As the importance of learner factors in the second language learning research has been recognized, research on learner factors has been increasing in the field of Korean language education as well. Learner factors are mainly divided into three differe...
As the importance of learner factors in the second language learning research has been recognized, research on learner factors has been increasing in the field of Korean language education as well. Learner factors are mainly divided into three different domains - cognitive, affective, and sociocultural. Among these, sociocultural factors are particularly important for Korean language learners who live in Korea.
As the number of foreigners coming to Korea has recently increased, Korean language learners are also increasing in number as well as becoming more diversified in terms of nationality. However, not much research has been done on related topics given the increasing diversification in acculturation among learners of Korean language, Therefore, the present study is aimed to investigate the relationship between acculturation stress and Korean language proficiency among native Chinese learners and native English learners of Korean and to examine how such acculturation aspects appear in the actual life of individual learner.
To do this, the following questions are to be answered:
First, how is acculturation stress influenced by Korean language proficiency among each of Chinese and English learner groups?
Second, how do the attributes of acculturation stress differ across native languages of learners?
To answer these questions, a survey was conducted among Chinese native-speaking learners and English native-speaking learners of Korean in Korean language education institutions affiliated with universities in Korea. Acculturation Stress Scale was used in the survey, and a correlation analysis was conducted on the data using SPSS. After the analysis, subjects from each of the two native language groups with different levels of proficiency were randomly selected and given in-depth interviews regarding acculturation.
The results drawn are as follows:
First, as for Chinese native-speaking learners, the overall acculturation stress level increased as Korean language proficiency increased among low level learners, whereas acculturation stress gradually decreased as proficiency increased among intermediate to upper level learner groups. This may be because most Chinese learners begin to learn Korean as soon as they have come to Korea and, thus, experience the second or the third stage, in which the stress level is high, of the four stages of acculturation while they are in the second or third grade.
Second, as for English native-speaking learners, there was no significant correlation between the overall acculturation stress and Korean language proficiency. This may be because, unlike Chinese native-speaking learners, English native-speaking learners generally do not begin to learn Korean soon after they arrive in Korea. Nevertheless, some of the attributes in Acculturation Stress Scale were found to change according to the level of proficiency.
Third, native Chinese learners and native English learners of Korean showed different acculturation. The major characteristics of acculturation among native Chinese learners revealed via the in-depth interview are previous exposure to Korean culture, recognized discrimination, difficulties in daily life, and interpersonal relationship. That is, Chinese native-speaking learners are exposed to Korean culture through various media contents, including Korean drama, and form expectation about Korea as it is described in such media. After moving to Korea, however, they realize that the images they have about Korea do not match the reality they face in their daily lives in Korea and feel the gap, although they gradually overcome this as they achieve higher proficiency in Korean.
On the other hand, the major characteristics of acculturation revealed among English native-speaking leaners are preference for English, recognized discrimination, and difficulties due to cultural differences. It is inferred that English native-speaking learners experience difficulties caused by general cultural differences because of relatively less prior exposure to Korean culture, as well as cultural distance between western and eastern cultures. Preference for English in Korea, on the contrary, makes them easier to attain help from Koreans. English learners with low Korean proficiency showed positive attitudes towards such help given in English, whereas more negative attitudes were found as they have higher proficiency.
Daily-life difficulties due to differences in the systems and difficulties of making Korean friends were addressed as the common characteristics shared by both groups. Communicating smoothly with Koreans is the purpose of learning Korean for many of those who learn Korean; even though learners of Korean want to make friends with Koreans, limited proficiency and the lack of contact points with Koreans are the difficulties that they are facing in the reality.
Thus, it may be possible to reflect the needs of learners of Korean regarding acculturation by gathering information about learner’s acculturation and, accordingly, adding the contents that address the difficulties they experience. In addition, it is necessary to provide learners with various exchange programs and opportunities to use Korean they learn in classroom in real life.
，韩语论文，韩语论文题目 |
