A Study on Learners' Educational Needs Based on the Importance-Performance Analysis of Korean Reading Strategies as a Foreign Language

Objectives This study aims to provide a foundational investigation for the development of a reading strategy teaching-learning module designed to enhance the reading proficiency of Korean language learners as a foreign language. Specifically, the study seeks to identify the prioritized educational needs of learners based on the relative importance and performance of various reading strategies, and to elucidate the educational implications derived from these findings. Methods To accomplish this, a survey was administered to 165 international students enrolled in Korean language programs at universities in Busan, evaluating the importance and performance of various reading strategies. The data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 and R, employing t-tests, Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), and Borich Needs Assessment Analysis to identify the educational priorities of Korean language learners at different proficiency levels. Results The key findings are as follows: First, the priority educational needs for beginner-level learners, as determined through the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) of Korean reading strategies, included five items: determining the purpose of reading, taking notes while reading, summarizing while reading, distinguishing between facts and opinions, and organizing new information learned from the text. Second, for intermediate-level learners, the priority educational needs consisted of seven items: determining the purpose of reading, previewing the text by examining the title or images and predicting the content, taking notes while reading, summarizing while reading, distinguishing between facts and opinions, visualizing scenes to enhance retention of the text, and organizing new information learned from the text. Third, the priority educational needs for advanced-level learners included nine items: determining the purpose of reading, previewing the text by examining the title or images and predicting the content, identifying key words and understanding the overall meaning, taking notes while reading, summarizing while reading, distinguishing between facts and opinions, organizing relationships of meaning using diagrams or charts, visualizing scenes to improve retention of the text, and organizing new information learned from the text. Conclusions While previous studies have examined reading strategies for Korean language learners, there remains a gap in research that prioritizes educational content based on the relative importance and performance of these strategies. The findings of this study provide essential foundational data for the development of reading strategy teaching-learning modules and for the structuring of content within the field of Korean language education.