scholarly journals Emotional factors in senior L2 acquisition: A case study of Japanese speakers learning Spanish

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 353-369
Author(s):  
Emi Shibuya
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Mood State ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Emotional Factors ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Level Transition ◽  
Japanese Learners

Aim. This research tries to explore whether a training course on tour guiding in a foreign language designed for senior learners could maximize their life experience, knowledge, and motivation (Author, 2018, 2019). The discussion argues that language learning for older adults is to be considered not only from cognitive aspects, but also from emotional and social aspects, since these are malleable and susceptible of being changed by the teaching method and the teacher's skills. Method. We discuss the case of senior Japanese learners of L2 Spanish through their questionnaires, class observations and introspective materials. Literature regarding emotional factors such as tolerance to ambiguity is reviewed. Also, we further focus on the social factors including gender divide, a major issue in Japanese society that affects the older generation in particular. Results. We used the Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire (MDMQ questionnaire, English version of Der Mehrdimensionale Befindlichkeitsfragebogen MDBF; Steyer, Schwenkmezger, Notz, and Eid, 1997) to determine their mood before and after the course 5 times in total. We also introduce 4 learners’ cases (2 female and 2 male learners) including introspective materials results from senior learners showing their Spanish level transition. Conclusion. A content-based course linked to practical occasions to be a volunteer tour guide seems not simple for the students and some learners felt ambiguous with regards to contents; however, independently of their Spanish level, they tried to find simple and alternative ways to manage the conversations or explanations. Some typical cultural and social factors in Japan, learners’ language level, experience, knowledge, and emotional factors seem more important elements for the creation of class atmosphere in this content-based L2 learning.

scholarly journals Learning Japanese: Voices of Experience by Belinda Kennett and Yuriko Nagata

2017 ◽  
pp. 358-361
Author(s):  
Michael Lin
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Japanese Learners

Learning Japanese: Voices of Experience, written and edited by Belinda Kennett and Yuriko Nagata, published by Candlin & Mynard ePublishing, is an e-book specially designed for students and teachers of the Japanese language. By utilizing the power of narrative and open sharing to inspire its readers, the book offers many helpful ideas and suggestions on how one can improve their Japanese proficiency. With their wide array of backgrounds and experiences, contributing authors share genuinely about their joys, struggles, and victories. The book is excellent not only for Japanese learners but Japanese teachers as well, because the collected stories demonstrate the importance of social factors in furthering a student’s language learning. They also serve as a poignant reminder of the need to pedagogically and strategically address student apprehension of language learning. Particularly insightful is the book’s emphasis on how students can always make tangible progress no matter one’s background or proficiency level.

Community Language Learning: What can we take from this classic teaching method?

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-86
Author(s):  
Thomas Entwistle
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Electronic Devices ◽  
Teaching Approach ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
The Past ◽  
Japanese Learners ◽  
Community Language

This article explores the classic teaching approach of Community Language Learning (CLL). It will introduce CLL, describe how and when it was developed, what approaches it takes to teaching English, what procedures and techniques are used in a typical CLL lesson, and what materials are needed. This article then goes onto describe how through experimenting with CLL, I believe there are elements of CLL that can help with some common issues in varying Japanese teaching contexts such as tackling learners’ over reliance on electronic devices, and providing learners with authentic listening. Also, this article will also go over some of the weaknesses of CLL. For instance, our institutional requirements, and the fact that this way of teaching goes against how many Japanese learners have been taught English in the past (e.g. in carefully controlled teacher led classrooms). 本論文ではコミュニティ・ランゲージ・ラーニング(CLL)という古典的な教授法について考察する。CLL の概要を紹介し、いつ、どのようにして開発されたのか、英語を教えるためにはどのようなアプローチが必要なのか、典型的な CLL のレッスンではどのような手順とテクニックが使われ、どのような教材が必要なのかを説明する。私は、実地検証を通し、CLL には日本の教育現場共通の課題である「学習者の電子機器への依存度の高さ」や、「学習者に本物のリスニングを提供すること」の解決に役立つ要素があると考えている。また、本論文では CLL の弱点として「CLL は教育施設ごとに制定されている独自のルールや、これまで多くの日本人学習者に英語を教えてきた方法(例:入念に管理された教師主導の教室)に反する」ことを挙げ、詳しく触れていく。

