Lee, I., & Kim, J. (2014, September). The effect of self-directed English learning on the reading performance of Korean college students utilizing a read-aloud program. Paper presented at the meeting of KAMALL Annual Conference 2014, Seoul, Korea. [Abstract] The study investigated the relationship between the performance of Korean college students who used a read-aloud computer program and their capability to perform Self-Directed English Learning (SDEL). Currently, there is a lot of interest in SDEL and Multimedia-Assisted Language Learning (MALL). At the forefront of this interest is the effect that multimedia programs have on language learners, along with their capability to properly use SDEL. Based on this rising interest, a research question was proposed: After using the Reading Assistant program over a thirteen week period, was the performance of the students directly related to their ability to use SDEL? The participants were 43 Korean college students at a university in Daejeon. The pertinent information of these participants is as follows: 15 males and 19 females, ages ranging from 22 to 27 years old, Intermediate English level, and all of whom were TESOL majors. These students studied English using a read-aloud program called Reading Assistant for 13 weeks in the spring of 2014. This program is an online read-aloud program which is equipped with automatic speech recognition software. This type of software aims at improving the reading fluency and accuracy of the students. The students were asked to read English books aloud as they were grouped with five other members, and they were further requested to meet with their coaches once a week for 13 weeks. The entire performance of the students was recorded automatically on the program server. The data included the following criteria: length of study time, WCPM (words corrected per minute), number of books, study progress rate (quiz score and WCPM), and highest reading level. At the beginning of the experiment, the students were also asked to fill out the online SDEL Questionnaire, which was developed and run by the researchers’ university. The ten features of self-directedness are: (1) interpersonal ability, (2)self-esteem, (3) self-confidence, (4) anxiety with English, (5) goals, (6) motivation, (7) self-directedness, (8) information process ability, (9) self-understanding, and (10) overall level. [...]

1. The Effect of Self-Directed
English Learning on the Reading
Performance of Korean College
Students Utilizing a Read-Aloud Program
Lee, Inhye
Kim, Jungtae
Department of TESOL,
Pai Chai University

2. The Needs of Society and the Students
Society’s
Needs
Students’
Needs
Communicative
Competence
• Achieving Fluent
Speaking
• Practical English >
Academic English
• High Speaking Ability
• Test Scores
- OPIc, TOEIC, IELTS,
and TOEFL Speaking

3. Colleges’ Reaction to These Needs
• Conversation Courses
• Teaching Strategies for High Scores of
Commercials Tests
• Adopting a Mock Test of TOEIC
=======================================
• Limitations to Fulfilling the Needs

4. Self-Directed English Learning System
Learning
Coaching Assessment

5. Reading Assistant
• Read aloud
• Improving fluency + reading speed
• 30min/day, 4days/week
-> 25 hrs/semester
Graduation Requirement

6. Literature Review
• Self-Directed English Learning (SDEL)
• Knowles (1975) defined SDL as a process for students
with the initiative in
– discovering for their learning needs
– establishing learning aims
– finding human and material resources
– applying proper learning strategies
– assessing outcome
• Hyeon (1999) identified that learners lead and manage
their overall studying on their own, or through
interacting with a learning facilitator.

7. • Reading & SDL
• Kim and Yu (2009) examined the effect of using a reading-skills
program on self-directed learning ability and achievement of
primary school students.
– The result was that the reading program influenced positively the
students' learning strategies, motivation, and self-concept.
• Jung & Choi (2014) studied university night students' self-directed
learning experience in English reading through in-depth interviews.
– SDL continued to interest in reading in English.
– Also, subjects responded positively to the SDL experience.
– A limitation, however, was that the number of interviewees was small.

8. • Training in reading skills is a way to encourage students' SDL
ability. (Yoo, 2002; Park, 2002; Jung, 2012)
• In particular, Park (2002) suggested that in SDL the most
crucial thing is that learners choose their books to read.
• Literature Gap
– SDEL Ability vs. Reading Performance
– Target Students → Elementary Students

9. Research Question
Was the reading performance of the college students correlated
to their ability to use SDEL using the Reading Assistant
program?
SDEL
Ability
vs.
Reading
Assistant
Time
WCPM
Number of books
Reading high level books
Comprehension rate

10. Participants
• 34 Korean College Students at a University in Daejeon
Major TESOL
Gender 15 males & 19 females
Age 22 to 27 years old
Proficiency
Intermediate English level
(TOEIC L/R 380 ~ 880)

15. SDEL Survey
• Developed by Prof. Cho based on
– Griffiths, C. (Ed.). (2008). Lessons from good language learners.
Cambridge University Press.
– Dornyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (Eds.). (2009). Motivation, language
identity and the L2 self. Multilingual Matters.
• The survey consists of 10 features:
(1) interpersonal ability, (2) self-esteem, (3) self-confidence,
(4) resisting anxiety with English, (5) goals, (6) motivation,
(7) self-directedness, (8) information process ability,
(9) self-understanding, and (10) overall level.
• Reliability: Cronbach’s alpha =.76

