scholarly journals Is Enjoyment Still Important in University Second Language Education?

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junko Winch
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
General Assumption ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
Second Language Education ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Academic Year

This study investigates if undergraduate students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine (STEM) who have studied Japanese in the Institution-Wide Language Provision (IWLP) context experienced enjoyment in Japanese language learning. This research was held at a British STEM university in London. Questionnaires were used to generate the quantitative and qualitative data. The participants were STEM undergraduate students who were studying Japanese in the 2015/16 academic year. The results showed that the majority of students experienced enjoyment and flow in Japanese language learning. These results show that the general assumption that all learning is grim and unpleasant is not necessarily true and that the assumption may be changed. Furthermore, language learning may be considered as the same as a leisure activity such as games, shopping or hobbies. As an implication for professional practices, language teachers are encouraged to be familiar with the concept of enjoyment and flow so that they are able to manipulate to invoke students’ enjoyment and flow.

scholarly journals Challenges for Language Teachers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junko Winch
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
Language Program ◽  
Language Classrooms

<p>There are students who are motivated to learn while others who are not in any language classrooms. Students in this study include not only motivated and unmotivated but also a Reasonable Adjustment (RA) student who have various issues. The aim of this study is to examine if the undergraduate students who learn language at a British university were motivated by three factors which are considered as the fundamental to motivation in psychology studies. The participants were 19 students who learn Japanese language in the Institution Wide Language Program (IWLP) a university of South of England. The participants studied in the experimental classes for one semester during the spring term of 2019. Then, students were asked to fill in a questionnaire at the end of the term, which became the data for this study. The questionnaires were analysed based on the three factors using qualitative analysis. The results showed that the majority of students agreed that they experienced three factors, which indicated facilitating students’ motivation. It was concluded that it is possible to manipulate the learning environment and make the majority of students motivated and facilitate language learning, but the RA student experienced only two of the three factors and was unable to feel motivated. </p>

scholarly journals An Inquiry on Japanese Language Education in Indonesia: A focus on the curriculum and its’ implementation

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Mutia Kusumawati
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
School Students ◽  
Learning Abilities ◽  
Japan Foundation

The number of Japanese language learners in Indonesia has reached second place in the world (The Japan Foundation, 2015). However, Japanese language skills of learners in Indonesia are still very far behind from other countries, especially China and South Korea. Therefore, this study aims to discuss the causes of the lack of development on Japanese language learning abilities in Indonesia with the curriculum approach used. To answer these problems, author analysed data by The Japan Foundation, interviewed Japanese language teachers at one national high school in Bandung, and reviewed the curriculum that was being used. The results showed that most of Japanese language learners in Indonesia are at the secondary education level and mostly are high school students. However, the purpose of the Japanese language teaching curriculum in high schools in Indonesia does not require students to master Japanese to the upper level. Therefore, even though the number of Japanese language learners in Indonesia is large, but because the target of language acquisition is low, the Japanese language ability also tends to be low.

Implementing a Flipped Classroom in Teaching Second Language Pronunciation

2016 ◽  
pp. 1882-1897
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Yonemoto ◽  
Asami Tsuda ◽  
Hisako Hayashi
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Second Language Education ◽  
Second Language Teachers ◽  
Self Learning

While the philosophy of flipped classroom has recently been drawing much attention of second language teachers, integrating technology into pedagogy is often an issue. This is also the case in pronunciation teaching. Second language pronunciation teaching has been largely dependent on teachers' intuition and beliefs, realized by repetition. Although recent technology developments in the field of linguistics, namely ultrasound imaging, enable visualization of movement and motion inside the mouth, it has not yet been widely used in second language education. In this chapter, taking a self-learning website for Japanese language pronunciation, the authors explore what makes teachers stay away from technology integration into language learning and how this barrier can be overcome to implement a flipped classroom. Specifically, the authors address the importance of taking initiative in planning how technology can be integrated into pedagogy while closely collaborating with and involving other fields of study, like linguistics, as well as information technology.

