| The remarkable shift of focus in English education in Korea from grammar and reading-oriented knowledge to productive language skills warrants an investigation of the ways in which learners, classroom behavior is related to successful language learning and teaching. Particularly, the importance of risk-taking behavior for oral proficiency in a spoken English class has been documented in literature and corroborated by many second and foreign language teachers and researchers. Although several studies have been conducted to explore the phenomenon of Asian students, inactive risk-taking in ESL classroom settings, little research has been made to address the Korean students' risk-taking behavior in an EFL classroom.; The present study describes and analyzes the Korean college students' perceptions toward risk-taking behavior for oral proficiency and the factors which help and/or hinder the students, active risk-taking behavior in an EFL classroom. Fifteen freshmen students from different majors of study in a Korean university were chosen for this study. This study was conducted using qualitative research techniques including diary entries, classroom observation, and personal data questionnaire.; The present study disclosed that all the participants perceived the importance of risk-taking behavior for oral proficiency in class. They responded the affective factors and socio-cultural factors contributed to regulating their risk-taking behavior. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations for more productive teaching strategies and program planning are provided for EFL instructors and administrators in Korea. |
