Youngeun Jee will have her dissertation defence on Monday, August 26, 2024 at 9:00 AM via Zoom.
Supervisory Committee:
Supervisor: Dr. Guofang Li
Committee Members: Dr. Jim Anderson and Dr. Ryuko Kubota
University Examiners:
University Examiner: Dr. Margaret M Early and Dr. Jennifer Vadeboncoeur
External Examiner: Dr. Yongyan Zheng
Chair: Dr. Anthony Clarke
Dissertation Title: Beliefs and Practices in Teaching English as an International Language: A Multiple Case Study of Secondary English Teachers in South Korea
Abstract:
Despite an accumulated body of research arguing for the legitimacy of English as an international language (EIL) or varieties of English used in international and multilingual contexts, American standardized English has remained popular and is prioritized in comparison to other English varieties within Korean society. Little research has investigated how educational policies associated with teacher recruitment and teacher education have responded to these research findings regarding EIL and how secondary school English teachers have taken up on the EIL influence in their teaching in Korea. Against the backdrop of a critical analysis of the current English educational policies concerning English as EIL in Korean at the macro level, this multiple case study focused on factors (e.g., teachers’ schooling, teacher personal experiences, coursework in teacher education, and work contexts) influencing five Korean secondary English teachers’ beliefs and teaching practices in incorporating EIL at the micro level, utilizing multiple data sources (e.g., semi-structured interviews, class observations, survey, and documents collection). Drawing upon the theoretical frameworks of language ideology and teacher cognition, analyses of data suggested that the teachers’ level of acceptance of EIL varied according to their exposure to different English varieties and contact with English users from diverse contexts; however, all teachers assigned a higher status to standardized English in English-speaking countries over other English varieties in their teaching in Korea. Their decision to incorporate EIL in their teaching was also influenced by social disparity among students and their disparate access to educational resources at home and in schools. Further, findings revealed that the focal teachers’ awareness of EIL did not automatically translate into their teaching practices due to practical challenges such as a lack of guidelines for teaching EIL, insufficient instructional resources, and high-stakes college entrance examinations, as well as the need to comply with the national curriculum. The findings have the potential to inform policy changes and English teachers’ education and professional development in Korea and beyond.