Earticle

본 연구는 민주영 외 (2020) 연구의 후속 연구로, 40명의 한국 대학생이 교실 밖에서 스마트폰 앱을 통해 100개의 영어 단어를 학습할 때 각 단어의 특성이 학습 난이도에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 회귀 분석에 사용된 각 단어의 변수로는 단어의 길이, 품사, 빈도, 다의어 개수, 다양한 철자적 특성(예: 철자 독창성 지점, 철자적 레벤슈타인 거리 20 등)이 포함되었으며, 철자적 특성은 LexiCAL 프로그램을 이용해 계량화하였다. 철자 빈도에 기반한 단어의 특성은 iWeb 말뭉치와 비교하여 산출되었다. 회귀 모델 구축 시 종속 변수는 사전-사후 단어 점수 차이로 설정하였으며, 독립 변수 선정을 위해 stepwise regression, best subset regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator의 세 가지 변수 선택 방법을 적용하였다. 분석 결과, 철자적 독창성 지점(Orthographic Uniqueness Point)이 늦게 나타나는 단어일수록 더 어려웠으며, 동사는 다른 품사에 비해 학습 난이도가 높은 것으로 나타났다. 연구 결과에 기반하여, 영어 단어 학습의 초기 단계에서 형태적 지식 학습의 중요성과 EFL 환경에서 단어 빈도의 제한된 영향을 논의하였다.

Lexical variables, such as word length, word class, and word frequency, affect the difficulty of learning second language (L2) vocabulary. Prior studies have yielded mixed outcomes, contingent on the learning context, purpose, and learners. This study investigates the lexical effects on L2 vocabulary development among Korean EFL learners at the tertiary level. It focuses on the initial form-meaning mapping and the learning setting is limited to app-based, intentional vocabulary learning. The study analyzed 100 English words memorized by 40 Korean university students outside the classroom. Several orthographic features were quantified using the LexiCAL program with the iWeb corpus as the input corpus. For regression analyses, where the dependent variable was the item facility rate from the immediate and delayed post-test, respectively, three variable selection methods were applied to develop a baseline model: stepwise regression, best subset regression, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Results indicated that words with later orthographic uniqueness points (OUPs) were more challenging than those with earlier OUPs, and that verbs were more difficult to learn than other word classes. The importance of learning form knowledge in the early stages and the limited impact of word frequency on L2 vocabulary learning were also discussed.

This study analyzes the syllabi of English writing courses at Japanese universities to investigate instructional approaches at the institutional level. By conducting a content analysis of 1,408 syllabi from 74 randomly sampled universities, the research examines predominant instructional approaches, their integration, and the institutional factors influencing product-oriented approaches. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore these influences. The findings reveal that Japanese universities’ English writing classes predominantly use paragraph-based (73%) and sentence-based approaches (48.1%). There has been an increase in process-based approaches (44.7%), but genre-based approaches, particularly those fostering comprehensive literacy skills, remain rare (1.5%). Additionally, integrated instructional approaches were more frequently used than single approaches, suggesting an awareness of the complex nature of English writing instruction. The findings also indicate that product-oriented approaches remain prevalent (54.8%), emphasizing formality and structure. The use of textbooks is a significant institutional factor influencing the adoption of product-oriented approaches (OR = 2.28, p < .001). This study underscores the ongoing emphasis on product-oriented approaches in Japanese English writing education, highlighting the need for balanced instructional strategies that integrate product-oriented, process-oriented, and genre-specific approaches. It offers a foundation for refining curricula to better prepare EFL students for diverse communicative demands in a global context.

本研究は、日本の大学における英語ライティング授業で採用される指導アプローチを調査した。具体的には、無作為に抽出された74大学が公開する英語ライティング授業のシラバス計1,408件を内容分析し、授業計画に採用される主要な指導アプローチ、それらの統合状況、およびプロダクト・アプローチの採用に影響を及ぼす制度的要因を分析した。影響要因の分析には、ロジスティック回帰分析を用いた。調査の結果、現行の日本の大学の英語ライティング授業では、パラグラフ・アプローチ (73%) 、センテンス・アプローチ(48.1%) およびプロセス・アプローチ (44.7%) が主として採用されているが、総合的なリテラシーの育成を目指すジャンル・アプローチの導入は極めて限定的 (1.5%) であることがわかった。また、単一アプローチよりも複数のアプローチを組み合わせた統合的指導が頻繁に採用されており、英語ライティング指導の複雑性に対する認識が向上している可能性を示唆している。さらに、形式や構造を重視するプロダクト・アプローチが依然として過半数 (54.8%) を占めており、教科書の使用がプロダクト・アプローチの採用に統計的有意な正の影響を及ぼしていることが確認された(OR = 2.28, p < .001)。これらの調査結果は、日本の英語ライティング教育においてプロダクト・アプローチが優勢である現状を示すとともに、グローバル社会における多様なコミュニケーション需要に応えるため、プロダクト、プロセス、およびジャンル・アプローチを効果的に統合した指導方略の確立が急務であることを示唆している。本研究は、EFL学習者のコミュニケーション能力向上を目指したカリキュラム改善の基礎的資料として活用できるだろう。

