Investigating Middle School Students' Beliefs About English Language Learning in the Korean EFL Context

The present study conducted an investigation into the beliefs about language learning of 264 English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners in middle schools in Korea. Students' beliefs were captured using a survey including a questionnaire eliciting background information and the Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory designed by Horwitz (1987, 1988). The results of this study demonstrated that young Korean EFL learners hold a wide range of views both similar to and different from those reported in the previous studies on older Korean EFL learners. Findings of this study reveal critical issues that should be taken into consideration by language teachers in understanding their students and in designing their classroom instruction.