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Migrant oriented Japanese language programs in Tokyo: A qualitative study about language policy and language learners
No full textLanguage proficiency is identified as one of the most important factors for successful migrant integration. Japan has had a sizeable increase of migrants in the past few years, and these migrants needed to build their Japanese proficiency. Focusing on municipalities in the 23 Tokyo wards, we surveyed what types of Japanese as a Second Language (JSL) programs are available, and how this information is disseminated to the public. It was encouraging that the central government and the government agencies of Tokyo have created language policies and produced handbooks for JSL teachers. All except one ward in Tokyo offer information about JSL programs in their respective ward, and many programs were run by the municipalities or by volunteer groups, suggesting an institutionalized move for supporting language education for migrants. We also identified two points that need to be considered for a better language education system for migrants: (a) a need for a certification program for JSL teachers and (b) a need for developing a language proficiency test that does not assume studying in an academic program
Intercultural education in times of restricted travel: Lessons from the Gaza Strip
No full textThis article draws upon a research project on intercultural language education conducted online between 2014 and 2017 with people living in the Gaza Strip (Palestine). Because the Gaza Strip has been under blockade since 2007, people cannot travel in and out freely. This context thus prompts educators and scholars to reflect on intercultural competence from a context of protracted crisis and of forced immobility. This study considers pre-service and in-service English teachers’ understandings of intercultural competence and how these educators encourage intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in their classrooms in the Gaza Strip, where neither teachers, nor students, may have travelled abroad or experienced a face-to-face intercultural encounter. Based on this analysis, this article argues that frameworks for intercultural education and ICC need to capture non-movement and the lack of face-to-face intercultural encounters as agentic in definitions of interculturality. In other words, ICC should be conceptualised in terms of the actual freedoms and opportunities that individuals have to develop and nurture it. In order to propose such a model, this article connects ICC with the capabilities approach (Nussbaum, 2011; Sen, 1999), the capability of mobility (de Haas, 2010), and with the capacity to aspire (Appadurai, 2004)
Interpretations of spoken utterance fluency in simulated and face-to-face oral proficiency interviews
No full textResearch examining test taker fluency in simulated and face-to-face oral proficiency interview performances has primarily focused on quantitative spoken utterance fluency data alone, with further qualitative investigation of test taker processing fluency’s effect being omitted. This study compared four test takers’ spoken utterance and processing fluencies in output retrieved from a computer-based Aptis General speaking test and a purposively developed identical face-to-face direct oral proficiency interview using a counterbalanced research design. Speed, composite, breakdown, and repair utterance fluency measures were analyzed from test performances using Praat speech analysis software and fully-coded transcribed spoken data, with processing fluency qualitative data retrieved through post-test stimulated recall verbal report interviews and questionnaires, and co-constructed, semi-structured interviews. Macro-level quantitative analysis results demonstrated that test takers’ spoken utterance fluency was broadly similar between delivery modes. The breakdown measures of filled and unfilled pauses were salient devices responsible for the minimal difference encountered between modes. The test takers’ qualitative data reflecting on their performances revealed aspects of processing fluency’s effect on test takers’ utterance fluency. In turn, processing fluency was influenced by both test takers’ cognitive and affective fluencies, through test taking strategy use, test taker characteristics, and the face validity of the test’s delivery mode
Writing medium’ s impact on memory: A comparison of paper vs. tablet
No full textStudies comparing writing media typically compare different modes of writing (e.g., keyboard typing vs. writing, smartphone tapping vs. writing, etc.). The current study sought to investigate the cognitive outcomes of a more direct comparison: tablet- versus paper-based writing. Thirty-two speakers of L1 English were tasked with memorizing 20 Japanese kanji (stroke orders, Japanese readings, and English translations). Ten kanji were practiced (10 times each) on paper; the other 10 were practiced on an iPad. The kanji that were practiced on paper were more likely to be correctly translated into English at both the post- and delayed posttest, though Japanese scores were statistically equal. Of most intrigue was that while both groups were written with equal accuracy at the posttest, only the kanji practiced on paper showed a significant increase at the delayed posttest (after a period of 24 hours). The results of exit questionnaires indicated that the participants were divided on their preference of writing medium but were unanimous in their agreement that tablets should have a place in modern classrooms. One significant finding is that participants acknowledge the difficulty of tablet-based writing but conclude that what is necessary is more practice – not the avoidance or abandonment of the technology
Review of Developing writing skills for IELTS: A research-based approach
No full textDeveloping Writing Skills for IELTS: A Research-Based Approach by Sin Wang Chong and Xuejun Ye, Routledge, 2021, 200pp., £23.19 (Paperback) £23.19 (eBook). ISBN 9780367258375
WordUp: An app that teaches English words through extensive exposure to authentic materials
