• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.315-326
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• 2013

In this study, we investigated elementary school teachers' and students' perceptions of the reading materials in science textbooks. Participants were 181 teachers from 23 elementary schools who were teaching science and 643 third- to sixth-grade students from 12 elementary schools. A questionnaire for teachers consisted of 18 items and a questionnaire for students consisted of 11 items about their perceptions of the reading materials in science textbooks. Nine to twelve items, according to grades, examining the actual uses of each reading material in science textbooks were also included to both questionnaires. The results indicated that teachers have positive perceptions about reading materials and frequently use them in case of needs for supplement and/or enrichment of science learning. Novice teachers were found to have less positive perceptions about reading materials than expert teachers. Over 70 percent of students responded that they read all reading materials. Fifth- and sixth-grade students were tended to have less positive perceptions about reading materials than third-grade students. Finally, students tended to have more positive perceptions about reading materials than their teachers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.205-217
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• 2011

This study analyzed the reading materials presented in the existing 'Experiment Observation' targeting 31 elementary school students and conducted a preliminary investigation to examine the cause which makes the science reading materials of elementary school difficult to read. Also, on the basis of a preliminary investigation, this study developed the reading materials on science. After that, by examining the degree of understanding about existing reading materials on 'Experiment Observation' targeting 55 students of elementary schools and the newly developed reading materials targeting 44 students of elementary schools, the study proved its effect. As the result of the study, the causes for which students felt difficulty in reading were as follows: the scientific or non-scientific terms were explained by using more higher levels of Chinese characters compared to the levels of students; the scientific terms never treated in the classroom were used in the reading materials without any explanation; the overall structure of existing reading materials was distracted and listed the fragments of information, and the sentences were described complicatedly; the contents of a text and the photo materials were not connected functionally. In addition, the newly developed science reading materials were preferred by students because more various methods were devised, such as more systematic structure, arrangements of simpler sentence structure, additional explanation of scientific terms, divisions of paragraphs and postscript and their understanding was found to be improved.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.365-382
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• 2009

This study aims to examine the reading materials of high school English textbooks to propose the integration of the literary texts into reading materials in the classroom for development of communicative competence. Five kinds of high school English textbooks were critically examined in terms of three factors -limited text types, deficit of emotional adjectives and non-authenticity- selected by the author as characteristics of non-communicative language teaching materials. With regard to text types, more than half of the reading materials were expository and simple narratives. This imbalance of text types led materials to the deficit of emotional vocabulary. These factors seem to be closely related to the issue of authenticity of reading materials. Compared to the authentic texts, fabricated texts are likely to make reading vapid and boring task. On the basis of these results, some pedagogical suggestions are made.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.429-448
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to present the development direction of future reading education by examining the characteristics of reading materials within the high school textbook developed as the 2015 revised curriculum. For this purpose, reading materials of high school textbooks were analyzed in Korean language, mathematics, English, integrated science, and integrated social studies. The analysis criteria of reading materials were subject type, purpose, and student activities. As a result of the study, reading materials on various themes such as humanity, liberty, culture, environment, and district were presented in the integrated society and integrated science textbook of the 2015 revised curriculum. In particular, the Korean language curriculum was composed of a unit called "reading one book in one semester". However, most reading materials have no guidance on reading effective or reading direction, and lack of reading materials and information for extended reading. The reader's reading of the textbook was found to be simply supplementing the learning content of each unit or presenting fragmentary cues for conceptual purposes. This suggests that there is a lack of awareness of students' interest in reading, internalization of reading, and extension of reading. In this paper, we suggest supplementary materials of reading materials for expanding the high school textbooks, and explore the developmental relationship between textbooks and reading education through suggestions on aspects of textbook composition and teaching methods.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.129-142
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• 2017

In this study, the characteristics of the reading materials in elementary school science textbooks developed under the 2009 revised National Science Curriculum were investigated. The criteria for classifying the reading materials were the types of topic, purpose, students' activity, and presentation. The visual images in the reading materials were also analyzed from the viewpoint of type, role, caption type, and proximity type. The results indicated that the number of the reading materials in the 2009 revised science textbooks decreased compared to that of the 2007 revised science textbooks. It was also found that the frequencies of the reading materials expanding concepts of the text and/or requiring corresponding students' inquiry increased. More visual images were used in the reading materials of the 2009 revised science textbooks. However, several limitations were still found to exist; most visual images were illustration and/or picture; many visual images were presented without a caption; there was a problem in the proximity of visual image to text.

