Writing in Korean as an Additional Language: Learners’ Attitudes, Perceptions, and Informal Practices

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores writing in Korean as an additional language in the United States and South Korea, focusing on learners’ perceptions, attitudes, and informal writing practices outside the class. As sociolinguistic characteristics of a language such as the status and tradition of writing affect learners’ views and practices, this study includes three groups of learners: foreign and heritage language learners of Korean in the United States and second language learners of Korean in South Korea. The analyses of survey and interview data reveal that: (1) writing was ranked lowest in terms of learners’ perceived current proficiency as well as their projected future proficiency in both the contexts; (2) learners in both contexts valued writing in Korean at a moderate level but ranked it secondary to speaking in Korean and to writing in English; and (3) writing for social media and texting were the most popular writing practices by all the learners who yet adopted divergent dimensions of writing. The results indicate the complex interaction between sociolinguistic characteristics of Korean language and unique contextual factors, notably language ideologies, suggesting that the discussion of a non-English writing consider the hegemony of English literacy, which encompasses any L2 writing context.