No full textThis paper reviews WordUp, a mobile application which fosters English vocabulary learning through exposure to new words in authentic and engaging contexts such as excerpts of movies, songs, and news programme. The samples of use are introduced after the definition of the target words have been provided in both the learners’ first language and English. In this review, the advantage of extensive exposure to authentic use of the target words will be discussed. Moreover,some of the app’sshortcomingssuch as its unsuitability for beginner learners and insufficient tasks to improve the users’ production of the learned vocabulary will be highlighted. WordUp is recommended for learners above level A1 The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) who wish to learn theappropriate application of the learned material through authentic input
Longitudinal measurement of the vocabulary size of Japanese junior high school students: Developing a vocabulary size test for beginner learners
No full textAs vocabulary plays an important part in L2 learning at the beginner level, investigation into vocabulary learning constitutes an essential part of second language acquisition research (Koda, 1989, Laufer, 1992, Meara, 1992). Assuming the case of Japanese, English education can provide a meaningful example. In addition, noting that precise measurements of the English vocabulary size of Japanese junior high school students have not been attained (Katagiri, 2000), the present study examines the growth of vocabulary size of Japanese junior high school students across their 3 years of English learning. For this purpose, a vocabulary size test (VST) was specially developed with a word list compiled from Japanese junior high school English textbooks based on the frequency and range of their vocabulary items (Sato, 2016). A total of 159 junior high school students participated in the research. The vocabulary size of the participants was measured five times over the period of 3 academic years at intervals of 6 months. Analysis of their vocabulary growth by frequency revealed a distinctive pattern for each level, yielding implications for more effective vocabulary teaching for learners at the beginner level in light of the characteristics of their vocabulary growth
Developing a measure of proper name familiarity for Japanese university students
No full textIn this study, an instrument for measuring proper name (PN) familiarity was developed for a psycholinguistic experiment investigating the effect of PNs on Japanese university students’ English reading fluency. Familiarity has previously been operationalized in disparate ways, producing contradictory results. Furthermore, authors of previous studies did not conduct validation analyses on their familiarity instruments. To address this issue, a four-point Likert-type scale instrument was constructed to assess Japanese university students’ familiarity with a set of 100, two-syllable PNs. The responses of 216 participants from 2 Japanese universities were subjected to Rasch analysis with the rating scale model to determine whether the resulting data fit the expectations of the model. The results suggested that a dichotomous response instrument was more appropriate than the scale-based instruments utilized in previous studies
In-service teachers’ perceptions of technology integration and practices in a Japanese university context
No full textTo understand in-service language teachers’ intrinsic barriers to technology integration in higher education contexts, this in-depth study investigated four teachers teaching Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) at a private university in Japan. The researcher trained the four teachers with varied digital literacy how to create and utilise online materials in a dedicated Moodle site, and the teachers’ training processes, as well as actual classroom practices, were then observed. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected over three semesters, including: (1) a pilot survey before Moodle integration to access the teachers’ attitudes and expectation of educational technology use; (2) classroom observations to investigate how the participants use technology in their CFL classroom; (3) audio recordings and field notes collected in a workshop and interviews to explore reasons behind behaviours; and (4) access logs in Moodle to determine the participants’ engagement through online materials inside and outside the classroom. The findings’ implications in terms of teachers’ experiences, emotions, competences, beliefs, motivations, and sociocultural factors affecting their determinations of technology integration in CFL classrooms in a Japanese higher-education setting are presented. Future considerations and ongoing challenges are discussed to highlight the implications for research, policymakers, teacher educators, and stakeholders
Learner engagement with corrective feedback using think-aloud protocols
No full textOnline language learning environments where asynchronous communication is the main form of relation between learners and teachers require learners to use self-regulatory skills that help them control their learning process and compensate for the lack of interaction with their teachers (Fernández-Toro & Furnborough, 2014; Fernández-Toro & Hurd, 2014). In such a context, feedback can constitute a driver of self-regulation, facilitating information about the learning process that can contribute to the development of self-regulatory skills (Yu, Jiang & Zhou, 2020). The present article aims at providing insights about how online learners of German as a foreign language engage with written corrective feedback and co-construct meaning (Nicol, 2010). The eleven participants received two different types of corrective feedback: direct explicit feedback on one written assignment and indirect feedback using metalinguistic information and error categorization on the other. Upon receiving the feedback information, the learners were asked to carry out two screen-recorded thinkaloud protocols. This article reports on the data obtained through these protocols after conducting thematic analysis (Brown & Clarke, 2006). The results show how learners engaged with each feedback modality and reveal that the feedback-revision generated expression of self-regulatory actions such as reflection on their performance, evaluation and planning