Korean Students’ Identities Negotiation through the On-line Literacy Practice:

1. Korean Students’ Identities Negotiation through the On-line Literacy Practice: Presenter: Eunhee Seo ellenseo@astro.temple.edu

2. Theoretical Frameworks & Key Concepts • Poststructuralism • Postmodernism • Electronic literacy

3. Research Questions: 1. How does the web-based literacy practice outside the classroom influence the construction of the Korean ESL students’ multiple identities such as linguistic, social, and cultural identities in the U.S. academic context?

4. Research Questions: Cont. 2. How do the Korean students’ literacy practices on the web make it possible to connect them to Korean society as well as to access to linguistic resources in the U.S. society?

5. Research Questions: Cont. 3. What aspects of identities arereshaped and blurred through the practice and how do the identities work for the students’ English learning?

6. Research Questions: Cont. 4. How are the Korean ESL students’identities construction and reconstruction through the electronic literacy practices connected to their overarching goal of English learning? How do their web-based literacy practices manifest their goal of English learning?

7. Setting & Participants • Setting: • Subjects’ background information:

8. Findings I. Multiple identitiesII. Postmodern identities as blurred or fragmentedIII. Relationship between Web-based literacy practice and L2 learning

9. I. Multiple identitiesCultural/linguistic identities -Table 2. literacy practice on the Korean web sites • Web-sites visited frequently -Korean/Munhwa Broadcasting news • -Donga/Joongang/ Hankyoreh/Chosun daily news • -Daum communication • -Yahoo Korea

10. I. Multiple Identities Cultural/linguistic identities:Cont. -Table 2. literacy practice on the Korean web sites • Types of activities/practices on the web • 1. E-mail correspondence • 2. Reading articles/newspapers on economy, social issues, science & technology, international affairs, popular music, entertainment. • 3. Downloading and listening to music • 4. Reading novels • 5. Watching TV (e.g. soap operas)

11. I. Multiple identities :Linguistic/cultural identities:Cont.-Table 2 literacy practice on the Korean web sites • Purpose of the web activities/practices • To maintain contact w/ friends & family • To enjoy subtle nuances, linguistic humors, and new terms using Korean (e-mail) language • To keep up with popular culture, latest trend, novel information on the Korean society

12. Choi Jin -ESPN News-Access Atlanta (Online info. Source) -Cable News Network (CNN) -USA TODAY -YAHOO -LYCOS -Cable News Network (CNN) I. Multiple identitiesSocial identity as ESL learners -Table 3. literacy practice on the English web sites1)Web-sites visited frequently

13. Choi Jin 1. E-mail correspondence 2. Reading articles on sports, news, economy, social issues, entertainment 3. Finding information for academic purpose 4. Listening to popular music 1. E-mail correspondence2. Finding information for travel & tour 3. Reading articles on U.S. news 4. Chatting I. Multiple identitiesSocial identity as ESL learners: Cont. • Table 3. literacy practice on the English web sites 2) Types of activities/practices on the web

14. Choi Jin -To be familiar with different communities of practices and content/ cultural-specific knowledge in the U.S. -To learn new words and discourses and improve second language reading -To create opportunities to interact with native speakers (NS) of English and learn conversational discourse -To learn English and American culture in authentic environment I. Multiple identities Social Identity as ESL Learners:Cont. • Table 3. literacy practice on the English web sites 3) Purpose of the web activities

15. II. Postmodern identities as blurred or fragmented

16. Choi :U.S. baseball fan Jin: Christian identity II. Postmodern identities : Cont.

17. III. Relationship between Web-based literacy practices and L2 learning • Computer skill and electronic literacy work as a Symbolic Capital (Bourdieu, 1977) • Web-based literacy practices serve to gain access to linguistic resources and to improves (socio)-linguistic competency

18. III. Relationship between Web-based literacy practices and L2 learning • The learners’ overarching stance to their electronic literacy practices is closely connected to purpose of English learningandtheir academic successin long-term perspective.

19. Conclusions • The engagement in linguistic discourse with their Korean friends via e-mail and other web-based activities help them renew their linguistic, social, cultural value in their native society and strengthen their linguistic and cultural identities as Korean.

20. Conclusions: Cont. • Their web-based literacy practices on the English web sites create opportunities of gaining access to linguistic resources, discourses communities, and interaction with NSs of English, articulating the social identity as ESL learners.

21. Conclusions: Cont. • The two learners’ postmodern identities on the web such as U.S. baseball fan and Christian reveals sometimes give power and easy access to interact with NSs and be included easily as a new member in the target society beyond the boundary of their gender, ethnic and linguistic minority in the U.S.

22. Conclusions: Cont. • The learners’ practices on the web outside the classroom context show their goal of achieving English learning and this goal is connected to their academic success through language development in its long term perspective.

23. Issues to consider • Unlike virtual space, the web-based literacy practice does not always bring easy access to interactional opportunities with target speaker to the ESL learners in the real life context.

24. Issues to consider: Cont. • How the language use (e.g. Korean or English) on the web-based literacy practice influences the learners’ identities construction and negotiation?

25. The End Thank you!