JALT
Journal Abstracts
May
1998
(Vol.20,
No.1)
Articles
Yakudoku EFL Instruction in Two Japanese
High School Classrooms: An Exploratory Study
Greta J. Gorsuch, Mejiro University
Despite swings of the pendulum towards and away from oral English instruction,
some researchers suggest that English language instruction in Japanese
high schools is still dominated by yakudoku, a non-oral approach to foreign
language instruction. Little detailed, descriptive research on yakudoku
instruction in classrooms is to be found, and the beliefs of teachers
who use yakudoku seems not be researched at all. This exploratory study
seeks to remedy this. Two high school EFL classes were observed, and the
teachers interviewed. Specific classroom behaviors of the teachers were
analyzed and coded, and teachers? beliefs, as revealed through interviews,
matched with their behaviors. It was found that teachers demanded conformity
in students? work, thus focusing on linguistic forms. It was also found
that the students focused the bulk of their attention on the Japanese
translations of the English text, rather than the English text itself.
The study, while exploratory in nature, and thus flawed, creates a basis
for further research into this little studied aspect of EFL instruction
in Japanese high schools.
Japanese EFL Learners? Perception of Politeness
in Low Imposition Requests
Hiroko Matsuura, Fukushima University
This study examined Japanese and American perceptual differences of politeness
in English requests in order to find points that can be implemented in
EFL classrooms in Japan. For this purpose, 77 Japanese and 48 American
university students were given 11 English sentences which were to be used
in the action of borrowing a pen, with a seven-point rating scale attached.
Findings were as follows: Japanese rated "May I borrow a pen?" to be almost
in the neutral politeness zone whereas Americans rated it as a very polite
request; in the case of a close-friend as an addressee, Japanese tended
to think that "would you/I . . . " form was less than marginal while Americans
saw the form as an appropriate request; and Japanese tended to think another
Japanese could use rather casual requests to American students whereas
Americans would expect him/her to use more polite expressions.
EFL's Othering of Japan: Orientalism in English Language
Teaching
Bernard Susser, Doshisha Women's Junior College
This survey of two aspects of ESL/EFL (English as a second/foreign language)
literature-advice to foreign teachers in Japan and research on cross-cultural
learning styles-found many instances of what Edward W. Said called the
discourse of "Orientalism." The argument is made that because of its Orientalism,
the literature surveyed presents a distorted account of Japanese learners
and classrooms.
Research Forum
Conversational Turn-taking Behaviors of Japanese
and Americans in Small Groups
Michael T. Hazel, Kagoshima Immaculate Heart College
Joe Ayres, Washington State University
This study examined conversational turn-taking behaviors between Japanese
and American participants in small groups. Because of cultural differences,
it was hypothesized that Americans would employ self-select turn-taking
procedures proportionately more often than Japanese and that Japanese
would employ other-select turn-taking procedures proportionately more
often than Americans. These expectations were tested in eight groups;
two comprised all Japanese participants, two comprised all American participants
and four comprised an equal number of Japanese and American participants.
Each group contained four members. Results supported the expectations
outlined above in the culturally uniform groups. However, in the culturally
diverse groups, Japanese and Americans did not differ in the proportions
of self and other select turn-taking behaviors. In these groups, though,
Americans took significantly more turns than did the Japanese.
The Need to Teach Communication Strategies
in the Foreign Language Classroom
George Russell, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu
Lester Loschky, Nanzan University, Nagoya
In this article we argue for the need for instruction in lexical communication
strategies in foreign language classes. After comparing opposing views
on communication strategies and instruction, we recommend instruction
in second language-based lexical communication strategies ("recommended
strategies") for students who do not use them. We then report a study
about the manner in which our first year Japanese university students
of English as a foreign language conceptualized their communicative options
in two situations in which they lacked specific vocabulary. Since results
suggest that many of our students think of using first language-based
or non-linguistic strategies, we argue that these students would benefit
from instruction in the use of second language-based strategies.
Perspectives
Classroom Self-Assessment—A Pilot Study
Dale T. Griffee, Seigakuin University
Student self-assessment is of great interest to teachers who want their
students to take more responsibility for learning by judging their own
progress. This exploratory study compares self assessment, teacher assessment
and peer assessment in a Japanese university EFL class. Nineteen students
gave oral presentations and each student rated her own performance in
terms of eight categories (loudness, eye contact, etc.). The other students
also assessed the talk, as did the teacher. The three types of assessment
scores were added, averaged and then compared. The results suggest that
student and teacher assessment scores were similar and the scores of the
higher proficiency students were more similar to the teacher scores than
the lower proficiency students? scores. There was no difference in the
way the male and female students judged themselves, and the self-assessment
scores tended to be similar to the teacher scores.
Intensifying Practice and Noticing through
Videoing Conversations for Self-Evaluation
Tim Murphey, Nanzan University
Tom Kenny, Nagoya University of Foreign Studies
This paper describes an innovative configuration of video cameras and
VHS recorders which allows teachers to videotape students? short conversations
and give them their video cassette copies immediately to take home and
view. A preliminary analysis of questionnaire data suggests that students
benefit from the procedure through repeated negotiated practice, multiple
opportunities for 'noticing' learnable material (linguistic items, communication
strategies, beliefs, attitudes, etc.) in their own and their classmates?
output, and control over the construction of extended discourse. We suggest
that the procedure helps teachers create an acquisition-rich environment
for their students to focus on the forms they need to improve their fluency
and accuracy while enhancing their metacognitive awareness and autonomy.
This procedure also offers a potentially rich source of data for teachers
and researchers wishing to study SLA synchronically and diachronically.
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