KOTESOL International Conference 2016
(Concurrent Session)
Benjamin McBride, Dongguk University, Gyeongju
Wade Chilcoat, Pukyong National University
Do Korean University Students Think They Are Interesting? A Comparative Study
Abstract
In many university English programs, students are assessed on their ability to carry out a conversation in English, a task that combines both linguistic skills and social skills. We noticed that Korean university students are often hesitant to share their ideas and experiences, which suggests social impediments to conversation rather than linguistic ones. Based on this observation, we designed a survey to explore whether students felt that their opinions and experiences were of interest to their classmates. We gave this survey to a wide variety of students, in order to determine which factors may be at play, including nationality, age, academic major, and gender. The results have important implications on curriculum design and assessment in university classrooms throughout Korea.
Biographicals
Benjamin McBride is an Assistant Professor at Dongguk University in Gyeongju, South Korea, where he conducts classes on conversation, presentation, and essay writing. He received an MEd in TESOL from the University of Missouri in 2015. He has been teaching in Korea for 6 years and has been heavily involved in the Seoul chapter of KOTESOL, where he is currently acting as Secretary. His research interests include writing voice, contrastive analysis, sociolinguistics, and error correction.
Wade Chilcoat holds an MA in TESOL from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He is currently a Guest Lecturer in the English Language and Literature Department at Pukyong National University in Busan, South Korea. His research interests include sociolinguistics, cross-cultural communication, and adult EFL.
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