Case Study on One North Korean Defector College Student’s Journey to Learning English in South Korea

Eunim Bok (복은임); Cho, Young Sang (조영상)

doi:10.18095/meeso.2018.19.2.07

Case Study on One North Korean Defector College Student’s Journey to Learning English in South Korea

Modern English Education
Abbr : MEESO
2018, 19(2), pp.63-74
DOI : 10.18095/meeso.2018.19.2.07
Publisher : The Modern English Education Society
Research Area : Humanities > English Language and Literature > English Language Teaching
Published : May 31, 2018

Eunim Bok ¹, Cho, Young Sang ²

¹숭실대학교
²단국대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This case study examined one female university-level North Korean defector’s (NKD) identity construction as an English language learner. Grounded in positioning theory, this study aimed to illustrate the modes of positioning the participant took up in different English language learning contexts and their influences on her English learning practices. Data were collected from multiple resources including interviews, reflection notes, and class observation. Qualitative data analysis revealed that the participant positioned herself differently in each English learning setting and displayed different attitudes and participatory behaviors in accordance with the positions she took up. In this process, she was able to reshape her mindset toward English learning as her first order positioning was continuously questioned. She actively took advantage of her role as a student in an effort to adapt to the environment she was exposed to, but her personal traits and perception of the self-other relationship also had a strong influence on her English learning practices. Pedagogical suggestions are offered that may make English education better suited for NKDs’ various needs.

KEYWORDS

North Korean defector, learner identity, positioning theory

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

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Modern English Education 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 1.55

Case Study on One North Korean Defector College Student’s Journey to Learning English in South Korea

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* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

Modern English Education 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 1.55

Case Study on One North Korean Defector College Student’s Journey to Learning English in South Korea

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