Effects of the Use of Lexical Chunks on Practical English Proficiency

The present case study explored the effects of utilizing lexical chunks in individualized coaching on university students’ practical English proficiency. Four participants took “Practicum for Practical English”, a weekly English elective in the Spring of 2018. Research data consisted of TOEIC tests, open-ended questionnaires, activity logs, self-reflections, and one-on-one interviews. To identify the impact on the students’ learning, coaching focused on windowing and shadowing. The qualitative case study method was utilized. The findings suggest that the two coaching strategies had a positive influence on students’ reading and listening progress, empowering students’ attitudes towards a practical English test, expressing greater autonomy related to self-improvement, building confidence, and facilitating a high willingness to communicate. Students, regardless of level, benefit the most when the teacher provides useful models of language phenomenon such as chunking, windowing, and shadowing. Autonomous learning through appropriate coaching demonstrated a wide range of applicable implementations. The implications for English education are that through this method, students become more self-reliant language learners and improve their ability to set customized learning goals. Furthermore, the teacher’s role and autonomous learning aspects are discussed for further research.