Native English-speaking teachers’ perspectives on Korean university students’ learning of English as a foreign language

Native English-speaking teachers’ perspectives on Korean university students’ learning of English as a foreign language

It is widely recognized among English language teaching scholars that there is a pedagogical gap between English as a foreign language (EFL) students and native English-speaking teachers (NESTs). However, little research has attempted to identify contributing factors and elucidate them from an NEST perspective in the Korean higher education context. This study explored NESTs’ perspectives on Korean university students’ EFL learning in an effort to bridge the gap. Attention was also drawn to NESTs’ pedagogical approaches and methods in the course of ascertaining their perspectives on the students’ learning. The study was carried out through a mixed methods approach encompassing a questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and field notes. Fifty-four NESTs completed questionnaires, and a subsample of six teachers further participated in naturalistic inquiry. The study shed light on what attributed to the effectiveness of students’ EFL learning through exploration of the following from the teachers’ perspectives: learner motivation; knowledge base; language skills; needs and expectations; in-class behaviors; study habits; learning strategies; and prior learning experience. The teachers acknowledged that the students could not take full advantage of the services rendered by NESTs while EFL classes taught by NESTs were deemed apposite, necessary, and beneficial. The teachers were consulted about ways of narrowing the gap to improve the effectiveness of EFL learning and teaching. Based on the findings, recommendations are made to close the gap and improve the quality of EFL education.