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A reconsideration of the construct of "a vocabulary for Japanese learners of English": A critical comparison of the JACET wordlists and new general service lists
No full textBy comparing the vocabularies included in the Japan Association of College English Teachers (JACET) wordlists (1993, 2003, and 2016 editions) and recently released New General Service Lists (Brezina & Gablasova, 2013, Browne, 2013), we tried to identify the construct of “the vocabulary for Japanese learners” with which JACET researchers have been concerned. Our quantitative analysis has shown that it includes the vocabulary concerning (a) family and people, (b) houses and daily life, (c) foods and cooking, (d) clothes and fashions, (e) sports, (f) social meetings, (g) transportation, and (h) emotions and mental states, as well as (i) spoken English vocabulary and (j) non-basic forms. This finding will shed new light on the discussion of what kind of vocabulary should be included in pedagogical wordlist
EFL learners' peer negotiations and attitudes in mobile-assisted collaborative writing
No full textBased on the advantages of collaborative writing and the advanced development of mobile technology, this study investigated the communication process and attitudes of a group of college students toward collaborative writing using a Google Docs app on an English writing course. Online collaborative writing assignments were assigned by the instructor in class, while the English as a foreign language (EFL) students were required to work on the writing assignments online. The researchers examined participants’ peer negotiations in this mobile-enhanced, collaborative writing project, focusing on these EFL learners’ negotiation discourse patterns and strategies. With the aid of mobile technology, participants practiced English writing in a collaborative way. Their discourse functions, peer negotiation strategies, attitudes, and learning experiences were investigated. A mixed methodology was applied. The findings revealed that participants had a generally positive attitude toward the collaborative writing experience. The results are also discussed in terms of learners’ peer negotiation strategies and types of discourse functions
Washback of ACTFL’s integrated performance assessment in an intensive summer language program at the tertiary level
No full textWashback, that is, the effect of tests on teaching and learning, has captured the interest of scholars in applied linguistics for almost 30 years. However, most research has been conducted on large-scale tests, rather than classroom-based language assessments like ACTFL’s Integrated Performance Assessment (IPA). The present study explored washback of the IPA on teachers of Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish in a higher education intensive summer language program. Through a series of interviews, participants explained ways in which the IPA influenced not only their practices, but also their thinking about language teaching. Directions for future research and considerations for changes to IPA implementation are shared based on these findings
A systematic review of written corrective feedback research in ESL/EFL contexts
No full textIn the past decade (2007–2017), research on written corrective feedback (WCF) has been proliferating in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) contexts, and new developments in this field of research are evident. To synthesize the latest advancement in WCF research, a systematic review of recent literature on WCF was conducted to identify current research trends and provide an agenda for future WCF studies. This study was conducted following the seven stages of systematic review suggested by Petticrew and Roberts (2008). In this article, content analysis was conducted on abstracts of 41 WCF primary studies published between 1997 and 2017 in SSCI indexed journals in the fields of TESOL, language learning, and technology and education using a text-mining tool called Leximancer. Twenty-two word-level concepts were identified, which were grouped into five themes: types of WCF, types of writing tasks, demographics of participants, research design/methods, and types of errors. Based on the systematic review, two research tasks are identified to provide an agenda for future research
Vocabulary instruction and learning: A commentary on four studies
No full textFour papers were presented by Shusaku Kida, Magda Kitano and Katsuhiro Chiba, Tim Stoeckel, and Raymond Stubbe. In this article, my thoughts about the issues raised in these thought-provoking papers about vocabulary resource processing allocation and the Type of Processing Resource Allocation (TOPRA) model, the use of flashcards in vocabulary learning, an empirical evaluation of the New General Service List (NGSL), and the use of yes-no checklists for multi-word units are given. The first paper provided some theoretical underpinnings for thinking about vocabulary acquisition, while the last three papers were valuable for their extremely timely and practical examination of issues that are highly important for the acquisition of vocabulary
Edward Hall ahead of his time: Deep culture, intercultural understanding, and embodied cognition
