earticle

영어

This study aims to explore how Korean graduate students’ identities and needs in academia influence their motivation in learning English and shape their verbal interaction which they strongly desired to improve speaking abilities. Findings of the study indicated that their academic priorities as graduate students and changing identities across time and place played an important role. The participants established their primary identities as graduate students, which made academic achievement their main priority. Although they strongly desired to improve speaking abilities, their focus on academic success led them to invest most of time in academic studies and the rest of it in the English skills they wanted most for their immediate or ultimate academic achievement. Sometimes, their identities as peers influenced their intent to engage in verbal interaction with NSs at school. When their identities as peers were at risk, they gave up interaction opportunities and remained silent. These instances were prevalent in on-campus situations. Identities of students are always in a state of flux, not fixed across time or location. The changing identities of the Korean participants influenced how they interpreted the power relations between NSs and themselves. The varying interpretations affected how students acted in a variety of situations.