First- and Second-Order Positioning in Korean EFL University Students’ Simulated Customer-Employee Email Interactions: Implications for English Education

This study explores how Korean EFL university students construct firstand second-order positioning in simulated customer-employee email communication. Applying Positioning Theory (Harré and van Langenhove, 1999) as the analytical framework, the research analyzes how students enact first- and second-order positioning as they engage in role-based email interactions in English. Thirty-four students participated in two rounds of paired email exchanges, resulting in 68 emails. The analysis revealed three major trends. First, in their initial positioning, customers tended to present themselves as loyal and emotionally affected individuals entitled to compensation, while employees often acknowledged company responsibility despite being instructed to prioritize company interests. Second, in second-order positioning, customers frequently employed resistance or conditional acceptance when emotional or relational expectations were unmet. In contrast, employees commonly repositioned or renegotiated their stance to accommodate customer demands and maintain relational harmony. The study concludes with pedagogical implications, suggesting that incorporating positioning awareness, relational pragmatics, and cultural reflection into English education can enhance strategic communication, pragmatic competence, and intercultural sensitivity across real-world communication settings.