The complex nature of critical thinking (CT) presents significant challenges in teaching, particularly in non-Western English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. Despite its acknowledged importance in higher education, there is a notable lack of established methodologies for enhancing CT performance, especially in written communication. This study addresses this gap by exploring the use of CT-focused learning logs in Japanese EFL university-level classrooms. Learning logs, tools for students to record their learning experiences or reflections, are augmented by CT-infused tasks such as opinion paragraph writing, text summarization, and perspective sharing. These tasks are implemented in oral communication courses with 34 lower-intermediate to intermediate-level students. Pre- and post-opinion paragraph writing tests assessed improvements in students’ abilities to construct and articulate well-reasoned and coherently structured arguments. The findings indicate that CT-infused tasks using learning logs significantly improve students’ reasoning abilities and fluency in written communication. While the study revealed students’ weaknesses in presenting effective topic sentences and conclusions, it highlights the novel potential of CT-focused learning logs to enhance students’ abilities to express critical thoughts and produce higher-quality writing. These findings offer valuable insights for EFL educators aiming to foster critical written competencies among their students.

クリティカルシンキング（CT）の複雑さは、特に非西洋のEFL（外国語としての英語）教育において課題を呈する。高等教育でCTの重要性が広く認識されているにもかかわらず、特にライティングにおけるCT能力を向上させる確立された方法論はほとんどない。本研究は、このギャップに対応するために、日本の大学EFL教室におけるCTを重視したラーニングログの活用を検討するものである。ラーニングログは、学習の経験や考察を記録するツールであり、本研究では意見パラグラフのライティング、テキスト要約、視点の共有といったCTを取り入れたタスクを通じて強化されている。中級レベルの学生34名を対象としたオーラル・コミュニケーションの授業においてこれらのタスクを実施した結果、事前・事後テストを通じて、論理的かつ首尾一貫した議論を構築・表現する能力が向上したことが確認された。本研究の結果、ラーニングログを用いたCTタスクが学生の論理的思考能力およびライティングの流暢さを有意に向上させることが明らかとなった。また、効果的なトピックセンテンスや結論の提示に関する課題も浮き彫りとなったが、CT重視のラーニングログが学生のクリティカルシンキング表現力および質の高いライティング・アウトプットの向上に寄与する可能性が示唆された。本研究の成果は、EFL教育者が学生のライティングにおけるCT能力を育成するための重要な指針となる。

The last two decades have witnessed increasing studies on L2 learners’ argumentative writing quality from different perspectives. However, less attention has been paid to the rhetorical structures of arguments and counterarguments in ESL/EFL argumentative essays. To fill the gap, this study investigates the rhetorical features of argument and counterargument structures in Chinese EFL learners’ argumentative writing and examines the correlation between rhetorical structures and overall writing quality. Sixty-seven argumentative essays were collected in a natural academic English writing classroom at an English medium instruction university in China. Based on Toulmin’s (2003) model, the study qualitatively analyzed the rhetorical characteristics of Claim, Data, Counterargument-Claim, Counterargument-Data, and Rebuttal in the argument and counterargument. Then the relationship between the rhetorical structures and overall essay quality was quantitatively determined. Results indicated that most sampled essays were constructed as a two-sided complete pattern consisting of a complete argument and counterargument. Our study also found a correlation between the rhetorical structures and overall writing quality. The results revealed that the essays constructed with the two-sided complete pattern achieved significantly higher quality than those of the other patterns. These findings shed light on pedagogical implications for learning to write argumentative essays in the Chinese EFL context and how to instruct students to construct the argument and counterargument in L2 writing.

近年来，基于不同视角的有关于二语学习者议论文写作质量的研究日益增多。然而，对于英语作为第二语言或外语议论文中论点与反论点的修辞结构关注较少。本研究分析了中国英语作为外语（EFL）学习者议论文写作中论点与反论点的修辞结构特征，并检验了修辞结构与议论文写作质量之间的关系。本研究收集了67篇在自然学术英语写作课堂中完成的议论文。基于Toulmin模型（Toulmin, 2003），本研究对议论文中“主张”“论据支持”“反论-主张”“反论-论据支持”和“反驳反论点”的修辞特征进行了定性分析。随后，通过定量分析考察了修辞结构与整体写作质量之间的关系。研究结果表明，大多数样本文章采用了包含完整论点和反论点的双面完整模式结构。此外，本研究发现议论文中的论点和反论结构与整体写作质量之间存在相关性。具体而言，采用双面完整模式构建的文章在写作质量上显著优于其他模式的文章。本研究发现为中国EFL环境下学习议论文写作提供了教学启示，同时也为如何教导学生在英语议论文写作中构建论点和反论点提供了重要参考。

