本稿では、米国州立大学の日本語コースの学生と日本の私立大学の英語コースの学生で行ったＥメール交換の実践報告をし、その有効性と問題点を検証・考察する。本プロジェクトでは、両大学の学生をペアにし、興味のあることをそれぞれの学習言語で質問し、返信をもとに作文を書き、発表をした。終了時のアンケート調査によると、同世代の学生間のＥメール交換がオーセンティックな外国語学習のためのコミュニケーションツールとなり、文化学習と自律学習を促すことが明らかとなった。一方、面識のない学生にＥメール送信することへの不安やＥメール交換が続かないなどの問題点もあった。これらの結果を踏まえ、今後の外国語学習におけるEメール交換の可能性と課題を考察する。
This paper reports the use and effects of email exchange between American and Japanese college students in foreign language classrooms. After introducing each other via email, students sent their email partner questions in their target language. After several email exchanges, each student wrote an essay based on the information they received from their email partner, and presented it in the class. The results of the questionnaires showed that this project played an important role for students of authentic foreign language learning. It was also successful in motivating students to write and read in their target languages, and having students deepen their knowledge about their target language culture and society. Finally, it was effective in enabling students to learn independently. A description of this email exchange project and a discussion of its advantages for adoption in the foreign language classroom environment are presented in this paper.
