2011, Vol.12, No.2

Modern English Education 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 1.55

pISSN : 1598-0782 / eISSN : 2586-6141
https://journal.kci.go.kr/meeso

This paper aims to analyze and evaluate the effects of learning chunks of words on reading comprehension. Forty-three students in the experimental group learned the concept of a chunk of words and practiced chunking throughout the spring semester of 2010. They were taught how to perceive meaningful chunks of words while they were reading an English passage. The students were given four different tests along with a questionnaire. For the pre- and post-tests, they were given 40 reading comprehension questions from a TOEIC test, 5 reading comprehension questions on two articles from a TOEIC test, mid-term exam/final exam, and 5 chunking questions. The results of these tests showed that the forty-three students in the experimental group performed better in the final exam and in the 5 questions on chunking than the thirty-six students in the control group. Learning chunks of words were effective for both high-level and low-level students. The result of the questionnaire revealed that most of the students thought learning chunks of words helped them learn English. The significant finding of this study is that the students benefit from learning and practicing chunking, thus improving their actual chunking as well as their reading comprehension ability.

This study attempted to demonstrate the validity of the Procedural Developmental Sequence (ProDS) of Stage 1x,...1x^2,...1x^3,...kx^n in terms of the Speech Processing Mechanisms (SPM) and the SPM functions proposed by Yong-Myeong Kim and Oryang Kwon (2006). To see whether the theoretical procedural stages of the ProDS reflects L2 learners' actual developmental stages, this study calculated the Implicational Scaling of the performance ProDS produced in real time by the L2 learners. The result of the Scaling showed that the actual ProDS significantly corresponds to the theoretical ProDS. In addition, to see if there is a relationship between each stage of the ProDS and the L2 learners' grammatical proficiency, this study conducted the Spearman Correlation and the Kruskal-Wallis Test. The analyses of the two tests demonstrated that the ProDS has its validity. In sum, the SPM and the SPM functions are a kind of cognitive or procedural mechanism which can analyze, describe, and sequentialize the IL development of procedural knowledge. Thus, the SPM, its functions, and the ProDS can provide not only a viable explanation for the developmental problems to second language acquisition (SLA), but also a theoretical framework for acquisition-oriented language teaching and testing.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the actual management situation and the effects of native English teacher policy. In addition, it was also pursued to suggest alternative solutions for the improvement of the policy. For these purposes, a survey research was designed and conducted. The survey of this research was answered by three hundred and four Korean English teachers in high schools of Gyeonggi province which hires native English teachers. The participants of this study were sampled from sixty-seven schools in twenty-four cities such as Seongnam, Suweon, etc. For a valid sampling, class size and social-economic status of the schools were considered. The results of survey revealed that Korean teachers showed negative views on the present native English teacher policy. They also replied that the policy causes lack of cooperative class hours, indifference of students due to the low weight on the assessment, and poor quality of the native English teachers. Despite these negative views, they replied that the best way to improve the students' English communication skill is cooperative class between Korean and native English teachers. In terms of suggestions for improvement of the policy, they suggested a stronger screening system before employment and four cooperative class hours per week per each class. They also suggested sufficient investment in improvement of Korean teachers' English ability.