One of the primary objectives of English language learning is to facilitate communication among individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, making the integration of cultural knowledge a crucial component of English curricula worldwide. This paper presents the findings of a comparative study that examined the incorporation of cultural elements in two series of English Language Teaching (ELT) textbooks published by Oxford University Press for two Chinese societies—Hong Kong and Shanghai—each with distinct historical contexts. Utilizing Moran’s 4P framework, the study aimed to compare the representation of local and other cultures, as well as the opportunities provided for learners to develop intercultural communicative competence. The results indicated a relatively balanced distribution of local and other cultures, though with a noticeable emphasis on American and British cultures. Additionally, the representation of cultural aspects was uneven, with “products” being the most frequently described and “perspectives” the least. This tendency to present cultural information as a fixed body of knowledge does not effectively foster intercultural communicative competence. The paper further explores how the differences between the two textbook series reflect the prevailing political and social ideologies within their respective local contexts.

英語學習的一個主要目標是促進來自不同文化背景的人有效交流。因此，文化知識的融入已成為許多國家英語課程的重要組成部分。本文通過比較研究，檢視由牛津大學出版社為兩個具有不同歷史背景的中國社會——香港和上海——出版的兩系列英語課本，分析文化元素的融入情況。研究利用Moran的4P框架，旨在比較課文中本土與外國文化的描繪，以及為學習者提供發展跨文化交際能力的機會。結果顯示，本土文化與外國文化的分佈相對平衡，但對英美文化的強調較為明顯。此外，Moran的4P框架顯示各要素的描述並不均衡，其中“產品”是最常被描述的，而“視角”則最少。這種將文化資訊呈現為固定知識體系的傾向，可能難以有效促進跨文化交際能力的培養。本文還探討了這兩套教材系列之間的差異如何反映當地的政治和社會意識形態。

본 연구는 Dörnyei의 (2005, 2009) 제2언어 동기적 자아체계(L2 Motivational Self-System)를 바탕으로, 영어를 외국어로 학습하는 성인 온라인 학습자들의 동기와 탈동기를 분석하였다. 대한민국의 사이버 대학교에 재학 중인 151명을 대상으로 제2언어 학습 동기, 탈동기, 동기화된 학습 행동, 그리고 영어 성취도에 관한 설문조사를 실시하였다. 요인 분석 결과, 5개의 동기 요인(이상적 L2 자아, 당위적 L2 자아, 문화적 관심, 도구성-직업, 도구성-이타주의)과 3개의 탈동기 요인(자기 조절, 학습 내용, 온라인 학습)이 도출되었다. 반복 측정 분산 분석 결과, 문화적 관심과 이상적 L2 자아가 주요 동기 요인으로 나타났고, 온라인 학습은 가장 덜 중요한 탈동기 요인으로 확인되었다. 상관 분석에서는 당위적 L2 자아가 모든 탈동기 요인과 유의미한 관계를 보였다. 회귀 분석에서는 동기 요인보다 온라인 학습과 관련된 탈동기 요인이 영어 성취도와 동기화된 학습 행동의 가장 강력한 예측 변수로 확인되었다. 이 결과는 온라인 영어 학습의 성공에 있어 내적 동기와 학습 준비도의 중요성을 시사한다. 연구 결과를 바탕으로 성인 학습자를 위한 강의 개발과 온라인 교육 중도 탈락률 감소 방안을 논의한다.

This study investigates the motivation and demotivation of adult online learners studying English as a foreign language, using Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009) L2 Motivational Self-System as the main framework. A survey of 151 participants from a Korean cyber university included items on L2 motivation, demotivation, motivated learning behavior, and English achievement. Factor analysis identified five motivational factors: Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, Cultural Interest, Instrumentality-Job, and Instrumentality-Altruism, and three demotivational factors: Self-regulation, Learning Content, and Online Learning. Repeated measures ANOVA analyses revealed that Cultural Interest and Ideal L2 Self were the dominant motivational factors, while Online Learning was the least significant demotivator. Correlation analysis showed the Ought-to L2 Self was significantly related to all demotivators. Regression analysis showed that demotivators related to online learning, rather than motivational factors, were the strongest predictors for both English achievement and motivated learning behavior. These findings underscore the crucial roles of intrinsic motivation and readiness for online learning in the success of online English learning. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to developing English courses for adult online learners and reducing dropout rates in online education.