Recently, research in foreign language anxiety has extended to the examination of more language-skill-specific anxieties. Existing research findings on the language-skill-specific anxieties indicate a consistent negative relationship between individual skill-based anxieties (e.g. listening anxiety) and more general foreign language classroom anxiety. Regardless of the rich documentation surrounding this issue, some important questions remain unanswered. The present study was conducted to provide empirical answers to the following two unresolved issues: (i) the relationship between the four skill-based anxieties, and (ii) the relation of the skill-based anxieties to general foreign language classroom anxiety. A series of chi-square difference tests based on a sample of 229 Korean English as a foreign language students evidenced that all four skill-based L2 anxieties were statistically distinguishable from each other. Moreover, multiple regression analyses demonstrated that all four made an independent contribution to general classroom anxiety. Implications for researchers and practitioners are presented.

This study systematically examines the moderating effects of task type and L2 proficiency on the relationship between L1 and L2 simultaneously across reading and writing tasks with different levels of cognitive complexity. Main and moderating effects were evaluated through structural equation modeling analyses. First, both L1 skills and L2 proficiency were significant independent predictors of L2 reading and writing performance across tasks with different levels of cognitive complexity. Second, L2 proficiency had a much greater effect on L2 reading and writing performance across tasks with different cognitive loads than L1 skills. Third, the strength of the relationship between less cognitively demanding L1 and L2 reading tasks showed no significant difference between the low- and high-L2-proficiency groups. Fourth, the strength of the relationship between more cognitively demanding L1 and L2 reading tasks showed a significant difference between the low- and high-L2-proficiency groups. Fifth, the strength of the relationship between L1 and L2 writing tasks with different levels of cognitive complexity varied significantly depending on the level of L2 proficiency. These results are discussed theoretically and pedagogically.

This study presents findings on three research agendas: (1) the difference between native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) in students’ attitudes toward and motivation for learning English, (2) the moderating effect of the type of class (i.e., English Conversation vs. Practical English) on the difference in students’ perceived attitudes and motivation, and (3) the difference between NESTs and NNESTs in their self-perception of their teaching practices and the effect of the type of class on this difference. The results indicate significant differences between NESTs and NNESTs in terms of their students’ perceived attitudes and motivation with respect to English learning. However, these differences varied depending upon the type of class. These results provide empirical support for the role of the type of class as a variable moderating the effect of the difference between NESTs and NNESTs on students’ attitudes and motivation. In addition, the type of class moderated teachers’ self-perception of their own teaching practices, providing support for the moderating effect of the type of class on various measures and samples. Theoretical as well as pedagogical implications are discussed.

The present study examined the complex structural relationships between the factors that influence L2 writing in more and less cognitively demanding tasks. To this end, 298 10th graders were recruited from a local high school in Korea. Participants completed tasks measuring L1 and L2 writing skills, L2 reading comprehension, L2 proficiency, L2 motivation, and L2 anxiety. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling based on a total of six sets of instruments. The results showed that for less cognitively demanding literacy tasks, L1 narrative writing skill, L2 proficiency and L2 writing anxiety had a direct impact on L2 narrative writing. L2 motivation had an indirect impact on L2 narrative writing through L2 proficiency. For more cognitively demanding tasks, L1 argumentative writing, L2 inferential reading, L2 proficiency, and L2 writing anxiety showed direct association to L2 argumentative writing. L2 motivation had an indirect effect on L2 argumentative writing through L2 proficiency and L2 inferential reading skill. These results suggest that differential sets of factors are working in tandem along the pathways to successful performance in more and less cognitively demanding literacy tasks.

This study tracked gender differential item functioning (DIF) on the English subtest of the Korean College Scholastic Aptitude Test (KCSAT) over a nine-year period across three data points, using both the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) and item response theory likelihood ratio (IRT-LR) procedures. Further, the study identified two factors (i.e. reading strategy and perceived interest) that explained a portion of the variance in the magnitude of gender DIF via a series of multiple linear regression analyses. The results indicated (1) an interaction between item type and gender DIF and (2) a significant relationship between gender differences in the examinee’s perceived interest in test items and the magnitude of gender DIF. The study discusses the results based on previous DIF research and presents pedagogical implications and some avenues for further research.

Searching and finding meaning and happiness in life is the ultimate quest for humans. Pilgrimages embody special meanings and values. This research delves into the effects of pilgrimage experiences on meaning and life satisfaction via structure equation modeling (SEM) based on a bottom-up approach to life satisfaction. Moreover, the moderating role that faith maturity plays between experience and meaning life is noteworthy, which was assessed based on Ping’s two-step procedure. For data collection, an on-line survey was conducted for those who had visited overseas Christian pilgrimage sites. A total of 257 responses were analyzed via SEM for hypothesis tests. The results of this study identified (1) the effect of the pilgrimage experience on meaning in life and life satisfaction, (2) the effect of the search for meaning on the construction of meaning in life, and (3) the effect of meaning in life on perceived life satisfaction, suggesting that the bottom-up approach holds true in the context of religious trips. It was also found that faith maturity had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the experience of the pilgrimage and the presence of meaning in one’s life. This study contributes to the existing literature by incorporating travel experience into QOL domains and also taps on the possibility to expand the research topic into more contemporary modes of travel, including meditation travel and various forms of new travel linked to spirituality. Practical and theoretical implications of the findings to the tourism research are discussed.