(Learner Identity) 3:00-3:45 Zoom
Implications of English Names in the Korean EFL Classroom
There is evidence to suggest that the perception of one's name is correlated with employability, likability, academic achievement, and other important life outcomes. This evidence is all the more important in Korea where the use of English names is common. With names being such an important part of who we are, how we are perceived, and a potential force and partially shaping who we might become, it is important to fully understand the consequences that giving English names might have on English language learners and their L to motivation in a classroom setting. This session presents findings from a recently completed master's dissertation which aims to answer two research questions. First, do differences and L2 motivation exist between Korean students with an English name and without an English? Second, what impact does using English names having participants' L2 motivation in a Korean EFL classroom? Using both a quantitative questionnaire (n=635) and a non-randomized, controlled experiment (n=89) with Korean high school students, the dissertation focuses on a salient topic that has received little attention in the field of applied linguistics, especially in Korea. Both the finding from the research data and implication for EFL teachers will be discussed.
About Brian Raisbeck
Brian Raisbeck has taught EFL in Korea for nearly a decade. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of California Santa Cruz and an M.A.T. and TESOL from the University of Southern California. He recently completed his master's dissertation on the use of English names in the Korean EFL classroom for his M.S.C. in applied linguistics and second language acquisition at the University of Oxford.
