Beliefs about Language Learning : A Study of American University Students Learning Korean

Abstract

This study investigated Korean as a Foreign Language (KFL) studentsbeliefs about language learning in three levels of Korean classes. Sixtythree students participated in this study, and the Beliefs About Language Learning Instrument (BALLI) by Horwitz (1987) was used to ask students beliefs about language learning. Descriptive analysis yielded that most of the students had positive beliefs about learning Korean or foreign languages. They were highly motivated, and they thought that Korean is a useful language. However, ANOVA yielded no significant differences among the three levels of students, and there were no correlations between beliefs and final grades, and between beliefs and language levels. Such implications for instructors as teaching strategy use and motivating students to have specific goals were discussed.