ABSTRACT
A Study of Korean Reading Strategies
Employed by Chinese Background Speakers
Ki, Jun Sung
Department of Korean Language and Literature
The Graduate School of Sangmyung University
This Study presents reading strategy categories an...
ABSTRACT
A Study of Korean Reading Strategies
Employed by Chinese Background Speakers
Ki, Jun Sung
Department of Korean Language and Literature
The Graduate School of Sangmyung University
This Study presents reading strategy categories and individual reading strategies implemented by Chinese background speakers of different Korean proficiency levels.
The study also introduces an instruction model of reading strategies to able effective use of reading strategies for learners of Korean as a foreign language. The reading strategies instruction model presented in three parts: an instruction model regarding details of reading strategies, an instruction model regarding usage of reading strategies, and an evaluation of reading strategies usage.
The instruction model regarding details of reading strategies is developed for learners to intelligently recognize the choices of reading strategies according to the reading steps (before-during-after reading). The instruction model regarding usage of reading strategies is introduced for the learners to apply reading strategies individually, interactively and successively when they perform reading. Meanwhile, evaluation of reading strategies usage is implemented to evaluate how precisely the learners understand what they have learned and how effectively they put them into practice. As a result of this analysis, the present study suggests ten conclusions.
First, difference in reading strategies usage frequency according to learner proficiency is shown through the limited choice of strategic categories and individual strategies.
Second, compared to intermediate learners beginners show no statistical significance in the use of strategic categories and individual strategies. However, compared to advanced learners, they use more strategic categories such as the 'social reading strategy', the 'affective reading strategy', and individual strategies such as 'translating', 'questioning' and 'emotion controlling'.
Third, no strategic categories are significantly employed by intermediate learners compared to beginners, but individual strategies such as 'paraphrasing' is used frequently. Unlike advanced users, Intermediate learners tend to use more strategic categories such as the 'social reading strategy' and 'affective reading strategy' and more individual strategies such as 'translating' and 'questioning'.
Fourth, as for advanced learners, no statistical significance are found in the use of strategic categories but employ individual strategies such as 're-reading' and 'no translating' frequently compared to beginners. Advanced learners, compared to intermediate learners, present no difference in the use of strategic categories but frequently employ individual strategies such as 're-reading'.
Fifth, as for beginners and intermediate learners no strategic categories show significant difference but learners display similarity in the usage of reading strategies.
Sixth, for cognitive reading strategies, beginners and intermediate learners tend to guess unclear meanings from their mother tongue or pre-learned Korean vocabularies with phonetic similarities but advanced learners tend to infer the unclear meanings from the context.
Seventh, for metacognitive reading strategies, intermediate and advanced learners tend to use it more effectively than beginners. However, details of using reading strategies were similar. When reading a text with a purpose to acquire precise meanings such as textbooks,
users look up the dictionary or ask for assistance. On the other hand when reading magazines or newss, learners skim through to obtain general understanding.
Eighth, supportive reading strategies and social strategies show no significant difference in application according to learners' proficiency. The patterns of supportive reading strategies are underlining, circling, and marking asterisk where learners do not understand or find important. Examples of social reading strategies are questioning and collaboration.
Ninth, intermediate learners implement affective reading strategies more effectively than beginners or advanced learners. Beginners and advanced learners do not apply specific strategies to alleviate tension that otherwise interrupt the understanding process. Intermediate learners perform several strategies such as pausing, listening to music, closing eyes and deep breathing.
Lastly, for self-interactive reading strategies, intermediate learners present effective usage of it compared to beginners and advanced learners. When intermediate learners face obstacles in understanding what they are reading due to an affective problem, they overcome them by using cognitive reading strategies such as re-reading and skimming.
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