The Use of Agreement Expression in Discussion : Comparison of Japanese Learners at the Intermediate and Advanced Levels

2016 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Komatsu Nana ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Japanese Learners

Development of the L2 Motivational Self System: English at a University in Japan

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Aubrey
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
English Language ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
L2 Motivation ◽  
L2 Motivational Self System ◽  
Motivational Structure ◽  
International Posture ◽  
Japanese Learners ◽  
Self System

This paper reports on a study investigating changes in L2 motivation for Japanese learners of English as they completed their first communicative English language course at university. I aim to describe the strength and structure of students’ motivation and the degree to which these changed over one semester. A 36-item questionnaire was used to measure components of the L2 Motivational Self System and International Posture. The questionnaire was administered twice to 202 second-year university students in Japan: during the first week of the semester and 11 weeks later. Structural equation models were created to describe the causal relationships between motivational variables for the two time periods. Paired t tests revealed that both motivated learning behavior and ought-to L2 self significantly increased over the semester. A comparison of the two models indicated that there was a change in the motivational structure from Week 1 to Week 12. 本研究は、英語学習者の動機づけの強さと構造、及びその変化に焦点をあて、日本人大学生の外国語（L2）に対する動機づけの変化を調査した。大学で最初に履修するコミュニケーション英語の授業を対象に、第2言語習得を動機づける自己システム（L2 Motivational Self System）と国際志向性の2側面を測定する36項目からなる質問紙を作成し、2年生202名に対して授業第1週目とその11週間後に調査を実施した。分析は、まず構造方程式モデリングで2回の調査間の動機づけの変化を分析し、それに基づき対応のあるt検定を実施した。分析の結果、動機づけの高い学習行動と義務自己ought-to selfに関する数値が1学期を通して向上したことが明らかになった。

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.

Dynamic assessment and requesting: Assessing the development of Japanese EFL learners’ oral requesting performance interactively

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 545-575
Author(s):  
Allan Nicholas
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Task Type ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Coding Scheme ◽  
Dynamic Methods ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Japanese Learners ◽  
Development Analysis ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractThis study investigates the use of dynamically-administered strategic interaction scenarios (D-SIS) in identifying Japanese EFL participants’ difficulties with requesting-in-interaction, and tracking their development. Informed by conversation analysis research, six Japanese EFL learners at a university in Japan carried out D-SIS tasks in two phases, with the aim of both identifying specific aspects of requesting-in-interaction that were challenging, and learner development. Analysis focuses on three particular areas of difficulty that arose for participants during the dialogic interactions—connecting request turn utterance linguistic choices to social context; pre-request expansions of requesting talk, and pre-closing sequences. A coding scheme was applied that analyzed mediation sequences in terms of the efficiency with which participants oriented to and resolved problems, allowing ZPD movement to be quantified. In combination with close qualitative analysis of the transcript data, mediation sequences provided insights into the participants’ knowledge and understanding of these areas that would not have been gained through non-dynamic methods. Results therefore provide insight into areas of difficulty for Japanese learners with regards to requesting, and provide support for the use of the D-SIS task type as a diagnostic tool in regards to request-based talk-in-interaction.

The limits of extended naturalistic exposure on the perceptual mastery of English /r/ and /l/ by adult Japanese learners of English

1995 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 380-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoyuki Takagi ◽  
Virginia Mann
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Identification Accuracy ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Japanese Learners ◽  
One Year ◽  
Adult Exposure

AbstractTo evaluate the effect of extended adult exposure to authentic spoken English on the perceptual mastery of English /r/ and /l/, we tested 12 native speakers of English (A), 12 experienced Japanese (EJ) who had spent 12 or more years in the United States, and 12 less experienced Japanese (LJ) who had spent less than one year in the United States. The tests included the forced-choice identification of naturally produced /r/s and /1/s and the labeling of word-initial synthetic tokens that varied F2 and F3 to form an /r/-/l/-/w/ continuum. The F.Js’ mean performance in both tasks was closer to that of the As than the LJs, but nonetheless fell short. Extended exposure may improve /r/-/l/ identification accuracy; it does not ensure perfect perceptual mastery.

Effects of mora-timing in English rhythm control by Japanese learners

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shizuka Nakamura ◽  
Hiroaki Kato ◽  
Yoshinori Sagisaka
Keyword(s):  
Rhythm Control ◽  
Japanese Learners

Deployment of the formulaic utterance “how about∼” in task-based second language classroom discussions

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-446
Author(s):  
David Aline ◽  
Yuri Hosoda
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Alternative Procedures ◽  
Japanese Learners

Abstract Formulaic speech has long been of interest in studies of second language learning and pragmatic use as production and comprehension of formulaic utterances requires less processing and production effort and, therefore, allows for greater fluency. This study scrutinizes the sequential positions and actions of one formulaic utterance “how about∼” from the participants’ perspective. This conversation analytic study offers a fine-grained microanalysis of student interaction during classroom peer discussion activities. The data consist of over 54 h of video-recorded classroom interaction. Analysis revealed several positions and actions of “how about∼” as it occurs during peer discussions by Japanese learners of English. Emerging from analysis was a focus on how learners deploy this formulaic utterance to achieve various actions within sequences of interaction. Analysis revealed that participants used “how about∼” for (a) explicitly selecting next speaker, (b) shifting topics, (c) proposing a solution, and (d) suggesting alternative procedures. Although the formula was deployed to perform these four different actions, consistent throughout all instances was the disclosure of learner orientation to the progressivity of the task interaction. The findings show how language learners deploy this formulaic utterance in discussion tasks designed for language learning and highlights the pragmatic functions of this phrase.

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