scholarly journals Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis and Second Language Learning

2019 ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Ali Akbar Khansir ◽  
Farhad Pakdel
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Contrastive Analysis ◽  
Second Language Education ◽  
Language Studies ◽  
The World

This article aims to provide an overview of some of the issues related to contrastive analysis hypothesis in second language learning. Contrastive hypothesis is one of the branches of applied linguistics which concerns with the study of two systems of languages between first language and target language. Contrastive hypothesis has fairly played an important role in language studies. Thus, in recent years, contrastive analysis has been used in language teaching contexts, syllabus design, and language classrooms by language teachers over the world. Many research works have been done by many language researchers in different aspects of contrastive hypothesis and also error analysis in the world. Language teachers always see contrastive analysis as a pedagogical imperative in target language and they use it as a functional approach in language classroom. However, contrastive hypothesis follows the errors of language learners in second language education.

scholarly journals Challenges for Language Teachers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junko Winch
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Japanese Language ◽  
Language Program ◽  
Language Classrooms

<p>There are students who are motivated to learn while others who are not in any language classrooms. Students in this study include not only motivated and unmotivated but also a Reasonable Adjustment (RA) student who have various issues. The aim of this study is to examine if the undergraduate students who learn language at a British university were motivated by three factors which are considered as the fundamental to motivation in psychology studies. The participants were 19 students who learn Japanese language in the Institution Wide Language Program (IWLP) a university of South of England. The participants studied in the experimental classes for one semester during the spring term of 2019. Then, students were asked to fill in a questionnaire at the end of the term, which became the data for this study. The questionnaires were analysed based on the three factors using qualitative analysis. The results showed that the majority of students agreed that they experienced three factors, which indicated facilitating students’ motivation. It was concluded that it is possible to manipulate the learning environment and make the majority of students motivated and facilitate language learning, but the RA student experienced only two of the three factors and was unable to feel motivated. </p>

Implementing a Flipped Classroom in Teaching Second Language Pronunciation

2017 ◽  
pp. 114-129
Author(s):  
Kazuhiro Yonemoto ◽  
Asami Tsuda ◽  
Hisako Hayashi
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Second Language Education ◽  
Second Language Teachers ◽  
Self Learning

While the philosophy of flipped classroom has recently been drawing much attention of second language teachers, integrating technology into pedagogy is often an issue. This is also the case in pronunciation teaching. Second language pronunciation teaching has been largely dependent on teachers' intuition and beliefs, realized by repetition. Although recent technology developments in the field of linguistics, namely ultrasound imaging, enable visualization of movement and motion inside the mouth, it has not yet been widely used in second language education. In this chapter, taking a self-learning website for Japanese language pronunciation, the authors explore what makes teachers stay away from technology integration into language learning and how this barrier can be overcome to implement a flipped classroom. Specifically, the authors address the importance of taking initiative in planning how technology can be integrated into pedagogy while closely collaborating with and involving other fields of study, like linguistics, as well as information technology.

scholarly journals Values and Attitudes of Nordic Language Teachers Towards Second Language Education

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 194-212
Author(s):  
Christina von Post ◽  
Patrik Wikström ◽  
Helge Räihä ◽  
Vilmantė Liubinienė
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Testing ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Second Language Education ◽  
The Relationship

Summary Issues in minority education in relation to citizenship have received more attention lately, because of new requirements for language testing in several countries (Bevelander, Fernandez & Hellström, 2011, p. 101). The acquisition of citizenship is more decisive for immigrant participation in society than the duration of stay in the country (Bevelander, Fernandez & Hellström, 2011). The second language is crucial for active citizenship and integration in this perspective. Most countries in the EU (except Ireland and Sweden) have language requirements for citizenship and the use of language testing becomes increasingly common among the countries that receive migrants. The rapid development highlights the need for new international studies on the relationship between citizenship and conditions for second language learning. The goal of the recent study is to compare premises, perspectives and scales of values of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish language educators, related to the requirements for immigrant citizenship. Previous studies (Björklund & Liubiniené, 2004) indicate that there are major differences in value systems even between the neighbouring countries. To reach the objective of the present study, interviews were conducted with language educators in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The results have revealed two opposing patterns. The values of Swedish informants show a wide-ranging variation, while the Danish and Norwegian data on values are consistently similar. The results raise further questions about the effects caused by differences in values among language educators when comparing the countries and call for a further verification of the data in a more extended study, including Lithuania and other Baltic states.