No full textThis article reflects on current conceptualizations of intercultural understanding by reexamining the ideas of pioneer thinkers Marshall McLuhan and Edward Hall. It argues that common notions of intercultural understanding are reminiscent of McLuhan’s ideas-as a form of advanced perception and higher forms of awareness. It will argue, however, that Hall’s view-which emphasizes the importance of unconscious cultural programing and inner change-deserves more attention. Hall’s view is said to concord with insights currently emerging from brain and mind sciences. Examples of ideas that support Hall’s vision of intercultural understanding are discussed, including: 1) the embodied nature of culture, 2) culture and the unconscious mind; 3) the cognitive architecture of bias; 4) empathy and intercultural understanding; and 5) language and embodied simulation. It is argued that Hall’s fundamental insights, combined with these more recent ideas from brain and mind sciences, can act as building blocks for new approaches to intercultural education. Implications for pedagogy are discussed
How to reach the world outside: Suggestions for fostering intercultural communication and understanding in Japanese elementary school English classrooms
No full textAs Japan prepares for the 2020 Summer Olympics, the elementary school English curriculum is rapidly changing, with new textbooks and more class hours devoted to English education. These language classes have the potential to clarify and improve students’ perceptions of global cultures, including their own. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to provide practical suggestions for Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs), Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), and Japanese homeroom teachers to foster intercultural communication and understanding in their Grade 5 and 6 classrooms. Elaborating upon ideas in (Davidson & Liu, 2018), this article proposes that students may develop intercultural competencies through authentic materials, guided in-class discussions, English Notebook assignments, and local engagement with international interlocutors. While tailored to the Japanese elementary school classroom, these suggestions may be adapted to other EFL contexts as well
"I don't want to be stereotypical, but..." Norwegian EFL learners' awareness of and willingness to challenge visual stereotypes
No full textThis article reports on a study that investigated Norwegian upper secondary pupils’ visual stereotypes, as well as their awareness of and willingness to challenge these stereotypes before and after participating in an educational intervention. In the intervention, critical visual literacy was introduced as one approach to teaching about culture in English foreign language (EFL) teaching. Over the course of 16 weeks, the pupils were engaged in tasks that required them to reflect on visual stereotypes embedded in commonplace ways of representing the world, the origins of these stereotypes, their socio-political consequences, and ways of promoting social justice through taking informed action. Focus group interviews conducted with 30 pupils before and after the intervention comprise the main data set for the current article. These were supplemented by texts produced by the pupils during the intervention. The results of the study showed that the pupils were less inclined to explicitly stereotype based on ethnicity or religion after the intervention. The pupils also displayed an increased awareness of stereotyping as a process, which led some of the groups to challenge specific stereotypes and one group to challenge the process of stereotyping in general. These findings are encouraging for EFL teaching, where one of the aims is to encourage greater understanding between people with different cultural backgrounds
The exploration of the functions of technology on English learning and teaching in Chinese colleges
No full textPrevious studies have proved the significance of technology in language teaching and learning. However, in Chinese colleges, teachers usually pay little attention to integrating technological products (e.g., mobile applications) in English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching, and thus students tend to show low skills to use technology to enhance their EFL learning. Meanwhile, considering the weakness of EFL education in Chinese universities, this argumentative essay aims to improve Chinese educators’ attention to realise the functions of technology on improving the effectiveness of EFL education. With this focus, this essay will discuss the role of technology through four aspects, namely, language, culture, difference and identity. In this regard, four arguments will be presented; 1. language as ‘a representation system’ could transfer and acquire linguistic knowledge in multiple ways through technology; 2. technology could establish a shared meaning map (culture) for enhancing college students’ English communication competence; 3. technology as a medium could distinguish and group linguistic information; 4. identity could be expressed by digital literacies in an information-shared website for language learning