Indonesian Language Learning and Teacher Innovation for Foreigners and Instructors for Foreign Language for Employees in Bali

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 21087-21095
Author(s):  
Ni Putu Nita Anggraini ◽  
Ni Luh Gede Yogi Arthani ◽  
I Putu Yuria Mendra
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
Counseling Training ◽  
Language Instructors

The group of foreign language instructors and Indonesian language instructors for foreigners initially had problems in the fields of HR, legality, marketing and management. The implementation of the community partnership program (PKM) funded by the Ministry of Research and Technology's Research and Development Program aims to solve partner problems through entrepreneurship building. The method applied is in the form of knowledge transfer in the form of counseling, training, simulation and diffusion of science and technology about teaching methods, mentoring financial management and marketing and managing agency permits. The teaching method quality improvement program is carried out through workshops and workshops with the theme of teaching Indonesian and multimedia-based foreign languages. The resulting output is in the form of certificates and the quality of teaching increases. The problem of business management and enlargement has been solved through mentoring by management experts so that partners know the tips of building a small business. To build a language teaching business, the team helped partners manage the Business Course and Training (LKP) business license in a notary and operational permits in the Badung District Education Office. From the marketing aspect, the team has helped partner market course service products through the creation of signboards, business cards and websites with the domain www.gepbali.com . The implementation of all these activities has been running 70% while the draft article and seminar papers are still in draft form. This activity has had a positive impact on providing employment for language teachers and improving language skills for the community.

The Effect of Using Flipped Classroom Model to Improve Iraqi EFL Learners’ Pronunciation in English at University Level

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (40) ◽  
pp. 631-654
Author(s):  
Khaldoon Waleed Husam Al-Mofti
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
English Pronunciation ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
University Level ◽  
The University ◽  
And Control ◽  
Experimental Group

For Iraqi EFL learners who are studying English pronunciation in a traditional instruction method often requires more effort and hard work. Thus, using new methods of teaching such as the flipped classroom model (FCM) is necessary to facilitate learning and improve performance. Hence, this study reports on explanatory research that investigates the effect of using the FCM in the teaching of English pronunciation for Iraqi EFL learners at the university level. The study implemented mixed research methods for data collection in a quasi-experimental analysis. Therefore, two tests were conducted on the assigned groups to measure the effect of the FCM before and after the intervention. Besides, a questionnaire and interviews were used on the experiment group students to collect data about their perceptions of the FCM. The study length (lasted)  was 15 weeks and is comprised of 60 students from the department of English, College of Arts at the University of Anbar. The students were divided into two groups, experimental, and control with 30 students in each group. The findings revealed that there was a significant statistical difference between the two groups in favour of the experimental group with better performance, indicating that the FCM has considerably assisted the Iraqi EFL learners to improve their English pronunciation. Moreover, the students expressed their positive feedback and satisfaction on the use of the FCM in their responses to the questionnaire and the interviews. As such, the current study recommends further research to study the effect of applying the FCM in areas and disciplines other than language learning.