scholarly journals Pronunciation Errors of Letter “G” in English Language Made by Saudi Undergraduate Students

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huda Alqunayeer
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Loan Words ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Academic Year

The primary goal of the present study is to identify the problematic areas in the pronunciation of the letter “g” in English written words made by Saudi female learners of English as a foreign language, and the reasons for the weakness associated with mispronunciation of English written words which contain this letter. The population of the study was the female students (90 students) and their English language teachers (12 teachers) at the Qassim University during the academic year (2014-2015). There were two types of instruments used in this study. The first was a pronunciation test for the student participants in order to investigate the problematic areas of pronouncing “g” in different environments in different words; and the second a questionnaire for the teacher participants to provide comprehensive data about the causes of these errors of pronouncing “g” committed by EFL female students at Qassim University. Ninety female students were included for the pronunciation test and 12 teachers were asked to answer the questionnaire. Simple percentage was used for analyzing the data of recording words (pronunciation test). Results of the students’ recording words revealed that the participants mispronounced “g” before nasals (68%). According to the results of the teachers’ responses to the questionnaire suggested many factors that can cause difficulties for students in terms of pronouncing “g” in English written words. According to them, these difficulties are concerned with reading difficulties, nonstandard spellings, letters that follow “g” (many of them may become combinations), loan words, orthography (no correspondence between the English alphabets and their sounds). The researcher offers recommendations that might help teachers and students to overcome and reduce these mispronunciations of this letter in English written words.

scholarly journals Innowacyjność w edukacji językowej a profesjonalizm nauczyciela

Neofilolog ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 28-41
Author(s):  
Krystyna Droździał-Szelest
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Based Instruction ◽  
Task Based Instruction ◽  
Learning Language

Innovation in language education, just as in any other discipline, is connected with changes whose primary goal is to make the process of language learning/language teaching more efficient. Examples of such innovations include, for instance, task based instruction, computer assisted language learning or the use of portfolio as a means of assessment.Innovation implies a new, qualitatively different perception of the language learning/ language teaching process, roles of teachers and learners, use of materials etc., hence it is believed to constitute a challenge for language teachers and their professionalism. The present article is an attempt to answer the question whether and to what extent the language teaching profession is actually prepared to deal with innovation.

Language teachers’ accounts of challenges in two European settings of integration training

2021 ◽  
pp. 147490412110549
Author(s):  
Miira Häkkinen ◽  
Mirjamaija Mikkilä-Erdmann
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Adult Education ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Second Language Education ◽  
Second Language Teachers

This study investigates the work of second language teachers in two institutional settings responsible for integration training. By exploring teachers’ accounts in Finland and Germany, we seek to deepen the understanding of the daily practice of second language education. Bridging conceptual and practical approaches, the aim is to contribute to the current discourse on the development of adult second language education in Europe. A phenomenographic analysis of semi-structured interviews reveals challenges that influence instruction from inside and outside institutional practice. Accounts in the Finnish setting depict issues in how language education, teachers’ work, and adult education are perceived. Administration and language teachers disagree on what needs to be improved in a changing societal environment. Professional pride and appreciation are strongly demanded in a profession that is still being established, and challenges specific to adult education translate into priorities in delivering instruction. In the German setting, expressions culminate in prerequisites, and challenges lie in the way external factors influence course design and instruction. They also touch upon learning: methods, materials, and abilities. Feelings of inadequacy describe teachers’ psychological working environment. A comparison concludes a need to defend contact teaching in Finland and to improve tracking of slower learners’ progress in Germany.

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