Learning English in Korea from Learners

Learning English in Korea from Learners

This study reports the interaction between metacognition, prior learning experience and different learning context, as discovered by a Qualitative investigation of three groups of EFL learners in Korea. A total of 38 volunteers were interviewed, including 13 high school students, 10 university students, and 15 adult learners in the workplace. Through a three-stage CODING process, eighteen thematic affinities were generated to represent the data The present study focuses on the eight affinities that are directly related to motivation, beliefs and strategy use in learning EFL. Important metaphors have emerged from the data, which are constructed by the learners themselves based upon the judgement of their learning experiences. The affinities indicate the nature of beliefs that are dynamic, context-dependent, and socially-constructed. The findings reflect the function of the learning contexts that influence learners' perception of language learning. They further show that the judgement of individual learners' particular learning experiences has led to their current approaches and behaviors in language learning.