The Generalization of Instruction on Genitive Relative Clause in the Acquisition of English as a Foreign Language

2006 ◽  
Vol 151 ◽  
pp. 99-113
Author(s):  
Akihiro Ito
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Relative Clause ◽  
Relative Clauses ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Special Instruction ◽  
Japanese Learners

This study examines the generalization of instruction in foreign language learning. A group of Japanese learners of English served as participants and received special instruction in the structure of genitive relative clauses. The participants were given a pre-test on combining two sentences into one containing a genitive relative clause wherein the relativized noun phrase following the genitive marker "whose" is either the subject, direct object, or object of preposition. Based on the TOEFL and the pre-test results, four equal groups were formed; three of these served as experimental groups, and one as the control group. Each experimental group was given instruction on the formation of only one type of genitive relative clause. The participants were then given two post-tests. The results indicated that the generalization of learning begins from structures that are typologically more marked genitive relative clauses to those structures that are typologically less marked, and not vice versa.

scholarly journals Debatable Issues of English Writing Apprehensions: A Qualitative Study of Taiwanese English Majors’ Perspectives

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Grace Hui Chin Lin ◽  
Patricia J. Larke ◽  
Douglas S. Jarvie ◽  
Paul Shih Chieh Chien
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
English Writing ◽  
Emotional Factors ◽  
Writing Course ◽  
English Majors ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Southern Taiwan ◽  
Time Restriction

Anxiety (e.g., Dallos, 1976, 2006; Krashen, 2003, 2016) sometimes might be unavoidable in the learning process, because the cognitive and intellectual systems are usually connected with emotional factors. This empirical study was conducted in an English majors’ advanced-level writing course to explore relevant explanations about why Taiwanese university students experienced “anxiety” (Tomlinson, 1981, 2016). Seventeen participants of junior grade at a southern Taiwan university had cooperated with their teacher to examine their anxiety occurring during writing in English. The findings discovered five key issues explaining their apprehension including mentioned (1) time restriction, (2) teacher evaluation, (3) peer competition, (4) uninteresting writing topics. The fifth factor repeated by most of the student is displayed by this study. The study implies the anxiety should be a negative impact upon language learning.

scholarly journals ULearnEnglish: An Open Ubiquitous System for Assisting in Learning English Vocabulary

Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (14) ◽  
pp. 1692
Author(s):  
Letícia Garcia da Silva ◽  
Eduardo Gonçalves de Azevedo Neto ◽  
Rosemary Francisco ◽  
Jorge Luis Victória Barbosa ◽  
Luis Augusto Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Incidental Learning ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Communication Problems ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Ubiquitous System ◽  
Acceptance Model

Language learners often face communication problems when they need to express themselves and do not have the ability to do so. On the other hand, continuous advances in technology are creating new opportunities to improve second language (L2) acquisition through context-aware ubiquitous learning (CAUL) technology. Since vocabulary is the foundation of all language acquisition, this article presents ULearnEnglish, an open-source system to allow ubiquitous English learning focused on incidental vocabulary acquisition. To evaluate our proposal, 15 learners used the developed system, and 10 answered a survey based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Results indicate a favorable response to the application of incidental learning techniques in combination with the learner context. ULearnEnglish achieved an acceptance rate of 78.66% for the perception of utility, 96% for the perception of ease of use, 86.5% for user context assessment, and 88% for ubiquity. Among its main contributions, this study demonstrates a possible tool for ubiquitous use in the future in language learning; additionally, further studies can use the available resources to develop the system.

scholarly journals Understanding High Performance in Late Second Language (L2) Acquisition—What Is the Secret? A Contrasting Case Study in L2 French

Languages ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Fanny Forsberg Lundell ◽  
Klara Arvidsson
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Host Community ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Attribute Importance ◽  
High Performing ◽  
High Performers

Adult L2 acquisition has often been framed within research on the Critical Period Hypothesis, and the age factor is one of the most researched topics of SLA. However, several researchers suggest that while age is the most important factor for differences between child and adult SLA, variation in adult SLA is more dependent on social and psychological factors than on age of onset. The present qualitative study investigates the role of migratory experience, language use/social networks, language learning experience, identity and attitudes for high performance among Swedish L1 French L2 users in France. The study constitutes an in-depth thematic analysis of interviews with six high-performing individuals and four low-performing individuals. The main results show that the high performers differ from the low performers on all dimensions, except for attitudes towards the host community. High performers are above all characterized by self-reported language aptitude and an early interest in languages, which appears to have led to rich exposure to French. Also, they exhibit self-regulatory behaviors and attribute importance to being perceived as a native speaker of French—both for instrumental and existential reasons.