16. Procedure
• Studying English Using the Program outside the
Classroom
– During the semester of spring, 2014 (13 weeks)
– More than 4 times per week and at least 30mins
at a time
– Coaching System: once a week

17. SDEL Survey: Descriptive
Variable Mean S.D. Minimum Maximum Range
InterP 5.73 0.97 3.75 7.00 3.25
SelfES 5.26 0.94 3.43 7.00 3.57
SelfConf 5.37 0.91 3.29 7.00 3.71
EnAnxi 4.61 1.17 1.86 7.00 5.14
Goals 4.89 1.25 3.00 7.00 4.00
Motiv 5.65 0.94 3.67 7.00 3.33
SelfDir 4.62 1.31 2.63 7.00 4.38
InforPro 4.93 1.00 3.25 7.00 3.75
SelfUnder 5.74 1.10 2.88 7.00 4.18
Level 5.13 0.88 3.57 6.58 3.01

18. RA Learning: Descriptive
Variable Mean S.D. Minimum Maximum Range
Time 1422.82 546.62 184.00 2352.00 2168.00
WCPM 105.15 17.84 85.00 182.00 97.00
Num 3.30 1.60 0.80 6.30 5.50
H.Level 3.58 0.90 2.00 5.00 3.00
Compreh 66.06 17.85 12.00 100.00 88.00

19. Correlations
Spearman's
rho
Time PerTime WCPM Num HLevel Compreh
InterP .197 .197 .451** -.100 .220 -.171
SelfES -.019 -.019 .185 -.091 -.024 -.101
SelfConf -.094 -.094 .281 -.060 -.043 -.225
EnAnxi .176 .176 .238 .156 .076 .061
Goals .026 .026 .193 .115 .043 .091
Motiv .161 .161 .376* .292 .270 .136
SelfDir .169 .169 .173 -.003 -.043 -.124
InforPro .176 .176 .311 -.064 .094 -.191
SelfUnder .178 .178 .297 .181 .134 -.218
Level .085 .085 .358* .078 .124 -.106

20. Frequency Chart
WCPM
High Mid Low
SDEL High 0 3 9
Mid 1 1 8
Low 0 1 11
Comprehension
High Mid Low
SDEL High 10 1 1
Mid 7 1 2
Low 9 3 0

21. Case Study Sample : SDEL High
Reading Performance
Time WCPM Num H.Level Compreh
1134 98.0 1.8 3.0 79
SDEL Survey
InterP SelfES SelfConf EnAnxi Goals Motiv SelfDir InforPro SelfUnder Level
7.0 7.0 6.9 6.3 7.0 6.0 6.4 6.1 6.9 6.6

22. Case Study Sample : High SDEL
• Interview
– Enjoys studying English
– Willingness to improve English proficiency
– Low English proficiency: fluency
– High SDEL capability
– Busy during the semester
– Need to connect content courses with English studying
– Problems on speech recognition

23. Case Study Sample : SDEL Mid
Reading Performance
Time WCPM Num H.Level Compreh
907 95.0 2.9 3.0 98
SDEL Survey
InterP SelfES SelfConf EnAnxi Goals Motiv SelfDir InforPro SelfUnder Level
4.8 5.3 5.9 4.6 6.3 6.0 4.4 4.4 4.9 5.2

24. Case Study Sample : Mid SDEL
– Willingness to improve English proficiency
– Low English proficiency: fluency
– Lack of interaction, self-directedness,
information processing ability
– Need to teach study skills, basic language use
– Encouraging her to study English

25. Case Study Sample : SDEL Low
Reading Performance
Time WCPM Num H.Level Compreh
1583 117.0 3.3 5.0 96
SDEL Survey
InterP SelfES SelfConf EnAnxi Goals Motiv SelfDir InforPro SelfUnder Level
5.5 4.1 4.3 1.9 3.0 3.7 2.6 3.5 5.6 3.6

26. Case Study Sample : Low SDEL
• Interview
– Willingness to improve English proficiency
– Struggling to study English
– Relatively high fluency
– Low ability to dealing with English anxiety
– Low self-directness
– Complement, encouragement

27. Conclusion and Implications
• No high correlations between SDEL and Reading performance
– WCPM (fluency) vs. Comprehension rate (accuracy)
• However, there was low moderate correlations between
– WCPM and inter-personal ability
– WCPM and motivation.
• Some researchers argued that the learners’ SDEL is altered by
the learning environment and setting (Spear & Mocker, 1981 ;
Jeung & Kim, 1995; Long, 1997).
• Thus, we should be careful when predicting the reading
performance of students through the SDEL survey.
→ Case by Case

28. Limitation & Future Study
• The reliability of self evaluation
– 9 Students are in low self-understanding and/or assessment.
• No training time for understanding the SDEL survey
• Interview
=========================================================
• Larger sample size
• Qualitative & Quantitative research
• Learner training for autonomy

29. Thank you
for your attention.
Contact:
inhae120@hanmail.net
kim.jungtae@gmail.com