• 중국학논총
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• no.63
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• pp.121-136
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• 2019

Graded reading is to match reading competency of readers with difficulty levels of text, based on the study of readability. This article discusses how to apply new media to develop Chinese graded reading materials which are more interesting, scientific and practical than traditional paper materials. The graded materials on the new media platform can be used for Chinese second language learners to self-study, and also for instructors to support reading and writing instruction in class or after class.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.479-490
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated the characteristics of the reading materials in the elementary school science textbooks in order to obtain implications for the effective use of them. The reading materials in the elementary school science textbooks developed under the 7th and the 2007 revised National Science Curricula were analyzed. The criteria for classifying the reading materials were the type of theme, purpose, students' activity, the type of presentation, the type of images, the role of images, and readability. The results indicated that the reading materials in the 2007 revised science textbooks are more systematic than those in the 7th science textbooks in terms of their length and their distribution among energy, matter, life, and earth areas. It was also found that various types of reading materials are presented in the 2007 revised science textbooks covering new themes such as frontier science, job opportunity and career, and environment. In addition, the reading materials in the 2007 revised science textbooks introduce more visual images and the readability of them are also better than their counterpart. However, several limitations were still found to exist in the reading materials of the 2007 revised textbooks; most of them are non-inquiry and explanatory; most of the visual images are illustration and/or pictures. Educational implications are discussed.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.463-488
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was providing implications in teaching and learning activities to vitalize mathematical communication and to raise positive attitudes about mathematics. We analyzed mathematical communication, disposition and attitudes of the students who had lower mathematical achievement rather than that of Korean language in class using reading materials and strategies. We found that teaching-learning activities using the reading materials and strategies let the low achievers in mathematics communicate more about mathematical notions and problem-solving process actively. The activities triggered interests and attention of mathematics and self-study. In addition, the lessons with reading materials and strategies aroused confidence, will and responsibility to mathematics learning to the students. They made the learners notice mathematics' values and roles and gave the opportunity of reflection about students' learning processes. As a result, the teaching-learning using reading materials and strategies should be developed and accomplished actively in classroom to turn mathematical inclination and attitudes of the students who had had negative inclination and attitudes to mathematics into those of positive and to vitalize mathematical communication to the lower achievers in mathematics.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.69-83
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to analyze the reading materials in 7th curriculum and 2009 revised high school chemistry I textbook for identifying the problems of reading material presented in science textbooks and to investigate science teachers' recognition about utilization reading materials in science textbook. For this purpose, each four 7th curriculum and 2009 revised high school chemistry I textbook were analyzed according to the number of reading materials, the type of contents and the type of students' activities. In addition, the secondary school science teachers' recognition about utilization reading materials in science textbook was investigated. The results were as follows: First, anylizing reading materials in chemistry I textbooks showed that and the rate of reading materials were presented from 7.9 to 17.1% in 7th curriculum and from 20.6 to 28.2% in 2009 revised curriculum textbook. It implies that the rate of reading materials in 2009 revised textbooks increases more than those in 7th curriculum textbook. The result of analyzing the type of contents, 'life sciences' was the largest proportion with 34.3 % in the 7th curriculum chemistry I, but 'enrichment and supplement of knowledge' was the largest proportion with 23.7% in 2009 revised curriculum. Analyzing the type of student activities, only 13% of the reading materials in 7th National Curriculum textbook was found to be inquiry type, but 35% of the reading materials in the 2009 revised curriculum. appears to be inquiry type. It suggested that the curriculum objectives was reflected in the textbook. Second, investigating recognition of teachers' perceptions of utilization science textbooks, 67% teachers responded that they used the reading materials in their science class, but teachers who didn't use the reading materials was almost 33%. A large number of teachers responded that the reading materials associated with the real-life needed for integrated education and thought that the reading materials about 'life and science' should be included in the science textbooks.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.161-174
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate the readability and suitability of patients' education materials on DM. A total of 34 materials on DM from public health centers, general hospitals, and internet web sites were evaluated for readability by 'graded system of vocabulary', and suitability by 'The Korean version of SAM(Suitability Assessment of Materials)'. On the average, 28.3% of 1st grade reading level words, 27.1% of 5th grade level and over were included in educational materials. For suitability, 6(17.6%) were judged superior, 20(58.8%) adequate, 8(23.6%) inadequate. The reading level of the materials was higher than the recommended reading level(6th grade reading level). For suitability, most of materials were inadequate in some of items such as 'summary or review included', 'context given', 'interaction used'. It is proposed that in the development of patients' educational materials, health literacy of target population should be considered.