scholarly journals Regular Taekwondo Training Affects Mood State and Sociality but Not Cognitive Function among International Students in South Korea

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 820
Author(s):  
Ju-Yong Bae ◽  
Hee-Tae Roh
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Mood State ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Peer Relationship ◽  
Physical Fitness Test ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Experimental Group

We aimed to investigate the effect of Taekwondo training on physical fitness, mood, sociality, and cognitive function among international students in South Korea. We randomly assigned 24 international students to a control group (CG, n = 12) and experimental group (EG, n = 12). The EG performed Taekwondo training for 16 weeks, while the CG did not train. Each participant underwent a physical fitness test and sociability questionnaire before and after the intervention. We also examined changes in mood state and cognitive function, using the Korean version of the Profile of Mood State-Brief (K-POMS-B), and the Stroop Color and Word test, respectively. Regarding the physical fitness variables, sit-and-reach records in the EG significantly increased after intervention (p < 0.05). In the sub-variable of K-POMS-B, Vigor-Activity scores significantly increased (p < 0.05) after intervention, while the Fatigue-Inertia scores significantly decreased in the EG (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in the EG, peer relationship scores, a sub-variable of sociability, significantly decreased after intervention (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that Taekwondo training can not only improve flexibility among physical fitness factors, but can also be effective in improving the mood state and sociality of international students.

Space Modeling of Problem Solving Strategies of “Prisoner's Dilemma”

2021 ◽  
pp. 99-116
Author(s):  
D.J. Balanev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Prisoner's Dilemma ◽  
Prisoner’S Dilemma ◽  
Real People ◽  
Space Modeling ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Before And After

An iterated version of the game "Prisoner's Dilemma" is used as a model of cooperation largely due to the wide range of strategies that the subjects can use. The problem of the effec-tiveness of strategies for solving the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma (IPD) is most often considered from the point of view of information models, where strategies do not take into account the relationship that arise when real people play. Some of these strategies are obvious, others depend upon social context. In our paper, we use one of the promising directions in the development of studying IPD strategies – the use of artificial neural networks. We use neural networks as a modeling tool and as a part of game environment. The main goal of our work is to build an information model that predicts the behavior of an individual person as well as group of people in the situation of solving of social dilemma. It takes into account social relationship, including those caused by experimental influence, gender differences, and individual differences in the strategy for solving cognitive tasks. The model demonstrates the transition of individual actions into socially determined behavior. Evaluation of the effect of socialization associated with the procedure of the game provides additional information about the effectiveness and characteristics of the experimental impact.The paper defines the minimum unit of analysis of the IPD player's strategy in a group, the identity with which can be considered as a variable. It discusses the influence of the experi-mentally formed group identity on the change of preferred strategies in social dilemmas. We use the possibilities of neural networks as means of categorizing the results of the prisoner's iterative dilemma in terms of the strategy applied by the player, as well as social factors. We define the patterns of changes in the IPD player's strategy before and after socialization are determined. The paper discusses the questions of real player's inclination to use IPD solution strategies in their pure form or to use the same strategy before and after experimental inter-ventions related to social identity formation. It is shown that experimentally induced socialization can be considered as a mechanism for increasing the degree of certainty in the choice of strategies when solving IPD task. It is found out that the models based on neural networks turn out to be more efficient after experi-mentally evoked social identity in a group of 6 people; and the models based on neural net-works are least effective in the case of predicting a subject's belonging to a gender group. When solving IPD problems by real people, it turns out to be possible to talk about generalized strategies that take into account not only the evolutionary properties of «pure» strategies, but also reflect various social factors.

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