showed statistically significant increase. The findings in syntactic complexity demonstrated that statistically meaningful enhancement was identified only in some measures. The survey results on the participants’ perceptions revealed that the process of producing digital storytelling projects allowed them to promote their writing ability development. Pedagogical implications on integrating multilieracies tasks, including digital storytelling were offered at the end.

Multiliteracies, Digital Storytelling, L2 Writing Development

Song-eun Lee

DOI: Vol.21(No.1) 107-132, 2018

Although a number of studies have advocated for a portfolio approach to teaching/learning writing, they have largely addressed the advantages and disadvantages of portfolio implementation as summative assessment. Focusing on the formative function of writing portfolios, the present study investigated how and why L2 writers are engaged in writing for their Web-portfolios in English and, further, strategies for better motivating students during Web-portfolio creation. I collected data from students’ detailed accounts throughout the process (i.e., through peer reviews and self-assessments) and post-process (i.e., through surveys and self-reflections) of building Web-portfolios. The findings suggest that the L2 writers greatly engaged in English writing for their Web-portfolios while learning from each other and realizing their own strengths and weakness and that the sense of ownership, authorship, and scholarship and the autonomy given to them prompted the L2 writers to write eagerly for their Web-portfolios. Based on these findings, strategies for better motivating L2 writers during Web-portfolio creation are suggested; that is, I recommend that L2 writers should be given clear expectations and guidelines with a margin for creating Web-portfolios and that they should be allowed to choose their favorite topic to write about and to research.

English writing, L2 (EFL/ESL) writing, electronic portfolios (e-portfolios), writing portfolios, digital writing, student engagement, motivation for English writing

Zhen Yang , Chang-in Lee

DOI: Vol.21(No.1) 133-152, 2018

This study looked at the correlation between improved listening skills and flipped vocabulary learning on low-level EFL learners in a Chinese context. Thirty-one college students participated in a listening practice course for 20 weeks. The first three weeks focused on training on flipped learning and course preparation. The actual implementation of the real listening practice took place between weeks four and nineteen. During the listening practice course, 26 listening practice sections were covered. An alternating treatment design was used with two flipped vocabulary learning methods, learning words by teacher-made videos or by an online dictionary before the listening practice. For every listening practice section, students learned 20 target words before class. A vocabulary activity helped to enhance the effects of flipped learning in class before the start of listening practice. Data sources included pre-tests, repeated tests, and post-tests. The findings are as follows: 1) flipped learning of vocabulary had positive effects on listening improvement, and there was an overall increase in listening test scores. 2) With the two vocabulary learning methods, vocabulary learning with videos was more effective on students' listening practice than the method using an online dictionary.

English listening, flipped learning of vocabulary, alternating treatment design, low-level EFL Learners

송은혜 Song Eunhye

DOI: Vol.21(No.1) 154-177, 2018

This study investigated the effects of video recording, video recording assignments, and self-evaluation using a smartphone on interview skills in English. For the study, 24 university students participated in the pre and post English interviews, video recording assignments, and self-evaluation. Using the smartphones of the students and the professor, the pre and post English interviews were videotaped and were evaluated both by the professor and by the students based on 15 items of content and delivery evaluation. The results of this study were as follows: First, according to a paired samples t-test, the means of the post interview data were significantly higher than the ones from the pre interview in terms of 14 items. Second, there was no significant difference between the professor’s evaluation and self-evaluation in terms of an independent samples t-test. Lastly, the participants showed positive responses towards smartphone video recording and self-assessment activity based on the surveys. The findings of the study indicate that video recording, video recording assignments, and self-evaluation process using a smartphone seem to be useful activities for improving interview skills in English.

Interviews in English, Smartphone, Video-recording, Self-evaluation, Professor`s evaluation